ã€ŠThe Other Side: A Second Chance [Dark Isekai Drama]ã€‹


 Prologue

    I paused the video and took an exhaustive breath as I leaned back in my chair. "Fuck me..." I muttered with closed eyes and wondered what to do next with the remaining time in the day. It''s been roughly two hours of me just sitting here watching random documentaries online, and nothing else has progressed. I had canceled my D&D session that night when a player crucial to the plot I had planned for had bailed due to some medical issues, for which honestly, I couldn''t blame them. Even though I knew it was better for them to sleep than to try to make it through one of my sessions groggy, I could not help but feel a little down about it as I had been looking forward to the game.

    Normally, such a thing wouldn''t seem like a big deal, though such a game is the only way to break up the monotonous routine I spend every day of my waking life. I wake up, take two steps to my computer, work, play games, eat, sleep, wake up, take two steps to my computer, work, play games, eat, sleep, and so on. A cycle that had been on repeat for six years straight, with only the tabletop game and my online buddies being the bumps to interrupt it. It was like I was stuck in Groundhog Day.

    Opening my eyes, I glanced at the time and saw that it was already two in the morning. I had to be up for work in seven hours. "I should probably go lay down," I muttered to myself as my head turned to look at my bed directly behind my computer. I stared at it for a few moments, contemplating. The thought of waking up the next morning and shuffling to this exact computer was not appealing.

    Ever since the pandemic a couple of years ago, I have been working from home. At first, the thought of working for tech support from the comfort of my chair at home was appealing. At first, it was, however, the mental toll of my bedroom also being my office wasn¡¯t great. To make matters worse, the trailer I lived in I also shared with my brother Mattew and his family meant I didn¡¯t have much room for spacing out my life.

    "I could just call off..." I muttered to myself, "Stay up and do some more prep. Maybe write." I glanced at my clock and watched as the time ticked over to ten minutes after two. Already, that much time had passed as I sat there wondering what to do.

    "Fuck it," I said with a grunt and turned back to my PC. "If I''m going to do that, I might as well go buy some energy drinks." I pushed my chair back and stood up with a sigh. I stretched my arms out, arched my back slightly, and grunted when it popped pleasantly.

    I swapped out my comfortable Star Wars-themed pajamas for a pair of used jeans I had picked off the floor and slid my feet into my sneakers. I then tossed my also worn, black zip-up hoodie over my green shirt and shuffled out of my room just before stopping off at the bathroom to relieve myself and wash my hands. To wake myself up more, I splashed some water on my face, looked up at the mirror, and blinked.

    "God, you look like shit." I muttered out loud as my crusty blue eyes flicked over my short, wavy blonde hair and thick beard. I glanced at my razor and trimmers and contemplated doing a quick shave and once over with my brush, but... decided against it. "I''ll do it when I get back," I lied to myself out loud.

    With my hands firmly stuck in my pockets, I began to shuffle out of the house after grabbing my car keys. With the door firmly shut and locked behind me, I walked down to my car and made my way to the Seven-Eleven just down the street. I could''ve walked there, but I didn''t feel like spending the ten or so minutes doing so. Though it was only early summer, Midwest America can get pretty chilly sometimes.

    The drive alone only took about two minutes. The gas station is positioned just off the intersection of two highways. Even at this time of night, the place received a steady stream of business. Even now, I could see four other vehicles parked and a white truck getting gas pumped into it. I pulled up alongside the building and slid my car into an open parking spot before shutting it off and getting out. Without much of a care for the world, I popped my wireless earbuds in and began to listen to the one pointless documentary about the history of Monopoly as I walked into the store.

    Immediately I was hit with the smell of cheap fried food and alcohol, and I could see a small line in front of the cash register. A tall, pale-skinned man in a white hoodie and baggy gray sweatpants with enough piercings to buy a cheap house seemed to be arguing with the clerk about something. The man was jutting his finger out towards the truck I saw getting gas, though I paid little attention to it as I walked to the back of the store.

    Cotton Candy, Rainbow Unicorn, or Star Blast¡ªwho the fuck comes up with these flavor names? I thought to myself as I opened the freezer and knelt. I swear half of these flavor names had to have been just a handful of marketing dudes sitting around in some conference room ripping some hard joints and just blurting out the first thing that came to their minds. Or at least that¡¯s the thought that came to my mind. Like Radical Skadattle¡­ Who the hell comes up with this? That¡¯s an actual flavor name by the way, and nothing about it describes what you¡¯re buying. Anyways, as ridiculous as some of the names are I had bought these flavors before, cotton candy being the most plain. Star Blast being a pretty baller and Rainbow Unicorn... that one just left me conflicted, and Radical Skadattle. I¡¯ll be honest I¡¯m a bit too scared to try that one. I guess you could say it¡¯s making me skedaddle away! Ha!

    Glancing at a small tag I saw it is a buy two, get one free deal. I''ll probably just take one of each, then, for the sake of variety. I reached for the cans.

    That''s when I heard it. Over the sound of my Monopoly documentary, I heard one of the women in line shriek and the two men up front shout. I straightened up and turned to see everyone behind the line either moving towards me or bolting towards the door. The clerk had his hands up in the air as the man in the white hoody pointed what was a firearm at him. Immediately, I felt my stomach drop, and my eyes darted toward the exit, where a young couple darted out the door. Being at the back of the store, I could easily go around the edge, follow them, and skedaddle just like the can suggested. Before I made my move, I took one more glance back at the terrified clerk. He was slowly inching towards the door behind the counter while staring at the weapon being thrust towards his chest.

    If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.

    I muted my video and immediately knew this wasn''t going to end well.

    "I don''t know what the fuck you''re talking about!" The clerk raised his voice but was overpowered by the attacker.

    "I dun give a fuuuck!" The gangbanger slurred. "I''m tired of your dead mother fuckers rippin'' me off! All you fuckers are the same!"

    "Lo-look, man, I''m sorry! Whatever happened, it''s cool." The clerk slowly stepped back. "If you want money, I''ll open the register."

    "I don''t want your fucking money! I want you de--" I had no idea why I chose to do what I did. I''m not a hero or particularly brave. Stupid, maybe. Most likely. Yet before I could officially decide my escape plan, my body moved on its own. Taking a few swift steps forward, I arched my back and arm behind me and began to wind up a perfect throw before pelting the gun-wielding maniac in the back of the head with the can of Star Blast.

    "Gyaak!!" The Jeweled Criminal choked as he stumbled forward into the counter, one hand cradling the back of his head as he stood there stunned.

    It¡¯s moments like this I always imagined myself as being someone cool. Like after beaming the man in the back of the head, I¡¯d say like a cool one-liner such as, ¡°Time to open a can of whoop-ass.¡± Or. ¡°I¡¯ve been aching for a beat down and today is your lucky day.¡± Or some bullshit like that.

    Unfortunately, I am not cool. Instead an a pathetic, shrill, and panicked voice, I shouted at the clerk, "Grab his gun!"

    Yet the man behind the counter was also not me, in that he wasn¡¯t stupid, nor brave, instead, he turned and bolted through the door behind the counter. Fucking coward... I whimpered, which in hindsight, was not fair of me to think. The guy totally made the right call getting the hell out of there. Though, at the moment, I was whimpering and shaking as the hooded man turned to look back in my direction. Immediately I turned to run, just as the man held up what looked like a small revolver, and suddenly I felt a hot, searing pain erupt somewhere in my upper back, and before I knew it, the hard tiled floor came rising to meet my face.

    I felt like I was drowning. Hot liquid filled my mouth; I could hardly breathe. I gagged and gurgled what I could assume was my blood. There were distant shouts, then a cacophony of banging and sirens.

    Fucking hell, I''m dying! I''m fucking dying!

    I tried to call out for help, yet all that came out was gore and vomit.

    No! No! For fuck''s sake, this can''t be how I go. Please, not like this.

    My vision faded. A bright light shone above me, and briefly, I could see what looked like a man and woman, their voices distant, yet I could faintly hear, "He''s going into shock! C''mon, hang in there! We''re almost at the hospital; stay with us. Look at me! Look at him¡ªwe''re losing him! Get the defibrillator." And then silence...

    <hr>

    Suddenly, heat, slime, and an unfamiliar musk assaulted my senses. I couldn''t breathe, and the sound of a woman screaming assaulted my eardrums as a violent force shoved me forward. I gasped and choked for air as a cool breeze wafted over me. I felt weightless as something grabbed me firmly and yanked me upwards into the sky.

    What the fuck is happening?! I thought to myself, panicking.

    I was no longer in pain though I was struggling to breathe. My lungs felt sore and my guts were flopping all over as an otherworldly force tossed me around. I felt like I was flying as if I was in a dream, yet this felt more like a nightmare. That¡¯s when I realized I could also think again, but when I tried to open my eyes, everything was blurry aside from distant shapes.

    Oh fuck, I''m blind! I began to panic.

    I opened my mouth to cry for help, yet, what I heard was not my voice. Yet something that sounded more akin to that of a baby...

    Whatever was making me fly halted abruptly and turned me around onto my back, my legs violently forced apart. I cried out once more as I tried to pathetically resist the giant violating me.

    "Woohoo!" I heard my violator shout before suddenly speaking something that wasn''t English. Before I could think I was once more twirled around in the air, and the blurry giant that was toying with me yanked me forward so close to their face that the blurriness cleared to reveal a young, handsome man with bright green eyes and short brown hair smiling at me.

    My screaming ceased as my eyes narrowed on the unfamiliar being before me. I fucking died and went to hell. What is this?

    The giant man smiled widely at me and then hoisted my tiny form over to someone else I couldn''t see. On either side of me, large, slender hands suddenly wrapped around me and clutched me gently as I began to scream with renowned panic. Whatever dream this was, I had enough; I was done. No way was I going to be stuck in this form around these gargantuan heathens who would dare violate me and toss me around for their amusement. My protests were soon interrupted when the gentler giant pulled me into a cradle alongside something soft and plump.

    Once again, a voice I couldn''t understand spoke up. Yet this one was soft and tender, yet also mixed in with what sounded like scolding. Confused, I just froze up. I had seen this once on Animal Planet if I curled up like a possum in the arms of whoever this giant thing was. I¡¯d play dead. Then, they¡¯ll like¡­ toss me away or something? That¡¯s when I¡¯ll perform my escape. As to how I would do that. I don¡¯t know yet. The plan is still in the well... Planning phase. So, I¡¯ll play dead and try to think about what the fuck happened.

    A few minutes ago, I was at a Seven-Eleven. I was wondering who the hell names a drink skedaddle, and then what¡­ a robbery happened? I did something stupid, and I got what? Shot I think. I just remember the pain. Lots of it. Maybe I did get shot. Maybe I¡¯m in the hospital and I¡¯m just on some crazy hard drugs right now. That¡¯d explain why I don¡¯t feel pain right now.

    Despite me trying to play dead I couldn¡¯t help but feel the big smile on my face as I came to the realization. I¡¯m just tripping major balls right now. High as a kite on the peak of Cloud Nine. Or am I just mixing metaphors?

    Either way, this is not what I expected.

    Mid-thought, I was interrupted when bending down, the figure who held me in a cradle bent over close enough so that their blurry appearance came into view. A gorgeous woman with striking blue eyes and short black hair that was matted with sweat, her cheeks were flushed red with exertion, yet as my eyes soaked in her features, what stood out to me most were her ears. They were long and pointed, like an elf from a fairy tale.

    The giant woman said something to me and gave me a perplexed look. I heard the man who jostled me around say something before chuckling, and the woman smirked before taking her free hand and pulling down the loose cloth of her robes. She revealed her bosom and nipple to me, and at that very moment, as I ogled her breast, it clicked.

    Or maybe I  got reincarnated...

 Chapter 1: A Name

    Part One: A Second Chance

    I don''t envy babies anymore. To be honest, I envied the little poop factories when I was living in my trailer with my older brother Matthew and his family. The joy of just sitting in a crib, minding your own business, and having giants slave over keeping you clean and fed. They had nothing to worry about. Babies had everything, man. Free food, free lodging, and no worries except for when they had to go to bed. All they needed to do to get what they wanted was to just scream about it, and no way were they getting in trouble for it either because, hey, it¡¯s a baby. It¡¯s what they do.

    Yeah no. Not any longer. Though I doubt most babies have the consciousness of an adult as I do now. Could you imagine that? Like, I know I don¡¯t, but like if all babies were like me and could already just go. Like bam! You shoot out of your Mom and turn to her and say, ¡°Mother, thank you for birthing me I am ready for whatever this world needs of me.¡± Just picture how much the Human race could¡¯ve accomplished if we came out sprinting on day one.

    What the hell am I talking about? Oh yeah, this is my life now. If you¡¯re wondering why I¡¯m having such bizarre thoughts. My point is being a baby sucks. This little body of mine feels like a prison. My muscles ache with every shift of my body or attempted lift of my head, and my eyesight is atrocious.

    Now, you might be wondering. Why the hell am I a baby? To which I¡¯ll happily answer by saying, ¡°I don¡¯t know, and that scares me.¡± My original assumption was that I was in the hospital high off of some pain sedative, or maybe I was in a medically induced coma.

    Some part of me still thinks I may be in some coma. Though it¡¯s been ages now, and I haven¡¯t awoken. For now, I¡¯m just going along with whatever is happening. I don¡¯t like thinking about that stuff anyway. It puts me in a sour mood. So, let''s focus on the present.

    Being a baby sucks. I have been through it once already, though, of course, I don¡¯t remember being one, but that doesn¡¯t mean I want to experience it again. My caretakers, the Elven woman, and man, are always bringing their faces so close to mine that it''s unnerving, to say the least.

    At least when the man does it, the woman at least seems pretty and harmless, but the man, now resembling a grizzled geezer since he grew out his hair, is a bit off-putting, to say the least¡­ I should probably also mention again the fact that, once again, my caretakers are two elves. I¡¯ll repeat it once again. Elves. You know the fantasy race? The human-looking people with pointy ears? I¡¯m just being an ass. Of course, you would know.

    The man, who I¡¯ll be nominating the title of Bonehead, who is also probably my father¨Cwhy am I giving my possibly new parent a mean nickname? Oh well, that¡¯s easy. He¡¯s an asshole. The guy probably has little to no experience with kids. The dude treats me like a football, and I¡¯m talking about a real football, not that round football we call soccer. You heathens are always confused.

    I swear, if he throws me in the air one more time, I''ll aim my vomit at him.

    I have no idea how much time has passed. I''ve slept so much, it''s hard to tell. If I am in a coma, when I sleep, am I like dreaming in a dream? Because, when I sleep now I dream of stuff back then. That¡¯s some weird inception shit to think about. Again, the shit I think about while being a baby.

    There have been moments that had broken up the montoney. Such as the fact I''d been repositioned at least a dozen times. Yet even then, it''s done little to keep my sanity in check. Like seriously, think about it; imagine being trapped in your thoughts for hours and days on end, stuck in the same tiny room, being unable to move, trapped, and at the by the will of your caretakers. Some times the giants will come and take you away, but your horrible baby vision stops you from actually seeing anything. Eventually you¡¯ll be stuffed back into that tiny room and crib and tucked tightly in your blankets, but some times those blankets are too tight and it gets really hot. So you cry and cry, hoping you can get them to come just so they can pick you up and try to figure out what¡¯s wrong. While you only want them to put you back in and fix your covers so you won¡¯t get too hot though they don¡¯t know that¡¯s what you want. So in a moment of unsure panic Bonehead thinks you¡¯re hungry, so he carries you all the way down into the kitchen and where he gets some kind of bottle of lukewarm milk. But I¡¯m not hungry so I spit it out, and out of frustration I try to scream at him to take me back to bed and now also starts to cry and panic. Now everyone is screaming and the giant elf woman, who I¡¯ll nominate the title of boss, comes rushing down the steps demanding in her language¡¯s equivalent of WTF is going on?! Eventually after some squabbling between the couple they drag you all the way back upstairs and stuff you into your crib. Only to then tighten the bedding too much once again and your stuck having to sleep in a slightly too warm bed!

    Being a baby fucking sucks. Moments like that are few and far between. Many of your days and nights when being a baby again is filled with nothing but silence, and your own breathing of course. It¡¯s boring. Like, really boring. If I had to make a tier list of what¡¯s the most boring thing to do in the world. I would put being a baby on lowest possible tier beneath watching paint dry. Because ninety percent of the time that¡¯s exactly what you¡¯re doing. The problem is, paint dries faster than being a goddamn baby, because a baby you¡¯re forced to watch multiple sets dry.

    It¡¯s honestly so bad. It reminds me of that horror story I read about a US soldier during the Pacific War. He was a prisoner of the Japanese who had kept him confined to a cell for years on end. Robert Shumaker was his name if I recall. As a way to keep himself sane he had mentally built a house in his mind. Essentially all he did was daydreaming.

    A strategy that I found myself doing, and shit, it¡¯s all I could do. For what felt like hours in my cell, which was my crib, I would imagine things in my head. Which thinking back on it, my ADHD brain did this often, especially back in school. Hey, if¡­ if I did get reincarnated. Hypothetically speaking, would I still have ADHD? Cause, that¡¯s like a brain thing right? I¡¯m no doctor if my lack of intelligence hasn¡¯t already made that clear. I never went to college or anything, didn¡¯t want to get myself into debt. Which honestly, turned out pretty well for me anyways. My IT job paid somewhat okay and such, so really. Dodging college was something I did not regret in the slightest.

    Anyways, back to what I was saying. I was always an imaginative kid, and my parents were always amazed at how I could keep myself entertained without toys. However, in my adult years, this was a habit I dropped, especially when D&D became a thing in my life. Or well, I guess it didn¡¯t go away. I just redirected it at the game. God, I miss D&D. I miss my friends¡­ Part of me wonders how everyone else reacted¨CNo. No. Don¡¯t think about that.

    Lets talk about cool stuff. Like how weird this place is. Like if there¡¯s elves in this world I wonder if there''s magic here? I seen my fair share of animes and such, in isekais the place the main character always goes to is a cool magical world with hot babes, demons, and if you¡¯re lucky, no little kids who say they¡¯re thousands of years old. Because I hate that shit, except for Beatrice, she was cool.

    Once again, because I¡¯m a little baby. I can¡¯t really explore. The only time I¡¯m ever able to sortie out on a recon mission is when either Bonehead or Boss comes to get me Despite my poor, pitiful baby eyes, the few times I''ve been carried out of prison, I¡¯ve collected some intel on my whereaboutts. For starters, I appeared to be in a small, two-story home in what I assumed to be the countryside. How do I know it¡¯s the country side? Easy¡­ Okay no it isn¡¯t easy. Honestly I¡¯m guessing. The few times I''ve been outside I hadn¡¯t noticed any other nearby homes, and I could hear what sounded like disant bulls. At least I think they¡¯re bulls. The sounds were deep and guttural and I¡¯ll admit it was quite frightening.

    Aside from that, I also noticed it''s been rather warm, and I¡¯ve seen melting snow. So if I had to guess it was early spring. Another neat thing is that there seems to be some form of electricity, judging by the lighting situation inside. Such that whenever Bonehead or boss entered the room at night, the room would suddenly become lit.

    Oh hell, I forgot something. Honestly, I wish if my not bringing this up that bastard would go away. Eh, that¡¯s cruel to say. What am I talking about? Well, I also learned that I may have a sibling¨CI know, I was shocked too when I learned this.

    He¡¯s an older brother of sorts, but only by what seems to be a year or two. The kid is already running around and performing stunts. I hate him. I hate him so much. Okay, okay. I don¡¯t really hate him, but I hate that seeing him running around doing toddler things is¡­ is tortuous. God please, lord, if you exist. Which, really you might now that I think about it if you did bring me to life again. Please, please let me start moving soon. Can you like turn up the dial that¡¯ll make me grow faster? No? Fine, asshole.

    As time drifted by day in and day out. Everything just sort of became a blur. Consciousness drifted in and out and during the bouts of wakefulness I mainly tried to practice mediation and daydreaming. Occasionally I would try little exercises but my little baby body said no to any of that. Though during these periods there was one other thing I learned during my bouts of meditation and self-discovery in prison¡ªsomething a bit drastic that I wasn''t ready for.

    I wasn¡¯t a guy anymore. That was something I was not ready for during one of my changing sessions. You¡¯d think I would¡¯ve learned after the first, but I was still going through the initial shock of where I was. Learning this was a severe shock. Either my brain is sending my signals in this comatosed dream. Or It appears that my reincarnation has rolled the dice and Johnson packed up his two balls and moved on.

    If this truly was a second chance at life, and not some drug induced dream. I couldn¡¯t help but wonder how my life is going to turn out now. While the situation was shocking, it wasn¡¯t infuriating. I also wasn¡¯t indifferent either. I don¡¯t know how to describe it but I felt amused? Like I said, I don¡¯t know how to describe it. had always wondered what it''d be like to be a woman. Would I have enjoyed life more, or would I have still been in the same situation I was before?

    I was in no position to answer my own question. As a guy, I knew nothing about women. Not saying that as a joke either. I knew nothing. All I knew, is that I was attracted to them, I respected them, and I was deeply terrified of them. I had a few friends who were girls, and all of them scared me. Also part of that fear stemmed from my mother. In my household, you never wanted Mom to be the one who dished out the punishments.

    I don¡¯t know what this world is like. All I could hope for is that it was something like Earth. I would hate for this place to be like there, before modern times, if women here I gonna be treated second class I am not looking forward to that. Girls went through some tough shit back then, and I don¡¯t know if I had the strength to go through that stuff like they had.

    Lets talk about something that won¡¯t make my anxiety worst. For instance learned from moving my pudgy arms around that I also share a similar trait with the Boss and Bonehead. No it¡¯s not that I¡¯m also a bonehead! It¡¯s that that I too have pointed ears. Making me an elf too!

    Shouldn¡¯t I have known that by seeing that the Boss and Bonehead are also elves?

    Hey, I never said I was smart. Again, I¡¯m not a doctor. I couldn¡¯t be sure they were my parents until I checked myself. That¡¯s my story.

    As time continued on and my little body grew stronger. My imagination was having a harder time keeping me entertained. So I decided to start exploring my surroundings with my limited vision while reaching out with my pudgy arms. Examining my prison, which was my crib proved to be a nice distraction in between my imaginative adventures. It wasn¡¯t bad, if I had to guess it was maybe about four foot by two foot which was very spacious. The bedding was firm, but not too firm and the blankets were extravagant. First off, the baby blanket had dragons. Or at least some kind of lizard monster. It had wings and two arms, or legs, I couldn¡¯t tell. It was awesome, and not only that it was fighting heroes.

    So you have two things. Blue, and big lizard monster. I¡¯m a huge Godzilla fan so already, if I was giving this crib a review on Yelp we¡¯re at a solid four and half stars. Why only four and half and not five? Easy, there¡¯s no bathroom. I hate my life. Being a baby sucks. God how humiliating¡ªno wonder the little bastards cry.

    I¡¯ve tried to keep my dignity. To fight on, yet it was a losing battle. A war of attrition I could not keep fighting. Like the three hundred Spartans during the battle of Thermoplie I tried. I so tried to hold back the Persians. Yet I couldn¡¯t. It was too much. Laying in a crib of my filth has shown me that no matter how strong-willed I thought I was, even I broke down and screamed for my new parents to come and take care of me.

    While that in itself is humiliating, what also troubled me were my thoughts. As aforementioned, being the infant that I am now with the mind of an adult, I find myself lying here stewing between bouts of imagination. After reflecting on my predicament and how I ended up here for as long as I lay in my crib, I haven''t gotten to any conclusions. In my prior life, I was an agnostic, not knowing if there was a higher power out there or not. Well, let''s say I''m a believer now. Though not in the sense one would think. Something might be out there, yes, but I don''t think Jesus Christ decided to pluck me out of that stretcher and stick me here. And if he did, I would seriously want to ask him a few questions, but I digress.

    I also couldn''t help but think about home. My brother Matthew and his family, my parents, or even my eldest sibling, who I rarely see anymore or will ever again if this isn¡¯t some coma. I wasn''t on the best of terms with them. Not to the point of hatred or the like, but... reclusive. I hardly paid much attention to them. After I got out of the hell hole that was high school and found a job capable of gaining a basic living wage, I got the opportunity to shack up with my middle brother and his girlfriend at the time. Owning or renting your place at the time was borderline unheard of, and this was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to get away from my verbally abusive mother, or so I felt.

    My prior life was... okay. It wasn''t terrible, my mother was interesting. One day she¡¯s the nicest person in the world and you love her, the next day she¡¯s the goddamn devil. That woman would go from saying the nicest shit to down right despicable at the drop of a hat. My father meanwhile would just sit by, having lived with her for nearly fifty years he was used to it I guess.

    My mother wasn¡¯t always like that. I¡¯m no doctor as I mentioned before, though Matthew and I knew my mother was on some medication which helped keep her mood in heck. Some sort of BPD treatment, again I don¡¯t know the specifics. All I knew was that after my grandmother, her mother, passed away my mom stopped taking them.

    Point is I didn¡¯t want to stick in her house no more. Some days I got some nasty shit said to me, other days she¡¯d treat me like nothing happened. I just wanted out of it. Shit wasn¡¯t that bad to say the least; people have experienced far worse stuff than me. I was, or still am, just some fat, scruffy loner with a handful of internet friends. I kept to myself because I knew that whatever issues I had were all ones I could handle myself, and besides, they weren''t anything to cry over. Most of my problems stem from plenty of anxiety issues, and one too people who pretended to be my friends, only to backstab me, and a mother¡¯s driving herself insane¨C

    Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.

    Sorry¡­ I shouldn¡¯t talk about or dwell on this sort of stuff. Fucking hell, being a baby sucks! I just wanna grow up¡­ To think I¡¯d ever say that phrase again. Guess on the bright side, that clerk at the Seven-Eleven, I wonder if he made it¡­ Stop it. Lets not think about that stuff.

    I''m only going to make myself depressed and nobody likes a crying baby. As much as Bonehead and boss get on my nerves, I don''t want to disturb these new people. All we can do now is focus on the task at hand. Which is... sit-ups! I need to strengthen this baby''s body. I''m just going to lift my arms. Like this, now lift!

    To say my exercise regime lasted more than a minute would be a lie.

    <hr>

    More time has passed by, and what I could vaguely recall from my time living with Matthew and his family is that he told me babies can start to see better towards the midway point of the second month, about six weeks or so. At least for human babies, that is. Though now I could see clearly up to about a foot and a half away from me, for instance, now I can see the other end of my crib, and behind and above me looked to be a lamp of sorts, thus confirming my suspicion about electricity existing in this world. Though the light was different from anything back home, it was like an LED¡ªa blue light. Yet when powered on, it worked like gas.

    It wasn''t instant but gradual like the light was being slowly pushed out of it when either Bonehead or Boss came to check on me. Speaking of my caretakers, now that I could see more clearly, I finally got a proper look at the two, or, well, three really. The first is what I assume to be my mother in this world, Boss. She was stunning¡ªa tall, toned, and curvy elf with long, pointed ears that protruded at least six inches on either side of her head. Her short black hair appeared to have blue streaks in it, and her eyes were a dark shade of blue that rivaled the night sky. I got a very tomboyish impression of her from all the anime and video games I have played over the years.

    At the time my horribly degenerate mind couldn¡¯t help but immediately think of the worst possible thing. She was my type. Immediately alarms bells began to ring in my mind, as my subconscious screamed for the police, and I came to the horribly realization that I had just found my own mother to be attractive. My new mother I mean. The amount of shame I felt upon having that thought made me want to die.

    Anyway, as for the man of the house, Bonehead, he was just as handsome as the woman. No, I did not think he was my type thank you for asking! Like Boss, Bonehead was an elf, though his ears did not protrude quite as far as my mother''s did. In addition to having dirty brown hair, his stubble has also grown somewhat since our initial encounter. His eyes were quite small, pointed, and a strikingly vivid shade of green, almost identical to the color of freshly cut grass. I could picture him in a leading role in a Hollywood action film, thanks to his broad shoulders and trim waist.

    Last but not least, there was the boy I guessed was my older brother. It appeared that he was between two and three years old. It was enough that he was able to walk around and hold at least a basic conversations with the adults. A cute kid, I suppose. He inherited the best qualities of his parents. Although shorter than his mother, he possessed long ears, and his hair was an extremely dark brown hue, bordering on black. However, what stood out the most were his eyes. His left eye is an ocean blue hue, whereas his right eye is a grass green hue. He possessed both blue and green eyes. I am sure I saw this somewhere online, but I couldn¡¯t recall. Heterochromia? I think that''s what that is.

    Ahha, shit, that¡¯s cool. I wonder if my eyes are like that. Next time I get near a window or mirror I need to look and see.

    Anyway, the boy was enraptured with me, always poking his snot-nosed face into my crib and making silly faces at me. I know it''s ironic to say this, but... I despise children. I never got along with them. I have never been outwardly mean to them, like I could tolerate their presence. Yet having lived with two of them for three years. My sanity waned.

    Yet now. Here I am. Unable to fortify myself in my room, unable to cover my ears to shield myself from the crying. I am defenseless against this boy. Many times, he has tried to pick me up, and many times I''ve watched as my two supermodel parents admonished the boy to put me down. Yet the brat just wouldn''t learn.

    While physically I am unable to defend myself against this child, I can at least do one thing. Psychological warfare. As mentioned before, the kid loves to stick his head into my crib. He makes silly, annoying faces at me all the time. Sometimes he does get me; he makes some stupid face, which I can''t help but grin at. But when I do, it only encourages him. So what is my secret psyop technique? Well let me tell you, I stare. I make my straightest poker face, and I peer into this child''s soul. At first, this didn''t faze him, and I expected as much. Yet as time went on, days went by. I could see the uneasiness settle in, and eventually, he stopped pressuring me as much, and soon¡­ silence returned, and I was at peace.

    Me: 1

    Small Child: 0

    God, I''m a fucking asshole.

    <hr>

    The best times of the day are snack times. I''m still too young for proper food, so my mother would always sit me down at the kitchen table and nurse me, and... well, I would be a filthy liar if I said I didn''t enjoy the view or the treat, though partially that''s just due to me being a degenerate¡­ Again, my subconscious tries to call the police, and I feel absolutely awful. I just, my brain, my brain is still stuck thinking that I am me. I mean mean the other me, the one before I got shoved into this small body. I know I¡¯m just digging a deeper hole. I¡¯ll shut up.

    Anyway, aside from that, that¡¯s not what made me enjoy snack time. What really made me enjoy this bit was how much more I got to see the house. Being so close to my mother also allowed me to take her in more¨Cnot like that you freak. What I mean is more detail about here, such as the smell of the pomegranate perfume on her clothes as well as the smoothness of her skin. Not to mention how she looked in general, led me to believe that an elf of all things was nursing me. To think she''s an elf at all! Even now, nearly two months after I woke up here in this world¨Cat least I think it¡¯s been that long¨CI''m still struggling with unraveling everything around me.

    Another thing I''ve learned from all this regards the clothes we¡¯re all wearing. For myself, I''m wearing a typical cotton onesie, or at least what I think is cotton. Yet everyone else... if I had to compare it to a time period, I''d say the early 19th century. For instance when Bonehead is home he typically wears what appears to be denim jeans and suspenders with what appears to be a polo shirt made of white or alabaster fabric. He always wears a jacket and a hat when venturing outside, while the Boss alternates between long skirts, sundresses, shorts, and a polo. She occasionally steals and dons the man''s hat; the two of them frequently engage in playful altercations over it before, uh, undressing and... wrestling.

    I''ll leave that there, just know they do this a lot¡­ maybe too much.

    During my nursing periods, the Boss would sometimes take me to other rooms of the house where I''d learn more. The house is small, for an adult at least. I''ve seen a small dining room, a kitchen, and a living room. The living room has a staircase that leads to the upper portions of the house. Here I saw what looked to be a bathroom with actual plumbing, a study room where I''ve seen the man come entering and leaving a couple of times, as well as my bedroom. Which I share with the boy I''ve been staring at. Beside our room is what I presume to be the master bedroom.

    A place I have grown to despise. This is because the walls in this house are extremely thin. Over the past few weeks, I have lost countless hours of sleep to the sounds of my parents laboring to get me and the boy a third sibling. Don¡¯t they know that we know that we can hear them? Like, the Boss isn¡¯t quiet at all and sounds like she¡¯s being murdered by Bonehead. Honestly, if there¡¯s one thing I feel bad for it¡¯s that bed. My god, that thing is screaming for them to stop with how loud it¡¯s creaking.

    Aside from that, however, my favorite periods of nursing time are actually when the Boss takes me outside. When I was born, it was around the end of winter, at least based on the bits of melting snow I saw. I don''t know how seasons work in this world. Even now, it is still quite warm. Maybe we were nearing the equivalent of March? If I assume I came here in late December or February at least.

    It was warm out, with little to no humidity. The sky was a bright blue with very few clouds, and a gentle breeze wafted over the landscape, counteracting the warm air. My eyesight was getting drastically better; perhaps elven babies improve in that aspect faster than humans, and I could already see a bit further out. About six feet out or so, my vision gets somewhat blurry, yet I can make out distant shapes and landscapes way better than I could months prior.

    One morning, the Boss brought me out to the backyard for some lunch. She nursed me privately and noticed midway through my meal I had stopped suckling. You see, I was gazing out at possibly one of the most gorgeous scenes I could ever imagine. Our house was on a hill, a big hill, and from this hill, I could see a sprawling valley of rolling grasslands and woodland trees. Yet they were not ordinary trees; they were a multi-hued array of trees. Reds, yellows, and even pink trees. All scattered amongst the greenery, highlighting it in all its magnificent ways. Like a painting come to life, it sprawled on forever till the horizon was met with gargantuan mountains that loomed over the valley. It was breathtaking. Even though my vision was blurred, I could make out the shapes of multicolored trees blending into one another. I couldn¡¯t wait to see it again once my eyes were fully developed.

    During this my mother said something to me, and I felt her tuck her breast back into her shirt and button it up as she lifted me up and placed me gently on her hip. She spoke to me softly, her voice tender and warm, which sent tingles through me. She gently stroked the small bits of hair that rested on my head. I still had no idea what she was saying, yet I was catching onto something. A word she only said when looking at me.

    Verbally, in English, it sounded like "Roona". Perhaps this was my name? It seemed to be as though when I heard her say it, I used all the strength in my little neck to look up at the woman, and her warm smile widened even more, and she giggled before saying something cheerfully and tapping my nose, which made me giggle.

    <hr>

    About a year has passed since I first awoke in this world, and my daily workout routine of trying to lift my head and rolling onto my stomach and panicking has seemed to have paid off. For now, I have mastered the art of crawling. My vision has fully adapted to this new little body, and I can see now. Incredibly, my ancient prediction about the 19th century turned out to be remarkably spot-on. All in all, the house was in pretty good shape, especially the kitchen, the large water heater thing in the basement, and the lighting. It was like I''d been transported back to the 1800s, with a fantasy twist. Unfortunately, this world most likely didn''t have the internet or video games.

    It was also by this point I had given up on the notions of me being in a medically induced coma. A full year has gone by now. I had seen trees outside die and the snow blanket the landscape, only to melt and for the trees to come back to life. Now way in hell could one have a coherent dream last that long. That¡¯d be like what, three hundred and sixty some days? Or maybe longer, I hadn¡¯t been keeping track of the days in this world. Hell, it could¡¯ve been shorter¡­ No, no way. It had to have been equivalent or a little longer. I haven¡¯t been keeping track dammit. Why didn¡¯t I keep track? Fuck, I should¡¯ve counted the days.

    Why am I not smart?

    Anyways, I think my second theory of reincarnation is true. Or at least, I want it to be, because honestly, it¡¯s better than being dead. While being in a coma is also not being dead, I¡¯d hate to say it but I¡¯m kind of committed to this new life thing now. Like come on, look at me, I¡¯m crawling now. New technology unlocked, baby, we¡¯re slowly going up the tree.

    With my new-found mobility, the Boss and Bonehead practically let me run loose as long as I stayed far away from the front or back doors, as they feared me going outside. Doesn¡¯t mean I didn¡¯t try though. Some times when they look away, I purposefully make a dash for the doors to see how far I can get.I was also restricted from going into some pantries and cabinets. Which again, that didn''t stop me when they weren''t looking, my main obstacles were doors and stairs. I cannot reach doorknobs because I am too short, and I cannot use stairs because my legs are too weak to carry me up them.

    At first they thought I was being cute, but I think now they¡¯ve noticed my deliberate intentions to test their patience.

    As I continue up the infant tech tree, I''m confident I can master walking easily; it just comes down to working out, and boy, I hate leg day. So much. Now, seeing as it''s mandatory, this is going to suck. But it hasn''t stopped me. On one particular morning, while the family was in the dining room, Bonehead was reading what looked to be some form of newspaper while sipping on his coffee. He looked ridiculous with his face scrunched up in an intense expression. Lately, he has adopted a new appearance. When I first met him, he was clean-shaven, but as time went on, he developed a beard and mustache. Now he is back to shaving clean, save for the mustache that has grown out on his upper lip. Anyway, his attention was so focused on this newspaper while Ma was cooking breakfast and bringing it out for everyone, and my brother was in his booster seat, pounding away at the table with the silverware.

    I, the little speedster, as I came to call myself, was in their little play area. They quartered off a small corner of the dining room, where they laid out all these plush toys and a couple of blocks for me to play with. Some of these toys were pretty neat too. I don''t know how it works, but the blocks have these symbols on them. I don''t know if they''re numbers or not, but if you trace them, they emit a colorful glow, which is pretty mesmerizing. Something akin to magic, though I have never given the idea much thought and have never seen evidence that magic exists. I have not witnessed a dragon flying overhead or Gandalf casting a spell. Truly, I have not come across a single human being. Huh¡­ Do, humans exist in this world?

    But that''s beside the point; as cool as these little magic blocks were, I had fun with them, and honestly, I''m trying to speed-run my way through infancy. So, to do that, I''ve been focusing the past few weeks on standing. You see, the little play area I mentioned has a baby gate¡ªa little wooden gate about two feet up, way taller than me, but perfect for balancing against. While the folks were preparing the table, I knew I had about a couple minutes before Mother would come and snatch me out of the playpen to sit with everyone around the table. So now was the time to act.

    So far, every attempt at standing has ended with pain-filled baby legs and me plopping on my ass. But today was the day. If I cannot keep it together this time, I am going to have to resort to crying like a baby. So, with that in mind, I placed my stuffed bunny and glowing block down and crawled towards the gate.

    I landed on my stomach and got into a push-up position, then used my tiny arms to lift myself off the ground and onto my knees. Already, I could feel the muscles in my little legs tiring as I reached out and grabbed the pen''s bars. With a lot of effort, I firmly rooted my feet and propelled myself upward, and yes!

    Yes, I did it! I''m standing! I shrieked in delight, drawing Bonehead¡¯s attention; he looked up from his newspaper just as my body gave out from its excitement, causing me to fall back and hit my head on the floor.

    "Roona!" My vision was blurry and hazy, but I heard Mother yell as she and my father rushed towards me. I could hear them arguing as my mom walked into the pen and knelt to pick me up.

    Ouch, that hurt... I thought to myself, I think I rose too fast, and my fat head sent me over. I felt Mother touch the back of my head and wince. Her voice once more echoed my name with a hint of alarm.

    Pa expressed his frustration in a statement and made a gesture toward the table and his paper. In response, Mother seemed to retort, causing Pa to retreat and sigh.

    I think he''s being scolded for not watching me, poor dude. I sighed softly now feeling bad that I referred to him by such a mean nickname. It honestly doesn''t hurt that bad. Wait, babies cry when they''re hurt? Maybe she''s concerned that I''m not crying?

    Ma hurriedly escorted me into the kitchen, where she placed me delicately on the counter. She retrieved a damp washcloth and wiped it under the sink before placing it on my head. It was icy and cold. I winced once more and gasped. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw her pull the cloth away, and I saw what looked like blood.

    Holy shit! I watched her rinse the blood-stained cloth with wide eyes. The fall didn''t feel that bad! As she reversed direction towards the ice box, Mother uttered a word and gestured for me to remain still. Above it was a satchel hanging on the wall with a red snake-like symbol on it. As soon as she removed and reopened it, I realized that it was, in essence, a first aid kit. But the items she removed were neither bandages nor medication. It was a rolled-up piece of parchment. A scroll.

    She approached me, and the sound of my name being spoken drew my attention. She smiled warmly and once again held a hand up to suggest I stay put. She then broke a seal on the scroll and unrolled it. She turned to it and began to read, and I could tell that something momentous was happening as she did so.

    A dim green aura emanated from her hands as the illumination in the room dimmed and the scroll in her hands started to shimmer. This earthy odor permeated the room as Mother, with one hand, released the scroll and placed it on the back of my head, causing particles of green energy to emanate from the aurora.

    "Hel''Nora," A surge of warmth emanated from her hand and penetrated the abrasion on my head as she finished her chant. The agony in my mind vanished suddenly, and within seconds, I returned to my previous state of being without noticing any change. This happened just as my mother''s scroll began to break up into dust-like fragments before dissipating.

    When the dust finally settled, Mother kneeled in front of me, a grin on her face. "Roona?" She said it to me in a curious tone as she cocked her head to the side. I forced myself out of my stupor and smiled at her, then gave her my best, exaggeratedly cute cheer and laughed happily as she picked me up and carried me off to breakfast. Even so, I could not help but glance over the counter as I clung to her shoulder, and she carried me.

    So, there is magic in this world after all. I thought about it and would continue to think about it for the rest of the day.

 Chapter 2: First Steps

    Time is a fickle thing as a child. Even now, despite having the mind of an adult, it just seems to flow fluidly. It''s been another year since I cracked my head on the floor and learned of the existence of magic. And hardly anything has changed since then. You¡¯d think that the knowledge of magic existing would¡¯ve changed everything. Maybe I would finally learn my destiny and figure out why I was brought to this world and maybe I could get a head start on becoming a magnificent new wizard!

    No.

    Still a baby, and I¡¯m stuck doing baby things.

    Being a child sucks. It¡¯s so goddamn boring, though, that is changing. How so? Well first off, the idea of building a house in my mind is paying off. Okay, I wasn¡¯t actually building a house, I have no idea how to do anything like that. Like seriously why are there so many types of hammers or nails, and why do so many of them look so similar? Again, I never said I was smart. I¡¯m no doctor. Or would that be more like an engineer? Are engineers doctors? Why are all professionals considered ¡°doctors.¡± Huh¡­

    Anyways, building a house in my mind would be a bad idea. I couldn¡¯t even make a mud hut without it falling on my head. So instead I''ve been roleplaying with myself in my head. Imagining what it would be like to explore a fantasy world in my mind. Essentially, I''ve been playing D&D with myself. Though doing so was rough without having dice or the rulebooks nearby. So I¡¯ve just been sort of coming up with shit as I went. Homebrew. For instance, if I needed to make a skill check, I would look at the light above my crib. The thing must¡¯ve been old because it would flicker a little every couple of minutes, but not all the time.

    So I¡¯d place a wager. I needed to jump a gap in my mind, so the stakes were this. If the light flickers in the next minute, I make the jump. If it doesn¡¯t. I fail.

    Super fun right?

    Not.

    Now that¡¯s not all I¡¯ve been doing. I''ve also been thinking about the spell my mother had cast on me the day I cracked my head, and I couldn''t help but wonder. How does magic work in this world? Is it like in D&D? Do we have spell slots? Can anyone do magic?

    Since I was reincarnated, does that mean I''m special? Do I get to have all the cool superpowers like in all those Isekai stories? Is this some form of litrpg world with stats and shit?

    How would I even start to try and see if I could do magic? I''ve tried meditating and focusing on my potential or some weird shit I¡¯ve read or watched in an anime. However, that normally ended with me having an accident and crying for my caretakers. So that clearly didn¡¯t work, and no way in hell I¡¯m trying that again. God, having little to no control over my body really suuucks.

    Anyway, maybe it is like D&D; my new mother had used a scroll on me and was also chanting something when she did it. Alas, I don''t know the hocus-pocus words to cast spells, because again. I am a freaking baby, and of course, I now just realized I¡¯d have to learn the native language. Frrrr¨Cdammit! My life sucks.

    Yet as time marched on, as a fresh two-year-old, I gradually began to learn how to walk. My daily exercise of standing up and falling on my ass repeatedly has paid off. Now I''m fully capable of waddling around at an impressive speed. How fast is impressive? Well, I can scurry my little ass from one end of the hall to the other in like twenty seconds. How long is the hallway? Uh, we¡¯re not going to talk about that. Just picture me moving super fast, trust me.

    And despite my dreading of learning a whole new language, I''ve even begun to pick up what the adults have been saying. I''m still rough around the edges, but I think I''m starting to get a grasp on things. First off, I think I know the names of Bonehead and the Boss.

    The Boss¡¯s name I learned sounds like Cairynn.

    Bonehead¡¯s name sounds like Sryran.

    As for my older brother, who was now speaking quite clearly for a four-year-old, his name was Varis. So far, when converted to English, these names sound exactly as they''re pronounced, which should make things easier for me. I felt bad constantly referring to these two by nicknames. For instance, Bonehead wasn¡¯t much of that anymore. He no longer treated me like a football or got overly aggressive when he tried to play with me. Now I should clarify aggressive as in picking me up too fast or pretending to make me ¡°fly.¡± He wasn¡¯t doing anything mean, just stuff I didn¡¯t like. As for the Boss, she was still bossy and had bonehead wrapped around her finger. I swear, that lady, she was scary when mad.

    You might be wondering why even gave them nicknames in the first place rather than just calling them ¡°Mom¡± or ¡°Dad.¡± And you¡¯re totally right to ask that. The reason is, well, I don¡¯t see them as my parents. It feels weird still being alive. Or well, alive in another body. It¡¯s been two years, two long years I should clarify. I glazed over a ton of the monotony. There¡¯s no way I¡¯m in a coma. This is real, all of this feels so real, yet, it feels weird. Like I shouldn¡¯t be here. So, forgive me if it takes some time to see these strangers as who they really are. I know the facts, I¡¯m just having a hard time understanding them.

    Anyway, enough with the depression talk.

    Despite me being a pathetic, tiny, little, baby person. I¡¯ve tried to speak. Being two years old I should at least know a couple of words, and hell I have the brain of an adult. So this shouldn¡¯t be too hard right? Well, not so much. I''ve tried speaking English several times in this new form, and so far, it''s interesting. These childlike muscles weren''t ready to form the words of a Shakespearean play, but I''ve been able to speak softly to myself during my lonesome periods in the crib. Hearing a voice that¡¯s not my own, let alone a child. Was weird dude, I mean, actually frightening. It took a long time to get used to hearing myself mutter to myself, and it took a while for my new parents as well. Yeah, they heard me.

    I''ve been caught a handful of times muttering phrases to myself when waltzing around the house. Fortunately for me, they don¡¯t know what English muttered by a baby is and therefore my parents found me to be immensely adorable as they thought I was just babbling to myself... Which, y''know, I kind of was in a sense. The part that did stun them was when my mother caught me reciting her name. It started about a week ago.

    I had gotten into the rhythm of walking around the house early in the morning when the Boss came to my room to take me downstairs. By this point, Bonehead had already left for his job, which I assumed to be some sort of guard or police work, as I had seen him come home a few times in the evening wearing some form of uniform along the lines of what you''d see in an old Victorian photo of a police officer.

    My new mother would place me down in our wide, open living room and put up the typical baby gates to keep me in while she tended to her morning chores. I always wondered why the folks have never bothered with getting a maid or something. From what I¡¯ve seen scouting around the house the couple who cared for me looked wealthy. Or were at least well off based on all the fancy furniture and overall state of the house seemed to be. Having a maid would be nice. The idea of a gorgeous woman in a pretty maid''s uniform taking care of me was quite amusing. What can I say? A man can dream. Or should I say a girl can dream? Y¡¯know, I¡¯m still not used to being a girl now. Now and again I still get startled by the fact Johnson took the boys away whenever the Boss changed me. Mentally rewiring my brain is going to take some getting used to.

    Point is. I wanted a change of scenery. To see someone different. For two years now I¡¯ve been seeing the same three people aside from a few, rare, but exciting moments when others from the local town stopped by. From what I''ve seen from the house windows, we''re in a rural town somewhere in god knows where. So the idea of us getting a maid was probably unlikely.

    God my life sucks.

    As I lamented over the fact I would never see a pretty maid ever again. I decided to pass the time by looking at some books and practicing speech. While I can''t exactly read, the Boss and Bonehead had dozens, if not a hundred or more books in this house, many of which had pictures and maps and that¡¯s all any man needs to enjoy a book. My new parents at first detested me going through their books, but when they noticed how delicately I treated them at the time, they both shared a confused look and left me to it.

    One book, in particular, I was fascinated with was this one, which featured on the cover a massive, red-scaled dragon battling a group of wizards surrounded by soldiers armed with what looked like muskets or some kind of rifle that fired lasers. Which was the coolest shit I¡¯ve seen since waking up in this world. Wizards, dragons, and laser guns, what else could a man ask for? Either muskets shoot energy bolts in this world, or the artist was just having a whirl with this, and honestly, I was hoping for the former.

    I had pulled the book off of the lower shelves and let it fall to the floor with a thud before getting down and opening it. As I flipped through the pages, I could feel my excitement growing. The illustrations inside were just as captivating as the cover, inside were illustrations depicting epic battles and breathtaking landscapes. As I delved deeper I witnessed highly detailed runic images and depictions of deity-like beings and heroes. Along with horrific monsters and magical spells that caused my mind to run wild as my imagination took over. I was completely engrossed in the book, so much so I had lost track of time and while I turned the page, I began to mutter to myself.

    To be specific, I kept saying, "Cairynn... Ca-Cairynn..." I was repeating what I overheard Bonehead say to the Boss last night. I could tell by the tone of his voice that he was saying the name of someone. At the time I didn¡¯t know it was her¡¯s. I just knew he kept saying it and the Boss responded, so there was no issue repeating it right? Still, I didn''t notice my mother watching me from a distance while I kept repeating that name.

    "Roona?" I perked up when I heard the Boss speak and I turned to look at her. She muttered something to me in a questioning tone, cocked her head, and then rolled her wrist in a gesture as if to suggest, "Keep going."

    Immediately I felt my cheeks flush as I was put on the spot. I understood her perfectly; she was curious as to what I was up to. Maybe she was trying to get me to say it again. Oh shit have I just used a racial slur? No, you idiot, if you did she¡¯d be pissed¡­ unless¡­ she¡¯s a racist? No! No, or well. I don¡¯t know, I¡¯m overreacting here. The only way to know for sure is to try it out.

    "Cairynn..." I said it again, and to my shock, my mom''s face lit up with happiness. Last thing I knew I was sitting on the ground when, all of a sudden, she hurled herself at me and picked me up. While she was giving me a forehead kiss, I heard her repeatedly say my name joyfully. It was at this moment I couldn¡¯t help but smile gleefully, the Boss really can be adorable when she isn¡¯t scary.

    <hr>

    In the subsequent days, my parents doted on me. Hearing his name repeated back to him softened even my tough-looking father. The Bonehead invited me to sit down, and then he started pointing to his chest and said, "Sryran. Sry-ran." Before indicating my chest and pronouncing "Roo-na."

    I wasn¡¯t stupid. I knew exactly what he was trying to do. My name was Syran and he was Roona. I¡¯m just joking. Of course, my newfound parents had no idea I was the most intelligent baby on the planet, nor did I want to spoil that surprise. As fun as it would be to act like Stewie Griffon I doubted the rest of the world would just go along with me flexing my brilliance on them. What I¡¯m saying is the world isn¡¯t ready for my smarts.

    Nah I¡¯m fucking around. Somewhat. As I sat in my father¡¯s lap at first, I played along, pretending to not know what was going on. ¡°Roo-na!¡± The Bonehead said again as he gently tapped my chest with a large index finger.

    ¡°Sry-ran.¡± He tapped his chest again and then proceeded to speak gibberish. I have no idea what to compare the language to as the only other language I sorta spoke before waking up in this world was Japanese. Why Japanese? Well, you see I took quite an interest in the culture of Japan back in one of my old history classes in High School¨Coh who the fuck am I kidding, it¡¯s because I watched anime. I admit it!

    The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.

    If I had to guess. I¡¯d say German or some kind of Slavic language. Maybe a mix of the two. It was harsh, but also gentle, though sometimes it sounded like Bonehead was trying to suck air through a straw. Especially during nights when he and the Boss drank. Which was like every other night.

    My father repeated the gesture of tapping his chest and saying his name before doing the same to me. I continued to play stupid, grabbing at his finger I used my little hands to grip him tightly as he smiled and looked at me confused as he wondered what I was doing. That¡¯s when I unleashed the plan. Operation Cuteness Overload. Turning my internal cuteness parameters to ¡°All-In¡±.

    I looked up at Bonehead with wide eyes and flexed my vocal cords as best I could. "Sryran!" I chirped gleefully, and my father instantly melted into putty. Ladies and gentlemen¡­ We got him.

    At this point, my parents must''ve seen me as a genius. They had watched me practically learn how to crawl on my own and even walk. Every milestone must''ve been coming at them rapidly, and already I was beginning to practice basic speech. They were overjoyed, yet at the same time, I couldn''t help but also notice a bit of uneasiness.

    My brother didn''t seem to care, though. Varis was more than eager to play with me now that I could run around. I was nowhere near as strong as him, but he and I occasionally got into wrestling matches. My parents were quick to shut it down when caught. He always got a huge scolding, probably because I wasn''t a boy like him. Which was absolutely unfair and I demand a rematch. I don¡¯t care if Johnson left me. I was winning! I don¡¯t care what anyone else says, me being under him, was all part of the plan. It was a deception campaign to lure him into a false sense of security so that I could come out on top. That is my story.

    Jokes aside. I¡¯ll admit, aside from the occasional accident or potty break, I tend to forget that I''m not a boy anymore. Genuinely it¡¯s very weird. Not bad, I have nothing against what¡¯s changed so far. I still don¡¯t know how I feel, it¡¯s not bad nor do I feel indifferent. The only other emotion I guess would be¡­ great? I don¡¯t know. I haven¡¯t disliked it so far. Maybe things won¡¯t be any different. Unless girls are treated like shit in this world, which so far I haven¡¯t seen anything that says otherwise. Then again, I¡¯d yet to leave this house. Maybe I should keep it in mind, just in case I may accidentally get my new brother in trouble.

    Speaking of which, the boy, Varis, was growing on me. Unlike me, the kid didn¡¯t have the consciousness of an adult. Yet he was maturing rapidly¡ªnot as quickly, but still pretty fast. My parents weren''t the strictest, honestly; they were very lenient. The boy just seemed to be maturing at his own pace. Maybe it has to do with elves? Maybe they¡ªwe¡ªgotta remember I am one now, mature faster than humans? I dunno, but the point is, he''s becoming a lot more tolerable. Long gone are the days of me staring at him and making him doubt his self-worth, as well as the days of him poking his head into my crib. He and I, we¡¯ve seen to come to a silent agreement. He stays out of my crib, I stop making him feel like shit. A social contract we sorta put together over the course of the past year.

    All in all, he may still occasionally behave poorly, but he remains my little shit.

    I should also note that this world also seems to have its holidays. Some seem similar to the ones I''m used to back home. I don''t know the names of any of them yet, but there seems to be one in winter in which the Boss and Bonehead took us out to town for the first time this year; apparently, we hadn''t gone the years before due to us being too young, I assumed. Yet now we were bundled up in suits and coats. Or, well, I wasn''t.

    The Boss had put on this beautifully tailored dress suit with a matching coat, while Bonehead wore a sharp tuxedo. Over these, they had heavy winter jackets, while Varis and I had our outfits. Varis was dressed in his little tailored suit similar to his father''s, while I had a frilly purple and blue dress. I have worn many things in my life. From suits to shirts, jackets, polos, tank tops, sweaters. Pretty much anything you can slap on a man, I have worn it.

    I had never once in all my years of living, ever expected to wear something like this. It was soft, frilly, and in the way. Holy cow this thing had so much useless fabric. I am all for wearing baggy clothes. Baggy clothes are awesome, they¡¯re comfy, they¡¯re loose, and there¡¯s just enough extra fabric that it isn¡¯t in the way. It wasn¡¯t bad, I should make that very clear I would be a liar if I said it wasn''t at least comfortable. What I will say is that it was different.

    If this is the kinda stuff I¡¯m expected to wear as I get older. Then being a girl is going to be interesting. Unless this world has its equivalent of tomboys, then maybe. Just maybe I can still wear my comfy baggy clothes. Or I can just man up and embrace the suck. Who knows, maybe wearing dresses could be fun.

    After we were dressed, the Boss and Bonehead put a comfy little coat over me before stuffing me into a stroller while the man hoisted Varis up onto his shoulders, and we began to make our way out of the house. To say I was nervous would be an understatement. For two years, I haven''t set foot off this property. Even the front and back lawns were still mostly unexplored territory, yet here we were, leaving the house.

    As we went outside, I shivered a little in my stroller. Father Winter had been kind to us this year, it seemed. There were about a couple of inches of snow sprinkled across the ground across the landscape, giving it this blinding light as the sun reflected across the surface of the snow. It was a clear morning. The air was crisp and refreshing, causing my breath to form small clouds in front of me. The silence was broken only by the sound of my stroller''s wheels crunching through the snow, creating a rhythmic pattern. It felt like stepping into a winter wonderland, and I couldn''t help but feel a sense of awe and excitement as we made our way through unfamiliar surroundings towards the small town peeking out from over the hills ahead.

    I could hear Bonehead and Varis speaking as they took the lead, and occasionally the Boss would bend down and whisper to me as she pointed towards areas of interest even though I had no idea what she was saying. Specifically, she gestured towards a large windmill on a nearby hill, where even now the massive blades churned slowly, and up ahead, I could see smokestacks coming from the houses down at the town, where I could finally see a large gathering in the town square near the main road. The town itself was beautiful, almost like something out of an old European painting from the 19th century. Brick houses and buildings huddled close together, their facades adorned with intricate carvings and colorful shutters. The cobblestone streets meandered through the town, lined with charming cafes and quaint shops that seemed frozen in time.

    Yet as we drew closer, I noticed the main road was clear and swept; not a single person stood on it. I could also see stalls and shops along the way. I couldn''t help but wonder if this was perhaps a set-up for a parade¡ªa show, maybe? The anticipation grew as we approached the town square, curious about the purpose of the gathering. The vibrant decorations adorning the stalls and shops hinted at a festive atmosphere, fueling my excitement and curiosity even more.

    Not to mention, I got to see other people. Like actual people who weren''t just family. As we approached the main road where a majority of people gathered, I saw all sorts of other species and people that blew me away. Hell, I even saw humans within the crowd like actual humans. Who would¡¯ve thought I¡¯d be surprised to see them? Not only were there humans, but there were other elves, dwarfs, and even a few halflings, along with some folk who looked like demons. I hope that isn''t racist. They were scary-looking though. They had elven ears like my own, but their skin was either dark purple or red, their eyes were a vast array of colors, and they had twisted horns. Some of them even have wings and tails it was so awesome, if not unnerving. Especially when they smiled, because wow, I thought a shark¡¯s mouth was unnerving.

    God, I¡¯m really not helping myself. They¡¯re good people I swear.

    It was a bit unnerving at first as we got close to them, but over time I became fascinated, and soon my eyes were darting all over the place, trying to soak in as much detail as I could. Yet as I explored, my attention was soon drawn to what sounded like music and heavy drums, and suddenly a booming voice echoed over the crowd. An announcer that I couldn''t understand called out and soon the town square erupted in cheers and hollers as the drums and music grew louder along with the rhythmic sound of marching.

    As the audience started clapping and singing together, a deafening noise erupted. As I glanced about bewildered, the Boss leaned down, unclipped me from my stroller, and cradled me to her chest. She flashed me a grin and gestured toward the street, and my jaw dropped at what I saw. I didn''t just hear a marching band; it sounded like an entire army.

    Soldiers in gray, white, and yellow dress uniforms, with tall black hats atop their heads, marched in unison. The soldiers sang as they marched in time to the music, making a deafening racket as their boots pounded the cobblestone streets. The sheer number of soldiers seemed to extend indefinitely down the road, making for an impressive and frightening image. As I saw the impressive exhibition of military precision before me as the column thundered by. Following behind them my jaw nearly hit the ground as I saw behind them was¡­

    Well, the best way to describe was that there were dinosaurs. Not the type of dinosaurs I recalled growing up, but some kind of huge reptilian animals were following the troops, complete with gigantic pieces of artillery strapped to their backs or pulled by carts. There was so much artillery being put on display I had no way of discerning if these men and women were participating in a military parade or preparing for battle. Which honestly. I hope it was just for the show. It¡¯d suck if this world was also plagued with war.

    The parade of soldiers and displays of military hardware went down the main thoroughfare of the town for several minutes. Other than the armaments, the displays of officers and what I took to be high-ranking generals riding what looked like enormous velociraptors were very fascinating. One of the creatures was a large black-scaled predator with black and gray feathers protruding around its glowing red eyes and down its neck. Making it an immensely intimidating creature its razor-sharp teeth protruded out the sides of its mouth as it snarled and hissed. The beast wore heavy armor that glistened and shined brightly in the sun as it carried the heavy burden of not only that but also the man on its back. A plump human man road on top of the beast, his face pale and his eyes small and icy. Aside from his thick, blonde mustache the man was entirely bald. Judging by the number of medals and insignia displayed across his chest, it was clear he was some kind of high-ranking individual who wanted to be the center of attention.

    Yet, as if on the complete opposite end of the spectrum, besides the pristine general, a smaller dinosaur was riding next to him, and on top was a beautiful elven woman wearing a similar dress uniform to the soldiers. Yet instead, she had a white cloak over her shoulders and a hood adorning her head, where I could faintly see snow-white bangs that shielded her eyes. Strapped to the side of her reptilian mount, I saw she had an ornate staff with a blue orb mounted to the tip. Is she a wizard? I wondered to myself as the crowd cheered and roared around me.

    Like the universe knew what I was thinking. I heard the announcer over what sounded like a megaphone, and the beautiful elf pulled her hood back to reveal her short, white hair, as she parted her bangs I saw her striking sapphire eyes, she then took her staff and held it aloft. I saw her lips form an incantation, and then the very tip of her staff burst into a kaleidoscope of colors and arcane particles before shooting energy skyward with an explosion reminiscent of a fireworks display. The general puffed and scratched his mustache as he passed by us, and the audience went berserk. The magician grinned devilishly at the older general as he rolled his eyes.

    The parade continued for another hour or so. Among the armed forces were a wide array of magical weaponry and what I assumed to be nationalistic emblems. I saw that painted on much of the armor, weapons, and flags were symbols. A symbol that displayed a black shield with a yellow outline on a white flag; decorating the inside of the shield was the yellow shape of a roaring dragon. I assumed this was the nation''s flag. As I clung to the Boss, I could hear her talking to many of the strangers around us; even Bonehead partook as caterers walked amongst the crowd, selling and handing out what looked to be some sort of kebab and sandwich, which Bonehead bought for Varis and himself. In contrast, I received a delightful lollipop that was both sweet and fruity, but unlike any fruit I''ve ever tasted before, and to be honest, I couldn''t think of a comparison. All I knew was that it was tasty, and I was happy.

    Later that evening, as the sun began to settle, the Boss and Bonehead took us back home. Varis seemed to be ecstatic about everything he had seen. He and Bonehead seemed to be talking about the events as Varis hoisted his arms up and roared, possibly mimicking the dinosaurs we saw. My mother had placed me in my play area in the living room, which was quickly becoming my second prison. As my new father looked to Varis and motioned for him to stay put, he said something that made Mother place her hand on her hip and sigh, though she smiled lightly as Varis seemed to get very excited.

    Bonehead went upstairs, and after a few moments, I blinked in surprise as he came down the stairs wearing a very similar soldier''s uniform to the one that we saw at the parade. Ahha, learning some lore. Bonehead is a veteran. Perhaps I should start calling him Jarhead instead, I thought as he began to strike some silly poses. He even had strapped to his belt an iron helmet with a five-sided star etched into it, which he placed on Varis''s head, which was too large for him.

    Bonehead then turned in my direction and smiled at me. Oh no. "Roona!" He called my name as he came over. I tried to turn and run but I was too slow and he scooped me up off the ground, just as I let out a startled squeak. Oh God, no! He always treats me like a damn football!

    I yelled as he tossed me in the air before catching me. I could feel my heart racing as the Bonehead swung me through the air, my squeals of both delight and fear, but mostly fear, echoing around the room. Eventually, though he slowed down and cradled me close to his arm, he muttered my name and kissed me on the head as he turned to the Boss and pulled her in close as we hugged each other as a family.

    I blinked as I was pressed gently into my father''s side. I felt an odd sensation as I felt completely out of the loop about everything before my father announced something and shook the others off gently. My father¡­ such an odd thing to say. My Mother snorted a giggle as Varis squawked something and stepped back before giving a playful salute that resembled something like a fist pump while still wearing the oversized helmet. My father returned the salute and barked what sounded like an order, and Varis turned and ran upstairs, giggling, while my father turned to Mother and kissed her gently on the cheek before carrying me upstairs. While I was still contemplating what the hell just happened. My heart was fluttering and my eyes kept flicking to and from the Boss and Bonehead.

    Then I realized where I was going.

    Hey, hold on there! I wriggled and fussed in his grasp. I''m not tired enough to go to sleep! Usually, I don''t go to bed until like another hour! I fought against my father''s strong embrace and moaned the whole way to my room...

 Chapter 3: Sibling

    My hands gripped the bark of the Sycora tree and I gritted my teeth as the prickly wood pierced my skin slightly as I pulled myself up the branches. My shoes scraped against the bark, chipping pieces of it off as I scrambled to gain a footing.

    "You''re too slow!" Varis laughed from atop the tree.

    "Sh-shut up!" I retorted as I finally caught footing and once again resumed my scramble to the top. As the branches became more numerous and thinner as I neared the top, I found my ascent to become easier and more fluid as I scurried up the branches like a ladder. My small, light body was no strain on the thinning branches as I went up. Eventually, I poked my head through the cherry-pink leaves beside my brother and we were immediately greeted by the cold breeze blowing over us from the nearby mountains that surrounded our valley in a bowl.

    Immediately, before I could take in the wonderful view around us, my brother¡¯s fist playfully slugged me in the shoulder, causing me to wince as it stung a little. "Hey, what did Dad say about hitting girls?" I yelped and grumbled as I rubbed the pain away from my shoulder.

    "Father is not present,¡± My brother smirked and swayed from side to side. ¡°And you act more like a boy than a girl. So, I get a pass!" That doesn''t make any sense. I thought as Varis stuck his tongue out at me and smirked as I rolled my eyes. "Now you have to do the dishes tonight with Mother."

    I gawked. "Si-since when?!"

    "Since now. I won the climb." He smugly puffed his chest.

    God, I''m starting to despise him again. "We never agreed to that!" I protested.

    "Losers are losers, so you have to do it." He laughed as I began to pout, and the moment he saw my expression his smile faltered and he sighed, "Luna, I''m just joking."

    Like always, this trick got him every time. Instantly I brightened up as I beamed at him. "So am I!¡± I slapped his shoulder lightly. ¡°So, we both do the dishes tonight." Varis blinked his green and blue eyes, flicking from side to side as he realized he had fallen for my trap before scowling and huffing.

    "Fine." He harrumphed, puffed his chest, and looked towards the town of Oren, our hometown. It was a beautiful little place, home to only a few hundred citizens. The town itself was really only one main street with a couple of off-chutes for houses lived in by those who owned the few shops on the main road. Many of the actual residents lived in farms just outside of the town, like the Hautchkins whose Mill was close by, and further on we could see our house on the nearby hill. Our parents weren¡¯t farmers like the Hautckins, instead, our mother was a baker and our father was a constable. For those who don¡¯t know, a constable is a lot like a police officer.

    You probably noticed as well that I said ¡°my¡± or ¡°our¡± parents, and that I¡¯m not calling mother ¡°Boss¡± or father ¡°Bonehead¡±. While they¡¯re both totally those things, over the years the family has grown on me. Things have gotten a lot better ever since I stopped freaking out over whether or not I was in a coma or perhaps having some crazy dream right before my death or some shit like that. At some point, around the time I started learning to speak, I just accepted this new life. Part of me feels off about leaving everything I had left behind, even though much of it wasn¡¯t great. But thinking about that stuff isn¡¯t good for my mental health, so I just take all those bad thoughts, and logically I shove all of that deep down inside of me to a point so I don¡¯t have to think about it. I then cork that bottle and pray that it never bursts open. I never said it was a good idea, but it worked so far.

    My brother, Varis, turned to me with a mischievous grin after recovering from my trap. "But don''t think you''re getting away with it next time! Soon, you¡¯ll be doing all the dishes!" I chuckled and playfully nudged him.

    ¡°Nuh uh, I know your weakness.¡± I flashed him a devious smile.

    My brother scoffed. ¡°I doubt it.¡± He stuck his nose in the air as he shifted on the branch he straddled. ¡°I have no weaknesses. You heard, Momma, I¡¯m perfect.¡±

    ¡°She says that to both of us,¡± I added.

    ¡°Uh, well, Papa says so too!¡± He said his eyes flicking left to right.

    ¡°Papa is a bonehead,¡± I said and Varis gasped.

    ¡°I¡¯m gonna tell you said that!¡± He smirked thinking he had me.

    While I said I don¡¯t refer to my parents by their nicknames anymore, that wasn¡¯t entirely true. When I started to learn how to speak, I occasionally caught myself calling them by their names. At first, my father was angry when I called him a bonehead, however, my mother found it hysterical. Now, it was sort of an inside joke in the family that came up. So much so, that even my mother started calling him that.

    ¡°You know Papa secretly likes it.¡± I stuck my tongue back at him. ¡°Face it, Varis, if you¡¯re perfect, and I¡¯m perfect, then that means we cancel each other out. If I go down.¡± My eyes narrowed. ¡°I¡¯m bringing you with me.¡±

    My brother had to think for a few seconds as his mind processed my threat. His gaze turned away from me and he looked forward and gulped. ¡°Well. Then¡­ We both do the dishes together?¡± I smiled and leaned over to pat his shoulder.

    ¡°I¡¯d like that.¡±

    Far off in the direction of our home. A sharp whistle could be heard and Varis said, ¡°That¡¯s Momma! We gotta go!¡± He announced and quickly the two of us began to scamper down the tree. ¡°First one home gets the last of Momma¡¯s cookies!¡± Varis shouted and I groaned.

    ¡°Why does everything have to be a competition?¡± I grumbled to myself. Knowing this would continue all the way home.

    It''s been six years since I''ve awoken in this new world. Even though I had accepted my place in this new life, adapting to this world has been immensely difficult. Much has changed since I was reborn. The biggest being is that I¡¯ve learned a lot about the language of this world or really the country; my parents had hired a home tutor for Varis and me. When my parents noticed how intelligent I was, which oh boy they¡¯re going to be disappointed when I¡¯m older. Sure I¡¯m smart for a kid, but man, back then I was a dumbass. It¡¯s good to know and admit to my faults. But, they don¡¯t have to know that. My parents think I¡¯m some sort of little genius. To fool them I try to act my age, my new age I mean, I¡¯m six years old. So I try to act like a little kid, but I tend to forget sometimes, especially when I¡¯m alone.

    Anyway, I¡¯m getting sidetracked. My parents hired a tutor for my brother and I. Since my Mother is always busy in the bakery, and my father is off doing small-town police work. No one was around to teach us. So, in came our new teacher.

    Ma and Pa pooled as much money together as they could and hired Madam Isa Soza, a gorgeous Serelli woman. What the hell is a serelli you may ask? Well, heh. From what my mother told me, a serelli is a different species of people. Specifically in a group known as the Beast-kin or beast-folk, though such terms can be considered taboo or derogatory so mother told me to never say such a thing around them. A serelli specifically looks like a human-feline hybrid. The typical sort of fantasy creature you¡¯d see in an anime or game. I think folk on the internet had a slang term for it. Catfolk, or nekos. Something like that. I swear, I never got into it¡­ Okay, I lie. I was super into that stuff but mainly for the character designs okay? That¡¯s my story and I¡¯m sticking to it.

    Madam Soza is a brilliant teacher, she¡¯s kind, patient, and, well, very good-looking, if I''m being honest. Like, super pretty. For a home school teacher, she had the build of an Olympic track runner and assets of a night club dancer if you know what I mean. Before anyone can say anything, during class I was always looking respectfully. That I can be one-hundred percent honest about and any rumors you hear coming from some kid whose name rhymes with Baris is not to be trusted and should be reported, to me.

    Anyways, Madam Soza was the one who taught us the common tongue and, more importantly, the Maurich language. The common tongue is the language used primarily in this world, the world of Enora. Specifically for diplomatic talks and business, as well as for those simply traveling abroad. Maurich, however, is the language of the Father Land, Heinmarr. More specifically, the Heinmarr Republic. Which is where my family and I live now.

    Since my parents are Maurich speakers (though my mother is also fluent in the common tongue), Soza began by teaching my brother and me that language. Since the two languages are so similar, it was helpful to have multiple people guide my studies. Thinking about it, the closest comparison I can make to this is Latin. It is the linguistic ancestor of many European languages, although in this case, the linguistic ancestor is universal. Soza informed me that Common had previously gone by a different name but that it had eventually changed. She told me that the downfall of Common came about at a time when all humanoids spoke the same language and all the known races colluded to overthrow the gods. Disapproving of this, the gods forced everyone to forget, thus leading to the creation of many different languages. Or something along those lines.

    If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.

    Naturally, I''m greatly paraphrasing this. Perhaps I should sit down and read more of the narrative later because it''s extremely interesting as a whole. Also because I don¡¯t really have much to do around the house. Nevertheless, Soza taught Varis and me for many days and sleepless nights in the interim. For obvious reasons, I picked up most things more quickly than Varis did. Take mathematics, for example, which is the same as it was in my previous life, save for the characters that represented the numbers. To be honest, I think I went overboard. I was awful at math in my previous life, at least algebraically. However, basic algebra, geometry, and below is a cakewalk. If I had a pencil, paper, and if I had a calculator oh man I would be unstoppable!

    Though, for the sake of secrecy, I attempted to pretend to be incompetent, but Soza quickly realized that I wasn''t as clueless as I seemed. This, together with my parents, pleasantly surprised her. It seemed to annoy Varis a little, but hopefully, I didn''t injure his pride too much.

    Ah, what the hell.

    Me: 2

    Small child: 0

    It was also around the time at the start of my education that I learned how to properly pronounce my name as well as that of my family. Roona, when converted to Common and Maurich, actually means "Luna," which at first, I thought was named after one of the two moons above Enora. Though no, my mother explained that I was named after the constellation of a famous adventurer back in the day, Luna Mayfly. An Elven Sorceress who had once fought alongside a legendary group known simply as "The Seven" during the "Twilight War", which to me sounded metal as hell! Now that made me feel special. A sorceress? I wonder what she was like, or what she looked like. If she was part of some heroic group she had to have been super powerful. Also, Twilight War, that¡¯s a cool name for a conflict. Eh, okay, hold on, I mean the name of it is cool. I doubt the actual event was anything but¡­ anyway.

    I''m getting sidetracked.

    The languages of Maurich and Common handle Ls weirdly, as they''re pronounced similarly to Rs when compared to English. To be frank, this is what I struggled with the most. Madam Soza always ridiculed me about my accent and how I had a "speech impediment". Which I simply started calling the "American Debuff". I should clarify that it wasn''t harsh teasing; it was more playful. Soza told me that, as a lady, I speak too boyishly and should spend more time with my mother or make friends with some girls. Like, come on! That¡¯s not fair.

    Eh, I didn''t get to choose to be a man for the majority of my other life. Also, it¡¯s not like Madam Soza or the others knew that, nor will they ever. Not that they¡¯d believe me anyway if I told them. I guess she is right to a degree. I noticed a lot during these past few years and during Soza''s teachings that this world is a lot more open-minded compared to my past life. I''ve noticed that while there still appears to be some form of inequality between genders, it is nowhere near as harsh. Men and women share the same jobs and outfits, they can join the army, and apparently, this country has a voting system, which they partake in too. Yet even then, there still seems to be a looming expectation over women, you know the whole start a family and raise kids sort of thing. Most of this I picked up from reading and eavesdropping on the adults.

    Hopefully, as I grow up much of that will change for the better.

    <hr>

    "Is something bothering you, Luna?" Gentle purring came from Madam Soza as she set the portable chalkboards on the dining room table. "You look like you''re thinking really hard about something."

    The Serelli woman''s red feline ears whirled like radar dishes as she followed the sound of Mother clacking dishes together in the sink as she cleaned up, and I blinked and looked up at her before lowering my head back down to my toast and coocha eggs I was having for breakfast. Such a weird name for a creature. At first, my man brain immediately slapped the nickname ¡°Coochie eggs¡± because I¡¯m immature like that.

    A coocha is a weird creature. It¡¯s like a chicken, but not. Instead of feathers, they have fur, and they''re small and fat. They have no arms or even a beak, what they have is a small snout that protrudes out which is full of small sharp teeth, and around their head, they have these freaky frills that shoot out like that dinosaur from Jurassic Park that spit venom. They¡¯re freaky-looking things, but, they do lay some good ass eggs.

    I sighed as I lazily twirled my fork around on the table. "I''m just wondering what life will be like as I get older."

    Soza blinked for a second and I noticed she was gazing at me in astonishment, her green eyes wide, as she brushed her red hair out of her face. "Well, that is quite a big thing to be thinking about for someone your age." She laughed as she sat down on the chair opposite me. "What exactly are you thinking about?"

    As I picked at my eggs with a fork, I could hear a sleepy Varis stumbling down the stairs to join us. "Nothing major, really. " I said, "I guess I''m simply wondering what the experience would be like overall. I often fantasize of joining the military as my father did and going on adventures like the wayfarers that pass through town." I let out a deep sigh.

    Oren, the place we called home, is a tiny village located sixty or so miles from the Rusimian border. Agriculture and the neighboring magrite vein mining (I''m assuming a magical crystal) are the town''s two main industries. I don''t know a lot about it yet. Although a lot of travelers and explorers pass through here because of our proximity to the border of a huge country, many of those groups resemble those I used to oversee in my Dungeons & Dragons games.

    With her long, scarlet, fluffy tail flicking softly behind her back and forth, Soza tapped her chin. "Well, I''m not surprised. Many children fantasize about traveling the world. Being a soldier or an adventurer would grant you such wishes. Do you yearn for adventure, Luna?" She asked me.

    Varis drew his chair out and sat next to me, just as Mother came over and placed his food in front of him before ruffling his hair. "Maybe..." I mumbled; honestly, I had no idea. I hadn''t left my room respectfully in over six years of my previous existence. I''ve spent a quarter of my life online, only leaving when I needed to accomplish something that I couldn''t do from a computer. Even back then, I wanted to do something outside, but I couldn''t bring myself to go.

    Seeing my conflicted expression, Soza purred and smiled as her tail flicked back and forth more rapidly. She gestured out to my breakfast with her calloused, clawed hand. "Think about it. Though do not think too much, Luna, or else you may forget what it''s like to be a child. Pondering the future too much will leave you blind to what is here in the present. Enjoy life for what it is now and take things as they come. Now, finish your breakfast. Today we''ll be working on grammatical writing and math. Varis, you''ll be working on addition, and Luna, I noticed you seem to already be aware of multiplication."

    "Aaaah, I hate math!" Varis grumbled tiredly as he slurped up his eggs.

    I blushed and rubbed my neck. "I, uh, found a book upstairs that talked about it." I lied, and Soza smiled and shrugged.

    "I will not discourage outside study. It does make my life easier." She chuckled as we finished up our breakfast and began our morning lessons.

    <hr>

    "How''re you so good at math?" Varis asked me as we walked past the front gate to our property. He tightened the backpack on his shoulder full of the baked goods we were taking to the Hautchkins that they had ordered along with some other baked goods Mother had made in thanks for letting us use their mill. I turned and waved my hand goodbye to Mother, who stood on the front porch beside Madam Soza.

    "Be back soon!" I shouted and turned back to Varis. Part of me wanted to be honest and tell him that playing years of D&D and calculating stats and difficulty modifiers had done more work for me than school, but instead, I chose to say, "Because I study unlike you." I teased and poked out my tongue, only to yell when I felt his fist strike my shoulder. "Hey!" I slugged him back, though he didn''t flinch, and I huffed.

    Varis rolled his eyes and said, "I haven''t even seen you study once. Aside from all those books you take from our father''s study, all you do is read."

    "And that''s called studying, Varis. Duh!" I swear this kid is a doorknob sometimes, though I get him. Back in my old life, I despised studying. I could never understand those kids who just seemed to know everything and got to do whatever they wanted. I guess to him, I seem like one of those kids. Little does he know I already have a high school education and a background in IT, not that IT will help me in this world, and of course those years of D&D.

    I shrugged. "I dunno how to say it; it just comes to me easily," I said as I tried to give him a cute smile, hoping it would ease him. "If you ever need help, I can help you study... Varis?" I noticed my smile didn''t work. He seemed to be looking straight ahead as we walked towards the Hautchkins mill, which can be seen in the distance.

    Varis sighed and shook his head. "I don''t get it... I want to be as smart as you. Every day since Soza came, you''ve shown mother and father how smart you are. Now all they ever do is talk about you!"

    I blinked and shook my head. "That''s not true. Mother and father love us equally, Varis, and like I said, I can help--"

    Varis raised his hands in the air and turned to face me. "I don''t want help!" He interrupted. "I just want to be as cool as you!" Part of me wanted to snap at him though I bit my lip and counted inwardly to three. It''s painful trying to talk to a child. Yet, once again, as irritated as I was I could identify with him; fears and inferiority complexes were issues I used to suffer from and, in some ways, still do. So, I took a deep breath after counting to three and smiled at him once more.

    "Brother, you are cool." I pointed at him and began my next operation. Operation glaze. "Already, you have our father''s strong looks, and you have those super cool eyes. Speaking of which, I don''t have super cool eyes like you, and you can climb trees really fast. You''re special in your own way. You know?"

    "Well, you''re pretty like Mom!" I smacked his shoulder as I felt my cheeks burn a bright cherry red.

    "No! I''m saying nice things right now; shut up! You''re special in your own way, just as I''m special in mine. We''re hum--elves! All elves are different." I almost messed that up there and said humans. "I may be good at learning things, but you''re strong and look super cool, like a superhero!"

    "Superhero?" He blinked.

    I guess superheroes like Spider-Man and such aren''t a thing here, yet. "Uh yeah! Like adventurers, like the Wizard Merlin or the Sorcerer Luna! You have the capability of being those guys. Leave the books and such to me, and I can leave all the swords and athletic stuff to you. We''ll be like a team!" I pounded my fist into my palm as I listed off the only two heroes I knew.

    This seemed to lighten the mood a little, as Varis blushed deeply before nodding with a smile. "Thank you, Sister."

    I returned his smile and gave him a pat on the shoulder, which I had to stretch up on my tiptoes to do. "No problem! You and I, we''re siblings; we should work together, not compete." I wish this was something I''d done in my prior life. Working together with my brothers instead of pushing them away

    "Y-yeah." Varis nodded as silence fell over us as we walked, though it was broken shortly after with, "But I can beat you to the Hautchkins, though."

    Oh no, he didn''t. "Doubt that! Y''know, I can run fast!" I said as I bolted forward down the dirt road with Varis running by my side.

 Chapter 4: Prediction (Interlude)

    <u>Hautchkins</u>

    Herbert Hautchkin woke to the erratic ringing of his alarm that morning and groaned as he rose out of bed. His stiff bones were popping and creaking as the middle-aged man sighed, removed his bedding, and kicked his legs over the side. Like always, as he glanced over his shoulder, he saw that his love, Anora, had already risen, probably just before he did. She always seemed to beat that damn alarm.

    Herbert slipped his feet into the slippers beside his bed and began to shuffle to the washroom to freshen himself up before returning to make his bed. After getting dressed today in his usual denim suspenders and blue plaid shirt, he ventured downstairs to find his whole family already awake.

    Mila and Avdol, his pride and joy, were getting ready to head to the schoolhouse. Mila, who was only six years old, around the same age as the Ashflow kids, was eagerly reciting the alphabet as his eldest, Avdol, nine, was reading a book. The two children sat around the dining room table as Herbet came over and ruffled the hair on their heads before going to his wife, who was working the range, and kissing her on the cheek.

    "Morning, beautiful," Herbert cooed softly before playfully patting Anora on her rump and awarding him the reaction of her yelping and giggling.

    "Good morning, My Love," Anora responded while playfully shooing him away with a loose cloth. "Your breakfast is almost ready. Sit down; I''ll get you your coffee in a moment." She smiled warmly at him as she turned to the pot of boiling water on the range and began to prepare him a cup.

    Herbert nodded and went over to the table with his children, and looking at Avdol, he asked, "What''re you reading, boy?" He took a seat beside him as his son glanced up from the pages of his book.

    "I''m readin'' the adventures of Kollan Woodweaver." Avdol closed the book and showed Herbert the cover, which displayed a drawn image of a burly Golacchi man squaring off a horde of menacing arachnoids. "Madam Drache referred me to this. It''s quite interesting." Herbert held his hand out, and Avdol passed the book off to him.

    Opening the book to a random page, Herbert''s eyes skimmed from left to right as he read a random page. The contents were quite expressive and elaborate for a simple fictional novel. Herbert had heard the name Kollan Woodweaver once, a renowned adventurer from many decades ago. He closed the book and handed it back to his son.

    "I''m impressed you can understand it," Herbert said with a light chuckle. "Madam Drache must be a good teacher." Avdol nodded.

    "She sure is, Pa..." He paused and looked at the grandfather clock on the wall. "Mila, it''s time we go." Avdol began to pack his school bag and stood up.

    The girl stopped mid-singing the alphabet, turned to her brother, and nodded. "Okay!" She excitedly grabbed her bag. "Bye bye, Papa! Bye bye, Momma!"

    Herbert couldn''t help but smile as Anora brought his coffee over to him. "See you after school, Sweat pea," he said with a chuckle as he thanked his dear and sipped his coffee.

    Anora walked over to her children and gave each of them a hug before saying, "Now you all go straight for the schoolhouse; no dallying!"

    As the children left the house and the door shut, a calming silence fell over the room. Herbert took a moment to savor the peacefulness before he turned his attention back to his coffee, which he sipped. Anora came over, placed his breakfast down before him, and kissed his cheek. As she turned away, she said, "Oh, don''t forget the Ashflow kids will be stopping by this afternoon with bread."

    Herbet nodded and smiled. The other day, he allowed that elf fellow, Slyran, to use his mill in return for some fresh bread his wife baked. Good folk, a bit... different than the other village folk, but pleasant nonetheless, though the bit that piqued his interest the most, however, were their kids. Varis and Luna, especially their youngest Luna.

    The girl was only six years old, the same age as Mila, and yet she spoke and presented herself like her mother. He had heard the Ashflow kids were homeschooled. Some Serelli by the name of Soza from out of town was staying at their home and teaching them. Serelli must be a tyrant in the classroom, he thought to himself as he ate.

    "Do you think the Ashflow''s are a bit too hard on the kids?" Herbert asked his wife after he finished his breakfast and got up from the table.

    Anora turned to look at her husband with a bit of a confused expression. "What makes you think that?" She asked.

    Herbert frowned; he knew it was a dumb question, but of course his mouth spoke before his brain could stop him. He shrugged. "I dunno, the girl Luna. She seems a bit... too mature for her age, if you get what I mean."

    Anora thought about it and shook her head. "I understand, dear, but she seems fine to me. If I recall correctly, Cailynn told me back at the women''s weaving competition that she used to attend Heddingway over in Galry. Knowing how strict that school is, it wouldn''t surprise me if the little girl, Luna, was treated with similar authority."

    Herbert blinked for a second. "Is that so?" He stroked his chin. "Well, that explains a lot." He laughed. "I don''t think I could survive a single day around all those stuffy magisters."

    Anora rolled her eyes and shook her head, smiling. "I''m sure you wouldn''t, love. Now is the time to leave. The mill''s gears will not oil themselves." She began to push her husband away, who yelled and backed away. Anora abruptly stopped. "Oh, one more thing, actually." She looked up at Herbert. "Did you set aside your dirty clothes?"

    Herbert thought for a second and nodded. "Yeah, I did. You should find a basket near the bedroom door." Anora smiled and nodded before patting him on the side, signaling he could go.

    <hr>

    Herbert groaned as he tossed the sack of flour onto the back of the wagon with a loud huff. "There we go, girl!" He wheezed as the Land Strider chirped loudly. "Forty-five elems a bag, and you got twenty of them!" He came over to the large, two-legged dragon, which was hitched and ready to ride¡ªall it needed was the driver.

    "Alright, Opal, we''ll be taking these down to Mr. Olson''s shop," he said to the strider as he climbed onto the cart. "You remember where Olson''s shop is, right?" He asked Opal, who lifted her head and let off a loud call.

    Herbert winced and rubbed his ears and said, "I''ll take that as a yes." He chuckled and took the reins. "Now, now, let''s go easy, okay?" He said just as he flicked his wrist and the opal bolted forth, nearly knocking him back into the wagon. "Waaa-waaait!" Herbert shouted, desperately trying to regain control of the strider. The cart swayed dangerously as Opal continued to gallop at full speed, ignoring Herbert''s pleas. With a mixture of fear and determination, Herbert held on tight and braced himself for the wild ride ahead.

    Opal calmed down by the time they made it to Oren. The cart had slowed enough for Herbert to regain control as the constabulary blew their whistles and ordered him to slow down. "You''ll damn near kill someone with that strider of yours, Mr. Hautchkins!" The constable shouted to him as he trotted by.

    The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.

    "Apologies, Mr. Ashflow!" Herbert called over his shoulder. "She''s still learning!" The gruff Elven man shook his head, fixed the large, brimmed hat on his head, and turned away as Herbert chuckled and turned back to Opal. "Girl, you better keep yourself together or you''ll get me locked up and you sent off to the butchery."

    The wagon turned down Main Street, which was bustling with activity. After all, it was Dawn''s Day, and with it being the first day of the week, everyone was piling into the market square to see what was ready for sale. The aroma of freshly baked bread filled the air, enticing passersby with its warm and inviting scent. Opal''s eyes widened as she took in the colorful array of fruits and vegetables displayed on the market stalls, her mouth watering at the sight of ripe, juicy strawberries.

    "Oi, focus on the road!" Herbert tsked and flicked the reigns. "You have plenty of feed at home." He said this as he squinted to see Olson''s general store up ahead, its weathered sign swinging gently in the breeze. Opal reluctantly tore her gaze away from the market and refocused on guiding the strider-drawn cart toward their destination.

    Out front, Herbert saw Mr. Olson himself, a stout, dwarven man with a beard that nearly dragged across the ground. He seemed to be emptying his chamber pot into a refuse barrel. Opal let off a squawk at the scent as they drew near, and Herbert wrinkled his nose.

    "Good morning, Mr. Olson!" He called to the dwarf, who turned in his direction after pounding the pot against the barrel. He wiped his hand on his apron and smiled. "I hope you plan to wash your hands before handling my wares."

    Mr. Olson chuckled heartily, revealing a row of yellowed teeth. "Don''t you worry, young Herbert," he replied with a mischievous twinkle in his eye. "I always make sure to give my hands a thorough scrubbing before touching anything delicate." As he spoke, he gestured towards a small basin of water nearby, filled with fragrant herbs and soap.

    The dwarf waddled over to the basin and began to dip his hands into it after tossing the pot aside. "I see you brought me the flour I requested," he said as he scrubbed his hands. "Have you brought the requested amount?" He asked.

    "Aye, I did." Herbert said as he pulled on Opal''s reigns, bringing the wagon to a stop in front of the store. "Twenty bags that are forty-five elems each; it''s a bit much for what you normally buy."

    Mr. Olson turned to Herbert and nodded as he dried his hands on a nearby cloth. "Aye, it is." He then turned away and cupped his hands over his mouth. "Tufen! Bazet! Get your stinking arses over here! We have a delivery!" Immediately, two smaller, younger dwarven boys came rushing out of the shop.

    They were panting heavily as they approached the wagon, their eyes widening at the sight of the twenty bags. "What''s all this for, Pa?" Tufen asked, his voice filled with curiosity. Mr. Olson chuckled and patted his son''s head affectionately.

    "It''s a special order from Hannabor," the older dwarf said as Herbert hopped off the wagon and went around to the back.

    "Hannabor?" Herbert asked as he opened the back of it and looked down at the dwarf. "General Hannabor?"

    Olson nodded as Herbert climbed onto the back and began to unload the heavy bags. "Aye!" Olson grunted as he caught the first heavy bag and passed it to his boys. "Easy, Herbert, hand them! My legs and back aren''t what they used to be!"

    "Apologies, Mr. Olson. Here you go." He started to handle the bags more gently. "If the General wanted all this flour, why is he ordering it through you and not me?" Herbert asked, and he couldn''t help but feel a little cheated. It wouldn''t be the first time a major buyer requested his services, and usually, such contracts pay very well.

    Olson froze up a bit when he passed the bag back to Tufen and held his breath. Herbert couldn''t help but notice a bit of uneasiness on his face. Though the dwarf looked around the busy street before bringing a hand up to his mouth and whispering loud enough for Herbert to hear,

    "Word has it from the Guild that war is on the horizon, dumi." Olson said, referring to Herbert by the dwarven term for "human" or "non-dwarf".

    Herbert frowned. War?

    "War? What do you mean?" Herbert asked skeptically as he started grabbing the flour once more.

    "What else would I mean, Mr. Hautchkins? War! Armies, frontlines--"

    "I know what war is, Mr. Olson, but, like, why?" Herbert asked as he looked down at the dwarf. "The Global Alliance has held peace for gods know how long. Why would war suddenly spring up now?"

    "Because it is what the merchant guild has witnessed, Dumi. You can learn a lot about a nation and its people based solely on what they''re buying. What good is being moved?" Olson explained. "Weapons, food, and magical items All of it is trading hands, most of which are secretly being transported, or so they think."

    "Aren''t those items the military usually buys, though?" Herbert asked as he handed Olson another bag, who soon passed it to one of his sons.

    "Aye, but not to this level. Mr. Hautchkins, I''m talking large quantities of weapons and food, enough to support armies, sieges, and frontlines. Stockpiles and reserves. Heinmarr and the rest of the Global Allied Nations are preparing for something massive."

    Herbert slowly nodded as he said, "Mr. Olson, you need to be careful with this doom speech."

    "This is not doom, say!" Olson stated it firmly. "Believe me when I say this, Dumi. The merchants are aware. We''ve been predicting events like this for millennia. Last Rest Day, a caravaner mentioned a border crossing near the Strickland Line. Thirty Rusimian soldiers crossed the border and caused a commotion with the locals, and another caravan confirmed that story just yesterday. Merchants travel; we hear and see things."

    Herbert took the last flour bag and handed it to Olson, who grunted and set it down at his feet. "I don''t want to scare you, Mr. Hautchkins. Though I must caution you, your family and mine have assisted each other for many years. I consider you a friend as well as a business partner." He laughed. "Recent events, like this one, are just that: recent. Nations must prepare for war for years, but I want you to be aware of this so that you can prepare. The Dumauri way is to always have a plan." Olson stated it in his native tongue, referring to his people.

    Herbert sighed as he hopped off the wagon and closed it up. "Now, humoring that thought," he said, "if things do get hot and a war does erupt, where do you plan on going?" He asked Olson.

    Olson laughed and said, "To home!" He hoisted the bag on his shoulder and grunted as he began to walk inside. He motioned for Herbert to follow him into the shop. "Back to Khannatore, the mountains southwest of here. In times of crisis, Dumauri always return to the Mountain Homes. Prepare, recuperate, and fight back against the darkness! We did it back in the Twilight War, and we''ll do it again!" He chuckled as the two men, along with Olson''s children, went inside.

    The general store was a quaint shop, with shelves lined with canned and jarred goods of all varieties. The faint smell of loki smoke lingered in the air. Olson carried the bag over to the counter, where the rest had been stacked. With the help of his sons, they hoisted the bag up on top of the others and sighed.

    "You should find a nice summer home too, Mr. Hautchkins. If things get bad, you and your family can pack up and go west. Away from the border." Olson''s words hung in the air, a reminder of the uncertain times they were living in.

    Herbert nodded, his eyes reflecting a mix of gratitude and worry. "That''s a wise suggestion, Olson," he replied, his voice tinged with concern. "I''ll definitely consider it."

    Olson then snapped his finger and said, "Or better yet! Come with us!" He gestured to his sons and himself. "My wife and the other Daumari might not be so keen on having dumis like yourselves." He smiled and held his finger up. "Though the Olson family can certainly vouch for you, the mountains are safe, warm, and beautiful. You and your family could be safe with us." He let off a belly laugh.

    Herbert shook his head and smiled. "I appreciate the offer, Olson. If things ever get tough, I''ll be sure to reach out."

    Olson nodded. "My boys and I have always said, head and meet up at the Kenchala River just south of town and follow it down all the way to Johanneson."

    Herbert nodded. "Sounds like a plan, Mr. Olson. Anyways...--"

    "Ah, you''re right!" Olson snapped his fingers. "The rest of your pay." He sauntered behind the counter, and after a few moments, he came back around. "Four Heinmarrian gold pieces."

    Herbert blinked. "Four? I thought it was three for a finished job," he said, shocked. Heinmarrian gold, let alone any nation''s gold, is immensely valuable. A single piece is equal to a farmer''s week''s pay. Getting paid for a full month of work for a job that only took half that time was pretty worth it.

    "Aye, you did me well and got the job done quickly. I think that makes it worth an extra piece." Olson said as he handed Herbert the bag. "If you want it broken down to silver, let me know."

    "Ah, no, thank you; this is just fine." Herbert smiled. "Thank you, Mr. Olson; it was a pleasure doing business."

    "Aye, same to you, young Hautchkins!" Olson waved at Herbert and turned to his kids. "Alright, you fly eaters, get on with it! Take it all to the cellar!"

    Herbert chuckled, turned away, and began to head back to his wagon as the dwarfs scurried to the back of their shop. As Herbert walked back to his wagon, he noticed Opal patiently waiting for him. He patted her gently on the nose and whispered, "Good girl, Opal. Ready to head home?" Opal growled softly in response as if understanding every word Herbert said. With a smile on his face and a heart full of gratitude, Herbert climbed onto the wagon and guided Opal towards home.

 Chapter 5: Secrets

    Luna

    My legs burned and my chest heaved as I nearly tripped onto the dirt beneath me. God, I really need to start exercising more. I gasped and gulped the air before coughing heavily as Varis laughed and cheered, "I did it! I beat you!" He pumped his fist a few times in the air, the backpack full of bread bouncing up and down, before he turned to me and stuck his hand out.

    I looked up at him and sighed in defeat as I reached out and took his hand. I don''t know why I always put myself through this pain; like hell could I ever beat him in a physical challenge. I groaned as my brother pulled me to my feet, and he helped pat the dust off my shoulders as I smoothed out the skirt Mother always made me wear.

    I never imagined myself wearing a skirt. Then again, I used to be a man before this. Men can wear skirts, can¡¯t they? It¡¯s just not called a skirt¡­ a kilt I think it¡¯s called? Anyway, I never wore one before, and I¡¯ll be honest, I like it. The ones my mother makes me wear are super comfortable. Since it¡¯s around summer, the skirt only goes slightly past my knees and is loose enough that I can move around freely, which unfortunately did not help me in my race against my brother.

    "You''re getting faster," Varis said with a smug smirk. "But you''ll never be as fast as me." He chuckled as his hand moved from my shoulder and slapped me hard on the back causing me to nearly topple over with a yelp.

    Straightening myself up I glared at him. "Shut it, jock head." I said as I began to walk towards the front door of the Hautchkins house. It was a beautiful home, it was two stories and made of gray bricks with nice white frames and shudders around the windows which contrasted nicely with everything.

    Varis blinked and looked at me with a perplexed expression as I stopped before the door. "What''d you call me?" He asked.

    "Nothing now, c''mere." I motioned for him to come over to me as I turned to knock on the front door. As my little hand rapped against the wooden door, we sat in silence for what felt like an eternity.

    Suddenly, a woman''s voice rang out from behind the door. "Apologies! Be just a moment." I glanced back at Varis, who shrugged his shoulders as the sound of heavy bolts being undone on the door could be heard. Suddenly it opened, and a pretty yet immensely tired-looking human woman stuck her head out, her blonde hair matted and tangled as she looked down at us. For a second, she looked at Varis and me with a confused expression, and as if a light bulb went off in her head, her eyes widened, and she smiled.

    "Oh, you''re the Ashflows'' kids!" She beamed and stepped back as she opened the door wide. "Please, c''mon, don''t mind me; I was just doing the laundry."

    I once again shared a look with Varis; he gave me a big smile and strutted along past me into the house. I fidget with my skirt while inhaling deeply and then trailed behind with a faint sigh. Couldn''t we just drop off the bread and go? I don''t do well with strangers and such.

    I¡¯ve never been good with strangers, to begin with. Even back before coming to this world, I was always shy. Many of my friends would¡¯ve disagreed, but they were all online. I was protected by the screen of my computer when hanging out with them. In the real world though, I was known for always keeping my head down and just moving with what I was doing. Now, having been in this world for six years locked up inside my family¡¯s home. I wasn¡¯t used to dealing with those, not within my immediate family.

    "Oh wow, this is a nice house, Mrs. Hautchkins!" Varis complimented as we stepped into the living room. The room was adorned with intricate wallpaper, featuring floral patterns that added a touch of elegance and charm. A large fireplace stood proudly against one wall, its mantle decorated with delicate porcelain figurines and family portraits. Plush furniture filled the space, including a cozy armchair and a sturdy wooden table. Sunlight streamed through the lace curtains, casting a warm glow on the room''s vintage decor. The entire place was pristine; not even a single speck of dust could be seen. No wonder this woman looks like a mess; she''s probably slaving away here.

    "Thank you, young Master." Hearing Mrs. Hautchkins address Varis as such made my head perk up. "Please make yourself comfortable while I get some tea ready." She walked out of the living room and into the kitchen nearby. "The walk must''ve taken so much out of you." She said from the other room.

    "Oh, it wasn''t too bad!" Varis said nonchalantly as he removed the pack of bread, placed it on the table, and sat down. "Luna and I had a race!"

    Oh god, don''t bring up the race. I internally groaned as I looked at Varis, who was smiling at me. He vigorously waved his hand towards himself as he called me over. With a small shake of my head, I went over to him and climbed onto the seat next to him.

    "Oh, a race?" Mrs. Hautckins stepped back into the living room. "That would explain why you arrived here so soon." She took a seat across from us, took the bag of bread, and began to open it so that she could inspect its contents. "Mind if I ask who won?"

    Varis immediately puffed his chest. "Well, it was me, of course!" He beamed. "I left Luna in the dust."

    Okay, now he''s lying. "Nuh uh!" I blurted out. "I was right behind you the whole time!"

    "That''s not true! You were stumbling behind me, begging me to slow down!" Varis crossed his arms, and I gasped.

    "No, that''s not true! You were the one that nearly stumbled a few times because you were going too fast; that''s why I was telling you to slow down because I didn''t want your clumsy butt ruining the bread!"

    Mrs. Hautchkins raised her hands. "Children, children, please, inside voices." She laughed nervously before returning her attention to the bag and finally opening it. "Oh wow! Look at these loaves and rolls." She hummed as she began to pull out the rolls of freshly baked bread. "My, my, Cailynn sure is an excellent baker. It smells like it came directly from Peshmurga."

    Once again, my head perked up. Peshmurga? Another country, perhaps? "What''s Peshmurga?" I asked.

    Mrs. Hautchkins smelled the bread some more before setting out the many loaves and rolls on the table. "A beautiful and faraway land, dear. Dangerous though. Many of the folk there are excellent at their crafts, yet the leader of that land is fierce."

    "Oh, so like a dictatorship!" I said this while making a mental note of another place to never go.

    Mrs. Hautchkins blinked and looked up at me with a perplexed look. "Yes. No offense, Miss,¡± Mrs. Hautchkins said knowing she was going to say something offensive, ¡°but I''m surprised you know that word. Madam Soza must be a great teacher."

    I blushed faintly. Sometimes I can''t help but act smarter than I should be at this age. Despite my head start in this life regarding prior existence. I¡¯ve been purposefully restricting my actions. I didn¡¯t want my new parents to think I was growing up too fast, or something just wasn¡¯t natural with my intelligence. Also, I just wanted to enjoy being a kid again. In my past life, I was eager to grow up. Get a job, buy a car, and be able to drink alcohol. I wanted it all because it looked so fun. Then I grew up, and boy did I hate it. Being an adult is liberating, but it¡¯s also restrictive and stressful. You had to pay taxes, bills, rent, and a whole lot of other crap. Now, I was truly free again. The only thing I had to worry about was getting home before dinner time and making sure I was in bed when my parents told me to. Sometimes my inner adult does bleed through, and along with what I know, my parents simply think I¡¯m just a smart kid, and I hope to keep it that way. Hence why I tend to act childish most of the time.

    Before I could respond to Mrs. Hautchkins Varis bounced in his seat. "She''s good, but mean!" Varis said as he crossed his arms. "She can be very harsh."

    "That''s just because you refuse to pay attention," I said, crossing my arms. "You spend all your time looking out the window rather than reading what''s given to us and you hardly listen to her."

    "Blah blah!" Varis dismissed me with a wave of his hand and focused back on Mrs. Hautckins, "Mrs. Hautchkins, where''s Avdol and Mila?"

    The older woman, who was giggly at our squabble, took her hand away that was covering her mouth and said, "They''re at school. They shouldn''t be getting home for at least a few more hours."

    "School?" Varis sighed. "I wish I could go to school."

    You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.

    School? I thought to myself. I never knew this town had a school. Though that could easily be explained by the fact I still haven¡¯t fully explored Oren. I mainly hung around the house most days and never went as far as the outer gate in the front lawn save for the days I went out with Varis. I have played with and hung up with the Hautchkins siblings though we were more acquaintances than friends. Not that I didn¡¯t like hanging out with them, it¡¯s just I¡¯m unfortunately shy and can¡¯t force myself to accept others into my life. Honestly, knowing that Mom and Dad are having us be homeschooled is a blessing.

    "I don''t.¡± I said with a firm nod. ¡°I like staying at home with Madam Soza!"

    Varis rolled his eyes. "Yeah, but I''m stuck with you and that angry cat lady."

    "Oi!" Madam Hautchkins spoke up firmly, causing both of us to jolt. "Watch your tone, young master; Madam Soza is a Serelli. Please do not say such inconsiderate things."

    Varis''s blue and green eyes darted back and forth before he gulped and nodded his head briskly. "My apologies; what I mean is that it would be nice to be around Avdol and the other boys."

    For some reason, I felt my heart twinge, and I blinked. "Do you not like being around me?" I asked softly as my heart sank a bit.

    Varis shook his head. "No, no, I do. I just. It''s just..." He bit his lip as he struggled to find the words.

    Mrs. Hautchkins leaned forward. "I think what he''s saying is that he''d like to be around more kids his age." Mrs. Hautckins said with a soft smile, and Varis nodded. "It is okay to feel that way. When I was young, I always looked forward to hanging around my old school friends, though I''m sure your mother and father have a good reason as to why you''re being homeschooled."

    "Because they can afford it." Varis huffed. "Mother says it''s because Soza is smarter than all the other teachers!"

    Mrs. Hautchkins smiled. "And that''s probably true. Your mother and father are quite wealthy."

    For a third time, my ears perked up. "Wealthy?" I asked with a tilt of my head. I never once really considered my new family to be wealthy. Well, maybe, but compared to what I''ve seen around, which, to be honest, wasn''t much, I thought my parents were just as good as anyone else.

    I knew mother was a baker and father was a constable, but I never expected them to make hand over fist. At most, I¡¯d expect my mother to be the most busy as bread is a highly sought product, or so I thought. Maybe Dad was like a police chief, or maybe Mom sold her baked goods at a crazy price?

    Mrs. Hautchkins blinked, and we shared eye contact for a few moments before she gently cleared her throat and said, "Apologies. I speak faster than my thoughts--" She stopped upon hearing the guttural caw of a ground dragon outside, and the sound of a rolling cart drew our attention to the window. Immediately, Mrs. Hautchkins got up. "Oh, it seems Herbert is home. I''ll go get the tea and payment for your mother''s goods, dearies; if Herbert asks, tell him I''m in the back." She got up and went back into the kitchen.

    I looked at Varis, leaned over, and whispered, "What was that about? She seemed a bit sketchy, didn''t she?"

    Varis leaned into me. "Yeeeah." He hissed his response, his eyes narrowing. "Maybe she knows something about Ma and Pa that we don''t?" Varis pursed his lips as I nodded, but before we could continue talking, there was a thud at the front door and a muffled grunt.

    Turning around, the door opened, and from the outside came a tall, broad-shouldered human man in denim suspenders wearing a blue plaid shirt. His hair was blonde and slightly balding. He looked to Mrs. Hautchkins, who just come back into the room with a confused look on his face as he spat out a piece of straw in his mouth. Like Mrs. Hautchkins, Mr. Hautchkins, or Herbert, as I now know him, had a light bulb go off in his head.

    "I''ll be..." He said it in a low guttural draw. "You''re those Ashflow kids." He smirked. "I see you have the bread." He nodded to the pack on the table. "Smells really good." He chuckled as he sauntered into the room, his shadow looming over us as he picked one of the rolls off the table and smelt it.

    I about sank into Varis, who seemed quite relaxed. I don''t know how he can deal with being around strangers so easily. Well, maybe not strangers to him. Varis does go out more than me, and he and the Hautchkins siblings hung out together a lot. "Mother made them just this morning," Varis said, sounding pleased. "She made that backpack there, which she said is..." He looked over his shoulder at me with a faint blush and whispered, "Luna, what was the word?"

    "Insulated." I whispered.

    "Yeah! Insulated, Mother said it keeps everything nice and warm." Varis nodded his head as Herbert took a large chunk out of the roll and chewed with a soft hum.

    After swallowing the bitten piece, he raised it in the air as if to toast and exclaimed, "Damn delicious. "

    "Herbert, language!" Mrs. Hautckins scolded him.

    "A-apologies." Herbert blushed faintly and cleared his throat. "It''s good, and to be expected, though, knowing Cailynn, she''s always cooking up some interesting gizmos." He chuckled as Mrs. Hautckins came over to the table and began to pour the tea for us, as well as placing a hefty leather coin purse on the table in front of Varis.

    My head perked a little bit as Varis grabbed the bag of coins, his eyes wide as Mrs. Hautckins warned him this was for Ma and Pa only. I looked up at Herbert and asked, "What more do you know about our mother?"

    The man stopped himself short of taking another bite of the roll and looked down at me with a somewhat confused expression. Though he pursed his lips, thought for a second, and said, "A fair bit. We Hautchkins and the Ashflows have been good friends since shortly after your brother there was born." He nodded to Varis. "Your parents moved into Oren, oh, some... ten years ago? The whole town went up in a fuss because some adventurous folks were moving in." He chuckled.

    My eyes widened a bit. "Adventurous?" Even Varis took his eyes away from the money and looked up at Herbert, who laughed softly and nodded. "Were Mom and Dad adventurers?" I asked.

    Herbert shrugged, winked, and said, "I think you should ask them about it." He waggled his finger at us. "If you''re just hearing about this now, then that means I spoke too much." I blinked and squinted; now he was just furthering my suspicion.

    I''ve been in this world for nearly six years now, and I still don''t know much about the people around me. Aside from Varis, at least, he and I are pretty much glued together, yet Ma and Pa... I don''t know much. Herbert was right when he mentioned that Mother is always working on something. Behind our house was a smaller cabin. Mother always went out every morning for a couple of hours; at least once I was of age to walk around on my own without her supervising me. I always assumed it to just be Mother''s bakery, but then again, she does use our kitchen for that too.

    I never really bothered going out to it in my earlier days because Mother restricted me to the house, though that hasn''t stopped Varis, who I once saw getting scolded for trying to go in there without asking. Asking? Well, that''s it. There''s no harm in just asking.

    <hr>

    "Mother! Mother!" I rushed into the kitchen to Mother''s side and threw myself into her legs, nearly causing the elven woman to stumble into the counter while she prepped for tonight''s meal.

    My mother gasped with surprise, gripped the counter, and said, "Wh-what is it, Luna?!" She took a deep breath and looked down at me with a soft smile. "What has you all clingy this evening?"

    Across from us at the dinner table, Madam Soza looked up from her meal. "Little one seems full of energy; I too am curious." Madam Soza smirked, her fuzzy tail flicking gently.

    Okay, you got this. Operation Cuteness Overload is underway. I¡¯ve honed this skill for years now. It has never once failed me. All I need to do is to just try and pull off the cutest expression ever and melt her heart, and then we can see what''s in the cabin. Though despite Operation Cuteness Overload being undefeated, a good commander always needs to have a scapegoat... of course I don''t want to make it seem like it''s all my idea, so... sorry, brother.

    "Va-Varis and I were wondering if we could play in the building out back, y''know, for more space and quiet." Now smile. I flashed Mother a big dopey smile.

    "No." Fuck, she deflected!

    Mother placed the knife and fork she was using to carve the meat for tonight''s dinner, and she placed her hand on my head and ruffled my hair. "That building isn''t a playhouse, dear; as a matter of fact, that''s where Soza is staying; it''s also your father''s and my work area. No little elves allowed¡ªor well, any kids for that matter." She smiled and patted my head.

    Dammit, I can¡¯t give up that easily. Phase Two Age of Guilt is underway

    "But why?¡± I sniffed. ¡°What''re you hiding?" I whined and puffed my cheeks; both Soza and Mother laughed as I tugged on Mother''s dress gently.

    Why are they laughing?! You¡¯re supposed to feel guilt. I¡¯m a sad little girl here and you¡¯re laughing! I knew Mother was the Boss, but I didn¡¯t know that also meant she was heartless.

    "I''m not hiding anything, Dearie." She gently plucked my small hands off her skirt with her free hand and said, "Nothing that should concern you at least." Mother winked at me. She freaking winked at me! It''s like she''s begging me to go break into the cabin!

    I huffed and stepped a few feet away from my mother. This was it, the final attempt. Phase Three Goad Her. "I can''t believe you''re keeping secrets from me." I harrumphed, stuck my nose up in the air, and turned my back on her. Mother gasped with shock, and Soza snorted with laughter. I could hear her almost choking on her food due to her giggling and heavy purring.

    Excellent. The plan seems to be working now.

    Mother looked dumbfounded, her mouth agape as she stared down at me. "I--I''m not keeping secrets, uh, well..." Mother stuttered, sighed, and placed her palms together as I glanced at her from over my shoulder, trying hard not to smile smugly. By the kitchen door, I could see Varis poking his head in while covering his mouth and trying not to snicker. After a few moments, Mother regained her composure and said, "Little Lady, I''ll show you what''s in there when you''re older."

    I raised my eyebrows and could no longer hold back the smile. Now we''re getting somewhere¡ªa compromise. Testing my luck, I asked, "When is older--"

    "When you''re older," Mother cut me off with her tone, now shifting to an authoritarian one. "Now, come help me with dinner. I need you to start washing plates."

    Suddenly, my smugness dropped, and my eyes widened as I turned to look at her. "But it''s the rest days; why am I getting chores?!"

    "Because you''re being nosy." Mother winked. Why is everyone winking at me today?! "Now come, Momma needs your help," she said as I whined and sulked. Feeling hopeless and lost, I looked back, hoping to find my brother, who could maybe save me yet¡­ Varis was gone. The bastard abandoned me.

 Chapter 6: A Winter Guest

    I hate the cold. I absolutely despise it. Whether it is because I am no longer a man or that elves are this easily susceptible or because this body of mine is simply feeble, the slightest chill in the air is intolerable to me. Once again, winter has come to the world. To Enora, and most importantly, the Heinmarr Republic. Why is this important? Well, in my time learning maps with Soza, I learned that Heinmarr is quite far to the northwest on this gargantuan planet, and it gets frigid.

    This is my seventh winter in this world. In all my prior years, it was never an issue. As a baby, I was kept indoors suckling on the bosom of my mother, where it was nice and warm. As a toddler, I was playing. Now, as a six-year-old (soon to be seven years old), I am forced to do child labor. Like shoveling the snow, taking snow off the roof with my father, or sweeping the chimney.

    Wretched, foul, horrible. I hate it.

    How dare mother and father slave away their intelligent daughter to do menial labor! Woe is me!

    I''ve seen the magic scrolls that mother and father possess in this house, at least the ones in the healer''s kit. Why don''t we have something like, "Snow be gone!" Or the like? All in all, I make a big fuss, but it isn''t too bad; it is just tiring, cold, and, admittedly, backbreaking. The snow has fallen heavily this year as the month of Riviera bled into Ather. It was like the gods of this world flipped a switch, and a massive, frosted blanket just flopped onto our town.

    It was beautiful, admittedly, and still is. To wake up and gaze out over the stunning scene of rolling, icy hills with mountains on the horizon. It reminded me of those old Bob Ross painting videos I used to watch in my old life on the internet. It was truly breathtaking.

    "Something on your mind?" Soza asked as she snapped me out of my stupor and back into reality. It was morning, and I was sitting in the kitchen, bundled in blankets, and leaning over my breakfast, which was a bowl of oatmeal. It wasn¡¯t your typical boring oatmeal either. It had some sorta cinnamon-like spice sprinkled into it, I couldn¡¯t recall the name, as well as these purple pear adjacent fruits my mother diced up and tossed into it. It was sweet and delicious, and I haven¡¯t touched it since sitting down.

    "You look lost in thought, Luna." The Serelli woman spoke softly as she pulled out the chair beside me and sat down. She was wearing nothing but a loose-fitting nightgown, a bit too loose in some areas, admittedly, though I tried not to linger my eyes.

    "I''m just grumpy." I huffed.

    The feline woman''s ears twitched and her head cocked to one side. "What has you down? Did you not sleep well?" I slept wonderfully, I thought. Though I did not say anything, I simply nodded. Soza pursed her lips and, with a clawed finger, gently began to run it through my long, dark hair.

    She repeated this for a few moments, and I couldn''t help but squirm and smirk as it felt a bit ticklish before finally, I sighed and said, "It''s winter. I hate the cold." I huffed.

    My teacher¡¯s eyes twinkled at my response. "You too?" Soza said with a small smile. "Winter is beautiful yet bitter. It brings harshness and many other forms of danger, yet I feel it is a necessity." She hummed as she continued to toy with my hair.

    I let off another huff and leaned forward, the hunger in my gut rearing its head again as my stomach growled. With my spoon in hand, I finally began to dig away at my oatmeal as I side-eyed Soza and said, "How so?"

    The feline woman removed her hand from my hair and rested back in her chair, her loose robes sliding down her shoulders as she scratched at her tanned and toned neck. "There are most likely a myriad of logical reasonings as to why winter is important. I don''t wish to bore you with what I know." She giggled. "But what I personally believe is that winter is important because, without it, we would not appreciate the times it isn''t here. Just like every day life, Luna, there are dark and light times. Yet such times do not last forever, and when they do fade, spring comes. You''ll come to appreciate the warmth and life the rainy season brings even more."

    I glanced at Soza and plopped a wet glob of warm oatmeal in my mouth, chewing slowly before swallowing. "That''s a pretty way to look at it," I said slowly. "Did you come up with that yourself?"

    Soza smirked and fixed her gown just as I heard Mother coming in from the back door. "No, I learned it from my mother back in the first winter I can remember experiencing in my homeland of Kazora." Soza sighed softly and looked towards the far wall, her expression taking on a dreamy look as if she were reliving those memories.

    Suddenly, I was startled by my mother ruffling my hair as she walked by, wishing me a good morning as she sauntered over to the range. She was bundled heavily in her winter clothes and looked exhausted. Did she even go to sleep last night? I wondered briefly before looking back at Soza and asking, "Kazora. Where''s that at?"

    Soza turned her attention back to me, the dreamy look still on her face as she held up her index fingers that were far apart and said, "Faaar away." In a slightly exaggerated tone. "So far that the maps your mother and father own don''t even show it, as it is far west." Pots and pans clanged, and the two of us looked over to see Mother clumsily moving items around as she prepped a tea kettle. Soza glanced at me and nodded to my breakfast. "Finish your meal. Once your brother is awake, we''ll start today''s lesson."

    I pouted. "Aw, I was just about to ask for stories."

    "Stories can come after school." The feline said this as she stood up and brushed her fuzzy tail against me playfully. God, it''s so soft, I thought as I looked up at Soza as she wiggled her ears at me. This she told Varis and me was a sign of affection, to which I returned by flexing my ears in return as she went over to assist Mother.

    <hr>

    "So why did they build like a giant wall around the southern continent?" Varis asked with a huff as we sat at the dinner table, hunched over our textbooks and papers. Mother placed cups of tea beside each of us as Soza explained.

    "To keep the Taken, or Oni, as the southerners called them, inside." She gestured to the large southern continent on the map, a massive bean-shaped landmass surrounded by a dotted line representing the sea wall. "The Taken are afflicted with the Dark Lord''s curse, known as the Necrophage. People who were once like you or I were driven mad by it. If the Taken were to somehow escape, then darkness they carry would spread like wildfire."

    Great, I thought, so the possibilities of a zombie apocalypse in this world aren''t zero percent.

    "So why don''t we just destroy the continent then?" I asked before sipping my tea nervously.

    Soza smiled and said, "Trust me. There are those out there who believe we should. Though the Global Allied Nations forbids it, as we discussed last week, the G.A.N. has ruled that the destruction of the land is not only immoral, but impractical, as doing so would risk freeing the Dark Lord from their eternal imprisonment."

    Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings.

    "Well, doesn''t eternal mean forever?" Varis asked, the poor boy looked incredibly confused.

    Soza sighed and said, "Yes. But more like, eternal if never provoked."

    "What does provoke mean again?" Varis bit his lower lip.

    I poked his side, and he yelped with surprise. "Like that. We don''t want to poke a big, bad guy. If we poke him enough, he''ll get mad and wake up." I smiled, and Soza looked at me with relief as she didn¡¯t need to re-explain a definition.

    "Exactly like that, Luna, yes. It is always best to let the gorgi sleep and not poke it." A gorgi, from what I learned, is something similar to that of a bear. "But alas, there are nations in this world that do not abide by such rules. For instance, the Warriors of Light."

    Warriors of Light? It sounds like something out of Final Fantasy, I thought. I vaguely recall seeing some of my dad''s books that referenced something like that.

    Soza continued, "The Warriors of Light, like the Global Allied Nations, are a group of nations who believe in the Divine¡ª" The door to our house opened abruptly with a bang, startling all of us. Looking into our living room from the kitchen table, Mother stepped out of the kitchen quickly to see Father stumbling in, the wind outside blowing cool air inside.

    "Slyran, is everything alright?" I heard Mother call out to my father, who straightened up quickly and held a hand up to her to silence her before turning and motioning for something, or someone, outside to come in.

    "Children," Soza said. I turned to look at her and saw that her ears were perked up straight and her tail was wagging aggressively back and forth in a sign of agitation. "It is best we call class closed for now. Your homework is to just read over Chapter 4 of the Twilight War, Luna, do your best to help your brother if he needs it."

    "I don''t need help!" Varis said in protest, though he immediately stopped when he saw the look on Soza''s face. She was very serious, and I did not like what was going on.

    Back at the entrance, I saw that Father was motioning for someone to step into the house, and I gasped. A tall, dark-scaled lizard man came into view. His scales were shiny and black, yet his lower neck and presumably the front of his torso were a dark gray. His head sported a crown of pointy spines, and his eyes were a menacing swirl of purple and black with threatening slits for pupils. He was wearing a heavy trench coat and dress pants, along with a bowler hat which he took off upon entering.

    When he spoke, his voice was deep and guttural and sounded like a predator teasing its prey. "Apologies if I''m interrupting your teachings this fine afternoon."

    "Father, who is he?" Varis spoke up, and both he and Soza hissed at him to be quiet.

    Father, who was still in his constabulary uniform, removed his officer cap and said, "Cailynn, do you remember Mr. Blaxen?"

    To which Mother bluntly replied, "Unfortunately."

    The lizard man bowed heavily and said, "Pleasure to see you again, Lady Moon Weaver." Lady what? I blinked as Mr. Blaxen straightened up and looked at us in the kitchen. "Once again, I apologize for intruding on you all during teaching hours. I can assure you that I will make this quick, as my employer would be upset to hear that I am intruding on his people''s time of learning." Once again, he bowed to us. "I am Lorzio Blaxen, servant of the Sovereign Right. Please return to your studies. I only wish to speak to the man and woman of this house."

    "I think instead," Soza said while not breaking eye contact or blinking. "Kids, I change my mind; it''ll be best if we have an early recess and lunch. Children, let us go outside; dress warmly."

    "But it''s freezing outside!" Varis whined, and Soza lightly bopped him on the head.

    "No whining, now go dress." She pointed towards the stairs in the living room.

    I gulped, knowing that I''d need to walk past this massive, dragonborn-looking guy. His swirling eyes locked on the three of us, unblinking. Soza motioned for us to stand up before pushing us lightly forward, and the two of us quickly scurried past the adults, yet just as I passed beneath the large lizard man, I could see his rows of razor-sharp teeth as he smiled at me, and I gasped and ran faster.

    "Children." I could hear him as I ran up the stairs. "My mother used to say that a baby''s smile made the angels sing." He hummed, and at that point, I stopped listening and bolted faster.

    <hr>

    "Who the heck is that guy?!" I hissed to Varis as I entered the room after him and turned to shut the door behind us. Turning back to face him, I yelled when I saw my brother already in nothing but his underwear and shielded my eyes. "Whoa, whoa!"

    "What?" Varis looked at me confused before glancing down at himself and shrugging as he began to change into his casual clothes and winter garments. "I don''t know who that dragon man is... I think Dad told me long ago that they''re called... Valenni? I think. I never saw one before till now, but Dad seems to know him."

    Keeping my eyes covered as Varis changed, I sidestepped carefully toward my dresser. "Mom and Soza didn''t look happy to see him," I said, making sure to not ram into my bed.

    "Maybe he''s like an old friend? Or maybe it''s like what Herbert said a few weeks ago? He said, Mom and Dad were adventurers!" Varis said excitedly as he finally slipped into some winter overalls and grabbed his coat.

    "He said they were adventurous." I corrected him, and now, feeling comfortable with my hands no longer over my eyes, I finally reached my dresser. "But maybe..." I bit my lower lip as I started to wonder what sort of family I got reborn into.

    "I''ll wait for you outside the room," Varis said to me while I stewed with my thoughts.

    Though I can dwell on that later, right now I need to get dressed. Opening my dresser drawers, I began to dig around for my cotton stockings. When I first came to this world, I was originally against the idea of wearing such clothes for girls, yet as the years went on, I''ve grown accustomed to the garments. Mostly, some dresses make me shudder, such as winter clothing. The numerous layers of stockings, pantalettes, and chemises were constricting, particularly when I had to put on a tight vest. So many layers upon layers, I felt like that kid from The Christmas Story, it made playing in the snow almost impossible.

    Though Mother has given me some overalls, those have gotten dirty, and I don''t see them here, which means they haven''t been cleaned. Maybe if I just stick around Soza outside, I''ll be fine during our lunch. Though I glanced back at the door to our room where Varis waited, he may try and wrestle me again. Maybe Soza can beat his ass if he does.

    Once I finished getting dressed, I glanced at myself in the mirror and blushed faintly. In my past life, I would''ve scoffed at the idea of wearing something like this. Yet now I couldn''t help but think it was pretty cute. I wore a black dress with white trimming and embroidery along the tummy of my dress, which covered my vest, two layers of white cotton stockings, and calf-high, fur-lined boots. Over my dress, I wore a matching hooded cloak along with these bright, white fuzzy muffs, and to top it off, I practiced what Mother had shown me multiple times, which was tying my hair back before putting on a simple white headband to keep it in place. Although this is quite adorable, I wouldn''t mind experimenting with other casual outfits in the future.

    Oh god, am I enjoying dressing up?

    In the end, I kind of get the stereotype as to why girls take so long to get dressed. There was just so much! And yet, I think I came out looking pretty cute. Probably all that was lacking was makeup, but I haven''t even taken the steps to learn how to apply it¡­ Maybe Mother can show me?

    "Luna, c''mon!" I heard Varis complain from outside the door. "We can''t keep Soza waiting! We''ll miss recess!"

    I think recess is going to be a little longer than usual, buddy. This is what I wanted to say, but I bit my tongue. "Hold on, I''m almost finished!" I said to him as I spent some time finishing up my hair before stopping to do a small twirl in front of the mirror. I couldn''t help but smirk a little as I admired my little dress, yet a small part of me couldn''t help but wonder how I''d look in the coming years. Judging by my new parents, especially my mother, who was beautifully shaped, I wondered if I would be like a high school queen or maybe I could try on Varis''s clothes and look like a hot tom--

    A loud clap, followed by sharp pain, burned across my cheek as I recoiled to the side, all thoughts leaving my mind. Quickly, I straightened up and looked at myself in the mirror with shock and horror, and then I glanced down at my red, quivering hand. Back at the mirror, I noticed a matching red print on my cheek.

    "I knew I could count on you, little guy." I whispered to my hand as I shook the tingling pain from it. With a deep breath, I turned to the door and stepped outside. "Okay, I''m ready," I said, looking at Varis.

    "What was that slap I heard?" He asked, pushing himself off the wall. "Why is your cheek red?"

    "It''s nothing; I just purged my mind of impurities."

    "Imperiods?"

    "Something like that."

 Chapter 7: A Warning (Interlude)

    Ashflows

    Slyran watched as his daughter and son came back down the steps and met up with Isa before going outside.

    "I''ll just be having them out front," Isa said softly, her feline eyes trained intensely on Lorzio, who simply smiled at her. Slyran''s children''s voices audibly shuddered when the valendi''s teeth bared in what was supposed to be a calming gesture which simply did not work. As Isa ushered them outside and the door shut, an awkward silence fell over the room as the faint sounds of their feet trudging through snow grew quieter and quieter.

    A silence that was soon broken by Cailynn''s voice, her tone as cold as ice, "What the fuck are you doing here, you conniving skink? Give me one good reason as to why I shouldn''t turn you to ash."

    Slyran raised a cautious hand to his wife and said, "Cailynn, please¡ª"

    Cailynn''s eyes shot daggers at him as her face contorted with disgust. "Are you seriously going to fucking defend him?!"

    Slyran bit his lower lip and said, "N-No but¡ª"

    Lorzio raised his hands to show he meant no harm and said, "I know you''re still upset, Moon¡ª"

    "Upset?!" Cailynn recoiled. "Upset?! I''m more than fucking upset!" She shouted as she jammed her finger into the valendi''s chest. "It''s because of you that Cyrus is dead! You killed her! You fucking killed her!"

    Slyran balled his fists as his teeth pierced his lower lip when they clenched filling his mouth with the taste of iron. Taking a deep breath, he looked at his wife and shuddered as he stepped forward and gently gripped her shoulder. "Cailynn, I''m upset too, but please, let Lorzio speak."

    Cailynn''s lower lip quivered; her eyes red as tears began to form on the brim. With a quick wipe of her wrists, she cleared them and sniffed before taking a deep breath to steel herself as she glared unimaginable hate at the man across from her.

    Lorzio looked back at her, his face steely and emotionless. He finally blinked, his guttural tone wavering slightly. He said, "I know it''s my fault, Moonweaver."

    Cailynn rolled her eyes and said, "Stop it! Stop calling me that! I''ve forsaken that title long ago."

    Lorzio lowered his head. "I''m aware of that," he said. "I just got caught up in the moment. My apologies." He shook his head and looked up at her. "No matter what I say, Cailynn, I know you''ll never forgive me or see things as I do."

    "We can both agree on that," Cailynn said as she crossed her arms.

    Lorzio took a tentative step forward and lifted a clawed hand out to her as if requesting that she take it. "But I come to you and your family with urgent news that I know will help you." His voice wavered.

    Cailynn''s head cocked to the side, and she scowled. "Why should we care what you have to say?" Sylran''s hand gripped Cailynn''s shoulder reassuringly once more.

    "Because I want to make things right!" Lorzio said as both of his hands reached out pleadingly.

    Slyran''s eyebrows raised as Cailynn flat-out scoffed and laughed, her head flung back as she gleefully howled as if the man had made a joke.

    Her husband sighed and closed his eyes. "Cailynn, please, let him speak."

    "Speak?" Cailynn looked at her husband, giggling as she wiped the fresh tears from her eyes as she sniffed and scowled. "This snake,¡± She sneered, ¡°wants to slither into our home and repent." She looked back at Lorzio. "Do you honestly think you can ever make things right?"

    Lorzio flinched and shook his head. "No! I''m not sure; I doubt I''ll ever be able to make things right, but that doesn''t mean I can''t try at least." He lowered himself to his knees as both Sylran and Cailynn looked down at him, surprised as the valendi groveled. "I know there is no place left for me in the Current when I go and that my time on Enora is coming to a close. Yet please, allow me the privilege of knowing that at least when I go, I know that I helped the ones I wronged." He looked up at the two of them. "Please, I have nothing to gain from this. My employer doesn''t even know I''m here, and the information I have will surely make it so that I''ll lose my head if they find out. So please, I beg, let me speak." He bowed his head.

    Sylran looked at Cailynn, who scowled, closed her eyes, and then sighed. Her face softened ever so slightly, yet her eyes still raged with an inferno as she reopened them and looked at Lorzio.

    "Fine," she said. "You can say your piece and leave. Now get up." She jutted her thumb upwards.

    Lorzio nodded, pushed himself to his feet, and dusted off his pants. "Thank you, Cailynn. May we use your table?"

    <hr>

    "As you''re aware, the Sovereign Right has eyes nearly everywhere," Lorzio said as the three of them cleared off the kitchen table. Stacking their children''s books and school utensils off to the side, Lorzio reached into his suit to pull out a manila folder and place it on the table.

    Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author''s preferred platform and support their work!

    He opened the folder and began to spread out finely typed documents and scrycaptured pictures of what seemed to be aerial images of camouflaged installations that are just barely noticeable and maps.

    "Two years ago," Lorizio continued, "I was promoted to be the Guiding Hand, and I oversaw much of the intelligence coming in and out of the organization, and what we uncovered was deeply troubling." He looked to Slyran and Cailynn as they sifted through the documents on the table; their faces scrunched and squinted as they read over the finely printed text.

    Lorzio placed both of his palms on the table and said, "Darkness is coming to all of Enora; the Rusivite''s are preparing for something drastic, and yet more importantly, it''ll happen here." He tapped on the table. "Oren will be on the frontlines."

    Cailynn looked up from the document, her brow knitted in a bit of skepticism. "There hasn''t been a war in over two millennia; Lorzio, G.A.N., has kept the peace since the Twilight War; surely if Rusimia was going to attack Heinmarr," she tapped the map of the Heinmarr and Rusimia border, riddled with battle lines. "The rest of the Global Alliance would interfere."

    Lorzio nodded his head in agreement. "You''re right to think that, and they will. Yet Rusimia is not alone in this." He reached for the folder, sifted through more of the documents, and produced a handful of others written in various languages, such as the xhin tongue and khemu, the spoken languages of the Xing and Kossastan empires. "The Warrirors of Light are mustering their forces, and those documents there explain the cry for a Keshmeniri, a Great Crusade."

    "You''re fucking kidding me," Slyran muttered under his breath as he looked over the papers. "The bastards want to strike the Wall. Religious nuts, they''re going to plunge the entire world into war if this is to be believed!"

    "Exactly." Lorzio nodded and reiterated, "An attack on the wall is an attack on all." He took a deep breath. "From what my boys have shown me, Rusimia has already called upon thirty thousand able bodies and has been stockpiling weapons and gold for their war chest. Supplies and troops have been subtly shifting towards the border for some time now, and estimates have it that they plan to attack in roughly one and a half to two years."

    Cailynn and Slyran glanced at one another and then back at Lorzio. "Why did you come to us with this, Lorzio?" Slyran asked as Lorzio glanced at him, dumbfounded.

    "I told you already; I want you both and your children to make it out of here. Leave, leave, before this war breaks out." He gestured to the front door. "Find some place safe. The two of you are well off and have experience on the road; find a summer home away from all of this, like Yankston or Kaesolona."

    Cailynn took a deep breath and gently took Slyran by the hand. "Do you believe him?"

    Lorzio gasped, "Why would I lie? What possibly would I have to gain from this?"

    Slyran closed his eyes and thought for a second. "Everything he said correlates to what Herbert told me. Mr. Olson apparently is also aware of something big going down, but not in this much detail." Slyran pinched the bridge of his nose. "I thought it was just rumors. You know? The Rusivite''s are always posturing and flexing their muscles, yet if this is lining up to be true¡­" He took a deep breath, looked at Lorzio, and said, "I believe you, and I thank you for coming to warn us."

    Cailynn nodded, her mood visibly softening as if hearing Slyran''s words removed a weight from her shoulders. Though, as she looked at Lorzio, her expression still held a bit of firmness. "Thank you," she said. "If Slyran believes you, then I will too." The question that comes next, though, is what to do."

    "You leave," Lorzio responded almost instantly. "Toss everything into a wagon and go and go far."

    "Well, thank you, Mr. Blaxen, but it isn''t that simple. Unlike the last time we met, we have children now. Rounding them up and uprooting everything would be devastating for them. Not to mention a costly endeavor; while we are well off, we''re not that well off. We don''t even own a strider or a wagon." She sighed.

    Slyran came over to Cailynn and gripped her shoulder once more. "Well, just as Lorzio said, we have time, Cailynn, just not a lot of it." Slyran said as he draped an arm around his wife. "We''ll figure something out; we always do. I can check by Harold''s when the snow fall lightens and see if he has a strider available, and I can check by Henderson''s shop and commission a wagon."

    "Yes. You do have some time, but it is of the utmost importance that you find someplace safe." Lorzio straightened up. "I won''t be taking up too much of your time, though I''ll let you know I will be staying in town for the remainder of the winter and spring for work. I''ll be at the Step Right Inn."

    "Well, now I know where to keep Luna and Varis away from," Cailynn muttered under her breath, and Slyran snorted.

    "Again, thank you, Lorzio." Slyran stepped forward. "I''ll help you clean this up and take you back out to your strider." He stuck his hand out respectfully, and Lorzio took it and shook. "If we have any more questions, I''ll reach back out.

    Releasing his hand, Lorzio nodded before hesitating. "Oh, one more thing. General Hossler''s third brigade will be arriving in Oren come spring, as the rest of his division has been instructed to bolster the Strickland line. So, expect this place to get crowded."

    "Are they not doing the Frostland March this year?" Slyran asked as he began to place all the intelligence papers back into the folder.

    "I don''t recall hearing it''d be cancelled." Lorzio picked up the folder and stuffed it into his coat. "And I doubt the Kaiser would risk canceling such an event." The two men straightened up and nodded to each other, as did Cailynn. With a deep intake of air, Lorzio donned his hat and said, "Farewell, Cailynn." To which the elven woman didn''t respond.

    As Lorzio and Slyran approached the front door, Lorzio''s gaze darted to the window, where a fleeting shadow passed by. As Slyran unlocked the front door, he remained silent but narrowed his eyes.

    "Ah shit, it''s bloody cold. I hope you bundled up well," the elf muttered as he gestured for Lorzio to step out.

    With his trench coat snugged up, Lorzio went out onto the modest front porch and swiftly cocked his head to the right, where the snow-covered shrubs in front of the house sat iced over. He gazed in the direction of the window and observed little footprints facing right up against it; then, as his gaze drew to the left, he caught sight of a young Elven girl''s expression peering at him from behind a bush. A combination of his snort and smile¡ªwhich revealed his teeth¡ªcaused the girl to squeal and duck behind the shrub.

    "I forgot to mention Slyran." He snarled mischievously.

    "Aye, what is it?" The man said as he stuffed his hands in his pockets and began to trudge towards the large, dark-scaled land strider at his property fence. He could see Isa trying to stop Varis from provoking the creature.

    "Your children, they''re adorable."

 Chapter 8: De Escalation

    Luna

    When the two of them began walking to the door, that¡¯s when I decided to dip below the window on the front of the house, and for a split second, I swore I saw Mr. Blaxen glance my way. Heart beating in my chest, I tried to duck beneath the frosted bush, yet my skirt kept fluffing out, and I cursed and pulled it back in as the front door opened.

    "Ah shit, it''s bloody cold. I hope you bundled up well." I heard the voice of my father as the two men stepped outside.

    I turned around carefully and peeked out from behind the snow-covered bush, only to instantly regret it as my eyes locked with the large lizard man. His mouth parted slightly, revealing his carnivorous teeth, which shook me to the bone. Back in the old days of my prior life as an overweight nerd, I always thought Dragonborn in D&D and Lizardfolk were cool and the artwork neat, but to see something like them in the flesh was horrific. It reminded me of the old Jurassic Park movies and the velociraptors; something about them was just¡­ uncanny. Like some prehistoric piece of my brain that hadn¡¯t evolved was screaming at me to run away.

    God, I probably sound like a racist. The point is, the guy was freaky, and seeing him smile at me sent me whirling back behind the bush in utter fear. My tiny little heart was beating so fast that I thought it was going to rupture. Did he know I was listening in?

    When Madam Soza, Varis, and I came outside, we went over to see Mr. Blaxen''s land strider, and to refer back to what I said about my fear of those Jurassic Park velociraptors, well, land striders looked like goddamn allosauruses. At least that''s what I would''ve said last time I was a child who was obsessed with dinosaurs. To say I made sure to stay as far away as I could is an understatement, and while Varis kept poking the proverbial bear and Madam Soza was trying to stop him from getting eaten, I made the usual child excuse of tugging on Soza''s dress and asking her to go to the little girl''s room.

    Trusting me to not get lost going to the outhouse in the backyard, Soza allowed me to venture off on my own. Now, I''ll be honest; I wasn''t entirely lying. I did have to use the bathroom, but part of me also wanted to take a peek at what was happening in the house, and you know, if I get caught, plausible deniability. God, being a child again makes getting out of trouble so easy.

    Well, when I got back to the house to listen, I didn''t expect to hear what I heard. Despite my fear of Mr. Blaxen, the man seemed genuine. I never heard Mother get so angry the way she did. Even the tone that Father took seemed off. All this time, I have always seen Mother as cheerful and, well, just chill. Unlike my old mother, Cailynn was always pleasant. Even the few times I got in trouble, she''d never raise her voice or swear like I heard her just a few minutes ago. She could be strict, but even then, her tone never got higher than a stern voice.

    It was genuinely scary. What did Mr. Blaxen do to make her so mad? I vaguely heard her mention something about a person named Cyrus dying. Who was Cyrus? Who was Mom and Dad? I never really spoke to them¡ªwell, not as much as a six-year-old should. In my past life, before I came to this world, I lived in a trailer with my brother Matthew and his family.

    My little nephew, Mason, was six. Well, he''s probably twelve now, but... what I remember of him is that the little bastard wouldn''t shut the hell up. He was always asking questions, and I would humor the kid and answer them. That was a mistake, after that, he would never shut up. Of course, all kids were like that and it¡¯s good to ask questions, hell I used to do it.

    Having had experience that as an adult I knew how frustrating it was. So, as a present to my new parents. I don''t do that. Mom and Dad are Mom and Dad, and I''m just me. The only person I ask questions to is Madam Soza. Aside from that, I''m reading in my room and maybe goofing off with Varis.

    Now that I think about it. Outside of not having video games, my new life is just like my old life¡­ goddammit.

    "I forgot to mention Slyran." I could hear Mr. Blaxen snarling mischievously.

    "Aye, what is it?" My father said as I watched the back of him move towards Varis and Soza, who was yanking my brother away just before the strider could headbutt him.

    "Your children," Mr. Blaxen said with a light chuckle as he walked behind. "They''re adorable." He glanced back over his shoulder, his swirling purple eyes catching sight of me as I yelped, jolted away, and quickly ran behind the house toward the outhouse.

    I should go use the restroom before something embarrassing happens.

    <hr>

    No. I am not going to talk about my new experience which is using the restroom as a girl. Any of you who thought I was going to are sick. I too like my privacy still, besides. All that¡¯s different is positioning. Anyway.

    Having relieved myself in the outhouse, I stepped out with a pleasant sigh. The thoughts of what I witnessed are still heavy on my mind. I hadn''t heard everything that was said as the window I had listened through was only connected to the front room. All I knew was that Mr. Blaxen had grave news, and Father wanted Mother to see it. When she finally relented and they went to the kitchen, there was no other nearby window for me to move to listen¡ªat least not one that would''ve allowed me to listen in freely without being seen.

    Yet I saw Mr. Blaxen place down an envelope, one which Mom and Dad read, and it was there that they all got this serious look on their faces. Maybe I could ask Mom about it? Well, she won''t even tell me what''s in the cabin. I thought as I turned my head towards the cabin, a few dozen feet away from me. I was tempted to try and infiltrate it now, but I think that would just make everything worse if I got caught.

    Well, just like the cabin. It doesn''t hurt to at least ask, besides, if my mother was upset. Maybe seeing my provenly adorable face could get her to lighten up. So hey, two birds, one stone. Oh, Oh, then after I cheer her up with my admittedly adorable looks. I could ease her into allowing me to see the cabin. Perfect, this plan cannot fail. Operation Cuteness Overload II is ready to begin.

    With the new plan ready. I made my way back around the house to the front yard when it happened.

    The sound of a shrill cry made my blood run cold as the world around me froze. My vision blurred as my heart seized and I swore I could see visages of people running out of a store and a man wielding a gun flashed before my eyes. Another cry sent my hands trembling, and I gritted my teeth as a third shriek caught my ears. It was my brother. Shaking my head I snapped out of it and began to bolt towards the front of the house, lifting my skirt as I swiftly trudged through the snow.

    As I rounded the corner of the house, I could hear my father frustratedly shouting. "This is why I always told you to not grab a Strider by their claws! Do not pull on their fingers, or they''ll knock you down, or worse, they''ll bite you!" Before me, I could see Varis by the sycora tree in our front yard, cradling his arm as Madam Soza bent over him. Father stood over him, wagging his finger.

    Off on the side, I could see Mr. Blaxen looking a bit uncomfortable as he checked on his large, dark-scaled strider, which huffed and squawked agitatedly. Lifting my skirt again, I quickly dashed through the heavy snow, my calves freezing, though I didn''t care. My older brother, who felt more like my younger brother, was hurt.

    "Wh-what happened?" I asked, looking between Father and Soza.

    Though Father didn''t seem to hear me as he continued to scold Varis, "Do you see how big those teeth are, boy? If that thing bites you, you''ll lose an arm! They are not pets; you need to be careful."

    Soza looked up at Father and held a cautious hand up to him. "Slyran, you are only scaring him more. I think he''s learned his lesson."

    Suddenly, the front door to the house flew open, and wearing only her casual dress, Mother came wading through the snow. "What is going on here?!" She shouted as her head snapped between us around the tree and then to Mr. Blaxen.

    Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred platform. Support original creators!

    Immediately, Mr. Blaxen raised his hands and said, "Cailynn, it was an accident."

    "Did you hurt my child?" She snapped at him and began to quickly pace towards him. "Did you touch my boy?"

    Immediately, I knew this was going south fast, and I needed to act.

    Mother continued to approach Mr. Blaxen, and I swear I saw her eyes flash a different color. "I swear to Margon, if you touch a single hair on my boy, I''ll make you regret¡ª"

    "Momma!" I shouted as I quickly ran over to her and threw my arms around her legs, nearly knocking her into the snow, though quickly she caught herself and looked down at me.

    "Lu-Luna!" She gasped out as she gripped my shoulders.

    "It wasn''t Mr. Blaxen!" I said quickly and turned to point in the direction of Varis and Father, and by this point, my brother was getting to his feet. "It was Varis; he was being stupid again!"

    "I''m not stupid!" Varis cried out as he cradled his arm and whimpered as Soza began to guide him inside, whispering to him about getting his arm looked at.

    "Father said he was tugging on the strider''s finger, and it knocked him over!" I said with an affirmative nod, despite only going off of the context clues.

    Mother''s hardened face softened a bit. "Is that so?"

    "Yeah!" I nodded. "Please don''t be mad; he was just playing, and Mr. Blaxen couldn''t have known Varis would be a dummy around his pet; he did nothing wrong." Mother blinked a few times as she looked down at me; even Father looked a little surprised off to the side.

    The one to break the silence was Mr. Blaxen. "I apologize, truly. Ember here isn''t good with children. I can compensate you if she did lasting damage." He said this as he opened one of the saddle bags on the side of the strider and pulled out a small coin purse.

    "There''s no need, Lorizio," Father said as he came over to us. "My daughter is correct. My boy should''ve known better to try and play with Ember. There is no need for compensation. Please be on your way."

    Mr. Blaxen hesitated for a second but gave a curt nod, stashed the coin purse away, and began to mount the reptilian beast. "As I was then, take care!" He said that as he flicked the reins, the strider let off a howl before trotting forth through the snow and turning in the direction of town.

    Mother remained quiet as I clung to her. As I looked back up at her, I saw her face was partially wet with tears. Her skin was red from the cold, and I could feel her shivering slightly out in the frigid cold.

    "Hon, let''s get you inside," Father said. "It''s freezing out here. You too, Luna. Come inside."

    <hr>

    "Ouch, ow, argh!" Varis gasped and whined as Soza looked over his left arm as he sat on the kitchen counter. After a few moments, she glanced over to me and my mother, who was bundled up in blankets at the dinner table. "It hurts; I can barely move it!" He whined as Soza gently lowered his arm.

    "It looks to be broken." Soza spoke softly and looked at Mother. "Do you have anything we can use to splint this? Or should I get things prepped to take him down to the physician''s office?"

    Mother closed her eyes before burying her face in the blankets to sneeze. Pulling her face back out, she tiredly looked to Soza and said, "I have scrolls of healing in the cabin and in the healers kit on the wall behind you." She glanced at Varis. "Give Momma a few moments, Dearie, and I''ll get your arm fixed."

    Soza blinked. ¡°Are you sure, Cailynn? I know those can be expen¨C¡±

    Mother shook her head. ¡°If his arm is as bad as you said, then I¡¯d rather use a scroll,¡± she said.

    My eyes widened upon hearing this. Magic! My mind raced, I''m going to get to see Magic again!

    A few seconds passed as Mother shuffled in her place, trying to warm herself up, before finally standing up with her blanket draped around her. Eager to see this first hand, I got up and went to follow her, but stopped when Father came up behind me and gently placed his hand on my head.

    "Stay back, little one," he said in a hushed tone as he knelt. "It''s better to see this further away; you don''t want to accidentally interrupt her." He explained as Mother politely gestured for Soza to step back.

    Mother whispered to Varis, too quiet for me to hear, as she examined his arm, which I could see was bruising heavily around his joint. My stomach churned a little, and I bit my lower lip as I visibly cringed as Mother lightly tapped which points hurt the most to narrow down the source of the injury.

    Varis gasped sharply when Mother found the area of the fracture, and she straightened up and went over to the healer''s kit, which hung from the wall. You should ask questions, I thought to myself, just like your old nephew Mason used to do.

    "What is Mother doing, Father?" I glanced over my shoulder at him, glancing down at me, his mustache lifted slightly as he smiled.

    "She''s helping your brother; inside that bag is one of your mother''s special scrolls," he said pointing.

    "Like a magic scroll?" I continued to play along as I assumed the role of an ignorant child and Father nodded.

    He knelt beside me. "Yep, a magic scroll that can heal almost anything,¡± He said whimsically and in a tone that told me he was definitely playing it up.

    I tapped my chin in thought. See, you''re already learning stuff. I got some keywords there: "almost." So is magic not a fix for everything?

    "If it''s magic, can''t it do anything?" I asked Father, who snorted and shook his head his whimsical attitude dropping.

    "No, Sweetie, if we Elves and other Enorans could do anything with magic, then Merlin and Margon would be out of a job. Magic can do a lot, but even it has its limitations," he explained as Mother walked over to Varis with a scroll and began to unroll it.

    Merlin and Margon? I thought. I recall Soza mentioning something about gods in this world; I''ve known about them somewhat since I started to learn how to read and dig through my mother and father''s books. If memory serves me right, Merlin and Margon were the two gods of magic.

    "Those are gods, right?" I asked Father who smiled and nodded.

    "Yep, the two gods of magic. Merlin the Bookkeeper and Margon the Hammerer."

    By this point, Mother began to chant softly as the lights in the room dimmed slightly and the scroll before her began to emit a faint green light. Rings of green essence began to drip down from the scroll like wet ink to the base of her feet, forming a glowing circle of runes and arcane imagery around her feet. From these runes, petals of light began to dance up into the air as if caught in an upward draft, and my eyes widened along with Varis, who seemed to have forgotten his pain.

    As Mother continued to chant, she lifted her left arm and reached out to Varis before planting it on his head, her eyes becoming nothing but green light before finally finishing with,

    "Rejuvenate." Varis''s eyes widened as his entire body shimmered, and I noticed the bruising on his arm beginning to retract and something beneath the skin shifting. Just as Mother released his head, the scroll in her other hand shriveled and crumpled into magical dust, which evaporated into nothing.

    "Whoooaa!" Varis cheered as he began to move his once-broken arm around with ease.

    Madam Soza''s eyes widened, and she reached out to stop him, though Mother held a hand up to her. "He is fine, Isa." She smiled. "Rejuvenate was enough to get him back to normal." She placed her hands on her hips proudly.

    "That''s amazing," I muttered softly, and Father laughed and ruffled my hair.

    "That''s your mother for you! A skilled user of magic!" He stood up as Mother turned around and frowned.

    "Sylran, don''t go spouting nonsense!" She huffed, though I could see the faint blush on her cheeks and a twinkle in her eyes.

    Father stepped past me and continued to chuckle. "What? It''s not like they were never going to find out, dear." He wrapped his arm around Mother and pulled her into a hug as he looked at Varis with a grin. "How are you feeling, boy?"

    "Good as new!" Varis beamed. "I was scared I wasn''t going to be able to play outside anymore."

    Father hesitated for a second before smirking and nodding. "C-Come here boy,¡± He said his voice faltering for a moment before he cleared his throat and broadened his smile.

    Varis hopped off the counter, and with his big hand, Father pulled him into a hug along with Mother before looking over his shoulder. "You too, Luna. It''s family hug time!" He laughed, yet something about it felt empty. Something wasn¡¯t right.

    Yet I didn''t want to keep him waiting so without a moment''s hesitation I ran over and wrapped my small arms around their legs. "That includes you, Isa." Mother said, and the Serelli woman blinked a few times and blushed before smiling and coming over.

    "Tomorrow," Father said clearing his voice as we all hugged it out. "Luna, Varis, I want you two to meet me in the backyard when the sun rises."

    "Why so early?" Varis asked.

    "Because I want to show you both something." With that, we all released one another. The air in the room felt much better now as we all looked at one another. "But right now, how about we all go out to eat tonight? I heard the Yogi Maws are serving a magnificent steak this evening."

    "Yaaay!" Varis practically squealed, and my eyes widened. Not often do we go out to eat in town, and the last time we went to the Yogi''s Maw, Mother complained about how expensive it was.

    "But what about school?" I asked, and Varis instantly shot daggers at me.

    Madam Soza spoke up, "I think it is best we put off school early today." She smiled at us, and Varis fist-pumped the air.

    "Agreed," Father said. "Now go on, you two. Get a change of clothes into something more proper. We leave in thirty!"

 Chapter 9: Mother

    Oh god, I ate too much. That was¡­ that was a little overboard. I shouldn''t have shoveled that entire grok steak into my mouth, nor all those taters. Yet. It was so good, so freaking delicious. And the butter¡ªI never knew butter could be so rich and delicious, mixing it with the veggies on the plate¡ªwhat were they called? They looked like pink leeks¡ªlike an onion kind of pink. Yet they tasted nothing like leeks or onions; it almost tasted like sugar. Though not too sugary to the point of being sour but just enough that it made my little taste buds dance. God, it was so good.

    The food in this world I''ve quickly come to learn is similar to yet different than what I¡¯m used to back on earth. Some foods look exactly like the ones on Earth but share a slightly different name. Like Grok steak. A grok is a cow-like creature that is a bit different. They''re purple and much larger, but really, they just look like oversized cows, and I''ve noticed many of the creatures of this world, like the food, look similar to creatures from Earth and yet are slightly different.

    I''m not a scientist, but I would probably make the hypothesis that maybe that''s like a natural evolution sort of thing, but again, I''m not a scientist. Though it''s a fun thought, what I can say for sure, though, is that these animals are freaking delicious. So much so that I gave myself a stomachache, and Father had to carry me home on his back from the Yogi''s maw. The four of us, including Madam Soza, returned home sometime late in the evening, the sun had already set.

    Father and mother instructed that it was time to go to bed. "Go on, clean up, and get to sleep." Mother said as she clapped her hands together rhythmically as she ushered Varis and me to the bathroom to brush our teeth.

    Being as tired as I was, I was in no shape to argue, though Varis whined and protested, only to be silenced by my father, who reminded us of the early surprise, which quickly silenced all protests. As we washed our mouths out and freshened ourselves up, we took turns changing into our pajamas. There was no way I was changing in front of him, nor did I want to see him. Yeah, we were siblings and all, but I couldn¡¯t help but feel like I wanted some semblance of privacy. Once we were ready, Mother came to us to tuck us in for the night.

    "I hope the two of you had fun this evening," she said softly, as she made sure Varis was all nice and comfortable.

    "Yeah!" Varis chuckled. "I got thrown by a strider, and we ate so much food!"

    Oi, you didn''t seem like you were having fun after being thrown.

    Mother laughed nervously and patted him on the head. "Well, I''m glad, but let''s try not to get thrown by a dragon again any time soon, okay?" Varis chuckled and smiled at her before nodding.

    Mother then turned to me and came over. "What about you, my little genius? I saw you reading the big kid menu all by yourself earlier," she said as she made sure I was tucked in before sitting on the edge of my bed.

    I couldn''t help but blush as she patted me on the head, and I shifted a bit. "It wasn''t¡­ so bad." God, I''m feeling shy. "I can read most things now; it seems to be getting easier as we go."

    "Spoken like a true scholar," Mother said as she booped me on the nose. "If I''m being honest, when I was your age, I was still reading kids'' books, but you''re already reading those textbooks with Isa. She told me you read chapter three of the Twilight War all by yourself and understood it."

    What can I say? It''s an interesting story: a man who fell in love with the goddess of the sun only to go mad when he learned he couldn''t be with her, driven to insanity and becoming a dark emperor. And in this world, that''s considered ancient history; sign me up!

    "I really like it¡­" was all I could say as my cheeks began to burn and to make matters worse, my mother took notice and smiled as she playfully pinched my cheeks.

    "Oh, you''re so cute when you get shy; your ears are burning up!" She laughed as she pinched the tip of my right ear, and I squeaked. Elvish ears are so bloody sensitive. Mother laughed at my reaction and sighed as her hand returned to my hair and tussled it. "Well, if you like those stories, I have plenty more in which you might be interested, though I''ll need to make sure I find some that''ll be more in line with your age." She hummed.

    When she removed her hand from my head, I looked up at her to see her staring at me, with a strange expression on her face. I can''t put my finger on it, but it looked like she was looking over me as if it were her first time.

    "Is something wrong, Momma?" I asked her, and right away she flinched and shook her head.

    "Sorry, I was lost in thought." And once again she laughed, though this time I caught something else; the way she laughed, it was like she was nervous.

    "Oh, okay," I said falling silent briefly. Something looked like it was troubling her. Maybe I can try and cheer her up? It was time for Operation Cuteness Overload III, or were we on IV now? I dunno.

    With an idea in mind, I smiled a little and said, "I love you, Momma, and I will always be here, and so will Varis!" I looped my brother in, though when looking over at him, I realized he was already passed out.

    When I looked back at Mother, though, I saw she was frozen. She wasn''t looking at me, focused instead on the floor next to me, her eyes were quivering slightly, and she bit her lip. She looked back at me and sniffed before leaning in silently and wrapping her arms around me.

    "I''m sorry, sweetie," she whispered. "Mommy has just had a really bad day today, but you just made it a lot better. Thank you."

    Feeling her arms drape around me made my heart flutter. I didn''t know how to react at first; I hadn''t anticipated this. I went with my gut feeling, wrapped my arms around her neck gently, and returned her hug. Mission success. That¡¯s what I¡¯d call a textbook operation.

    Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.

    "It''s okay, Momma; I''m here for you. I may be small, but I can help!" I giggled, hoping some humor would lighten her up, and thankfully it did as she snorted softly and pulled away.

    "You''re such a goof¡ªa well-spoken one at that." She said before saying it out loud, "Gods, sometimes I wonder if you''re really six years old."

    Boy, if you only knew, though I never intended on that.

    "Well, I am." I giggled but then fell silent as a thought came to mind. "Momma, can I ask you a question?"

    Mother wiped her eyes with her wrist and glanced down at me. "Of course, Luna."

    "Are you a wizard, or, uh, used to be a wizard?" Mother stared at me for a few seconds before letting off a low sigh and closing her eyes. I then squeaked, "I''m sorry if I''m being nosy again! I-I''ll¡ª"

    "It''s okay, Luna." She raised her head back up and grinned, her hand gently resting on my leg. "Your father kind of gave it away earlier; he always gets too excited whenever I cast spells."

    "I-I also remember you using that same spell on me before," I said with a firm nod, and my mother pulled back a bit, her face looking shocked.

    "Excuse me, when?"

    Oh shit, I forgot I was a baby the last time I saw her use magic.

    "Oh uh¡­ A while ago, when I was young, maybe it was a dream." I tried to cover it up, though it was too late; she wasn''t buying it.

    "No, no¡­ I did use it on you once, back when you were a year old. You were scampering around in your play pen. You used to always do these weird but cute little motions. Like you were actively exercising. You weren''t even fully one yet, and you were already standing and waddling. And during one of your little exercises in your pen, you fell back and whacked your head super hard¡ªharder than usual."

    Hearing her tell this story like I don''t remember it like it was just yesterday, was very jarring, yet at the same time, it was very wholesome to hear. Though I did want to correct her that it was more like nine months, I know that''d be very awkward if I did.

    "I about damn, oh, pardon my language; don''t say what mommy just said. I almost had a heart attack because your father was supposed to be watching you; oh, I chewed his butt out so bad afterwards that he about dang near ran to the precinct." She giggled. "But anyways, I did take you into the kitchen and conclude that you had a concussion and so I cast rejuvenation on you. After that, you were back to normal as if nothing happened." She patted my head. "Though what always concerned me about you growing up is that no matter what, you never cried, even when I gave birth to you!"

    "Whoa, now we don''t need to hear about that." I giggled as my mother tussled my hair.

    "So, do you really remember that?" Mother asked me, her eyebrow raised.

    I should play this next part safe; I shouldn''t give anything away.

    "It''s hazy, but I recall something kind of like that. Though it could just be a coincidence." I smiled sheepishly.

    "Spoken like a scholar." My mother booped my nose. "To bring it back to your question, dearie." She took a deep breath. "Long ago, yes. I was a wizard. I went to a school far, far away from here and learned how to cast spells and figured out how the world works."

    My eyes widened. "Oh, can you show me an example?" I giggled excitedly, and Mother blushed faintly before putting a finger to her lips.

    "Just this once, I''ll show you a little trick." Mother turned away from me and held her hand up into the air and splayed her fingers out, her blue eyes flashing to be bright as sapphires briefly. "Mother of stars, your heavens are so bright; lend me your guidance on a path of light. Fireflies."

    From her outstretched hand, a radiant light burst forth like a strobe from her palm, and suddenly the air in the room began to fill with orbs of dancing lights, illuminating everything in the room as dozens of little orbs began to float about as if the stars above had descended to earth.

    Excitement burst forth from within me, and I had to physically restrain myself from crying out with joy at seeing this happen before me. So instead, I vibrated intensely in my bed, clutching my blanket close to my face as my mother giggled and said, "Pretty neat, huh?" She reached out and poked one orb with her finger, which seemed to attach itself to her, and she guided it down to my nose and placed it on me.

    I practically went cross-eyed as I looked at the shining ball on my nose. Mother snickered and said, "Your mom is pretty cool, huh?" She winked at me.

    I nodded my head rapidly, still too excited to speak. Seeing this magic firsthand was exhilarating and knowing that my mother was someone who could do this made me wonder if, in the future, I could do the same. I had always dreamt of being a mage or sorcerer. Back in the old days, in every RPG game I played, I''d always chosen the class, though back then I always imagined myself as like a grizzled old man wizard, not an elven woman, but y''know. Both are cool.

    Mother snapped her finger, and as quickly as the orbs of light appeared, they vanished. "Though Mommy gave up this practice long ago¡­ or, well, I don''t practice it as much, but lately I''ve been thinking of refreshing myself a bit." She said the last bit a little softly.

    Seeing her face fall a bit, I took a deep breath and tried to probe a little deeper. "Momma, can I ask you a personal question? If you don''t want to answer, it''s okay."

    She blinked and looked at me, a little surprised. "Okay, but this is your last question before you go to bed."

    "That''s okay. I just wanted to ask, uh, why don''t you like Mr. Blaxen?" This question seemed to hit my mother like a freight train as she visibly pulled away from me, and for a split second, I saw anger cross her face, though she quickly stomped it out and sighed.

    "Oh boy, you really meant something personal," she said with a drawn-out sigh. "Much of that story is too much for you now¡­ But what I can tell you is that Mr. Blaxen did something really, really selfish and bad to both me and your father long ago. He lied to us, and that lie got a lot of mine and your father''s friends hurt, and one died."

    That''s sort of what I heard earlier when listening in. To be expected, she doesn''t want to divulge too much information. I can''t imagine telling a six-year-old a grim, dark story. I guess it''s just another one of those things I''ll have to "wait till I''m older." To think I''d have to live through this phase of life again is extremely tedious.

    "Were all of you adventurers?" I asked, and it was here that I noticed a small grin tug at Mother''s lips, and she looked back at me and booped me on the nose again.

    "No more questions; it''s sleep time." She winked at me again.

    That fucking wink! I sighed.

    "Aww, okay." I pouted as Mother got up off the bed and tucked me in before kissing me on the cheek.

    "Don''t pout, my little star." She then kissed me on the forehead. "I really enjoyed this little conversation; I don''t think we ever talked this much before. You should talk to Mommy like this more." She poked my cheek. "Sleep well."

    "Good night, Momma; I really liked talking to you too!" I watched as her heart visibly melted, and despite turning to walk away, she came back and hugged me again.

    "Gah, you''re so cute! Good night!" She released me, and before I could stall her some more, she quickly walked out of the room and shut the door.

    Seeing her leave, my heart fluttered once more. This new family of mine is growing on me. I do look forward to speaking with my mother more and speaking of my father, I wonder what he wants to show us tomorrow.

 Chapter 10: Father

    "Wake up, wake up, wake up!" My father called out boisterously as the ramming of a spoon against a metal pan startled the living daylights out of Varis and me.

    I screamed as the metallic clanging jolted me upwards, and Varis yelled as he scrambled beneath his bedding while Father laughed.

    "What the heck!" I whined; I was having such a nice dream too. I was older, prettier, casting spells, and playing with a cute person¡­ everything was going so well. I shook my head and sighed as Father placed the spoon and pan aside.

    "It''s time you two get up, get dressed, and meet me outside in fifteen!" He ordered in his usual drill sergeant tone. "Up! Up!"

    Both Varis and I groaned as Father left the room, and the two of us rolled out of bed. "Couldn''t he have just woken us up normally?" I whined as I began to slip out of my one-piece.

    "I guess not," Varis said with a low groan. "I swear, if he''s going to make us do chores, I''m going to be so mad. I already need to shovel the snow later."

    "Well, he said he wanted to show us something, not make us do something." I sighed as I groggily stepped out of my clothes and then stopped.

    "I''m already looking away," Varis said, and I sighed with relief as I continued to get changed. Today I opted for a similar outfit to the one before, though this time I chose a dark blue dress and vest with white trimming, the skirt of the dress stopping slightly above my ankles. Beneath the dress I wore two layers of black stockings, and calf boots and to top everything off, I grabbed my heavy-hooded cloak and turned to Varis.

    My brother was wearing thick overalls, which covered his black buttoned-up shirt, and over that, he had his large, brown winter coat and fur scarf. He placed a matching flat cap on his head and side-eyed me, his green and blue-hued eyes reflecting the light from the lamp nearby. Something about him seemed different today; had he gotten taller, or did I shrink?

    "Something wrong, Luna?" He asked.

    I shook my head. "No, I just think you look nice today." Playing the cute card, which made him blush faintly.

    "Th-thank you; you do as well." He took a deep breath before suddenly squaring off! "Race you down the stairs!" He bolted out the bedroom door.

    Oi, what does he think he''s doing?!

    "Hey! No running inside!" I yelled behind him as I scurried after him.

    <hr>

    I nearly tripped down the steps and stumbled over the rocking chair in the living room, following behind Varis, my dress doing me no justice in trying to keep up with him. Thankfully, our ruckus hadn''t woken up our mother, who was still asleep when we made it outside to our backyard.

    The space was large; about a few dozen feet away was the cabin Mother always snuck off to, which was also her bakery, and I knew that was where Madam Soza stayed; beside it to the left was an outhouse; and the rest was just a wide open field with a small wooden fence. I did see one new addition: a small, makeshift table that my father had set up by stacking two columns of rocks and placing a board over the two of them. On that board was an array of metal cans he''d laid out.

    He had just finished placing one down when he turned to face us and said, "About darn time you two got out here!" He stuck his hands in the pockets of his large, dark trench coat. "Made me almost think taking the day off of work would''ve been a waste with how slow you two are." He teased.

    "Luna was fussing over her underwear, that''s why!" Varis joked.

    I scoffed. "No, I wasn''t!" I puffed my cheeks as Father came over to us, shaking his head.

    "Well, anyway, glad to see you two munchkins out here. So, are you ready?" He asked us.

    I blinked and cocked my head to the side. "Ready for what?"

    Without warning, Father reached into his back pocket and pulled out what looked like a revolver, and my heart froze. A vision of people rushing out of the gas station screaming and the man in the white hoody turning to aim his gun at me caused my breathing to escalate, and I nearly fell back.

    Varis turned and grasped me by my arm, stopping me from falling over. "Luna, what''s wrong?"

    Quickly, my father stuffed the gun away and raised his hands. "Luna, Luna, it''s okay; it''s unloaded. What''s wrong?"

    I shook my head, snapping myself out of it, my little heart racing faster than ever. I took a deep breath and said, "N-Nothing¡­ nothing¡­ I just¡­ I just¡­ don''t like." I coughed. "I don''t like guns."

    My father looked ashamed, not of me but of himself. "I''m sorry, Luna. I didn''t know; I should''ve warned you," he sighed. "Well shit¡­" he muttered. "That''s not what I was expecting."

    Now I couldn''t help but feel bad. "Don''t worry, Father, I-I''m okay. What did you want to show us, the gun?" Judging by the context clues, I take it that he was going to show us how to shoot. Even in my past life, I never shot a gun before, so this was going to be interesting.

    "I was going to show you two how to shoot so that maybe we could go out hunting in the future." He explained as he stepped back. "Are you sure you''re okay, Luna? You look faint." He placed his hand against my forehead checking my temperature. "Well, you feel fine,¡± he muttered to himself.

    "I am, Father," I said. "I just had a couple nightmares before, that''s all."

    "You get into reading my war books again?" Father looked down at me, his eyebrows cocked. "I warned you not to read those; they''re quite graphic."

    They are; I''ve snuck a peek at a couple of them. Reading about a man having his blood frozen inside of him by an ice magister was quite brutal.

    ''No." I lied. "But I''m okay; I am. I want to learn how to shoot!"

    "Me too!" Varis pumped his fist next to me. "I always wanted to feel what it was like!"

    Father beamed and nodded excitedly as he turned around and motioned for us to come over to his makeshift shooting range.

    "I already warned your mother and Isa about what we''re doing this morning, so don''t be afraid when things get loud." He chuckled. "Now, Varis and Luna, stand right here. I''m going to give you the rundown first.

    <hr>

    As Father gave us the rundown on firearm safety, I wasn''t too surprised to hear that weapon safety in this world is pretty much the same as back on Earth. A gun is a gun no matter where you are in the universe, that is if I''m even in the same universe. The weapon Father presented us did make me incredibly anxious; it was a revolver, like the very one that had killed me in my other life. Though in this world it''s not called that, instead it''s referred to as a "Cycler" simply because it cycles through the chambers. Or at least that¡¯s the closest translation from Maurich to English I can get. It¡¯s not a one-for-one.

    Honestly, a ton of words are like that. One word can mean like fifty different things in Maurich, even a slight change to a word¡¯s enunciation can change its entire meaning. That was, and still kinda is, the hardest part about learning the Maurich and Common language. Having mastered the basics of the language it¡¯s quite fluid and very efficient, but my inner American still has the occasional moment of stumbling when speaking.

    If I ever get a job translating Maurich or Common into English. The pay better be worth it.

    Anyway, what was I talking about? Oh, right guns.

    When I said the Cycler was like, yet different from a revolver what made it unique was that the weapon only had four chambers rather than the usual six. Not only that when Father pulled out the bullets to show us my eyes widened at the sheer size of them. One round was about half the size of his thumb and was as thick as it. The bullet proved to be made out of some sort of silver casing, yet the actual tip of it was not made of lead. Instead, it was some kind of red crystal that glowed faintly.

    "These here are .44 elis hardened mag rounds." Father explained, "Big boys that can punch through even the toughest of hides and armor. It¡¯s said that it can even bring down a charging yogi."

    When he mentioned mag, I was a bit confused at first, as I thought he meant magnum. "Father, what does mag mean?" I asked.

    "Mag is short for magrite. These bullets are made from depleted magrite crystals, the same crystals that run the lights in our home."

    "So they''re magical bullets?" Varis asked, and Father thought for a moment before nodding.

    "Essentially yes. The weapon draws what little power is left and uses that to propel the projectile forward. Which is the energy stored inside." He stuffed the bullets back into his pocket. "Speaking of which, when holding a gun, always keep your finger off the trigger; make sure this safety switch is on; it stops you from pulling the trigger; and keep it pointed at the ground. Never, under any circumstances, point a weapon at anyone, or yourself, of course. Unless, and this is the only exception, someone is coming to hurt you." He looked at Varis, his expression serious. "I mean it. If I ever see or hear that the two of you pointed a weapon at someone, even if it''s unloaded, I''ll unleash the hells upon you."

    I nodded my head silently along with Varis, to which Father said again, "No, no, don''t nod your heads. I want to hear it. Do I make myself clear?"

    "Yes, Father," we both said in unison.

    Father smiled and said, "Good. First things first, we''re going to start with you, Varis." Varis pumped his fist once again out of excitement as Father chuckled and motioned for him to step up.

    Father stood, turned his back to us, and opened the cycler to make sure it was empty before kneeling and walking Varis through how to properly hold it as well as pointing out areas of interest on the weapon.

    This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

    I shifted nervously off to the side, anxiety and excitement coursing through me. As mentioned before, I never held a firearm in my prior life. I shot a crossbow once, but that was back in, like¡­ sixth-grade camp in elementary school. Which was so long ago. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath as I watched Father take the gun away from Varis after the small explanation and turn his back to us. It looked like he was reloading the weapon before turning back and handing it to Varis.

    He knelt back down and showed him the safety switch before pointing at a nearby can. "Take a deep breath, calm your breathing, hold it with both hands, line the sights with the can, and gently squeeze the trigger," Father explained as Varis, who was shaking with what I assumed was a mix of nervous excitement, squeezed the trigger of the gun.

    He let off a yelped cry, scaring me as the gun jerked upwards, but¡­ nothing happened. No blast, no smoke, no crack of the round ripping through the air. "Wh-what happened?" Varis asked, confused, as he looked to Father, who smiled and shook his head.

    "Nothing; that''s exactly what I expected to happen. There''s no bullets in the gun. When you pulled the trigger, you expected the kick, didn''t you?" He asked.

    Varis nodded his head. "Yeah."

    "And because of that, you flinched and yanked the gun upward." Father jutted his thumb up in the air. "If that was really loaded, you would''ve completely missed that can just a couple dozen garos ahead of you. So you need to get used to pulling the trigger without flinching." Father took the gun from Varis and loaded it again in front of him. "This time the kick will be there, but don''t be scared. Brace yourself and focus on the can."

    This time, as he handed the gun back to Varis, I watched as my brother lined up his shot, took a deep breath as Father instructed, and focused. A few tense seconds passed before finally an immensely deep and loud pop caught me off guard. A red and blue fire erupted out of the gun and its gas ports, followed by a red energy-like bolt that shot forth from the gun for a split second, striking the first can. There was a bright flash as the metal where the bullet struck exploded in a spray of molten metal fragments and the can flew back spiraling in a way I hadn''t expected.

    Magic bullets, I guess, I thought my eyes wide as I watched the smoking can sink into the snow a few feet away from the table. The gun sounded like a mix of a Star Wars blaster rifle and a hand cannon.

    "Excellent!" Our father cheered. "See, it isn''t that bad when you''re expecting it. As long as you don''t flinch and focus, you''ll be a crack shot in no time. C''mon, we got three more shots. Let''s see if you can hit the others."

    Varis shuddered with excitement and was beaming with joy as he nodded and began to line up the next shots. A few more tense seconds pass before once again a loud, deep crack and energy erupted from the gun, unleashing another red bolt which struck the second can, then the third, and finally forth in quick succession.

    "Adda boy!" Father exalted and applauded.

    Varis cheered, jumped in the air, and high-fived Father before turning to me. "Luna, did you see that?" He asked as I smiled and nodded.

    "Yeah! You really knocked them out!" I gave him a small fist pump.

    "Would you like to give it a try, Luna?" Father asked as he took the gun back from Varis and began to unload the spent cartridges.

    I thought about it for a brief second. There''s no harm in trying it; besides, it might be fun, I thought to myself. I nodded. "Yeah! I''ll be right over." Lifting my skirt a bit, I trudged through the snow over to them.

    Father motioned for Varis to step back as I took his spot. "Varis, actually, why don''t you go grab some of those empty cans over there and stack them up?" Father pointed towards the outhouse where he had spare empty cans lying around. Varis nodded and ran over to them while Father turned back to me.

    "How are you holding up?" Father asked me in a low voice. "Are you feeling more comfortable?"

    I nodded. "A little. It''s just a bit scary." I admitted.

    Father nodded. "It can be, though it doesn''t have to be. Once you get used to it, I can see both you and your brother as dead eyes in the future."

    "Are you one, Father?" I asked him, to which he pulled back a bit, seemingly not expecting that question and I swore for half a second he cringed.

    Yet as quickly as he did he recovered as his mustache then lifted a bit as he smiled a little, his cheeks blushing. "Well, heh¡­ I don''t like to brag, but." Oh, he''s going to act full of himself now. "I actually met your mother by impressing her at a shooting range when I got first place in the province." He looked at me smugly.

    "Is that so?" I said, at which he looked back at me.

    "What? Do you not believe me?" He frowned, acting as if he were offended, and I couldn''t help but giggle.

    I shook my head. "No, no, I do. Where did you learn how to shoot?" I noticed his expression change again as if he wasn''t expecting this question.

    "Oh, uh¡­ oh boy, how long has it been?" He said it out loud. "I started way back when my father first got a gun for the first time, some eighty years ago."

    Wait, eighty? I thought to myself. I blinked a bit, surprised.

    "Eighty?"

    "Yeah, why do you sound confused?" He looked down at me. "Hasn''t Soza taught you about us elves yet? We live pretty long lives, Luna. You have such a long time ahead of you. Hence, it''s best we learn this kind of stuff now." He chuckled.

    "Cans are ready, Father!" Varis called over as he rushed back over to us.

    If father got his first gun some eighty years ago, how old does that make him? I decided to ask, "Father, how old are you?"

    Father gave Varis another high-five as he got back and turned to me. "Well, aren''t you just full of questions this morning, Missy?" he teased and hung his head back in thought as if he had to remember such a thing. "If I¡¯m right, uh, I should be about a hundred and ten this year, in, uh¡­ two weeks, actually."

    "Oh!" Varis squeaked out. "How old is Momma? She never tells me when I ask her."

    "Oi, that''s because you never ask a lady her age." Father said sternly, though a mischievous smile crossed his face, and he cupped a hand around his mouth and whispered, "But don''t tell her that I told you two that she''ll be a hundred and two this spring, so you both better get ready for her birthday."

    My eyes widened upon hearing this. A hundred and ten and a hundred and two? My parents look no older than¡­ thirty if I had to guess. How old do elves live in this world? How old am I going to be?

    I glanced at Varis, who nodded excitedly before saying, "Speaking of birthdays, isn''t Luna''s coming up too?"

    "I think so," I said. I haven''t paid attention to the calendar.

    Father remained silent as he stared off into the distance. "Papa?" Varis poked him.

    "You forgot, didn''t you?" I say bluntly.

    "No." He lied as easily as he breathed. After a second, he shook his head. "How about we get back to the task at hand, Luna?" Father motioned for me to come closer as he began to point out how this weapon worked.

    It was nice to learn the steps on how to properly open the cylinder of the revolver and load it, as well as the safety features. The gun itself was surprisingly light in my hands. It was a bit big; I had to hold it with both. What I was really scared about, though, was the kickback. I can recall all those old YouTube videos of people firing desert eagles and 44. Magnums, and due to them holding the weapons wrong, they always give themselves black eyes or inadvertently throw the weapons.

    Yet after Father was done doing the once-over of the gun with me, he took it, and like Varis, he turned his back on me. I already knew he was going to do the same trick, and because of that, I thought I was ready for it. He''s going to try and make me look like a fool by freaking out when shooting the gun, I thought, or maybe he knows that I already know that he''s going to fake reload it, and because of that, he''s going to load live ammunition into it?

    Father turned back around and handed me the ¡°loaded¡± gun. "Here you go, little lady; be very careful." He placed a hand on my shoulder, with the other pointed towards the can on the furthest right of the makeshift table. "Line the sights up with that can, take a deep, steady breath, and as you exhale, pull the trigger slowly."

    I nodded, held the gun up, and did my best to align my swaying arms so that the iron sights overlapped with the can. I took a deep breath, and as I exhaled and my arms stilled, I pulled the trigger and yelled as my arms jerked upwards and the gun almost went vertically into the air, yet nothing had happened.

    Fuck, I still fell for it! I whined and whimpered as Father sighed and smiled at me.

    "It''s okay; that''s to be expected."

    "You tricked me." I whimpered.

    "I did, but it was for this exact reason." He chuckled. "You saw your brother; he flinched too, and like him, you would''ve shot some poor bird." He smiled. "Now, c''mon, let''s try that again. You need to get used to pulling the trigger and not flinching."

    Unlike Varis, I wasn''t so easy. How he was able to master this in pretty much no time at all, I had no clue. Father and I spent multiple minutes practicing dry firing the gun while he gave me some tips and helped me grip the gun easier. After about twenty minutes, Madam Soza joined us as she came out of the cabin dressed in a cute, long flowing dress with a heavy black cloak over it for warmth.

    "So you are the one who''s making all the ruckus out here," she said in a tired tone, though her purring was evident as she watched us practice.

    "Yeah!" Varis said he was practically bouncing up and down. "You should''ve seen me, Madam Soza; I shot all the cans in one go!"

    Our teacher smiled. "So I heard. That means you''re the one who woke me up." She smiled widely, her fangs showing, as Varis laughed nervously and backed away.

    "Y-Yeah, sorry."

    Father chuckled. "I did warn you and Cailynn about this," he said as he loaded the cycler in front of me with four live rounds before handing it to me. "Alright, Luna. You got a little better, but now we need to test with the real thing. Just like before, line your shots and grip the gun hard, and don''t try and compensate; just point, aim, and shoot. Breathe deeply, and pull the trigger on your exhale."

    I nodded as butterflies began to build in my stomach, and now that Madam Soza was off on the side watching, I felt like I had a whole audience before me, and stage fright was settling in. Yet as I raised the weapon and followed my father''s instructions, I lined my sights, exhaled, and squeezed.

    I felt the force of the gun''s kick ride down my arms and jerk me back just a bit as the weapon lifted only about an inch or so upwards as the recoil hit. My ears rang slightly, but even then I could still hear the sharp ping and tiny explosion as the energy bullet struck the can and sent it flying with an array of sparks and shards of molten metal.

    "Fantastic!" Father cheered.

    "Good shot, little one!" Madam Soza praised me as she gave me a little golf clap.

    ''Nice one, Luna!" Varis bounced up and down. "Bet you can''t hit the other ones!"

    "Oh, shut it!" I said over my shoulder and quickly went to turn to the other one, though my father stopped me.

    "Whoa, whoa, not so fast." He said he was guiding my arms gently. "Take your time. Don''t rush shooting, or else you''ll make mistakes."

    Releasing me, he allowed me to aim once more on my own. After repeating the same steps, I pulled the trigger. Crack! The shot struck the second can. I turned to the next, breathed, squeezed, and cracked; the third one was sent tumbling down. Onto the last can, I aimed and fired, but nothing.

    The bullet whizzed over the can and into the distant rolling hills. "Darn it!" I sighed.

    "You swiveled a bit too fast on the last one there," Father commented. "But three out of four is still excellent."

    "Ha, I told you!" Varis teased me. I glared at him from over my shoulder, and he stuck his tongue out at me.

    "Hey now, this isn''t a competition." Our father chided. "At least not yet.¡± He winked. ¡°Maybe as you both get better, we all have can a family contest. But for now, this is just practice."

    I nodded and sighed. "Can I try again?" I asked.

    Father stopped and thought momentarily before reaching into his trench coat to pull out his pocket watch. "Your mother should be waking up now if she hasn''t already, and I''d like to see her. Why don''t we all eat breakfast, and afterwards we can come out and shoot some more?"

    He looked to Madam Soza. "Would you like to shoot with us? I have a lever rifle you could use; Isa. If memory serves me right you are quite the markswoman."

    "Wait, what?" Both Varis and I said.

    Madam Soza blushed. "That was long ago; I haven''t fired a rifle in many years. But if you''re offering, I wouldn''t mind." She smiled as her tail swished gently.

    "You mean our teacher used to shoot guns?" Varis said out loud as he looked between Father and Soza.

    Soza chuckled and said, "There is a lot I haven''t told you two. But as I said before, story times can come later; if you remember to ask, I''ll tell." She purred. "But now, I am hungry. Let us go eat."

    "Agreed. C''mon kids." Father said as he motioned for us all to follow him inside to enjoy a fine breakfast before a day''s worth of practicing.

 Chapter 11: Family Meeting

    It''s almost been seven full years since I''ve been transported to this world after the abrupt end of my prior life. Judging by the calendar Mother has hanging up in our kitchen, the date in this world is currently the 10th of Ather, 1942. If this were Earth, we''d still be in the midst of World War II. When I first began to learn how to read and write in Maurich, I damn near thought I was transported back into the past. Let''s just pray I don''t encounter any Nazis.

    Jokes aside, I was surprised to learn that the calendar years are very, very similar to how they were back in my old life. Almost an exact parallel, which makes things rather convenient. Almost too convenient if you ask me, while I¡¯m no astrophysicist, I¡¯m at least knowledgeable enough to know that such coincidences must be very rare. Though that¡¯ll give future me something to think about. With this world¡¯s calendar being so similar that would mean the month of Ather is about the equivalent of December. Next month is Gudor, which is the start of the new year, or "a new birth," as Soza told me. She said the months are named after the "Old Gods," which alone is even more fascinating to me. Just another thing I need to write down to ask her about later.

    But what really has me so latched onto these calendars is that, apparently, I was born towards the end of the year. Which means if I recall correctly¡­

    "What''re you doing on that chair, Little One?" My mother''s voice startled me and I let off a yelp and began to lose my balance on the chair I was using to boost me up.

    "Luna!" Mother gasped, yet she was too far away to catch me if I fell. With a swift motion, she dropped the cooking pots she had in her hands and thrust her right hand upwards. "Gust!" Her voice echoed, and suddenly I felt a gust of wind strike me in the chest mid-fall and knock me back onto the chair, allowing me to catch myself and restore my balance.

    Holy shit, Jedi powers saved me. That was all my panicked brain could think of. Taking a couple of deep breaths to compose myself, I blushed deeply. "Sorry, Mother, I-I was just looking at the calendar."

    Mother shook her head. "Luna, how many times have I told you to not climb on things?" She sighed as she bent down to pick up the pots and pans she had dropped.

    Behind me in the living room, I could hear her footsteps thundering down the stairs as Varis came to see what was happening. "What''s wrong? Is everything okay?" I could see he was holding a wooden toy gun Father had gotten him a couple of weeks ago for Unsha¡¯laden, a holiday which expresses the end of winter.

    Mother once again sighed. "Everything is alright, just your sister being a little gahengi." A gahengi is like a form of monkey in this world¡ªnot such a cute kind of monkey either with their multiple arms and tails they¡¯re a bit freaky looking.

    Varis came over to me as I hopped off the chair, and as he got beside me, I couldn''t help but notice once again how much taller he''d gotten over the month. God, I hope I get another growth spurt soon. I hate being tiny.

    "What were you trying to see, Sis?" He asked me.

    "I was just counting how many days till my birthday." I huffed. God, I wasn''t the tallest guy in the old world either. Am I cursed to forever be short here? At least back in my old life, short girls were seen as cute. Hopefully, that also carries over here if that''s the case.

    "Momma, when was Luna born?" Varis asked.

    I scoffed. "You don''t even know my own birthday?"

    "Do you know mine?" Varis retorted and I paused a bit my lip. "Exactly." He stuck his tongue out.

    Mother began to place the pots and pans away, and she glanced over her shoulder and said, "My little star was born on the fifteenth. So, in five days, my little girl is going to be seven years old," she said in a sing-song voice and began to hum happily.

    Varis eyes widened, and he said, "Oooh, that''s the day of the Frostland March!"

    I blinked, Frostland March another holiday already? What was that again? I vaguely recall hearing something about a Frost March. "What''s that?" I decided to ask out loud.

    "You don''t recall?" Varis looked at me, shocked. "You¡¯ve been to one before!"

    "Varis," Mother said as she closed the cabinet door and stood up. "Your sister was only two years old when the Winter Army came through here."

    My eyes widened. "Oooooh." I said it out loud, as I recall it vividly now. The army, wearing all white and gray, marched down the streets of Oren, the massive ground dragons tugging artillery along, and that fat general on the strider alongside the elven wizard with the silver hair. I recall it all now.

    "See, she remembers!" Varis beamed, and my mother cocked her head as she looked at me.

    Fuck, I should cover this up. "Uh, it''s hazy, but it sounds familiar now." I giggled and ran a hand through my hair, though my mother kept a close eye on me. Oh god, I think she''s getting suspicious of me.

    "But to answer your question, Love," Mother straightened up and came over to Varis and me as she looked over the calendar. "The Frostland March is a celebratory event that passes through here every five years."

    "What''re they¡­ or are we celebrating?" I asked.

    "Soza might be better at answering this," Mother admitted as she stepped back and placed her hands on our shoulders. "But if memory serves me right, it''s to celebrate our victory against the Dark Lord. Not just Heinmarr but the entire world. In Yankston, they call the fifteenth VE-Day, or Victory for Enora and on that day, they have parades, fireworks, and big shows like we do. Every nation celebrates that day, but the Frostland March specifically is special."

    Curious now, I asked, "How so?"

    "Well, it''s because during the invasion of Garlay, the Dark Lord was backed into his mighty fortress. To hold off the Global Allied Nations, he used his divine powers to call upon a great blizzard, so thick that it blotted out the sun for thirty days and thirty nights. The blizzard unfortunately killed off thousands of brave men and women who weren''t prepared. Yet the ones who were prepared¡­"

    "Oh, oh, I know this one! The White Army!" Varis bounced up and down. "Father told me this story one night!"

    Mother nodded and knelt beside us. "Yes, Sir Heinrich Fellner, general of the Kaiser''s Legion. He gathered five thousand brave men and women and marched through the Frostlands of Garlay, not one to be stopped by mere snow. He and his brave soldiers acted as the spear that thrust forth and into the gap in the Dark Lord''s armor. If it wasn''t for that brave march, the alliance would''ve been stalled for too long because of that snowstorm, yet Sir Heinrich''s White Army was able to dispel the storm, not without a heavy price. It is said that out of the five thousand, only a few hundred returned; even Heinrich himself lost his life during the battle of Nigashiizu." Mother squeezed our shoulders and stood up. "At least I think that''s how the story goes. Soza can probably tell it better than me.''

    I nodded my head slowly as I digested this story. "Momma," I said, looking up at her as I gripped my chin in astute thought. "Garlay, is that the land with the big wall around it? The one that Soza has been teaching us about?"

    "Oh yeah, how did they build a wall around a whole place like that?" Varis asked and stretched his arms out. "The place is huge on the map!"

    Mother nodded. "Yes, it is, Dearie, and the wall was built with magic¡­" She trailed off before speaking up again. "And before you ask, no. Neither of you are ever going to go there."

    "Dang it!" Varis huffed as if that was literally going to be his next question.

    I snorted and shook my head. "Nope, I never planned on it. I just wanted to confirm my thoughts. But thank you for the story, Mother; it was really interesting!"

    Mother beamed. "I''m glad you liked it. Was there anything you wanted to do on your birthday?" She asked.

    I frowned. Was there? Aside from reading a book or maybe just hanging out with Varis, I didn''t have a plan. One of the few downsides of this world. No video games, no internet. I had to figure out ways to keep myself entertained the old-fashioned way. Touching grass¡­ ew.

    It¡¯s not that bad though. I¡¯m honestly surprised at how easily I had grown past such old luxuries. It was hard back then when I was a baby, sure, stuck in the crib all the time. I was begging to have my old cellphone or PC back. Ever since I learned to walk and then talk, such old pleasures are now a thing of the past. I found new things I enjoy, some of which are what I never expected, such as dressing up and trying on my other outfits that Mom got me I found to be kind of fun. I guess the femininity in me is finally overtaking me, but you gotta do what you gotta do to not go insane. Though usually I just talk and hang out with Varis; speaking of which, it can be rough talking to him sometimes. I always have to remind myself that the kid is only eight years old, and while he is technically older than me, mentally, I''m still talking to a kid. God, I can''t wait to be the age at which I can speak to adults and not be viewed as a "child prodigy.".

    I shook my head. "Nope. Maybe just read and relax here at home."

    My mother frowned and gave me a disappointed look. Uh oh.

    "Are you sure?" She raised an eyebrow and looked at me as if she knew something I didn''t.

    Oh fuck. Did I forget something?

    "Wasn''t there a certain building you wanted to see?" Mother smirked.

    I gasped. "The cabin! Yeah, I want to see inside there!"

    "Awwh, how come she gets to see it first?" Varis pouted.

    Mother giggled. "Don''t worry, you can come." Mother tussled the hair on his head and chuckled.

    I beamed excited. Okay, now I have something to genuinely look forward to. "But also, Madam Soza wanted to gather us all up for something she''s been planning," Mother said.

    "Oh, what would that be?" Varis asked as Mother turned around and began to prepare breakfast for the morning.

    I followed behind Mother, grabbing my little step stool so that I could help her wash some dishes for everyone. "Well, it wouldn''t be a surprise if I told you. When Madam Soza wakes up, she''ll let you all know." Mother nodded as she grabbed a pot and placed it on the range.

    Great, I thought as I began to pump water into the sink. More surprises.

    <hr>

    Father came home early from work as noon came around. Tired, he proudly proclaimed that he asked the chief to let him have a vacation this year for the Frostland March. Which honestly surprised me. With a big parade coming into town, you''d expect all law enforcement to be present, though my father has made it clear countless times that he is well respected amongst the other constables. Maybe he has to flex his seniority? Either way, I was excited to have him present on my birthday. Not that he never was; he just always came home late and tired in the prior years.

    After he finished eating the meal Mother and I prepared, some coocha omelets and black bread toast, Father asked Varis and me if we wanted to practice shooting again today as he placed a box of ammunition on the table. Shooting has become pretty common ever since Father first took us out. About every other day or so, whenever he''s home, he''s taken both Varis and me out back for practice.

    Even Soza has joined in as well, and boy, oh boy¡­ she''s good. I don''t know what it is, but something about seeing Madam Soza with Father''s rifle cracking cans hundreds of yards out with only the rifle''s iron sights. It makes me feel things; oh God, I''m crushing on my teacher!

    Shaking those thoughts, though, Varis had also proven to be good with our father''s weapons as well. Nowhere near as good as Madam Soza, but give him a couple more years of practice, and he''ll probably surpass her. On the other hand, I''m an amateur. I''m too small for the rifle, which Varis has already fired a few times, and the revolver still startles me sometimes when I shoot it. I''d put myself at like a C when it comes to shooting.

    Speaking of Madam Soza, shortly after Father came home, she finally left the cabin outback and came inside. As the Serelli woman stepped into the house, her eyes had heavy dark bags beneath them, her red fuzzy ears were flat, and her hair was disheveled. She looked like she''d either been hung over or tried to wrestle something in her sleep last night.

    "Oh, you''re alive?" Mother greeted Soza. "Luna, can you take over washing these dishes?" She asked me, and I nodded and scooted my stool over to the sink.

    The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

    Mother went over to Soza, and the two exchanged a few quiet words before Mother nodded. "I''ll get you some coffee; take a seat while I reheat some food for you."

    Father, who was still eating his lunch at the table while speaking to Varis, glanced up and said, "Spent all night planning?" To which the feline woman nodded groggily.

    "There is much to prepare for and acquire." She yawned. ¡°I was up all night double-checking the maps to make sure I was correct.¡± My ears twitched as I side-eyed my teacher wondering what they were talking about.

    Varis looked to Soza and asked, "Father asked if Luna and I wanted to shoot some more; do you want to join?"

    Soza smiled, and her tail flicked pleasantly, and she said, "I would love to, but unfortunately, this rest day I am preparing an event for us all."

    This made my head perk up as I recalled Mother earlier saying Soza wanted to gather us all up. "What would that be?" I asked from over my shoulder as I finished washing a plate and setting it out to dry.

    Soza yawned once more, her fuzzy ears flopping back and forth, before she scratched her chin with her clawed fingers. "It is a surprise, little one. Give me some time to wake up, and I shall share."

    Father chuckled as both Varis and I groaned. "Don''t worry, you two are going to love it." Father hummed as he spooned the last of his meals into his mouth. He then got up, came over to me, and squeezed my shoulder pleasantly. "Step aside, Luna; I''ll take over. How about you and Varis go get changed into something comfortable and play outside for a bit so we adults can talk?"

    Seeing my chance to avoid chores, I took it instantly. "Okay!" I hopped off my stool. "C''mon, Varis."

    "But I want to hear the surprise." He huffed and got up from his chair.

    "You''ll hear it in a bit; Madam Soza needs her caffeine."

    "Her what?"

    "The stuff that comes from the coffee beans!" I said as I quickly went upstairs to change.

    <hr>

    You know, despite despising the winter months, if there''s one thing I can appreciate about this country of Heinmarr, it''s that winter isn''t long. It''s only about two and a half months¡ªtechnically, three¡ªbut what I mean is that the cold weather tapers off quickly. The initial months are frigid and horrid. Yet as we go into Gudor, the final month, things gradually start to warm up. It''s still cold now, but not so bad. There isn''t a thermometer here, at least not one I can read well.

    I''m still trying to learn this world version of measurements. But if I had to compare it to the old-fashioned U.S. freedom units, it feels like a solid low of 40 F. It''s neither too cold nor warm, kind of like sweater weather. Most of the snow is beginning to melt, and it''s nice and packable.

    Because of this, my dress today is pretty relaxed and not as tight-fitting. It''s the usual dark blue dress, almost black, though I went with black stockings this time and my usual calf-high boots with my matching dark vest over top. The dress itself comes down to my ankles, and I have my trusty old cloak with me and my cute muffs. Though today I''ve also got on these adorable mittens my mother knitted for me last week, I can now make snowballs and pelt my brother without the fear of getting my hands cold.

    Which I did just that.

    Varis, who was surprisingly not trying to tackle me into the snow, was making what looked to be a little snow fort. Getting just up behind him while his back was turned to me, I scooped up a copious amount of snow, packed it as best I could, and reared back and threw.

    Only to see the snowball land like two feet in front of me.

    God, I miss my old throwing arm.

    Varis didn''t even notice my attack and was focused on building him¡­ oh, he''s making an igloo. Don¡¯t get distracted me. I need to make another snowball for revenge against all those times he got me. I turned away and began to pack more snow.

    This time, however, I decided to get a little closer and inched up some more. Once again, I reared back, assumed my power stance, and threw. With a little grunt, the snowball catapulted from my hand and landed a few feet to his left.

    This time, this got his attention, and he turned to look at me. His blue and green eyes shared a perplexed look, and he eyed me from head to toe. "Did you¡­" He pointed to the little hole in the snow where my ball landed. "Throw a snowball at me?"

    Dammit, I lost the element of surprise. Of all the times I finally decided to initiate the first assault, I failed. We''ll get him next time.

    That is if there ever will be a next time. As Varis turned away from his igloo and assumed his power stance, his chest puffed out and his hands stretched out to his sides as he parted his legs and began to belly laugh.

    "Ho, ho, dear sister, you wish to challenge me?!"

    Shit, I quickly began to scoop up more snow, packing them into a ball. I straightened up. If I can''t throw a ball, I can at least hit him with it at point-blank. I began to approach him.

    "Oh, you''re coming closer, sister?" Varis smirked at me smugly.

    "Well, I can''t hit you from over here, can I?" I said as I strode towards him.

    "Well then," Varis leaned forward as I got within arm''s reach, his lanky form looming over me as he said, "Come at me¡ªyaaah!" He let off a shrill scream as I pulled back the front of his overalls and dropped the snow down his torso and trousers.

    "Cold! Cold!" He yelled as he fell over, clutching his chest and crotch. "Why! Why did you?!"

    "Revenge for all those years of pushing me in the snow." I said coldly.

    I heard the back door to the house open, and Mother stuck her head outside. "What is going on out here? Why is Varis screaming?"

    "Luna dropped snow into my pants!" Varis squirmed on the ground. Okay, I was starting to feel bad now. Every man knows that getting snow on the boys isn''t pleasant. I guess I just forgot about that¡­

    I rubbed the back of my head as my mother shot me a stern look, and I smiled sheepishly. "I-I think I took it too far."

    Mother sighed. "Come here, Varis. I can clean you up, and Luna, no dropping snow in people''s trousers! You know better than to do something like that."

    I sighed and nodded as Varis went over to Mom.

    <hr>

    Shortly after the snow incident, I went back inside after Soza ate her lunch and drank some coffee. She was still a bit disheveled but much more awake. Varis changed into some comfortable loose pants and a simple polo as I swapped for a simple blue sundress. Maybe for my birthday, I should ask my mother for some boy clothes; I think she wouldn''t mind if I had pants and other shirts. As for going out in public, though, that''s another bridge I¡¯ll need to cross.

    We were all in the kitchen around the dining room table. Father was in the restroom while Mother was tidying up the kitchen. I sat beside Varis, shifted nervously, and leaned over to say, "Sorry for dropping snow on your crotch."

    Varis blushed and rubbed the back of his neck. "It''s okay; it was kind of funny." He chuckled and smirked. Good sport. A sharp pain exploded and I yelled when he punched me in the shoulder. "Do that again, though, and I''m dropping snow down your dress."

    "Varis, don''t hit your sister." Soza quipped, and Varis jolted.

    "Sorry." He nodded.

    I rubbed my shoulder and said, "It''s okay; I kind of deserved that."

    After a few moments, Father returned to the dining room from the restroom, still drying his hands on a cloth. He had changed from his constable uniform into an alabaster polo and black khaki pants. He brushed his brown hair, and his thick mustache was also nicely brushed, though he did have a bit of scruffiness growing across the rest of his face.

    "It seems the family is all here." He smiled and looked at me. "And I see little Miss Troublemaker is here too." He winked before leaning in to whisper. "Pretty funny what you did, but don''t do it again." He chuckled. "Cailynn, come on over. You can finish dusting after we''re done with the meeting."

    Mother nodded and set the rag down. She came over to the table, and we all sat down. Father smiled at everyone as he positioned himself and stood at the head of the table. "Now, now, I don''t recall the last time we had a family meeting like this."

    "I think it''s our first, dear," Mother said, and Father nodded and stroked his chin.

    "Yes, it is. Well!" He clapped his hands together, startling me and Varis. "As you all know, in the coming days, it''s someone''s special little day." He wagged a finger at me. "And well, our special guest and friend of the family wanted to share something with her and everyone here." He gestured to Soza.

    Soza smiled. "Thank you for the introduction, Slyran; I wasn''t expecting something so formal." Father playfully bowed and sat down, which caused a giggle from Varis, and I smirked.

    Soza turned to me. "Lady Luna, as you know, in a handful of days it''ll mark your seventh cycle. This is going to be our fourth year together." Oh God, I feel center stage now, and the anxiety is already building. "When we first met, I thought you were nothing more than a simple toddler. What I did not expect, nor did anyone here, was how vastly intelligent you are. You are six years old now and soon to be seven, and you are already performing arithmetic and reading at a scholarly level. You speak fluent Maurich and Common like your mother and act at times as if you are an adult like us."

    Oh god, what is she getting at? I almost want to tell her to spit it out. It feels like this is leading to a goodbye.

    "Your mother and father and I have spoken at length about this, and we believe that once your studies are finished here, it would be best if you came with me to Rennford Academy in Yankston."

    "Wait what?!" Varis shot up from his seat, and I jolted. "What about me? Am I going?"

    Soza bit her lower lip as both Mother and Father looked at Varis, their expressions not looking well as they both frowned, and Father placed both elbows on the table and laced his fingers. He shook his head. "No, Varis. You are to stay here with your mother and me. Your mother will continue your studies, and I''ll continue to train you."

    "But it''s not fair! You can''t just send Luna away!" He balled his fists, yet in the meantime, I was too stunned to speak.

    Send me away, why? I didn''t want to leave. Am I going to get a say?

    "Varis, please. Sit down; there''s more to the story." Father said, his voice getting a little stern.

    "No! I don''t want Luna to leave; she''s my sister and my friend!"

    Mother spoke up: "Varis, your sister isn''t going away forever. She''ll be back. It''s just that I and Soza can only teach her so much. She has great potential, and she needs¡­" Her voice wavered.

    I could sense something wasn''t right. She trailed off and didn''t finish.

    Father started once more: "As I said, Varis, your mother and I will be taking care of you. As a matter of fact, I recently commissioned Mr. Henderson, the carpenter, to construct a wagon. Which shouldn''t be finished for a few months due to the backlog he''s received. Though once it''s finished in the coming year, we''ll be moving homes once Mr. Harold at the stable receives a suitable strider for us to buy."

    "Moving?" I finally spoke. "Why? Why so suddenly? You''re sending me away, and you''re moving?" I cocked my head.

    Father and mother remained quiet. "What are you hiding?" I asked bluntly, and for the first time, Father''s face scowled, and he looked at me.

    "Luna," he said in a low voice. "Please just listen to us. Do not ask questions."

    Soza leaned over and placed her hand on my shoulder. "It is for the best, dear. Think about it: Rennford Academy is one of the best schools in all of Enora and it''s in Yankston of all countries. A beautiful land. There you could learn magic, the secrets of the world, and its history. Anything you could ever want."

    I pulled my shoulder away. "I don''t want that! Not if that means I get taken away from you all!" This seemed to hit my mother hard, and she choked up a little.

    "Luna, please," is all she said.

    "And how do you know I''ll be able to attend? I''m going on seven years old; isn''t a place like that for scholars and old wizards?" I ranted. I was starting to fume. No, I just started to finally get used to this world and this family. I was beginning to love this place, and now I''m being forced to go somewhere else. I don''t want to go to some faraway place; I don''t want to start over again!

    "Luna, you''re a prodigy," Soza said. "The second a magister lays eyes on you, they''ll be fighting like dogs to take you in as a student apprentice. And if you pass the spiritest, they''ll most definitely want you."

    "I don''t give a damn!" I blurted out.

    "Luna!" Father stood up. "Do not speak like that to Soza. I know you''re confused and upset, but please trust us."

    "Why don''t I get a say in this?" I said back, "What if I don''t want to go? What if I want to be here with you?" I began to tremble slightly, my emotions unraveling. "I-I love you all¡­I-I don''t want to go away. ag¡­I don''t want to leave my family aga¡­"

    My father''s hardened expression softened, and for a split second, I thought I saw tears welling in his eyes as well. Varis turned around, bolted out of the room, and ran upstairs. Mother stood up to go after him, but Father stopped her.

    "Let him be¡­" He said it softly.

    I dropped down and covered my face. Madam Soza reached over and placed a hand on my back as I quivered.

    "Luna," Father said quietly, "I''m sorry for raising my voice¡­ You''re a smart girl, and I''m aware that you''re probably already connecting the dots. I can assure you, everything we''re doing is planned."

    "I-Is this h-have to-to do with, M-Mr. Blaxen?" I stuttered out as my emotions were running rampant. I sputtered and coughed as I wiped my eyes continuously.

    I looked up, and despite the blurred vision of my tears, I could see my parents looking at me, and their expressions said it all. It was. Ever since that day a little over a month ago, my parents have been more proactive and lovable. As if trying to make up lost time. What did Blaxen say to them?

    "Please trust us¡ª"

    "Just tell me!" I cried. "Stop hiding secrets from me." I could see on their faces that they wanted to say something but looked conflicted. The way Father gritted his teeth and diverted eye contact, and Mother, like me, looked to be crying.

    Madam Soza looked at me, her eyes filled with sadness, as she lowered her head and said nothing. I gritted my teeth. I wanted to scream and cry more. The emotions running through me were so powerful, yet I did my best to keep myself in check. I closed my eyes and took a few deep breaths.

    "Fine¡­ whatever¡­" I mumbled and hiccuped.

    "Thank you," Father said softly. "I''m sorry that this is not what you wanted to hear¡­ in the coming year. When you finish Madam Soza''s studies, you will be getting ready."

    "And it will not be forever, Little One." Soza whispered to me. "For only four years, you will learn from the best."

    Four years feels like an eternity, though.

    Father took a deep breath and smiled at me, though his eyes were a little red as he fought back tears. "And besides, we''ll still keep in touch with you. There are image casters there, and where we''re going, we can easily reach out to you."

    As I regained what little composure I could, I asked, "Wh-where are you going?"

    "We''re going west to Frangor. Your mother and I have been looking for plots of land out there for a couple of years. And we found a realtor looking to sell a quaint farm. A home much larger than this one. It''s also a little closer to Yankston, as it''ll be on the west coast."

    "Yankston is a whole other continent, Father." I said bluntly and sniffed, though I could tell he was just trying to make me feel better.

    He deflated and nodded. "I know. We just wanted to let you know ahead of time, so come next year, this isn''t abruptly sprung on you, Luna. Please think about this, and don''t think that we''re trying to throw you away, because we aren''t. We love you deeply."

    Without a word, Mother came over and wrapped her arms around me. "Please don''t hate me!" She sniffled and clung tightly, and I gasped softly and blushed before returning the hug.

    "I could never hate you, Mother."

    So, this was it¡­ I have one year left with these loving people. Of course, not forever, but¡­ it almost felt like it. I''ve only been here for seven years, and just this year alone, I felt like I was getting used to it.

    What did Mr. Blaxen say to them to get them to want to send me away and move themselves?

    "To put things on a happier note, though," Soza spoke up, and both my mother and I raised our heads to look at her. "I am also planning on taking us all out on a field trip for your birthday." Soza smiled.

    Ayo, what? A field trip?

    "To where?" I asked softly.

    "To the Heinland Mountains," Soza smiled.

 Chapter 12: The Promise

    I made my way up the stairs. I needed to get away from all of them. The audacity to be like, "Hey, you''re going to be shipped off to this world''s equivalent of Harvard for 4 years with no explanation or say in the matter. Hey, wanna go camping?" It just pissed me off. I bet they have their reasons; there''s clearly something going on that I''m not aware of, and it has to do with that blasted Mr. Blaxen. Whatever he told my parents in the dining room really must''ve shaken them. If only they¡¯d just tell me dammit.

    After a minute I arrived at mine and Varis''s bedroom, I stopped when I heard faint sniffling on the other side. That''s right, I thought; he ran up here earlier. I took a deep breath and knocked on the door. At least I''d give him the courtesy of letting him know I''m here.

    "Go away!" Varis cried from within the room.

    I took a deep breath; my nerves were still on edge, and I responded to him in an equally shaky voice, "Varis, it''s me, Luna."

    There was a bit of silence. "O-oh¡­" I faintly heard him mumble. There was a shuffle, some grunting, and objects moving behind the door. Did this kid barricade the door? I thought as he opened the door, his head poking out and I could see his green and blue eyes were puffy and red. "Co-come on in." He said and opened the door a little bit, I saw his bedside chest, and our chair pushed off to the side in the middle of the room.

    He did fortify the room. I thought with a blink as I stepped into the room, and he shut the door behind me. Without warning, he flung his arms around me and pulled me into a tight hug.

    "Gyak!" I squeaked. "Can''t¡­ breathe!" My back popped as he gave me one tight hug and released me, leaving me hunched over, gasping for breath.

    "You''re not going to let them take you away, are you? You said no, right? Did you?" He bombarded me with questions desperately.

    I took a couple of deep breaths and shook my head. "No."

    "Why not?" His voice wavered. "You''re smart! You can talk them out of it."

    I straightened up and looked at Varis sadly. "All three of them are very adamant that I go."

    "Ada¡ªwhat? N-Nevermind, you need to tell them no." Varis crossed his arms.

    "I wish I could, Varis." I sulked as I went over to my bed and sat down. "But Mom and Dad seem scared, even Soza."

    "Scared about what?" Varis huffed. "Mom knows magic, and Dad used to be a cool soldier, and now he''s a constable! Soza is like a sniper! They''re all badass; why would they be scared?" He asked, throwing his arms up in the air.

    I shrugged. "I don''t know." I looked up at him. "Haven''t you noticed that Mom and Dad have been very nice lately? Like, more so than usual? Dad is taking a lot of time off of work; Mom is telling us stories and showing us more magic; and Dad started showing us how to shoot." I sighed.

    Maybe I''m just reading too much into things. I thought to myself. Overthinking, as per usual.

    If there''s one thing I wish had left me when I died and woke up in this world, it was my damned paranoia. I can''t help but fear that something is out to get me, that something isn''t right. Father and Mother made it clear they weren''t sending me away just to send me away, and I saw it in their faces. They genuinely looked scared. Something bad is going on.

    Varis came over to me and sat beside me. "I haven''t really thought about it¡­¡± He said softly and took he deep breath. ¡°I just liked all the attention." He said as he took on an unusually mature tone as he sniffed and wiped his eyes. "I don''t want you to leave." He said as his face broke and he covered his eyes. "I don''t have many friends, and you''re so fun to be around. Wh-who''s going to be my brain when you''re gone?"

    My heart broke hearing that, and I reached out and pulled him into a hug. "Oh, you big goof. It won''t be too bad," I said in a hushed tone. "Soza said it''d only be for four years."

    "That''s like forever, though!" Varis whined, and I sighed quietly.

    "I know, it''s a long time. But it''ll be okay; Father says we can use these things called image casters, and I can write letters and stuff!" I said, trying to find a silver lining in all of this.

    I doubt there''s any way I could weasel my way out of this, and I definitely don''t want to upset my folks. Maybe it would be best to go with Soza to this academy in Yankston. The thought was terrifying¡ªto go across an entire ocean to a different continent abroad. Do they even speak the same language over there? Maybe common, but I barely speak common as it is. Even in my old life, the furthest I ever traveled from home was like eighty miles to my state capitol. That''s it. I never traveled to another country; most of what I did was dabble in Japanese because I was a fucking weeb. Even then the furthest I got in learning that language would make it so that I could probably survive as a tourist in Japan. However seeing as how things turned out in that life, I never got to test it.

    I was afraid to just go to the gym most nights. Always paranoid that something might happen. It''s funny that in my past life, I was always scared of some mass shooting happening, and to think that''s how I fucking died¡­ kind of makes me feel vindicated. What happens if I go to this other country and something happens? Not just to me, but to my folks? How am I going to help them or help myself? I don''t want to go. I''m fine here. In this house, with Varis, Mom and Dad, Soza, and my books. Everything is fine as it is. That I know of.

    I sighed heavily. Part of me actually misses my old life now. Maybe because it was easy? I sometimes wish I could simply sit at a computer, tune out the world, and watch anime. Or play some games. Fuck, I miss video games. Yet here I am, forced to face my issues.

    "I have an idea." Varis said, his right fist striking his left palm.

    I raised my head. "And what would that be?" I asked with a defeated tone.

    If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.

    "We could run away! You and me. I''m strong, and you''re smart. We can become adventurers!" He beamed, and I couldn''t help but crack a smile at that.

    I may be around his age physically, but I wish I was mentally. To have the naive and blissful thoughts of a child would be fantastic. Yet I always wonder why that isn''t the case. Why do I still remember everything from before? Whatever, existential questions can come later.

    I took a deep breath and giggled. "As wonderful as that plan sounds, Varis, I don''t think it''ll work."

    "Why not?" He harumphed and crossed his arms again. "Mom and Dad did it. I think. So why can''t we?"

    "Because Mom and Dad are adults." I said, throwing my arms up. "You''re like, what? Eight? And I''m going on seven." I placed my hand on my chest. "We''re just little kids."

    "So what? A lot of my story books have kids our age exploring the world." His cheeks puffed out as he pounded my bed in frustration. He got up and kicked some loose toys on the floor.

    "That''s because those are story books, Varis." I gestured around the room. "This is the real world. Where monsters and bad people are. If you and I go out there to "run away," a lot of bad things could happen to you and me."

    "Like what?" He looked at me.

    My heart sank into a dark spot as a few very, very touchy bad things came to mind. Especially with the prospect of my new identity. I bit my lower lip and carefully stepped around the subject. "Like being eaten by monsters or kidnapped by bad men."

    "Then we kill them! Dad showed us how to shoot."

    "We don''t even have a gun."

    "We take fathers!"

    For fuck''s sake, I thought, you''re arguing with a child. Remember, he''s just a kid. Take it slow; don''t get mad.

    "Brother," I said softly taking a few deep breaths to calm myself, "I am not going to run away. The world out there is scary, maybe."

    "How do you know?" He spun around to face me. "You never leave the house."

    I gritted my teeth and sighed. "Because I just know."

    "Stop talking like Momma! I''m older; I''ve been around longer!" He growled, his fists balling up.

    I swore my teeth felt like they were going to crack. I hate that argument; even in my old life, hearing the phrase "I''m older, therefore I know more" always got under my skin.

    "It doesn''t matter if you''re older, Varis." I said slowly, doing my best to hide my anger, though judging by his reaction, I was doing a bad job.

    He, too, was shaking and turned away from me. "This is unfair!"

    "Life isn''t fair!" I snapped at him. "I don''t get a choice in this either! Do you think I want to be sent away?"

    "Then run away with me!"

    "No!" I raised my voice. Life is never fair; it isn''t meant to be. In my old life, I''ve constantly been dealt a bad hand. My parents, school, my job, finding a place to live¡ªnone of it was good. The world was shit; everything was overpriced; it was either live a life of debt going to a school to get a degree in a job that might get automated in a year or go slave away in a factory or an office job. I chose the latter. For years, the life I chose had me dealing with overpaid executives screaming at me about quotas, deadlines, and whatever. I could''ve probably quit and run away, but then what? Live off social security until I find another job that''ll treat me the same? Be homeless?

    That''s just how life fucking was. And then I died and woke up here. I didn''t get a say in how my other life played out; sure, I got to choose which shitty route to go down, but no matter what it ended in shit. I thought I had escaped from all of that, but even now¡­ in this new world, it seemed like I had found happiness. Yet just like before it¡¯s all getting ripped away from me.

    Varis looked at me, his lower lip quivering. I sighed and covered my face. "I''m sorry, I didn''t mean to scream at you." I lowered my hands and looked at the floor. "It''s best we just ride things out. We don''t want to make hasty decisions. We have a whole year to think this over, and who knows¡­" I looked up at him, smiling lightly, as if trying to seem optimistic. "Things might change. Maybe I won''t need to go away."

    Varis didn¡¯t respond right away. His gaze drifted to the floor as he idly kicked his feet his face deep in thought. After a moment he looked up at me. "Can you promise me something?" He asked and I blinked and looked at him, confused.

    "Promise you what?"

    "Do you promise me that if you ever do go away, or we get pulled apart¡­" Varis took a couple of deep breaths to compile his composure and looked me deep in the eyes. "That you''ll come find me?"

    I blinked a couple of times, and my heart felt a flutter. I couldn''t help it, but my emotions began to bubble up. Fuck, did I always cry this much? I sniffed and wiped my eyes as I got up, walked over to him, and hugged him. As much as this kid gets on my nerves, I can''t not love him.

    "I promise, but only if you do the same for me," I said as I gripped him tightly.

    Once more, Varis was a jumbled mess as he sobbed and sniffled, his arms encircling me. "I promise!" He choked out.

    After a few moments, we broke apart our hug and stepped back from each other. We wiped our eyes clean and smiled at one another. I glanced at the clock and saw that about twenty minutes or so had passed since coming up here. "On a happier note," I started as I wiped my eyes once more. We shouldn''t keep our parents waiting too long. "Madam Soza brought an offer up at the table earlier."

    Varis composed himself and puffed his chest out as he tried to pull the cool brother act back out. "And what would that be?" He asked as he tugged at the collar of his polo.

    "She wants to take us all on a field trip," I said, smiling warmly despite the offer having pissed me off earlier. I hoped maybe something like this would cheer up Varis.

    Varis''s eyes widened. "A field trip?" He repeated. "Where?" He shifted, his childish excitement starting to return.

    "To the Heinland Mountains, you know those big, scary-looking peaks to the north-east? They look big and purple in the evening." I described, and he nodded his head rapidly. "Soza wants to take us there."

    My brother¡¯s eyes turned into saucers and twinkled not with tears, but with unbridled happiness. It amazes me how quickly his mood can shift. "We''re going to be explorers?"

    Seeing a moment to capitalize on, I smirked and said, "Better, adventurers." I winked at him, and his building excitement erupted his fist violently pumped into the air.

    "Heck yeah!" Seeing him one eighty into a happy mood was a massive relief, and I smiled along with him. "I always wanted to climb a mountain! Maybe we''ll see a dragon or a giant!"

    I gulped and laughed nervously. "Hopefully from a safe distance at least!" I added.

    "Yeah! But even then, Mom and Dad are cool adventurers; they can fight it¡ª"

    "We don''t know that for sure!" I reminded him. "But we won''t know the specifics of the trip till we go down and talk to them some more."

    Varis hesitated as his mood began to 180 back to where I didn¡¯t want him to be. "I-I don''t know," he stuttered. "Father seemed pretty angry."

    I took a deep breath, stepped towards him, and grabbed his large hand. "It''s okay. Everyone was on edge, but trust me when I say that Father calmed down shortly after you left. It''s okay; he wasn''t mad at you. He''s just¡­ mad at everything."

    "Doesn''t that include me?"

    Shit that was a bad choice of words.

    I cleared my throat. "What I mean is, Papa has a lot on his plate, but that doesn''t include you." Varis nodded. "Now, c''mon, let''s go talk to them so we can learn when to start packing for the camping trip."

    Varis nodded and gripped my hand gently as I guided him towards the door. If this was to be my last year with my family before going off with Soza, I could at least try to make it a memorable year.

 Chapter 13: On the Road

    Slyran

    Slyran jolted awake in a cold sweat. He gasped for air, hoping to calm his racing heart. His wife, Cailynn, rolled over, still half asleep, her soft and slender hand resting on her startled husband¡¯s chest.

    ¡°What''s wrong, Sweetie?¡± She asked through a yawn.

    Slyran closed his eyes. The dream¡ªno, a nightmare he had woken up from was already fading from memory. He vaguely recalled a battle. Was it a memory? No, dreams of the past he normally remembered. It didn¡¯t matter. It was gone now.

    ¡°It was just another nightmare,¡± he said softly, cupping his love¡¯s hand. ¡°Go back to sleep.¡± He gently lifted her hand and moved it off of him.

    Not easing off so easily, Cailynn propped herself up onto her elbow. Her bedhead hair pointed in every direction, her bedding slowly slipped down her curvy form, and Slyran found himself admiring his wife¡¯s prominent assets she was unintentionally putting on display for him.

    Noticing her husband¡¯s wandering eyes, Cailynn rolled her eyes, though they twinkled as she did so. Slyran smiled as he knew she loved how even after all these years he was still infatuated with her. How could he not? His wife¡¯s beauty rivaled that of Slyondra or even the ancient Kazeer. Slyran¡¯s eyes tore away from his lover¡¯s bosom and followed her slender hand as it reached up to lazily comb her fingers through her messy hair.

    ¡°Another one?¡± She asked as a small smirk stretched across her red lips, amused by her hypnotized husband.

    Slyran blinked and shook his head with a start after processing his wife¡¯s question. He shifted a bit and crossed his legs as he tried to ignore the intrusive thoughts from below beneath the sheets. Clearing his throat he nodded. ¡°Yeah. I don¡¯t remember much of it,¡± he grunted as he flopped onto his back and turned his attention to the ceiling to avoid admiring his wife and exciting his friend. ¡°All I remember is a battle¡­ something terrible happened.¡± He sighed.

    Cailynn took a deep breath. ¡°Worried about what¡¯s coming?¡± She asked, and Slyran knew what she was referring to¡ªthe warning Lorizio gave them. ¡°Slyran,¡± she cooed, reaching over to place her hand on his abdomen. ¡°We talked about this.¡±

    ¡°We did,¡± Slyran said with a huff as his wife began to trace circles around his stomach. ¡°You saw what Lorizio showed us. The documents, the pictures¡­ it¡¯s real.¡±

    ¡°The Rusivites are always posturing, Love,¡± Cailynn said softly. A few months ago, when Lorizio visited them, Cailynn¡¯s belief in Lorizio¡¯s warning had faltered. Slyran knew it was because of her hatred for the valendi; even though her anger was justified, that alone didn¡¯t disprove the evidence.

    It was true that the empire on the border was known for flexing its military might. Yet this time it felt different. It felt too real. Perhaps Slyran was just paranoid; Lorizio had a reputation for being sketchy. However, what would he gain from this? That is if he was being sketchy. Cailynn seemed to fall into the belief that Lorizio was trying to push them in the direction of doing something for him without them knowing they were doing it. It wouldn¡¯t be the first time. Lorizio had pulled strings in the past, which led Slyran and his wife to fall on various adventures they never intended to go on. The man had an air of untrustworthiness about him, and Slyran couldn¡¯t fault his wife for not trusting him. It¡¯s just that this time, things seemed different. The fear in Lorizio¡¯s eyes seemed genuine, though Cailynn would just scoff and say he was a professional actor. If that were true, Lorizio would make for quite the stage performer.

    Slyran took a deep breath. ¡°Maybe, but I can¡¯t be sure.¡± He looked to his love. ¡°I never intend on staying in this town forever anyway; the house is too small for our family.¡± He smiled faintly.

    Cailynn blushed and nodded as her eyes twinkled even more. ¡°That we can agree on.¡± She hummed. ¡°It¡¯s your fault.¡±

    Slyran blinked. ¡°Huh?¡± was all he could muster.

    ¡°Nine years ago you were on about only having one child, and yet, here we are.¡± She looked at him smugly.

    Slyran blushed. That was true as well. Being one of the eldest of three siblings, Slyran had never gotten along with children. He could tolerate them, but only to a limited extent. He had never intended to start a family or settle down. Not until he met Cailynn and wed her. She was the one who originally brought up the idea of starting their own family; at the time, Slyran was hesitant, but his second mind beneath his trousers was eager for some action. That was the one decision he didn¡¯t regret letting his second brain make. After Varis was born, Slyran became a changed man after holding his son for the first time.

    Letting his head sink back into the pillow, Slyran smiled. ¡°Yeah, I guess it is.¡± He chuckled. ¡°So you still agree about us moving out to Frangor?¡± he asked her.

    Cailynn nodded and let her rubbing hand move lower down to his waist. ¡°I do. Though there is no reason to be hasty, Slyran.¡±

    ¡°Cailynn, you heard Lorizio-¡±

    ¡°I did,¡± She quipped, and her hand stopped near the bedding piled up on Slyran¡¯s waist. ¡°I still believe we shouldn¡¯t be so hasty. Our children are still young; abruptly moving them would not be good for them.¡±

    ¡°Neither would being stuck in a conflict,¡± Slyran mistakenly muttered, despite his mind screaming at him to stay silent.

    Cailynn fell silent, and Slyran felt his heart skip a beat. What he said was true, but angering his wife was something he did not enjoy doing. However, she did not become angry, or if she had, she hid it well. Instead, she took a deep breath.

    ¡°Lorizio¡¯s prediction said such things won¡¯t happen till next winter, if I had to guess, probably not till after Usha¡¯laden when the snow melts and the land dries.¡± Her hand resumed its gentle rubbing, and Slyran perked an eyebrow as she watched her hand dance along his waist. ¡°We have time, Slyran; how about we compromise?¡±

    ¡°Compromise?¡± He blinked and looked at her.

    ¡°We¡¯ll stock up on supplies over time, so once Henderson finishes the wagon we can load it up and leave before the winter frost settles in. That¡¯ll give us a few months in case something does happen. We don¡¯t need to leave right away.¡±

    Slyran listened and nodded. ¡°Alright, I can live with that.¡± Cailynn smiled happily, and Slyran returned the gesture. ¡°Gods I love you,¡± he said as he admired her face.

    Cailynn blushed and leaned in to give him a quick kiss. ¡°I love you too; now, relax; you¡¯ve been worrying too much,¡± she purred in a sultry tone. Slyran¡¯s eyes widened when he felt her hand slip under the covers.

    ¡°Relax?¡± He said in a hushed voice. ¡°I¡¯ll need to go to Herbert¡¯s¨C¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s barely sunrise,¡± Cailynn said softly as her hand groped Slyran¡¯s groin.

    The elf¡¯s soldier immediately came to attention, and he gulped. His throat locked up and he was unable to say a word as his wife gave him a predatory smile. ¡°Let me help you relieve some of that stress,¡± she cooed as her lips locked with his again.

    That morning would be one to stay in his memory.

    <hr>

    Slyran woke up once again that morning, his body tired yet also feeling immensely relieved. A nap after an amazing romp was a feeling every man felt he should experience. Looking to his left, he expected to see his loving wife beside him, but she wasn¡¯t there. Instead, he saw her pale, voluptuous rear swaying back and forth beside their bed as she leaned into the vanity mirror on their dresser.

    Slyran¡¯s smile widened more as she watched her rump sway to and fro as she hummed a song to herself as she dawned on makeup. The sunlight streaming into their room reflected off her pale, naked skin, and Slyran ate up the sight.

    ¡°Keep swaying like that, Love, and you¡¯ll make me pull you back into bed,¡± he said with a chuckle as he sat up.

    Cailynn looked over her shoulder and giggled as she wiggled more enticingly. ¡°As much as I¡¯d love to train with your soldier more,¡± She purred and nodded towards the window. ¡°You need to go report to Herbert to get the wagon.¡±

    Slyran thought for a moment. He didn¡¯t need to go right away; more time in bed with his wife would certainly be productive in a way. ¡°Besides,¡± Cailynn said, pulling him from his thoughts. ¡°The children will be waking up soon.¡±

    ¡°Blasted.¡± Slyran cursed softly. ¡°If only you weren¡¯t so loud.¡± He teased and immediately found a pillow slamming into his face. He deserved that.

    ¡°Go get the wagon,¡± she ordered him. ¡°I¡¯ll start packing for the trip while you¡¯re gone.¡± She climbed onto the bed and kissed him once again.

    Slyran pulled her in and held the kiss for a few moments, his hand reaching down to playfully grope her ample breast, causing Cailynn to yell and giggle. She swatted his hand away. ¡°Keep your hands to yourself, lecher,¡± she said, though her eyes were sparkling.

    ¡°You love it,¡± He winked and sighed as he turned and swung his legs over the bed. ¡°Okay. I shouldn¡¯t be gone long. Make sure the kids don¡¯t cause too much trouble.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll guarantee they have everything packed,¡± Cailynn assured him. ¡°Go on, soldier.¡± She winked and laughed when her still-naked husband stood at attention and saluted her.

    Slyran stepped out of the bathroom dressed and groomed for the day. He stroked his mustache, debating if he should¡¯ve shaved or not¡ªa brief debate that he concluded with a shake of his head. He liked the mustache; most elves never bothered with facial hair. Culturally, an elven man with facial hair was looked down upon by the elders, as they believed that true masculinity shines with one¡¯s cleanliness. Men with beards or facial hair were seen as being uncaring or lacking discipline.

    Slyran believed this was partially true. He didn¡¯t like shaving; it took too much of his time, and for some reason, he always cut himself. That was most likely due to him rushing, but he¡¯d never admit that. He disagreed with the elders though; he liked his mustache, and Cailynn seemed to enjoy it too. When he kept it clean, that is. His handful of human friends and the few dwarfs in town also enjoyed his facial hair as well. It made him fit in more too, and he hated to admit this; having one made him feel more mature. Without the mustache, he looked like a young adolescent who hadn¡¯t reached their fiftieth year yet.

    So he chose to keep it. Making his way down the steps into the living room, he saw Isa and Cailynn in the kitchen. His wife now had dressed into something more casual, something that included Slyran¡¯s clothes. Cailynn was in one of his white polo shirts and black khakis. He smiled at her as the two women glanced out of the kitchen towards him, and they smiled and waved back.

    ¡°I¡¯ll be back shortly; you two keep everything under control here,¡± he said to them as he grabbed his hat from off the hook by the door and stepped outside.

    The outside was cold, wet, and sunny with clear skies. A wonderful day in the eyes of Slyran Ashflow. With the month of Cirrus upon them, spring was soon to follow. Technically, spring wasn¡¯t going to be there till about another handful of days, but to Slyran, it was when the temperature was above zero almer, which is not freezing. Heinmarr is a cold country, but it¡¯s more of a flash freeze. It gets cold and stays extremely cold for a short period of only about two months. Then everything begins to melt and remains chilly.

    Which was the point where things were at now. The temperature gauge in the bathroom said it was about three almers and Cailynn predicted it would only get to about four in the evening. That¡¯d make it about sweater weather for Slyran¡ªnot too cold, but also not too hot. He loved it; Cailynn, however, hated it.

    As he walked to the Hautchkins home. He remembered how Cailynn was discussing working on a new archeo-device with him. A self-heating sweater, similar to the insulated bag she made for her bread deliveries. The idea was interesting on paper, though he was considered about wearing anything his wife made that warmed itself. Cailynn was an excellent magister, but her artificer capabilities when it came to developing and building new archeo machines were something she was still working on.

    The mental image of him being incinerated by a lovely sweater was not comforting. Slyran was a tinkerer himself, though only with firearms. He recalled his brother-in-law, Aenorin¡¯s wife, was an artificer, perhaps if Cailynn is keen on pursuing this goal, he should send Saria a letter requesting advice.

    The walk to the Hautchkins farm took only about fifteen minutes. As Slyran trudged through the mud and snow-riddled path, he noticed around the bend of the house movement. His right ear twitched when he heard the sound of a gruff voice barking an order, and curiously, he turned and walked along the edge of the yard to peer. As a constable of the law, he always looked into potential fishy business.

    Not that this was fishy. He just saw that as a valid excuse to be nosey.

    He saw Herbert Hautchkins, an older human man, waving his eldest son Avdol over to him as the two knelt beside the wagon. The same wagon Slyran was here to pick up; it looked like the two men were doing some finishing touches. Seeing no harm in it. Slyran smiled and began to approach the men.

    ¡°Good morning to you, gentleman!¡± Slyran called to them as he lifted his hat and bowed before placing it back on.

    Herbert jolted with a start as if not expecting the elf. Grabbing a hold of the wagon¡¯s front right wheel, he used it as a support to stand. ¡°Mr. Ashflow,¡± the human bowed. ¡°Good morning to you as well,¡± he said with a smile and held a hand out, which Slyran happily took.

    The elf winced as the miller¡¯s grip felt like a corcha¡¯s claw; it was so strong. Once the two men were released, Hautchkins patted the side of the wagon. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect you to arrive so soon, Mr. Ashflow. I thought I had time to make sure this old girl won¡¯t lose a wheel on you. Speaking of which,¡± he hummed and looked to Avdol. ¡°You have the jack set up, boy?¡± He asked his son.

    The lad nodded. ¡°Yes sir.¡±

    "Well, jack her up then!¡± Herbert barked as he jutted a thumb up. ¡°We gotta get this wheel off to inspect it.¡± He sighed and turned back to Slyran. ¡°Hope you don¡¯t mind waiting a bit; I noticed the other day the front right wheel was a bit wobbly.¡±

    Slyran nodded. ¡°It¡¯s alright. I should¡¯ve guessed it might¡¯ve been too early.¡± He chuckled. ¡°My mind is still set on the army. There it¡¯s if you¡¯re not early, you¡¯re late.¡±

    Herbert laughed. ¡°Is it now? Well then, I guess the army and my wife have something in common.¡±

    Slyran couldn¡¯t help but laugh. ¡°I think that¡¯s just women in general,¡± he said as the two men clapped each other on the back as they turned to watch Avdol crank the wagon jack.

    ¡°I thought I heard a new voice back here,¡± a woman¡¯s voice said from behind the two men, and both of them immediately paled. ¡°What were you two talking about?¡±

    Both men stared at each other, terrified. Slowly, Herbert turned, his hands raised as if he were about to be searched by a constable. Behind them, Anora, Herbert¡¯s wife, stood with her hand on her hips, looking at them disapprovingly.

    ¡°I heard something about women. Go on.¡± She rolled her wrist in a gesture for them to speak. ¡°I want to hear it.¡±

    Herbert laughed nervously. "Well, you see, Anora, I was just talking about, uh¡­¡± He looked to Slyran, his eyes pleading for him to help.

    Wisely, or cowardly, depending on how you look at it, Slyran kept his lips taut and said nothing. He learned with Cailynn that it¡¯s best to not say anything. Like an earwin, any noise could set her off. If Herbert is lucky, he¡¯ll at least get the couch tonight.

    Realizing he had no escape Herbert deflated. ¡°My apologies, Love; we were joking. I meant no offense.¡±

    Anora harrumphed and stuck her nose in the air as she waggled a finger at the miller. ¡°What am I going to do to you, Herbie?¡±

    Slyran snorted and laughed as Herbert shot him a glare. ¡°Herbie?!¡± He crowed as he hung his head back.

    Herbert bit his lower lip and growled as Anoran smiled smugly and shrugged. ¡°I guess that¡¯ll do.¡± She hummed as Slyran leaned against the wagon, chuckling.

    ¡°Father!¡± Avdol called. ¡°Wagon is ready; we can take the wheel off.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, Herbie,¡± Slyran said with a wink. ¡°Lets get this done.¡±

    Grumbling Herbert said, ¡°If you weren¡¯t no constable, I¡¯d thrash you for calling me that.¡± He sighed but smiled. ¡°But you¡¯re both right; let''s get this done.¡±

    It didn¡¯t take long for the two men and boy to cycle through each wheel on the wagon. They inspected for any imperfections and mostly found none, save for the front right wheel, which wasn¡¯t fully secured to the wagon. After they made sure the wheel was secure and wouldn¡¯t fall off, they lowered the wagon. Anora had stepped away while the men worked, returning just as they finished with a platter carrying glasses of iced shooma juice.

    Herbert¡¯s eyes widened a bit when he saw his wife approaching. ¡°When did you get that ice?¡± He asked curiously as he took a glass off the platter and passed it to Slyran, who happily took it.

    Anora smiled at Slyran. ¡°From Cailynn. She overheard me the other day when I was¡­¡± She blushed. ¡°Complaining at Olson¡¯s shop when he told me he had no ice.¡±

    ¡°So that¡¯s where she hurried off to,¡± Slyran muttered under his breath as Avdol walked over to retrieve the last glass.

    Herbert took a sip and frowned. ¡°Damned Olson bout near neglects to restock nowadays.¡±

    Slyran¡¯s eyebrow perked. ¡°What do you mean?¡± He asked. Normally he left such things as shopping to Cailynn, as it gave her an excuse to get out of the house. Though he hadn¡¯t heard her complain about such things, then again, now that he thought about it. He noticed the house had been running out of basic wares like interchangeable shards for the lights.

    Herbert glanced at Slyran, and Anora rolled her eyes. ¡°Not this again, Herbie¡­¡± She pouted.

    You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.

    Avdol downed the last of his drink, his ice clinking in the glass as he looked between the adults. ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Mother?¡± He glanced at Herbert. ¡°Father?¡±

    Herbert nodded towards the house. ¡°Go inside, boy, I need to speak privately with Mr. Ashflow.¡±

    The boy opened his mouth to protest but stopped when Herbert squinted. Avdol set the empty glass on Anora¡¯s platter, turned away, and trudged back towards the rear door. He then stopped briefly to scrape his boots on the mat before stepping inside. Once the door was shut, Anora faced Herbert.

    ¡°Enough with the doom, say, Herbert. You know that dwarf is only being paranoid.¡±

    Slyran shook his head in surprise and held a hand up. ¡°Whoa, whoa, what¡¯s going on?¡± He asked.

    Herbert glanced at Slyran, his face serious. ¡°Mr. Olson believes Heinmarr is going to war in the next few months. Something about the merchant lanes is shifting; governments are buying high quantities of rations, weapons, and other suspicious items. That¡¯s not counting stuff being smuggled.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m telling you he¡¯s paranoid,¡± Anora said skeptically as she held the platter close to her chest. Her eyes narrowed.

    Slyran paled. ¡°When did you hear of this?¡± He asked softly as the two humans looked at him. Anoran¡¯s face turned from skepticism to concern while Herbert¡¯s merely darkened.

    ¡°A few months ago, just before the deep freeze,¡± Herbert said, ¡°Mr. Olson warned me that dark times were coming.¡±

    Slyran blinked a few times; that would be about a month before Lorizio arrived in town. Damnit, Cailynn, and Slyran thought. This is serious if the merchants know as well as the Sovereign¡¯s Right that more or less confirms it. That would mean Lorizio¡¯s time scale may also be reliable. It¡¯s been a couple of months since his visit, which would mean they would have at least ten or so months to prepare. That is if they push it to the last second, it¡¯d be best to leave at least a month in advance. He¡¯d need to discuss with Cailynn about this; gods, he did not look forward to that. Perhaps after the camping trip? No. Maybe during it when they¡¯re away from the kids. Perhaps Isa can watch them?

    ¡°Mr. Ashflow,¡± Herbert prompted him.

    Slyran jerked. ¡°Oh, sorry, got lost in thought.¡± He shook his head.

    ¡°You look troubled¡­¡± Herbert¡¯s eyes narrowed. ¡°What do you know? Has Olson spoken to you too?¡±

    Slyran bit his lower lip and shook his head. Herbert was a friend, a neighbor, though he honestly knew very little of the man. So telling him about Lorizio probably wasn¡¯t the best. Slyran knew that Herbert and his family were vaguely aware of his and Cailynn¡¯s past; as a matter of fact, much of the town was; however, that didn¡¯t mean they deserved to know the details.

    Slyran took a breath. ¡°I am troubled,¡± he said under his breath, then spoke up. ¡°A friend of ours visited a few months back, an out-of-towner; they spoke of something similar.¡± Anora gasped and gripped her platter tighter.

    Herbert¡¯s eyes narrowed more. ¡°Out of towner? You mean that Valendi that came through?¡± Slyran tensed slightly. Blast it all, he wanted to say. Herbert was smart, and Oren was a tiny, middle-of-nowhere town. Of course, he¡¯d remember unfamiliar faces that came through.

    ¡°Yes,¡± Slyran admitted. ¡°He had news from abroad.¡±

    Herbert nodded slowly and said, ¡°Yeah, and now that I think about it. You recently commissioned Henderson for a wagon.¡± Slyran hesitated but nodded again.

    ¡°By the gods¡­¡± Anora muttered, horrified. ¡°I-It¡¯s true?¡±

    ¡°We don¡¯t know for certain,¡± Slyran said quickly as he held a calming hand out to Anora. ¡°Cailynn doesn¡¯t think it¡¯s anything to worry about, not yet.¡± He then pulled a fake smile and shrugged. ¡°We wouldn¡¯t be going camping if that were the case.¡±

    This seemed to work, slightly. Anora¡¯s shoulders relaxed faintly as Herbert¡¯s expression remained serious. ¡°Any time frame?¡± He asked. ¡°Henderson¡¯s good, but he¡¯s slow as a hungry grok.¡±

    Slyran took a deep breath. ¡°We¡¯re guessing about a year. Some times this year after the Unsha¡¯laden when the land begins to dry. Back in the army, we were told fighting in the mud is the stupidest thing an army can do. The Rusivite¡¯s aren¡¯t stupid if they truly want to fight. That¡¯s when they¡¯ll do it.¡±

    Herbert nodded. ¡°Makes sense¡­ well¡­¡± He sighed. ¡°I¡¯m depressed now.¡± He smiled warily and patted the wagon. ¡°Why don¡¯t I go get Opal for ya? Anora, would you mind getting some tea ready for me when I come in?¡± He asked.

    Anora gulped and nodded. ¡°Of course, dear.¡± She turned to look at Slyran. ¡°I hope you and your family have a wonderful time. Please, be safe. Those slopes can be slippery this time of year.¡± She bowed.

    Slyran smiled. ¡°We will.¡± He said with a nod as he looked off towards the purple peaks of the Heinland Mountains. He hoped everything was going to be alright.

    <hr>

    Luna

    "Luna, Varis, do you have everything packed up?" Mother asked us when she poked her head into our bedroom just as I finished closing my bag of clothes. I turned to her and nodded as Varis spun around and did the same.

    "Yep, I''m ready!" Varis beamed and turned to me.

    "I as well," I said then grabbed my bag and grunted as I hoisted it off my bed and placed it at my feet.

    "Excellent," Mother said. "Your father just returned with the Hautchkin''s wagon; take your bags down there and get them loaded up. Your father is itching to leave as soon as possible."

    "Yes, Momma!" Varis gave her a mock salute before picking up his bag and rushing it down the stairs. I grunted as I hoisted mine up and began to waddle out. I had no idea what to take, so I pretty much just jammed everything in here. Soza said we''ll be gone for about ten days, as it takes two days to get to the mountains and another to climb them and vice versa.

    "Oh, Silly," Mother exclaimed, and before I could react, she was removing the bag from my grasp, although she grunted slightly in response to its weight. "What did you pack, bricks?" She joked, and I blushed faintly and shook my head. Mother giggled and walked beside me down the stairs.

    It''s been two days since the family meeting. After the news was dropped about me going away next year, things in the house were rather tense after that. An awkwardness hung in the air, but starting today, everyone seems to have warmed up slightly, and a sense of normalcy seems to be returning. Yesterday, Father had gone out and rented Herbert''s wagon and his Strider Opal but didn¡¯t get the bring them over till sometime this morning. Soza said he paid Mr. Hautchkins two golden coins for it, which, from what I''ve learned so far, is a lot of money.

    Yet the thought of what my father said in the meeting still stung me. Why did he commission a wagon so suddenly, and what did he mean by going to look for a strider at Harold''s stable? Why do they want to send me away so abruptly?

    Maybe something came up. I thought. Maybe it has to do with what Mr. Blaxen said to them. Mother did seem all-up in arms when she spoke to him.

    Alas, I don''t know. They didn''t want to tell me anything during the meeting, and they looked so hurt as well. For now, I''ll go with the flow and see what happens.

    As we made our way down the steps, Mother told me to open the front door, and as I did so, a gentle, cool breeze wafted into the house, and I was blinded by the sun. As my vision returned to me, I saw that much of the snow had melted, leaving large islands amongst the wet, green grass. A chill still hung in the air, but nowhere near as bad as at the start of winter.

    In the yard, about a dozen feet ahead, was a large wagon full of camping gear and other belongings, along with Madam Soza, Father, and Varis, who were all working on loading it up. Ahead of them, attached to the wagon, was the strider, Opal, who was looking over her shoulder, awfully curious, like the big, cute dinosaur she was.

    I followed Mother over to the others. With a grunt, Mother tossed my bag into the back of the wagon and sighed before stretching her arms out wide and sighing. Placing a hand on her hip and using the other to dust off her skirt, she smiled at me and nodded before looking to Father, who was chatting with Varis, and said, "Slyran, I think that''s everything!"

    Father perked his head up and smiled. "Excellent." He clapped his hands together. "Alright, listen up! Everyone, if you need to use the restroom, do so now, because when we hit the road, we''re not stopping!"

    Excited Varis pumped his fist and shouted, "I call the bathroom inside!" Before I could say anything, he dashed inside. I sighed, and without a word, I walked to the outhouse.

    When business was settled, we all piled into the wagon. Father and Soza took the front driver seats, while Mother, Varis, and I sat in the back with most of the luggage. To make things comfortable, we left a section furthest to the front open and tied down the majority of the loose bags. Once everyone was nice and comfortable, the wagon began to move.

    "Everything alright?" My mother asked; she was currently sitting beside me with Varis across from the both of us. "You look a little fidgety," she said, playfully pinching my side and making me squirm and giggle due to the ticklishness of it.

    I blushed faintly and looked up at her. "I''m just a little nervous." I looked away.

    Mother once again poked me playfully and said, "What''re you nervous about? Your brother over there doesn''t look nervous." She hummed.

    I squirmed once again at her poking and sighed. "I dunno. I don''t leave the house often, and we''re going really far away, and to the mountains! My books say that dragons and mountain giants live in those environments." I said in a hushed tone so that Varis didn¡¯t hear me in case I made him nervous.

    My mother smiled at me and reached up to pinch my cheeks. "You''re such a smart goof. Probably too smart for your own good." She joked and then leaned down to whisper into my ear, "Giants and dragons haven''t been up in the Heinland Mountains in centuries, Sweetie. I''m not saying there aren''t any scary monsters like timberwolves up there, but as long as you stick with the three of us," She gestured to herself, Father, and Soza. "You''ll be safe; just don''t wander off."

    I nodded and gulped. Timberwolves? Like actual timberwolves? Or like wolves made of timber? Knowing this world it¡¯s probably the latter.

    "For now, Sweetie, instead of worrying, why don''t you enjoy the view with me? This time of year, with the snow partially melting, everything looks beautiful." Mother patted herself on the lap in a gesture for me to climb up and look around with her. I hesitated for a moment, unsure of what to expect. However, curiosity got the better of me, and I cautiously climbed onto Mother''s lap. As I looked out at the vast expanse of snow-covered mountains, a sense of awe washed over me. The icy peaks were practically sparkling as the sunlight glistened and reflected across the white snow. Further below the stone and snow blended into vast swathes of green and white as massive kefner trees grew up the sides of the towering peaks. The view created a breathtaking sight that awed me and any fears I had faded. Mother smiled warmly at me and, like usual, tussled my hair.

    If there¡¯s one thing I missed in my old life. Bob Ross. That man would¡¯ve loved these views.

    Of all the years I have been here, only a handful of times did I ever leave the house willingly, and every time I did, it was always with my parents or Varis to tend to an errand. Yet as we traveled northeast, away from town, in a direction I had never been, I couldn''t help but gawk at the scenery around us. Scenery that I had only viewed from my bedroom window or the backyard. As we drove further into the wilderness, the landscape transformed into a fantastical wonderland. The once-distant mountains began to tower and stretch before us, their peaks disappearing into the clouds. The sight was utterly breathtaking; the entire time, my head was on a swivel as my mother pointed out spots of interest for me. Such as the vibrant colors of the wildflowers that pierced the melting snow that dotted the meadows and the crystal-clear streams rushing down from the hills created by said snow. It was magical.

    "Has this always been here?" I gawked as Mother giggled and nodded.

    "Of course, dear." Mother wrapped her arms around my waist, pulling me back into her bosom, which acted as my cushion. "Is my little star regretting not going outside?" She teased me, and I blushed.

    "A little bit, if I¡¯m being honest." I admitted as the wagon rolled along.

    Overhead, a distant screeching of birds could be heard, and our gazes drifted upwards to see a flock of bizarre creatures fluttering over our heads. Large blue and grey avians with massive wingspans and kite-like tails flew over heads in a V formation, about seven of them total.

    "Silvan Hawks," my mother said, her eyes squinting as they flew over her head. "They''re large predatory birds that fly in packs. They''re mostly harmless."

    "Mostly?" I blinked as the birds went over my head. Either they were flying close to the ground, or those things were big enough to snatch Varis and me off the ground.

    "Well, yes, they''re more afraid of you than you are of them. As long as you don''t harm one, corner it, or get near their nests,. You''ll be fine."

    I nodded my head as I watched the large birds land somewhere far off on a nearby hill, and seeing them do so confirmed my suspicion that these birds were quite massive. I gulped. "I hope you''re right."

    Mother giggled. "I know I''m right." She poked my cheek.

    As the hours drifted by and noon transitioned into evening, my father called out over his shoulder, "Alright. We''ll be pulling off to the side to make camp for the evening. I hope you guys are ready to stretch your legs some."

    The cart jerked a bit as Father guided Opal off the dirt road and into the grassy plain before pulling on her reins to make her stop. I sighed and glanced around as Varis stood up groggily and stretched before yawning. Looking back at my mother, who still had her hands on me, I was surprised to see she was asleep.

    Her head hung forward, her black and blue streaks of hair dangling in her face. I squirmed to get out of her grasp, though she mumbled and pulled me in further, smooshing my back against her soft chest as she nuzzled me.

    "Gyak! Varis, help!" I squeaked and squirmed in my mother''s grasp.

    To my left, I heard Madam Soza giggle as she watched me and said, "It looks like you are caught in a trap." She hummed as Father hopped off the wagon.

    "Yes, I am!" I grunted as Mother squeezed me. I lightly patted her hands, and I heard a low giggle come from behind. I glanced over my shoulder and saw Mother looking at me with half-opened eyes and a big grin on her face.

    "Trying to escape from me already?" She said tiredly as her smile broadened.

    Oh God, why does it look horrifying like this? I thought.

    "Gyaaah!" I squealed and frantically began to squirm out of her grasp, yet Mother pulled me in, buried her face in my neck, and began to kiss me repeatedly!

    "I love you! I love you!"

    "Hands off meeee!" I howled and squirmed pathetically.

    "Alright, you two," Father spoke up as he opened the back of the wagon and helped Varis hop off before he jumped in. "Off the wagon or help with grabbing the tents."

    Mother stopped assaulting me with lovable kisses and looked up at Father. "You dare come to stop me from doting on our child?" She pulled me into a tight hug again as if I were some teddy bear.

    This is it; this is my life now, I guess¡­ I thought as I just went limp in her arms.

    "You had all day and the rest of the trip to snuggle her, Love." Father smiled. "Besides, I think you sapped all the love out of her that you''re going to get tonight." He snickered at my limp appearance.

    You just have to play dead. Just keep playing dead, and you''ll be free. I repeated to myself. Just think and act like a possum.

    Mother sighed and took on a whiney tone. "Fiiine." She smiled before kissing me on the cheek again. "But tomorrow, I''m going to snuggle with you all over again." She released me, and I flopped onto the wagon, feigning exhaustion as I gasped for air.

    I pointed at her. "Go snuggle with Varis!"

    Mother scoffed. "Varis is not as soft as you are, though!"

    From outside the wagon, I heard Varis start to protest before he said, ¡°Actually, you¡¯re right. I¡¯m not soft at all¡­¡±

    I blushed faintly, and Mother giggled. "Slyran, look, her ears are doing the little wiggle again! I told you they wiggle when she''s flustered."

    I squeaked and reached up to grip my long and pointy ears. "Th-they don''t wiggle!" Do they? Do they wiggle? I thought.

    "Oh yes, they do, love. You try and act tough, but I can tell you love compliments." Mother snickered, and even Father smiled and shook his head.

    With a deep breath, though, he clapped his hands. "C''mon, chop chop! We need to make camp! Off the cart! Oi, I said off the cart, Luna, not jump off the cart!"

    <hr>

    We made camp about a dozen feet or so off the road amid the rolling hills that surrounded our valley town. To our left, which, judging by the moons in the sky, I assumed to be the west of us, was a large, dark forest with trees larger than I had seen before. As the camp was being set up, I noticed something new with Mother. She had a fancy book strapped to her waist, something I hadn''t seen when we were sitting together, which led me to believe she must''ve retrieved it from her luggage. The book was leather-bound and embossed with beautiful silver and gold scrollwork. As Varis was relieving himself in a nearby bush and Madam Soza was tending to Opal, Father, and Mother were planning out how to set up the camp.

    Once they came to a conclusion, Mother nodded and cracked open her fancy book, and with a wave of her free hand, she began to chant before ending it with. "Legerdemain." Her eyes flashed a ghostly white, and bursting out from around her came a pleasant heat that spanned a wide radius.

    Instantly, all the loose piles of snow melted and steamed; the grass at my feet dried. I gasped, "Whoa! How''d you do that?"

    Mother closed her book, secured it at her waist, and placed a hand on her hip. "I told you I was a wizard once." She beamed. "I thought since we''re going far away, it might be best to bring some useful tools." She smirked and patted what I assumed to be her grimoire.

    Father laughed. "Was a wizard?" He shook his head, draped an arm around her waist, and pulled her close. "You''re still a wizard to me."

    Mother blushed faintly and her ears twitched as she said, "Well, formally, I''m not anymore."

    ¡°Doesn¡¯t matter,¡± He said, ¡°You¡¯re just as magical as ever.¡± He hummed and kissed the side of her head and whispered something into her ear, which made Mother''s face go beet red, and she buried her face into his neck and slapped his chest, which only made Father snort and laugh.

    I''m not even going to question what those two lovers are whispering to each other. "Can I read the book?" I asked, pushing my luck.

    Mother pulled her face out of Father''s neck; her ears were still beet red, and it looked like they were going to take her away with how much they were flapping up and down. "Uh, not tonight. But maybe later!" She smiled.

    Father leaned into Mother and kissed her head again before he said, "How about we get the tents set up, eat something, and bed down for the night?" He pulled Mother in tight again causing her to yelp. I rolled my eyes and glanced away.

    "I was just grabbing them." Madam Soza hummed as she came over with both rolls on her shoulders. She got down on one knee and gently set them out. She then sniffed the air and looked at Mother and Father who were sharing their canteen. "Please be sure to keep it down tonight you two."

    Mother nearly choked on the water she had been sipping. "What''re you talking about?" Mother squeaked her ears flapping intensely.

    Soza didn''t say a word, looked back at the tents, and began to unpack them. "Luna, Varis!" She called out to us just as Varis returned from his bush. "Come help me set up the tents.

    Later that night, after our three tents were pitched, dinner was had, which I have to say was an amazing meal. Ganari and potato stew, which a ganari is some kind of other bird, like a deranged duck, or well, more deranged than what ducks were back on earth at least based on appearance. But I''ll say they taste great.

    Varis and I got our tent while Soza also received one, and Mother and Father slept together. And well¡­ it was hell. I hated it. Not because it was uncomfortable or anything, but because of the noise. They may have thought they were being quiet, but no. They weren''t. The two of them may have thought we were too young to know what they were doing, but well¡­ Varis didn''t, but me¡­ I knew. And I hated it.

    A little over a dozen feet from our tent, we could hear the rustling and the sounds of fun. Varis rolled over beside me in his bedroll and got up. I watched as his silhouette began to go to the tent flap.

    "Varis," I hissed just loud enough to be heard over the sound of my mother having a wonderful time with Father. "What''re you doing?"

    "I''m going to go check on Mother!" He said it with a nervous twang in his voice. "She sounds hurt."

    Oh, this poor, innocent child.

    I shook my head. "No, no. She''s okay," I assured him.

    "You sure? She doesn''t sound like it; it sounds like Father''s hitting her."

    Oh, he definitely was, I thought but restrained myself from saying that out loud.

    "They''re just wrestling," I said quickly. "Adult playing; you know stuff that girls do."

    Fuck, I''m not good at this.

    "I never heard you make those sounds before." Varis said innocently.

    Thank God it''s dark in here, or else he''d see my face burning. I waved my hands and said, "W-well I did say adults; I''m not an adult." Damn right, I''m not, and God forbid I do anything at this age. I may have been a degenerate in my last life, but even I have the dignity to know that I''m no longer of age.

    And I fucking hate it.

    "So, Mom and Dad are playing?" Varis asked, still seemingly unsure if he should go out there or not.

    "Yes, they''re playing grown-up wrestling." I nodded. "It''s a very secret game, though, so no kids are allowed."

    "How do you know so much about this?" Varis asked, stepping away from the tent flap.

    "Mother told me about it." I lied. "And I did some light reading." The second half was true: Mother owns a lot, and I mean a lot of erotica. I guess it comes with the wizard trade. The last time she caught me reading those books, though, she turned my ass red. And now I assume she''s hiding them in her cabin out back.

    "Oh, what''s it like?" Varis asked, now curious.

    I stammered incomprehensible gibberish. If I fucking knew, last life I was a virgin, a true wizard, you could say. Well, I wasn''t forty yet, but I was a little over halfway there. Even if I wasn''t, I doubt I''d tell him.

    I shrugged. "I dunno, Varis; again, it''s an adult game."

    "Well yeah, but if Mother told you about it and you read it, maybe she told you how to play¡ª"

    ABORT ABORT.

    "No." I stuck my hand in his face. "I''m shutting this down now. Go to bed."

    "Wha-why?"

    "Varis, please go to bed. We''re both too young to have this conversation." I huffed. "If I hear you go outside, I''ll beat your butt."

    Varis huffed. "Like you can beat me."

    "Boy! Fine, I''ll tell on you!" I closed my eyes and snapped.

    "You wouldn''t!" He gasped.

    "I would, now shut up." I huffed just as my parents reached a crescendo and finished, soon an awkward silence fell over the camp.

    Maybe going off to magic Harvard wouldn''t be so bad after all¡­ I thought as sleep finally took me.

 Chapter 14: Arrival

    The next morning, as the sun began to pierce over the mountainside and down upon the valley, I awoke as the bright rays pierced through the canvas of our tent and shone upon my eyes. I squirmed and moaned as I rolled onto my back and sat up. I glanced over and saw Varis curled in on himself, sleeping still, the sun''s rays not quite reaching him as of yet.

    Outside my tent, I could hear the adults were already awake. The smell of coffee over the fire permeated the camp, I yawned and rubbed my eyes. God, what I''d do for a fresh cup of coffee right now. I thought. Damn shame, Mother says I''m too young to be drinking it.

    I shifted out of my covers, and with Varis asleep, I took a chance to strip out of my clothes and change into something fresh. Already, the air was warming up out here as spring seemed to be blowing in with full force this year. I chose to slip into something warm yet lighter than the layers-on layers. Such as a nice blue dress with white lacing around my top and the usual vest over top. To top off my outfit, I chose to go with some nice, white stockings today and my usual dark, heavy cloak.

    When I finished dressing, Varis started to stir, which was perfect timing as I dipped out of the tent and into the morning light. I squinted as I held a hand up to shield myself from the sun''s rays and looked towards the campfire in the center of our tents and was surprised. Mother wasn''t wearing her usual dress today. Instead, she wore men''s garb, such as a loose-fitting alabaster polo with the top few buttons undone, exposing her pale chest, a pair of black khaki suspenders, and her calf-high boots that were normally hidden beneath her dress.

    She was kneeling over the fire, inspecting the heated coffee, as Father came out of the tent wearing a similar polo and dark pants, his hair a mess like Mother''s. The two of them smiled at each other happily before noticing me and waving.

    "Morning, Sleepy Head." Father teased me as I frowned at the two of them. "Sleep well?" He smirked.

    I did not smile; I simply squinted at the two of them. Mother seemed to notice my look and glanced at Father with a faint blush on her cheeks. Yet my father seemed oblivious and shrugged.

    "Ah, well, you''ll get used to traveling on the road this week." He took a seat around the fire while Mother placed some tin cups out and filled them with hot coffee.

    "Love, why don''t you give Luna a tin?" Father gestured to the black coffee she just poured.

    Mother shook her head. "No, she''s too young. If she takes a drink now, she''ll not sleep at all tonight."

    "Oh, c''mon, it''s not that strong. Besides, it''s early morning." Father chuckled. "And also, her birthday is in just two days. So, lighten up a bit." He winked and playfully nudged her side.

    Mother pursed her lips and thought for a second as she glanced at me. Yet my eyes were locked on the tin of coffee. If there is a God, I prayed, and if you''re the one who brought me back, please, just please, this one time. Let me indulge in the bean.

    My prayers were answered.

    Mother sighed. "Well, do you want some, Luna?" She relented.

    I nodded my head rapidly. "Yes, please," I said softly. "I''ve been wanting some again¡ª" I cleared my throat. "¡ªwanting to try some." I corrected myself.

    Mother motioned for me to come over, and I did so and sat down beside her. "Careful. It''s hot." She handed me the warm tin.

    I grabbed the cup, the thin metal instantly warming my hands. The smell was stupefying. I never cared much for just black coffee; whenever I ran out of creamer in my past life, I would just spike it with some sugar to combat its bitterness. Yet now. After almost seven years, I didn''t care. I craved the bean.

    Tipping my head back, I brought the tin to my lips and sipped it. The taste struck me hard. It was bitter, very bitter, and somewhat sweet. The taste nearly made me cough it back up.

    Was it because of my childish taste buds? Or perhaps this world¡¯s coffee is different? Most likely. It''s not horrible, but¡­ strong.

    Father laughed and smirked. "Okay, that took me back." He hummed as Varis came out of the tent dressed as well in his shirt and suspenders, and his fine black vest. Father waved him over. "Boy, come over here and join us."

    Varis stepped over and said, "Yes, Father?" He looked at him and rubbed the bottom of his eyes.

    "Sit down; try a grown man''s drink." Father hummed as he grabbed the other tin of coffee our mother just poured and passed it over to him.

    Varis blinked and looked at the cup, he gingerly took it, sniffed it and his nose crinkled. He looked at Father who smirked and gestured for him to drink, hesitantly he sipped it. "Blegh!" He instantly spat it out, which sent Father howling with laughter.

    Even Mother grinned a little as she sighed. "Well, this was to be expected¡­ Luna wait!"

    While they were distracted, I swung my head back and took a big swig of the dark liquid, chugging it all in one go as the searing heat burned my tongue and throat. Yet I fought through the tears.

    I won''t have this taken away from me! I thought as I lowered the tin down and gasped.

    Father looked at me with wide eyes and glanced at my mother. "Oh, she''s going to get the jitters."

    My mother looked at me shocked. "You''re supposed to sip it, love!" She chided, but I simply beamed with excitement.

    "This is very good!" I squeaked out; all it needed was just some sugar. Some sugar, and then I''d be content. Or milk if we had some.

    "You can drink this crud?" Varis spat more of the coffee from his mouth. "It''s gross."

    "It''s not that bad," Father said. "Give me your tin if you''re not going to finish it." He held his hand out, and Varis passed it back.

    Meanwhile, Madam Soza crawled from her tent and came over, and I gawked. She was wearing practically nothing aside from some loose robes tied around her body. Yet what stunned me the most was that I never realized how built she was, not to mention the dragon tattoos that covered her upper bicep and shoulder, which went down her back. Her red hair was disheveled, and her fluffy crimson tail flicked left and right. As she came over to us I noticed she wasn''t wearing her shoes, and for the first time, I noticed her feet were clawed. Stopping just a few feet away from me and the campfire, she glared at my mother and father with tired eyes.

    I take it; she was disturbed just as I was the night before.

    Soza stepped past me and walked over to my mother who greeted her, "Morning, Isa, did you¡ª"

    My mentor¡¯s face flared with rage. "I recall explicitly telling you two to be quiet last night!." Soza interrupted her, and my mother sputtered, blushed, and lowered her head.

    "S-Sorry about that,¡± She mumbled under her breath.

    "Ah, there''s nothing to be sorry about," Father butted in as he began to give my sleep-deprived teacher a tin of coffee. "Things just got a little heated between us, and we got lost in the moment. We won''t let it happen again."

    "Are you guys referring to the wrestling match last night?" Varis asked obliviously, "Who won?"

    I couldn''t help it. I tried to stop myself, but I snorted and crowed with laughter. Even Soza, who had moments ago been pissed, hesitated before also succumbing to the fits.

    Father and Mother both sat there stun-locked. Their eyes trained on the fire and coffee in front of them. Mother looked at Varis and then at me just as I fell back, giggling uncontrollably.

    "Va-Varis? Luna?" Mother blinked as her gaze flicked between us, and I sat up, wiping the tears from my eyes. Mother looked at me, her face red with embarrassment. "What have you been teaching your brother?"

    Before I could answer. "Your mother definitely won." Father said nonchalantly after a moment as he raised a clenched fist. "Her grip is nothing short of a¡ª" Soza and Mother both smacked him upside the head sending me into hysterics once more.

    <hr>

    Well, the news is out now, and my parents are well aware that I know what they do at night alone. A shame, well, for them, not me. Now that they know it, they''ll probably try to hide it or not. They might just say fuck it and do it anyway. But I doubt that, honestly. I''m better off for it.

    For many years, especially back when both Varis and I were just little kids, I had to sit in my crib and listen to my father plow the fields in the other room day in and day out. Before I had acclimated to this world and saw this life as more or less a vacation, I was at first, I was like, hell yeah, free content. But, as I began to see these people as who they were, my parents, that creeping thought came into my mind and was like, "Hey you degenerate, you¡¯re disgusting.." And when that realization hit me, it hit me hard.

    It''s yucky and gross. Ew. No more do I think like that. I made sure to double-kill that side of me. Which is like harder than normal killing.

    However, I hate to admit this. But that part of me is not entirely dead. Now that I''m aging and my little body is starting to develop, hearing my parents partying at night it¡¯s only natural that it¡¯s starting to stir things up. Things I''m not ready for and I hate it. I hate it so much. I''m not ready for puberty round two.

    What''s Elven''s puberty going to be like? Let alone an elven girl''s puberty? Am I going to have periods? I don''t even know what normal human periods are like! I wish I had a fucking smartphone or a PC so I could just Google it. Is there a library back in Oren? I never asked. I¡¯ll need to make a note about that.

    I won''t lie and say I''m not a little excited for puberty. I hope I''ll get taller, and judging by how Mother looks, I''m hoping I take after her. If I did score lucky on the genetic lottery, though, my mother is going to have to work hard on making me new clothes¡­ especially in the breast department.

    This is going to sound weird. Honestly, I kinda feel gross thinking about this. Is that normal? But I wonder if I''ll get boobs like hers. I won''t lie and say the thought hasn''t cropped up from time to time. Though usually my right hand is quick to shut those thoughts down, right now, around family, smacking myself would only raise concerns.

    So, I''ll just need to take deep breaths and try to quell the degenerate back into his corner.

    Begone vile thoughts! Or I¡¯ll kill you for a third time!

    "Luna, what''re you doing?" Mother asked as she pulled me against her chest as we continued with the day''s journey to the Heinland Mountains. We were back in the wagon after my parents were humiliated and we packed up camp, the wagon bounced and rolled along the path as we drew nearer to our destination.

    My hands patted my cheeks as I looked up at Mother and said, "Purging my mind of impurities."

    Mother blinked a couple of times before she said in a confused tone, "Okay."

    A few minutes of awkward silence passed as the wagon strolled along the dirt road. Looking about the others I saw that Varis had fallen back asleep meaning it was just my mother and I currently. Glancing down at myself again I idly patted a hand on my chest and shifted my weight a little on Mother''s lap as I felt a bubble of nervousness appear.

    It¡¯s going to be a while before you¡¯re back in town to visit a library¡­ What¡¯s wrong with just asking?

    Taking a deep breath I glanced up at my mother. "Momma, can I ask a very personal question?"

    I felt my mother tense up. "If it''s about last night, no."

    "No! No!" I quickly said and bit my lower lip so I didn¡¯t laugh. "It''s, uh¡­ about growing up."

    My mother relaxed and audibly sighed. "Growing up?" She clarified.

    I nodded. "I, uh, recall reading from the books about how Elven girls go through¡­" I was purposefully trying to play dumb. "Puberty." I nodded.

    Mother snorted. "Puberty, eh?" She tussled my hair as per usual. "Aren''t you still pretty young to be thinking about that?"

    I blushed and said, "Maybe, but I want to learn about it." Continuing to play along, I asked, "What is it?"

    Mother sat in silence for a moment, and I glanced back to see her pursing her lips in thought. Her brow knitted as she seemed to be debating on whether or not she should even tell me. I was still young after all. Maybe I was being too forward? After a few moments of contemplation, she breathed out, "Well, you''re smart and pretty mature. So, I think I can explain it briefly." She smiled and poked my cheek. "Don''t go telling Varis this stuff; this is only for us girls, okay?"

    The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

    Oh shit, girl talk?

    I nodded. "Okay. I won''t say a thing!" I said as I mimed zipping my mouth shut.

    Mother smiled. "Good." She nodded and thought for a second. "Puberty for little elves around your age really starts to kick off between seven and ten years of age. So, for you, it may happen in a few months or a few years." She booped my nose. "When that happens, you''ll start your path toward becoming a full-elven lady." She hummed and continued to explain. "It''ll feel weird; cramps and pains will start to make themselves known; your hairs on your body will darken; you''ll start to have hair in silly places; and the most painful part of it is that your chest will feel sore because your boobs will start to fill out."

    Oh God, she''s laying it on thick, I thought as I gulped and nodded.

    "Is it really painful?" I asked nervously.

    Mother giggled and said, "I wouldn''t say it''s really painful, but it is uncomfortable."

    "What''re you two talking about back there?" Father called from over his shoulder.

    "Girl talk! No boys allowed!" Mother snipped, and Father flinched and re-focused on the road ahead Soza giggled and continued to read the map. Knowing her feline ears, she could probably hear everything we were talking about.

    Mother looked back at me and continued, "It''s around this time that you''ll begin to grow, and your body may start to change a little bit. This goes on for a few years for us Elves; compared to other races like humans or Madam Soza''s race, the Serelli, we Elves develop much faster."

    "Much, much faster." Soza said from over her shoulder. Well, that confirms it; she''s most definitely listening in.

    Yet, that was nice to hear. Puberty is more like a speed run this time around. Or¡­ wait, that might actually make it worse. If all the changes are happening at once that might be a nightmare. I shuddered at the thought.

    Mother smiled at Soza and nodded before continuing, "You''ll notice your voice is getting deeper too, but this is the part you most want to try and be ready for, and this is the hardest part, which is the menstrual cycle."

    Ah, fuck, this is what I''m most scared of.

    Mother pulled me in tight against her. "It''s hard because the first one is unpredictable and can be the most painful if not prepared. We elves, compared to other races like humans, do not menstruate often. About every ten years or so, but during the times we experience it, it lasts for about a full week or more, if you¡¯re unlucky all girls are different, and it does crazy things if we''re not prepared."

    I gulped, so a trade-off. I recalled from my old sex ed and Wiki diving (it¡¯s a valid source in my eyes!) that women back in my old world only had to deal with the period for about a week out of a month, though I''m just guessing. But if my gut is right, this kind of lines up, I think. 10 years and one or two weeks of pain? It sounds okay to me.

    "What kind of crazy things?" I asked feeling anxious.

    Mother laughed nervously and said, "Uh well." She leaned into my ear and began to whisper what I can only describe as horrid, and vile descriptions which made me shudder before pulling back. "It also makes you act all goofy as your mood swings all over. Don''t worry; when you go off to school next year, I''ll make sure to pack everything you''ll need for it when it happens."

    My right eye twitched. I had expected her to tell me it''d only be blood. Yet no. It was much worse.

    "Are you okay, Luna?" My mother poked my cheek.

    Soza turned around, looked back at us, and smirked. "I think you broke the little one." She giggled. "If I was being honest, I had always wished to swap the Serelli heat cycles with what you elves and humans experience."

    "Oh, believe me, you don''t want it." Mother giggled, and I shook my head.

    "Okay! I''m ready to change the conversation!" I blurted out.

    <hr>

    Our second day of travel went smoothly. The Heinland Mountains now towered over us, and the elevation was becoming steeper and steeper the further we went. The night had gone by smoothly; Mother and Father did not partake in a second wrestling match, allowing the rest of us a peaceful night''s rest.

    This morning, it was pretty much a repeat of the morning before. We gathered around camp, ate porridge for breakfast, and had some coffee. Varis refused the sacred bean this time, that infidel, and Father snuck a second tin for me, which only made my love for him grow more. The caffeine was very much a godsend. Oh, deity, whoever brought me back. You truly are my GOAT.

    Madam Soza and Father spent some time reviewing the map of the land while Mother, Varis, and I packed up camp and loaded the cart. While we waited for our drivers, Mother and I tended to Opal, the strider. Making sure she was fed and cared for.

    Striders were interesting creatures, except for Mr. Blaxen''s. Opal, who was very cute and nice. She was large, which in itself was intimidating, yet her scales were this cute gray and blue shade, which shone perfectly in the sun as they sparkled. The same went for her feathers, which lined her jaw and joints of her arms, kind of like those realistic depictions of velociraptors, except make them the size of a fully grown stallion, if not a bit bigger. Yet despite her razor-sharp claws and teeth, which could eviscerate my tiny elven body, she was immensely gentle and docile.

    "Momma?" I asked as my mother pulled out some preserved chunks of meat and handed them to Opal, who happily and carefully took the chunk before chomping them down.

    "Yes, Luna?" She glanced at me just as Father and Soza began to walk over to us.

    "Why is Opal called a ''Ground Dragon'' I thought dragons were big and flew.¡± Opal glanced at me, and I swore she seemed offended. I looked at her warily. Does she understand me?

    Mother chuckled and said, "That''s because Opal is a dragon, love. Not all dragons are like the ones we see in the books. There are many breeds of them. Opal just happens to be of the ground type, or more specifically, a land strider. They''re the fastest of all ground dragons." As if to boast, Opal puffed her chest and squawked.

    Huh, so kind of like dogs, in a weird sense. So many dogs look drastically different from each other, yet they all classify as the same species. If that''s how dragons are in this world, I''m curious as to what the other types look like.

    "Alright, are we ready to go?" Father asked us.

    "Wagon''s packed up!" Varis called from the other side of the wagon.

    "Guess we are now." Mother hummed and patted Opal''s nose before turning around. "How far do we have to go?"

    "Not far at all," Soza said as she placed a hand on her hip. "About three more gilos, and we''ll be at the base of the trail."

    If my memory served me right, a gilo was almost equal to a mile, if not a little under.

    "Excellent," Mother said as she patted me on the shoulder. "It should take us about an hour to get there. Come on, Luna; it''ll be our last snuggle session.¡±

    "Gaaah, I don''t want snuggles!" I protested. "Cuddle with Varis!"

    "But you''re so soft!" Mother said as I ran to the cart.

    "You''re just going to say gross things again!" I teased as Mother scoffed.

    "You asked for it!"

    <hr>

    Finally, since the start of our journey, our environment has begun to change. After an hour of travel, the wagon began to veer off to the left slightly and traverse uphill. The environment around us began to darken as massive trees resembling evergreens began to tower over us as we entered what Mother told us was the Heinland Forest. These trees, if I remember right, were called Kefners, and the ones that resembled oaks with the pink petals were Sycoras. Yet unlike the beauty of the Sycoras, the Kefners stood hundreds of feet into the air, their massive trunks resembling redwoods and their pine needle branches appearing like natural umbrellas, which blocked all light, leaving the forest very dark as we went deeper into it.

    Madam Soza turned around to face the three of us in the back and said clearly, "Listen up, children. This is very important. The Heinland Forest is not a safe place for little kids. Legend has it that a Web Way is connected to this forest, which leads to the Fae Wylde. It¡¯s said that this area is known for having creatures of trickery roaming it."

    She glanced at Mother and Father, who nodded. Mother lightly shifted me off her lap, reached into her satchel, and pulled out two frosted rods of metal. "Both of you," she said, "take one."

    Both Varis and I reached out to grab the metal rods, and I gasped. These things are fucking cold!

    "These archeos are rods of cold iron," Mother said.

    ¡°Archeo?¡± I asked and Varis nodded as he wondered the same thing.

    My mother smiled and leaned in. ¡°An archeo is an item that¡¯s magically enchanted.¡±

    My eyes widened. Real magic items? This really is becoming D&D!

    "I made these just before the trip," Mother said and my thoughts drifted back to what Herbert Hautckins said about Mother cooking up weird things.

    She continued to explain, "If by chance we get separated out here and you encounter any Fae, show them this, and they''ll surely leave you alone."

    "Why?" Varis asked as he played hot potato, or perhaps cold potato, with the iron rod in his hands.

    "Because the Fae despise all forms of metal," Madam Soza answered for Mother. "Yet they are especially terrified of cold iron because it said to be the only metal that can truly slay a fae."

    Mother nodded. "But as long as we stick together, we shouldn''t have to fear. This is only to be used as a precaution. Do you understand?"

    "Yes, Mother." Both Varis and I said as I stashed the magically cooled metal away into my skirt pocket.

    "We''re almost to the campsite!" Father called over his shoulder.

    A few minutes passed as the ground seemed to level out once more, and sunlight could be seen as we entered a large grass clearing slightly off the path. As our wagon crept forward a bit, our father pulled the reins and brought Opal to a stop.

    "Alright, get comfortable. We''ll be here for the next six days." Father whistled as he hopped off the wagon.

    One by one, we all dismounted and began the routine of setting up camp. I was getting quite comfortable pitching a tent, as this time it only took us about ten minutes for Varis and me to pitch our tent. Yet when we finished pitching our tent and I stepped back, I glanced to my left and gasped.

    "Whoa!" My eyes widened as I realized straight ahead I could see over the treetops and down below to the valley, and just further ahead. The town of Oren and the puffs of white smoke coming from Chimney stacks, and I swore I could see the Hautckins mill and the speck that was our house.

    "What is it?" Varis asked, and I pointed.

    "I can see our house from here!" I beamed.

    And soon Varis gasped as well and quickly began shouting for our parents.

    "Mother, Father! Luna and I can see our house!" As he ran towards them.

    I heard the crunching of grass behind me, and I turned to Madam Soza, who was stepping forward. "This is exactly why I chose this camp site specifically." She giggled softly. "A beautiful view, isn''t it?" She smirked.

    I nodded. "It is; it''s almost like something out of a painting," I said as I looked back across the valley and to the mountains that wrapped around the southern edge of it. From here, I could see that our lovely valley home was pretty much in a giant bowl, its walls being nothing but beautiful mountains.

    Once again, I¡¯m reminded of Bob Ross¡­ Maybe I should get into painting.

    "I agree," Madam Soza said as she stepped up beside me. "Many places I have traveled yielded such pretty sights. Though I must admit Heinmarr probably has my favorite mountains."

    I nodded and said, "Is that so¡­ You know, Madam Soza¡ª"

    She raised her hand to me. "Please, Luna. Before you continue, you can call me by my birth name, Isa."

    My eyes widened a bit, and I blinked. Oh, shit we''re leveling up from formalities to casual speaking? I smirked.

    "At least when we''re not in school." Isa smirked at me and winked.

    I sighed and smiled. "Deal, but, Mad¡ªI mean, Isa¡­ you never got around to story time with Varis and me." This was true. She always said she''d talk about herself when story time came, but it never did.

    Isa glanced back out at the valley, took a deep breath, and looked at me. The noon sun was beating heavily on her red hair and tanned skin, her green eyes shimmering from the light. She smiled, her sharp fangs peeking out from behind her lips a bit.

    "Aye, that''s true. I never have. Though now isn''t the time for stories just yet."

    Fuck I knew I saw this coming. Isa laughed, as my expression didn''t hide what I felt.

    "Don''t look like that, Luna. You''ll get wrinkles if you frown so much. How about this?" She turned to face me and squatted down; her red, fluffy tail was raised and flicked gently back and forth. "This evening, around the campfire, I''ll tell you something about me." She booped my nose with a clawed finger.

    Isa stood up. ¡°But for now, let us enjoy nature. There''s a path up there that leads further up the mountain to something I think all of you will enjoy."

    I sighed and nodded. "Okay, deal. But I''ll hold you up to it!" I stuck out my little hand. "We shake on it¡ªno, we pinky promise!"

    Isa cocked her head. "Pinky promise?"

    Oh shit, this might not be a thing in this world. I have never actually tried this until now.

    "Uh yeah¡­ It''s like a super promise that Varis and I do." I lied. "Breaking a pinky promise is worse than breaking a normal promise."

    "Ah, so like marriage." Isa nodded as if she understood.

    Wait what? Once again, Isa could read the confusion on my face.

    "In Serelli culture, part of the marriage ritual is linking our smallest fingers in a dance like this." Isa linked her clawed pinky with my finger and began to skip around with me in a circle. "And sometimes the rowdier mates like to kick their legs out like this!" She said playfully, kicking her legs out wide with every other skip as we danced in a circle.

    "Luna!" I heard Father playfully scoff as he walked over to us, feigning disappointment. "Isa, what are you doing, marrying my daughter? She isn''t even of age yet!" He joked as Isa released my pinky and blushed as she waved her hands dismissively.

    "No, I was just showing her something... She wanted a pinky promise." Isa coughed into her fist.

    "A pinky what?" Father looked at me and smirked. "Making advances on your teacher, Luna? I knew you were smart, but not¡ª" In a flash, Isa was beside him, and she bopped him upside the head. "Gyak! I''m just kidding." He laughed.

    Isa smirked, turned to look at me, and said, "But I will uphold our promise. Now please, get ready; once everyone is settled, I would like for us to go on a hike further up the mountain. There is something I wish to show you all." With that, she winked and turned before making her way back over to Mother and Varis, who were feeding Opal once more.

    Show us something? I wondered. Has she been here before? Well, duh, she¡¯d have to have been here to want to show us something.

    Father rubbed the spot on his head that was whacked and said, "Making a Serelli promise something, eh?"

    I looked up at him. "Is that uncommon?"

    He shook his head. "No, but they''re known to keep any promise tightly to their chest. What did you make her promise?"

    I ran a hand through my hair. "I made her promise to tell me something about herself. Isa never really talks about herself too often, and when she does, it''s usually simple stuff."

    "Isa? She''s letting you call her by her first name now, heh." He smiled. "Well, knowing her, she''ll probably just tell you what she dreamed about last night and nothing else."

    I giggled. "I''ll be so mad if she does that, and is me calling her by her first name weird?"

    Father shook his head. "Not at all; it just means that specific Serelli really likes you."

    I blinked a couple of times and covered my face. "Wait, so did we actually get married?!"

    Father snorted and laughed. "No, no, I meant, like, in a friendship sort of way!"

    I giggled softly and beamed at him. "I guessed so; I was just kidding." I snickered as Father playfully dug his knuckles into my head.

    "You little goof." He said before gently placing his hand on my back and pushing me towards the camp. "Go on, let''s finish setting everything up, and let''s go see what Isa wants to show us."

    With a big smile, I nodded and ran back to camp.

 Chapter 15: The Cave

    I panted heavily as I stumbled forward clinging to the back of Varis''s shirt. "My legs are sooore!" I whimpered as Varis turned around and shoved me off of him.

    "We''ve only been walking for five minutes," Varis said with a sigh. "Stop grabbing me, you baby."

    "I''m not a baby!" I flailed my arms.

    Curse these weak muscles! What happened to all the energy I had? I¡¯m a kid again aren¡¯t I? Where¡¯s all the unlimited energy children have?

    Father rolled his eyes and said from over his shoulder, "Both of you, stop bickering and keep walking."

    Behind me, Mother placed a hand on my shoulder and said, "Come, dear, it''s not that far." She lightly pushed me forward, and I huffed as we navigated our way up the mountain trail.

    The term trial is a bit of an overstatement if I''m being honest. It was more like a narrow, winding path through the dense forest, overgrown with vegetation. Not to mention we''re going up the mountain, so I''m constantly fighting the incline with my little legs as Varis and the other tall folk around me strode up with little to no effort. For minutes, this continued as we pushed deeper into the thickening undergrowth. The canopy above became dense to the point that little to no rays of light showed through, save for the occasional god ray that pierced the gaps in the pines.

    The forest was dark. Very dark. Aside from my family around me and the occasional idle chatter, I could hear the sounds of critters scurrying through the underbrush and snow. I tightened my cloak around me. I couldn''t imagine getting lost in a place like this. It was truly unnerving.

    As if sensing my anxiety, I felt Mother''s hand on my shoulder. "Don''t worry, love; I''m right behind you." She hummed.

    "I-I know." I sighed. "It''s just dark and cold out here." As we continued to climb, the air was getting chillier and chillier. I should''ve suspected this and put on some extra layers, but unfortunately, Captain Hindsight isn''t here to rescue me.

    Mother nodded. "I can''t help too much with the cold, but with light." She squeezed my shoulder gently and closed her eyes for a second. "Mother of stars, your heavens are so bright; lend me your guidance on a path of light. Fireflies." Her eyes flashed a ghostly blue light, and she waved her free hand. A strobe of blue light emitted from the forest around us briefly as a dancing orb of lights began to fill the air around our group, illuminating the dark forest.

    Varis gasped, Father spun around, and Isa glanced over her shoulder, amazed. "You couldn''t have done that earlier, Cailynn?" Father asked with a smile and rolled his eyes before turning back around as the little magical orbs began to levitate forward up the path, lighting our way.

    Mother smiled as her eyes returned to their original blue hue, and she smirked as they glistened in the light. "You never asked, love." She glanced down at me. "Is that better, Luna?"

    My eyes sparkled with joy at the sight of more magic, and I nodded my head. "You totally have to teach me this!" I said, and Mother giggled.

    "Perhaps I will." She winked, and my heart fluttered.

    "Really?" I asked as we continued walking.

    "I''ve been thinking about it," she said with a grin on her face. "I did bring my book with me, and I have some extra components. I can maybe try and show you some lesser spells this week." She hummed a tune under her breath, her excitement palpable.

    My smile widened. I wonder if this is partly why we came out here. I thought. If Mother wants to show me spells, it''d probably be best to do so away from our home. I giggled and began to scurry on ahead no longer feeling the aches in my feet.

    "Varis! Varis! Momma wants to teach me magic!" I said excitedly eager to tell someone.

    My brother glanced back over his shoulder and smiled. "Oh? Cool! Can I learn too, Momma?" He asked.

    Mother nodded. "If you can keep up, magic is just like schoolwork."

    Varis frowned. "Aww, I hate school!" He pouted as we all laughed.

    <hr>

    "It''s about a handful of garos up ahead." Isa called back from over her shoulder after moving ahead to scout the path.

    Garos? I thought. I think that''s equal to yards or something. If I¡¯m right then god bless. My legs are dying; it''s cold, yet I''m still feeling sweaty.

    "Hear that, Luna? Just a little more." Mother hummed, and as she manipulated her little orbs of light to orbit around me, seeing this made me smile, and I nodded.

    Pressing further, I could now see sunlight ahead. We had been traveling for about an hour on foot, and the sun was about three-quarters of the way across the sky. As we finally broke into this new, grassy, and rocky clearing, I saw we were at the base of a massive cliff face on the side of the mountain.

    Yet what stood out about this face was the large fissure that broke down the center of it, leading to a naturally formed cave entrance. A large one at that. I sure as hell hope this isn''t a yogi''s den. I shuddered. Or worse, a dragon.

    "Excellent," Isa said with satisfaction. She spun around to face us and we lined up in front of her. "It''s still here."

    "What is this?" Father asked.

    "It''s just a big hole in the wall." Varis huffed, seemingly disappointed. "I was hoping for something cooler¡ª" Mother bopped him on the back of the head.

    "Varis, be nice; Madam Soza was excited to bring us here."

    Isa chuckled as she glanced at me while I flopped on the stony ground to rest my legs, flattening out my skirt with a sigh. "We''re not going in there, are we?" I asked nervously as I pointed at the hole.

    Isa looked at me smugly and her feline ears wiggled mischievously. "Well, if you don''t want to see the interesting bits inside, then I guess not." She shrugged.

    I mulled it over and sighed. "Well, it looks really cool to me. Can we take a short break first, though?"

    Isa looked to my mother and father, who both nodded and crossed her arms. "Aye, we can rest for a bit. About fifteen minutes."

    Mother, who seemed to be keeping a strong face, visibly relaxed and said, "Thank the gods, my stomach has been killing me."

    "Did you bring those sandwiches?" Father asked, and Mother nodded as she reached into her bag and brought out some cloth-wrapped lunches.

    My stomach practically cheered as we all gathered around in a small circle. Mother passed around some steak and cheese sandwiches, and for a short while we sat and ate mostly in silence.

    While I dined on my fine lunch, however, I felt something tug at me. Yet not in the sense of someone physically touching me, but something inside. It was as if my stomach had slightly lurched forward, like when riding a roller coaster. At first, I thought nothing of it; maybe I was just that hungry. But as I finished my lunch, I felt it again.

    "My tummy feels funny," I said out loud, and my mother''s head instantly perked up.

    "Was it the meat?" Mother asked. "Was it still bloody?" She gulped nervously.

    I shook my head. "N-no it was cooked¡­ I feel like it''s lurching in me." I glanced up, and my eyes glazed over the cave entrance. That''s when it lurched one last time but faded. "Huh, it went away," I said, rubbing my stomach. "Maybe it was nothing, but it started when we were about to eat."

    Mother bit her lower lip and said, "Well, if you feel sick, let me know."

    I nodded. "Okay." My eyes never left the cave entrance; something felt odd about it now.

    Isa seemed to notice my gaze and follow the direction I was looking in. "Something caught your attention, Luna?" She asked me.

    "Not in particular," I said, "but I am curious as to what''s in there now."

    Isa''s eyebrow raised, and I could tell she was a bit suspicious now.

    As everyone began to finish up their meals and get to their feet, I dusted off my skirt, straightened up, and glanced at my parents, who were both looking at Isa.

    "So do you know what''s in there?" Father asked.

    This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

    Isa¡¯s eyes twinkled and she nodded. "A little bit. When coming through this side of the country, I stumbled upon here and ventured forth a few hundred feet."

    Mother placed a hand on her hip and frowned. "So, are you going to tell us what''s in it?"

    Isa smirked and placed a claw on her lips. "It wouldn''t be a surprise if I told you. Trust me, the place was abandoned the last time I checked."

    "And how long ago was that?" I asked her as Isa turned away.

    She stopped mid-turn and asked, "How long have I been teaching you?"

    This woman hasn''t been in here in almost four years; how the hell does she know it''s still abandoned? I sighed.

    Isa smirked then turned and began to walk towards the cave entrance. One by one we began to follow her up there. As we approached the cave, I stopped briefly as I could hear something like thousands of rustling leaves. Though the sound wasn¡¯t coming from the forest behind me, but up ahead. Within the cave. The sound crescendoed slightly and I realized. It wasn¡¯t leaves. It sounded like static; television static.

    "Do you hear that?" I asked my family nervously, my heart began to beat intensely. The steady thumping could be heard alongside the static.

    Everyone stopped and glanced at me. My father cocked his head and listened. "All I hear is wind."

    "Don''t tell me you''re clucking out now!" Varis teased, and I shook my head.

    "N-No, I''m not¡­ I just¡­ thought I could hear¡­" How would I describe it? These people don''t know what TV static sounds like. "Like rustling leaves. Lots of them."

    "It could be just the wind I mentioned." Father said, though his ears were flexing a bit as he tried to listen.

    "But I hear it within the cave," I said, pointing at the dark entrance. I was beginning to tremble, the noise seemed to become increasingly louder, and my heart now starting to race.

    Isa stepped towards the cave, peered within for a minute, and turned back to us. "I do not hear anything."

    Are you fucking kidding me? I thought. It sounds so loud, though. Should I stay out here? Maybe it''ll be safe. Maybe going in will just cause trouble¡ªtrouble that''ll get not just me hurt or killed but maybe these others.

    I jolted when I felt my mother place her hand on my shoulder. "If you''re scared, Luna, I can stay with you out here."

    I glanced up at Mother and gulped, and then I heard¡ªno, I also felt it. In tandem with my beating heart. A steady beep. It sounded along with the static and my heart for a second before falling to silence, only to echo out again. I felt my stomach sink. My mouth dried, and my vision blurred as my trembling became uncontrollable.

    "Luna? Luna!" My mother lunged down to grab me as I stumbled back. "My god, Slyran, she''s freezing and trembling!" Her voice began to grow distant as my world began to blur.

    The sound of static and that incessant beep began to get louder and louder before suddenly.

    Everything went dark, and I blacked out.

    "So, we meet again¡­ You''re too early¡­ So be it. Come by alone at dusk, and I''ll have what you need prepared."

    "Gyaaah!" I was jolted awake by the sound of my scream as I lurched upward from the bed I laid in. My body was sore and stiff, and my lower back ached as I huffed and drew in deep breaths. My eyes scanned the dark room to see the light of the television displaying nothing but static and emitting white noise.

    My eyes widened as I stared at the TV before I jolted upon hearing the sound of the heart monitor behind me. I yelled and gagged as my dry throat ached for water. I fell into a coughing fit. I reached up and yanked the cords and tubes from my body, rolled out of bed, and collapsed onto the cold marble floor.

    This can''t be. This can''t be. This can''t be. This can''t be.

    I clambered to my feet and was immediately taken aback by how tall I was. Glancing down at my hunched-over form, I was met with the sight of an emaciated individual, a man. I reached up with my large, thin hands and felt the scraggly beard on my face before touching my small, rounded ears.

    No! No! No!

    I frantically looked around the dark room for what seemed like a bathroom and found one on the far end. I limped over to it and opened the door. I flicked on the light switch and flinched as I turned to look in the mirror, and for a second, I thought I saw myself. The little elf girl was staring back, yet when I blinked and opened my eyes, I was shocked to see a scraggly man, probably in his mid-thirties, staring back at himself, his hair unkempt, his beard thick and uneven, and thin all over with no muscle.

    No. Why? Why am I back here? Is this some sort of sick joke? Has this all been for naught? Had it all been a dream? A horrible dream?! It can¡¯t be. It felt so real, it felt so long. All of it. All of it was gone. This couldn¡¯t be real. It had to be a joke. A cruel one. How could I return to my old life after all of this time?

    Suddenly, the lights in the other room came on. The sound of someone speaking English threw me off guard¡ªa woman''s voice calling out, were they a nurse? She''s calling out someone''s name. A name I didn''t recognize, that is until it clicked.

    My dead name.

    I clasped my hands over my ears. No! I don''t want to hear it; I left that name behind!

    I shambled my way to the entrance of the bathroom and saw out in the main room a pretty woman in hospital scrubs. A nurse, I think. She was looking at my bed and quickly turned away to head out until she stopped and saw my disheveled self standing in the doorway.

    "Mister¡­" I clenched my eyes and immediately drowned her out with my thoughts. I refuse to hear my old name. I died, and that name went with me. My name is Luna Ashflow now. Luna, Luna, Luna! I screamed in my mind as if it¡¯d make it real again.

    "I''m so happy to see you''re awake, sir, but you need to go lay down." She said calmly as she approached me.

    "No!" I yelled out in the Maurich tongue. "Get away from me!" The woman stopped and hesitated when I panicked.

    "Uh, Mister¡­" I shook my head once more. "You need to come with me back to bed." I saw her reach for a button near the bathroom door, and she pressed it.

    I stumbled back into the bathtub, tripped, and fell, thankfully not hitting my head on anything harmful. The woman panicked and quickly rushed over to help me, but I swatted her away with pathetic kicks and cries.

    Coming into the bathroom were two other male nurses, large, strong-looking fellows, along with an older woman who looked to be a doctor. "What seems to be the situation here?" The older woman asked.

    The first nurse glanced back and said, "Mister¡­" I clasped my hands over my ears. "Woke up. I''m trying to help him back to bed, but he seems delirious."

    I''m not delirious; this is just a dream. A nightmare! I''m having a fucking nightmare! I wanted to scream yet when opening my mouth only pathetic groans escaped my lips.

    I kept my hands clasped tightly over my ears and clenched my eyes shut as I curled up in the bathtub. I mumbled to myself repeatedly that this was just a nightmare. Yet when I felt the firm hands of the male nurses dragging me out of the tub, I cried out with abject horror. I tried my best to fight off the men, yet my stick-like limbs were nothing as they eventually put me into a position where I could hardly fight at all as they pulled me out of the room.

    As I was dragged from the bathroom, the older doctor approached me from the side, her hand in one pocket. "Calm down, Mister¡ª" She started to say, and I screamed and closed my eyes as something sharp pierced my neck.

    And everything went dark, and I fell unconscious.

    "Now. Let us meet properly once again."

    My eyes flew open, and my back arched as I gasped, drinking in the air as I choked and groaned. I sat up, my hands instantly shooting to my smooth-skinned face and up to my pointed ears before one hand reached down below to confirm. I was once again Luna. A little elven girl.

    "Oh, thank God, it really was just a shitty nightmare." I moaned and quivered. It felt so fucking real. I sniffed, wiped my eyes, and glanced around to confirm I was back in mine and Varis''s tent. Nearly seven years. It''s been nearly seven years, and this was one of the first nightmares I had about my old life. The first month or so, I had nightmares about the gunmen and a couple of other bits. Yet after that, they faded away.

    But why now?

    I closed my eyes and shuddered. My hands were still trembling as I pulled myself out of my bedroll. Something about that cave triggered something in me. Yet what? What was it? I took another deep breath, regaining what composure I had left. I noticed Mother must''ve stripped me of my clothes and put me in my pajamas.

    Taking the time, I got dressed once more and stepped outside. It was late; the sky was a dark shade of purple and blue, and I could see the moons, Radiance, and Andoria above my head as the sun dipped below the mountains.

    My family was around the campfire watching Isa, who was the only one standing, waving her arms around as she seemed to be in the middle of a story.

    Great, I''m missing storytime. I thought, and I hesitated.

    Part of me was drawn to go and sit with my family yet¡­ My eyes drifted back toward the trail. Something within was drawing me in. That same sensation I had felt earlier. A lurching pull, as if a rope had been tied around my waist. I was being reeled in. As I stood there, I swore I could hear it still. The static, the beep. I need to figure out what it is. I don''t know why, but I just feel this compulsion.

    "Listen up, children." Isa''s voice echoed in my mind: "This is very important. The Heinland Forest is not a safe place for little kids. Legend has it that a Web Way is connected to this forest, which leads to the Fae Wylde. This forest is known for having creatures of trickery roaming it."

    The cold iron. I scampered back into my tent and went to my bags. I dug around in them until I found the dress I had worn earlier. Searching through the pockets, I winced as I pulled out the freezing metal rod and stuck it into my pocket. I held it in my grasp but the sensations I felt, were still present.

    Should I tell the others¡ª?

    No. An abrupt thought of my own interrupted them. I should go alone.

    Suddenly, a sharp pain wracked my head, and I winced as I clutched it. "Ow, fuck¡­ what the hell?" I glanced around. I don''t get migraines often, but shit, that hurt.

    I stood back up, stepped out of my tent again, and turned to the path. One last time, I glanced back at my family. What if they notice me? I thought. Mother and father will get furious.

    They won''t notice me. I could hear my own thoughts say, I''m sure I''ll be just fine going alone. They felt so alien yet, right? They were my own thoughts after all.

    Yet it''s dangerous, I thought to myself. Surely I should notify the rest of them.

    They won''t understand. My conscience replied. We got this. Just make your way to the cave.

    I hesitated for a second. Perhaps I should tell them¨Cand winced as another ping of pain hit me, and I gritted my teeth and nodded. A quick trip only took about an hour before. Maybe they''ll think I''m asleep. I turned away from my family again and made my way towards the trail as I heard them cheer and clap at the end of Isa''s story.

    As I stepped through the underbrush, a cool chill came down the mountainside. The sound of static and the ever-present heart-like beep grew louder and louder.

 Chapter 16: The Master

    Slyran

    ¡°And we hit the ground. Our legs trumbling and aching,¡± Isa said as she peered around the fire at the others listening. ¡°I crawled over to Oshi, and we waited. And waited. Then, there, in front of us.¡± She held her thumbs and index fingers together to make a picture frame. ¡°We saw it. The Dorrani, the winged beast snacking on its prey.¡± She stood up. ¡°With a hand out to Oshi, I prepped my crossbow and took aim.¡± She snapped her finger. ¡°But a twig snapped. I knew not where, but the beast roared and spun around!¡± She exclaimed, and Varis yelped. ¡°It¡¯s massive tail felling the forest around us, causing Oshi and I to flee for cover as the Dorrani bellowed.¡±

    ¡°Wh-what happened next?¡± Varis eagerly asked.

    Isa chuckled. ¡°Well, Oshi and I fled, of course.¡± She smiled as she sat back down on the log around the fire.

    ¡°You didn¡¯t fight it?¡± Varis said sounding disappointed.

    Isa¡¯s smile broadened as she shook her head. ¡°Oh no. That would¡¯ve been suicide.¡± She chuckled. ¡°When hunting a Dorrani, it is best to do so from the shadows. A dragon such as that would slaughter you in seconds if it were to see you.¡±

    Slyran leaned in closer to the fire and Isa. ¡°How¡¯d you escape?¡± He asked curiously. ¡°Those things can smell a pile of dung ten gilos out.¡±

    Isa shuddered. ¡°I became great friends with mud that night. Does wonders at masking one''s scent.¡±

    ¡°Can¡¯t go wrong with just smelling like the jungle, I guess.¡± He chuckled. ¡°That¡¯s clever thinking.¡±

    Cailynn made a disgusted face and shook her head. ¡°I dunno if I could do that. Gods, how long did it take to wash yourself?¡±

    ¡°Too long.¡± Isa said with a roll of her eyes as she recalled the event. ¡°I spent days getting all the bits of dirt from my hair.¡±

    ¡°Madam Soza, can you tell another story?¡± Varis asked.

    Isa thought for a second and glanced at the sky towards the two moons. She then looked at Cailynn, who met her gaze and shook her head. ¡°It¡¯s getting too late,¡± Cailynn said to Varis, who immediately pouted. ¡°We have much to do tomorrow, Hon. Help Isa clean up camp and get ready for bed.¡±

    The young boy pouted, though he knew not to complain. Getting up, he began to collect the tin plates and cups around the camp. Slyran smiled at Isa. ¡°Thank you for the story,¡± he said, nodding to her.

    The serelli returned the smile. ¡°You are welcome. It pleases me that you all seem to enjoy much of mundanities.¡± Slyran gawked.

    ¡°That¡¯s what you call mundane?¡± He said, blinking.

    Isa¡¯s ears wiggled as her smile broadened. ¡°In Kazora, yes. Scary predators are as common as jabbers are here. Such an event to me is like¡­ How does the phrase go?¡± She pondered for a second. ¡°Just another Fields Day.¡± She chuckled, though after a moment her ears drooped.

    Slyran frowned. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± He asked as Cailynn doused the fire. Isa¡¯s ears perked up again, though she didn¡¯t respond just yet. Her eyes turned towards the children¡¯s tent, the one in which Luna was resting.

    ¡°It bothers me that I was unable to fulfill my promise,¡± Isa said softly, her tail flicking anxiously. ¡°I am also concerned about what had happened.¡± Her eyes returned to Slyran.

    The elf¡¯s ears also drooped as well as Cailynn¡¯s as the woman returned to her husband¡¯s side. ¡°As are we,¡± he said, draping an arm around Cailynn. ¡°I know you¡¯re not a doctor, Love. But you¡¯ve read stuff,¡± he said with a cringe, knowing how stupid he just sounded. ¡°We both know she isn¡¯t sick; the food was cooked, and she had no fever.¡±

    Cailynn took a deep breath and turned to thank Varis, who placed the pile of dirty tins next to her to clean. Taking one of the cups, the former magister took a moment to gather her thoughts as she purged the dirty cup of any grime or stain without a word.

    Slyran watched as the cup momentarily became lit with light. Steam rose from its surface as Cailynn held it with both hands. The two had known each other for nearly ninety years, and even now the man was still amazed by even the simplest of spells. Why doesn¡¯t everyone know such magic? If he could clean a room or his clothes so easily, life would be wonderful¡ªhe needed to focus.

    Cailynn finally drew in a breath and placed the now clean tin aside. ¡°You are correct, Love. I am no physician; instead, what we really need is a psychologist.¡±

    ¡°Psycho-what?¡± Slyran said, glancing at Isa.

    ¡°She means a doctor of the mind,¡± Isa clarified for him.

    Cailynn nodded. ¡°I think Luna had a panic attack,¡± she said. ¡°I don¡¯t know what may have triggered it. She said she heard leaves as we entered the cave.¡± Isa brought her hand to her mouth, her eyes wide.

    ¡°What is it?¡± Slyran asked.

    ¡°The fae,¡± the serelli said, her ears drooping even further. ¡°Could I have scared her?¡± She asked.

    Cailynn shrugged as she grabbed another dirty tin and began to magically clean it. ¡°Maybe, though she seemed unphased since we got here. I don¡¯t know why she would¡¯ve panicked the way she did. Even if that were the case, it would not be your fault, Isa.¡±

    Slyran nodded. ¡°Agreed. Such information is important for everyone to know.¡± Before anyone else could say anything, he held a finger up. ¡°Question is though, could this have been the fae directly?¡± He cocked an eyebrow.

    ¡°That is probable,¡± Cailynn said, ¡°though I think unlikely. While fae are known in these parts, there has not been any report of their activity in nearly thirty years. Many folk, especially the younger humans, are beginning to think they are a myth. The chances of us, specifically Luna, being the chosen one of their antics just seem unrealistic.¡±

    Isa sighed. ¡°Yes, but you are the Ashflows,¡± the serelli said with a smirk.

    Cailynn¡¯s head perked, and she looked at Isa. ¡°And what¡¯s that supposed to mean?¡±

    Isa giggled. ¡°I feel I have known you both long enough to know that trouble always seems to follow you.¡±

    ¡°Back when we were swords for hire, sure,¡± Slyran said, ¡°but we¡¯re retired.¡±

    Isa rolled her eyes. ¡°And that means things would just stop?¡± She smirked.

    Slyran groaned. ¡°Fates be, I don¡¯t wanna have this talk again.¡± Isa snickered.

    Varis came over and said, ¡°Camp¡¯s clean, Momma. Anything else I need to do?¡± The boy sounded so professional, almost soldier-like. Slyran smiled.

    ¡°You¡¯ll need to brush your teeth,¡± Cailynn said, patting his shoulder. ¡°You did good today.¡±

    Varis nodded slowly but then glanced towards his and his sister¡¯s tent. ¡°Is Luna going to be alright?¡± He asked.

    Cailynn¡¯s expression softened, and she smiled. ¡°Of course, Sweetie. Come tomorrow she¡¯ll be all bright eyed and eager as she usually is.¡±

    The boy¡¯s expression brightened a little. ¡°Okay. Good night!¡± He hugged Cailynn before hopping over to also hug Slyran and then Isa. After stepping away from Isa he came over to Slyran, and in a mock salute he said, ¡°See you in the morning, sir!¡±

    Slyran felt his heart swell, and he smiled and returned the salute. ¡°Get some rest, soldier. We have training in the morning.¡± As in, he, Isa, and the boy are going to go hunting.

    Varis¡¯s eyes twinkled as she nodded and began to walk back to his tent. With a deep breath, Slyran turned to the two women and said, ¡°Speaking of things we don¡¯t want to talk about¡­¡±

    By his tone of voice, Cailynn groaned. ¡°Must we speak of more bad things?¡± She asked as she placed the last tin onto the pile of clean utensils.

    ¡°It¡¯s important,¡± he said. ¡°It has to do with Lorizio.¡±

    ¡°Of course it does¡­¡± Cailynn muttered and Isa nodded. The serelli tutor had been looped into this discussion shortly after Lorizio visited a couple of months ago. ¡°I told you, Slyran, Lorizio¡¯s prediction lines up with what we¡¯ve always seen in the past. Rusimia is posturing, besides, even if it is true. The Sovereign Right predicts the attack will happen a year from now; we have time.¡±

    ¡°Herbert knows,¡± Slyran said. ¡°His family, at least Anora, knows what¡¯s coming. So do the Olsons, Cailynn.¡± He looked at her. ¡°The merchant guilds are aware of what¡¯s coming as well.¡±

    Cailynn stared at him, her face stern, though cracks began to show. She turned away. ¡°And what is that supposed to mean? It changes nothing.¡±

    ¡°But it does, Cailynn,¡± Slyran said. ¡°We now have two sources saying the same thing.¡± He was beginning to feel frustrated at his wife¡¯s stubbornness. ¡°Why are you so keen on not¨C¡± Before he could say something that would have him sleeping under the stars. Varis shouted.

    ¡°Mother! Father!¡± Isa¡¯s ears twitched in the direction of Varis¡¯s feet slapping dirt as he sprinted towards them. ¡°Luna¡¯s gone!¡±

    ¡°What?!¡± Cailynn gasped and shot up from her seat alongside Slyran.

    The young boy skidded to a stop a few feet from them. His hand pointed towards their tent. ¡°Luna¡¯s not in the tent; I-I looked around, but I didn¡¯t see or hear her.¡±

    ¡°Blasted all!¡± Slyran cursed. ¡°Where could she have gone?¡± This was unlike their daughter. Luna running away? Absurd. The girl hardly ever left the house, let alone a book she was reading.

    Isa frowned. ¡°I think I have an idea¡­¡± She said, turning towards the north, where the dark mountain loomed overhead. She side-eyed Slyran. ¡°Perhaps your theory on the fae might not be too far-fetched.¡±

    <hr>

    Luna

    The night¡¯s darkness loomed over the world after the sun had dipped beneath the mountain¡¯s horizon. Leaving the only source of light to be the colorful array cast down from Enora''s two moons. Yet even then, the thick canopy of the Heinland forest made everything nearly pitch black. Even my elven eyes, which had usually served me well in the dark, struggled to make out the winding vines and sticks lost in the underbrush. Causing me to trip on multiple occasions as I ascended the mountain.

    I moved with haste. My heart was beating heavily in my chest. Its steady pulse thundered in my ears along with the static and steady beep which grew louder and louder with every subsequent step forward. Despite the cold, sweat formed on my brow as my hands and legs shook. Visions of my nightmare flashed across my mind. The heart monitor, the television. The disheveled man in the mirror.

    Why do I hear it? This can''t be real.

    "It isn''t real." I heard myself say.

    But it feels and sounds so real. The static, the beep. Am I really just in a coma?

    "Don''t be so foolish. You''re distracting yourself; focus on what''s in front of you. You heard, Isa, she said that this forest is filled with fae. You know, faeries, pixies, sprites, and alps. Beings of trickery and deception."

    That doesn''t make it any less horrifying.

    "Just keep that piece of cold iron on you, and don''t panic. That''ll only get us killed."

    Us? Who am I talking to? Am I talking to myself now?

    "Bah, I''m really driving myself crazy now." I said out loud.

    The steady beep echoed in my eardrums as I clambered up the side of the mountain trail. My legs were aching and I assumed I was about halfway there. Behind me, I could no longer see the campfire light or hear my family. I wasn''t entirely sure if I was going the right way, yet part of me was confident.

    Then I heard it as I clambered over a fallen tree in the path. Over the static and beeping, a distant, hollow howl akin to that of a wolf. I froze up on the log, clutching it tightly. It sounded very close.

    "What are you doing? Keep moving." I said to myself, yet my body didn¡¯t move.

    There''s a monster out here. A dangerous one. Mother said there were timbewolves. I thought to myself and I gulped

    "Yes, there is, but standing still is only going to get me killed. It''s best that I keep moving." I heard myself say, yet something didn¡¯t sound right. What sounded like me didn¡¯t talk like me.

    "I''m going fucking crazy," I said out loud feeling in control once again. "I''m actually cracked."

    As quickly as my control returned, it vanished when I heard my voice say, "Perhaps I am, but talking out loud is going to give you away. Keep moving."

    Once again, I heard the howl; it sounded so unnatural. A ghostly sound mixed with scraping bark on a tree. I shivered, hopped off the log, and continued to move at a much faster pace. I whimpered nervously as the howl received a response, except this time somewhere off to my left.

    "They''ve caught our scent.¡± My voice said in my mind like someone speaking into my ear. ¡°Double it, Luna. Keep moving. We won''t be able to see them within the underbrush; just don''t stay in one spot too long."

    My heart began to race, and I whined as I began to pump my little legs faster.

    How the fuck would I know that? I never read about timberwolves. How would I know they''re after me? Maybe that was like a mating call.

    This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

    "Just trust me, move! You don''t want to die again, do you? What if you don''t get a third chance?"

    "Fuck me!" I whined as the path began to meander to the left, and I followed the trail. Further ahead I nearly tripped as I rounded a corner and caught myself on a branch. I panted heavily as I took a second to breathe.

    "What are you doing?! Move!"

    "I need a breather." I gasped. "I need to catch my breath."

    "We don''t have time. The pack is moving in on us as we speak."

    "How do you know that? How do I know that?" I grasped the side of my head. "Where did this other voice come from?"

    "As fun as it would be to try and get to know ourselves, we don''t have the time. Get moving, or else you''ll be turned into fertilizer."

    I cursed and pushed myself forward.

    "You''re almost there. There are about a dozen yards left. Once you reach the clearing, that''s when they''ll attack. Run like hell."

    "Excuse me?"

    "They''re laying an ambush. There are three of them. No, four. The Alpha is watching far off."

    "This is definitely not me thinking this..." I said. "Wh-what if I don''t go out there?" I shook. "What if I turn back?"

    "You cannot do that. Not anymore. If you turn back now, the rest of the pack will converge for the kill."

    "So, I''m fucked!"

    "No. Stop panicking. Move to the cave. Trust me. You''ll make it, and you will live. But only if you run. Now move!"

    Tears streamed down my cheeks, my legs wobbled, and my heart was beating so fast I thought it''d burst. Biting my lower lip, I cried softly. "I--I don''t want to die!"

    "You''re not going to die. Trust me."

    "H-How?! Who are you? You''re not me!"

    "I am you; now move! They''re going to kill you!"

    "I shouldn''t have come out here. I shouldn''t have come out here!"

    "For all the love there is to be, Luna Ashflow, move!"

    My little heart began to thump in my ears, and my breathing became ragged, drowning out the static and beeping. I couldn''t take any breaths. I couldn''t breathe. I was going to die. I fucking killed myself before it even happened. Why did I walk out here? What did I hope to gain? I''m dead. I''m going to be ripped apart by fucking wolves because of some childish curiosity. I threw it away. I threw this new life away.

    "DUCK NOW!"

    My conscience screamed, and without thinking, I dove to the ground as a massive, looming mass lunged over me. My shoulder struck sticks and dirt as my legs flew over me as I rolled onto my back.

    The ground shook and trembled as I found myself staring up at the stars. ¡°Run, you need to run!¡± The little voice in my head screamed as I rolled onto my stomach and stood up shakily. I looked back, and my eyes widened with abject horror.

    It was large. Probably about the size of a stallion. Its outer shell was made of thick tree bark overgrown with moss and vines. Nowhere I could see was this thing made of flesh; only wood and other organic vegetation that vaguely created the silhouette of a large wolf-like creature. Its eyes, a sickly green, I could see dripping from its makeshift maw riddled with sharp stick-like teeth was an oozing, almost undulating sap.

    I''m going to die, I thought.

    "Only if you stand there like an idiot. Run!"

    The wooden construct of a beast raised its head and unleashed a soulless howl, and I screamed as I cupped my ears and ran for dear life. I could see the clearing up ahead, yet one more fallen log blocked my path. Behind me, I could feel the ground quake as the monster began to chase.

    "It''s going to pounce! Dive to the left, and immediately begin crawling forward!"

    Whatever this little voice was that sounded like me, I chose to put my trust in it as I dove to the left. My belly scraped against the cold mud and unmelted snow, and my nice dress immediately became ruined as I began to army crawl. Which was perfectly timed as a second timberwolf dove through the bushes and landed right where I had just been.

    "Get up and run! I''ll let you know when to dodge again!"

    I wailed and ran, my legs burning. I continued pumping them forward, jumping over the fallen tree. My knee scraped and gashed itself against it as I failed to clear it, and I tumbled forward. Face cracking into stone and grass. I yelled with pain.

    "Get up, get up, get up!"

    I moaned and crawled forward before pushing myself to my feet. On the looming cliff face before me, I could see the cave entrance, yet to my left, about one hundred feet out, the third wooden wolf broke through the tree line and began to beeline right for me. Behind me, the two other wolves began to flank around. I had nowhere to go but the cave.

    "Run!"

    I cried as I began to sprint as fast as my little legs could carry me. Seventy feet, fifty feet, and thirty feet. It was gaining on me. I was only about a few feet from the entrance when the little voice in my head bellowed.

    "Jump!"

    Like a baseball player running for home, I leaped forward into the cave entrance just as the sharp, wooden claws gouged my back. Hot, searing pain shot through me as my vision flashed white and red as I tumbled into the cave.

    "Crawl, crawl! You''re almost there!"

    Ignoring the agonizing pain in my back, I vigorously began to pull myself over the rocky floor of the cave as the ferocious barking and howling behind me intensified as the wooden monstrosities attempted to force themselves through the entrance, which, thankfully, their wide frames were too big to fit comfortably through.

    Yet that didn''t mean they wouldn''t try.

    The sound of snapping wood caught my ears as one of them pressed and forced themselves in. I was only about ten feet or so into the cave, and I turned away and began to pull myself to my feet and limp away.

    "Don''t worry. They''ll try to get in, but I can assure you they can''t."

    I moved as far from the entrance as I could, about thirty feet back, and eventually, the wolves pulled away and all fell silent, save for my whimpers and moans. As the adrenaline faded, I crumpled to my hands and knees. My dress was now soaked with blood and mud. I could feel a warm, wet trickle moving down my back and arms beneath the fabric. I pressed my head into the floor and began to cry.

    Everything fell silent¡ªthe little voice in my head, the static and beeping. All vanished as I wailed; the adrenaline, the pain¡ªall of it shook me as I sobbed. Never in my life have I felt so utterly horrified and alone.

    I was a fool to come here; what was I thinking? This isn''t some silly anime or anything; I have no powers. How the fuck did I survive?!

    I moaned and lightly thumped my head on the floor as I sniffled and sobbed.

    "You are no fool; I was the one who deceived you into coming here. This isn''t whatever you just thought, nor is it fictional. This is all very, very real." The little voice returned, yet the voice that sounded like my own transitioned into something else. It sounded like a man; their tone was elegant yet emotionless.

    "Do not wallow in pity or fear. You did well."

    "The fuck, you mean I did well?!" I cried out, hiccupping over my voice. I wiped the tears from my eyes; my left arm felt limp. I could move it, but doing so caused great pain. "You manipulated me! I almost fucking died; I''m injured¡­ I''m alone¡­ I want my mom! Dad!" I screamed out as all of my pent up emotions boiled out.

    The little voice fell silent for a minute. I tried to catch my breath, the pain coming from my wounds caused me to moan and whimper as I cried. After a few moments, however, I quieted down and tried to compose myself.

    That¡¯s when the voice spoke again, "You did well because you''re alive. And that''s all that matters." The voice fell silent once more. I could hear the sound of the static and the heart-like beep returned. The little voice came back, the once emotionless tone taking on a more calming sound. "Your family most definitely heard the noise up the mountain here; they would''ve checked on your tent and noticed you were gone. They''ll be coming here shortly."

    My heart skipped a beat. "Then they''re in danger!"

    "No, they are not. Your mother and father are most formidable; a small pack of timberwolves will easily be dispatched. I say this to ease your fears; you will not die here, Luna, and I do apologize for the injuries you sustained."

    I sniffed and wiped my eyes. "Wh-who are you?"

    "Who I am right now is entirely irrelevant; I just need you to listen to me. Though, for the sake of giving you a name, you can call me "The Master"."

    I hiccupped and said, "Th-that doesn''t sound ominous at all."

    "I''ve helped you thus far, haven''t I?"

    Anger erupted within me. "You helped me by luring me to a pack of wolves!"

    "Wolves that failed to eat you.¡± The voice retorted. ¡°If you had come up here without my guidance, you would surely be little elf pieces right now."

    I sniffled and nodded. "I-I can''t argue with that¡­" I winced as the wound on my back began to throb.

    "Once again, I apologize for the injuries you sustained. From what I can sense, they are not life-threatening. Your family should reach here before anything becomes dire; however, you are still capable of moving and coming to meet me again."

    "Again?" I blinked. "I''ve never talked to you before till now." I shifted to my feet and wiped my eyes; the tears just kept fucking coming.

    "Long ago, we did." The voice of the master said.

    I blinked. "Are you the reason why I''m here right now? By that, I mean¡­ alive again?"

    "Answering that question is something I do not have the time or patience for. Now that I sense you''re standing, I would like for you to proceed to the back of the cave. A hole should be visible that you can squeeze through."

    "How about you answer my question first?" I growled.

    "I refuse to answer the question because I know it''ll only raise more questions. Now, please, proceed to the back of the cave."

    There''s no pleasing you, is there? I thought to myself.

    "Do remember, I can hear your thoughts." The master responded.

    Great, then that means I have no more privacy?

    "For now."

    Feeling as if I had no choice, I began to limp over to the hole. The cave was long, but not wide. The walls were slick with condensation, and the bases were lined with rubble and sharp stalagmites.

    The cave began to shift a bit to the right, with the ceiling becoming lower as the floor began to decline. My knee, which I gashed against the log, seeped blood down my once-white stockings and into and on my boots, making each step slippery. Yet as I carefully ventured down, true to their word, a hole could be found against the back wall.

    One that is just big enough to fit me and some.

    "Uh¡­huh¡­" I gulped. "I-I don''t have to crawl through that, do I?" I asked out loud, as a nervous shake was present in my voice. "L-Like it''s going to open up to reveal a passage?" I didn''t want to crawl into that tight space, even with my small frame. What if I get stuck?

    "You will not get stuck." The voice replied.

    I bit my lower lip and glanced down the hall; even with my improved night vision compared to my past life, I could not see what was beyond. Yet, I could hear the static and the beep of the heart monitor, which was now the loudest it had been.

    Hey, voice¡­ Master? I thought.

    "Yes?"

    Since you can hear my thoughts and all, do you also hear the static and beeping?

    My conscience fell silent for a moment, almost as if the voice had paused to think.

    "As a matter of fact, I do." The voice replied slowly.

    Do you know what it is? Am I going nuts?

    "This I can answer; it''s your internal fears. A phobia that is being triggered. It''s trying to distract you. Ignore it."

    I took a deep breath, feeling a little relieved. Yet a bit of skepticism remained as I glanced at the hole. Once again, I felt as if I had no choice. Shifting my body, I climbed into the hole, my body quaking with fear once more as I began to squeeze my way through.

    Thankfully, the hole wasn''t that long. Only about seven or so feet I wriggled my way through before coming out the other end, yelping as I flopped into icy water. I panicked for a second but stopped when I realized it was only a few inches deep.

    "Fuck, I''m soaked¡­" I groaned as I pushed myself to my feet and glanced around the eerie darkness. The static echoing louder along with the beep made it almost impossible to think as I gritted my teeth.

    "Excellent. You''re almost there. Proceed to the right; about ten paces forward, you''ll hit an abnormally smooth wall." The voice instructed, and I followed.

    Sure enough, as I waded out of the water and onto the smooth ground, I reached a smooth wall. Yet it wasn''t entirely smooth. There were etchings on it. I couldn''t make out what, though I knew it wasn''t natural.

    What is this? I thought. This doesn¡¯t feel like stone¡­ is this metal?¡±

    "It¡¯s a structure. An old tower that once resided here. That much, I''ll say. Follow this wall to your left and keep your hand on it. Eventually, you''ll find a gap."

    I nodded and did as I was told.

    Voice, Why did you choose me? I asked. Why not speak to Varis or my parents?

    I continued down the cave, my hand grazing the smooth stone wall.

    There was silence for a moment. As said, we met once before.

    So why don''t I remember? I thought.

    I have my reasons. The voice replied as my fingers dipped into the aforementioned gap.

    I stopped. Being secretive isn''t best when trying to form trust, I thought.

    "Again, I have my reasons, and I told you. Answering questions will only raise more questions. The less you know, the better. Believe me when I say you and I are on the same side. In a mutual relationship, you help me, and I help you."

    Ah, so I''m helping you? I smirked, and I heard the voice sigh.

    "Yes, you are." The voice sighed softly. "Now, press your fingers into the gap."

    I hesitated for a second before taking a deep breath and shoving them through the slit in the wall. I felt them press against a metallic surface, which then sank with my fingers. A loud click echoed throughout the chamber, and soon the wall cracked and began to part. I stumbled back as pieces of stone and dust sprinkled down from above. A blueish-white light blinded me.

    I shielded my eyes, and as they adjusted, I saw what looked to be a staircase, riddled with pieces of broken metal and¡­ Bells?

    Ascend the tower, and we''ll meet again.

    "What the fuck¡­" I muttered as I shifted past the broken debris of iron and copper bells, which clanged and stumbled down the steps.

    As I stepped through the doorway, the chill of the cave vanished. The air became stuffy, and the static and beeping noises continued to assault my mind. Mixed in was a ticking clock which only added to the cacophony of noise.

    Grabbing the railing, I began to climb my way up the dimly lit steps and gasped when the metal door behind me began to shut.

    "Wait, wait, wait!" I screamed and began to run back down.

    "Do not worry; you''re not trapped here." The voice said, "Keep going up."

    I panted nervously and whined before turning around. "I''m dreaming," I said. "This has to be a dream."

    "You are not dreaming. This is all very, very real, Luna Ashflow."

    I gulped as I began to climb the steps, careful not to trip over the many broken bells. "Why are there so many broken bells here?" I asked out loud.

    "Failed recreations. They are harmless, as long as you don''t trip on them."

    "Recreating what? Church bells?" I asked as I reached the first platform of many.

    "It is nothing that concerns you." Said the voice.

    "So bloody secretive." I sighed as I continued up the second set of stairs.

    This continued as I rounded what seemed like over a dozen stairs, the pile of shattered bells piling up more and more until finally, I reached a metal door.

    I panted softly, my thighs and busted knees aching. My wounded back and arm throbbed heavily, and my head was screaming with the migraine that brought on the incessant noise that''s been plaguing me.

    "The door is unlocked. You can enter."

    I straightened up, grabbed the metal handle, turned, and stepped inside. Warm air instantly greeted me, along with the sound of howling wind, a beautiful night sky, and two gorgeous moons. Radiance and Andoria are much larger and closer than ever before. In front of me, a massive, black bell damaged along its base due to the missing pieces I noticed hung aloft above an altar.

    Yet what stood out to me was the gentle piano music I heard coming across from the other side of the altar. As the metal door shut behind me, I flinched and stepped forward, noticing the open windowpanes allowing air to flow through and revealing a gorgeous vista of rolling plains and mountains. Yet there were no ordinary mountains or planes; this wasn''t Oren. This wasn''t Heinmarr.

    Where the fuck am I?

    The pleasant piano music ceased. "Welcome to the Infinite Twilight." I heard the voice, except it was no longer in my head. Across from me, I saw a dark figure rise from behind the piano, an androgynous being draped in a black cloak from head to toe, the hood concealing most of their face, revealing only their pale mouth and chin.

    Raising their arm, the sleeve fell back to reveal a delicate pale hand gesturing to the scenery before us. "My prison and home."

 Chapter 17: Power

    I took a step back, my eyes widening a bit. "Your prison?" I gulped and glanced around. It didn''t necessarily look like a prison. On top of an open-air bell tower, overlooking a beautiful land and starscape. What did concern me, however, was the term he used, "Infinite Twilight."

    A rather ominous name for a place, I thought¡ªare we even in Enora anymore?

    "I apologize that the name of my home disturbs you, Luna Ashflow." The cloaked man said that, and I cringed.

    "O-Oh shit, sorry. Sorry. I didn''t mean any offense." I gulped.

    Fuck I forgot he could read my mind.

    "I indeed can." He nodded.

    The figure began to walk, no levitate, around the giant, damaged black bell, the robes of his cloak barely moving as he glided over the surface to me. I instinctively took a few steps back as his tall, thin form loomed over me. His cloaked face was vaguely becoming silhouetted as I looked up, the faint glint of his eyes visible as he stared down at me. His plump lips were twisting slightly in thought as he leaned over me.

    "I-Is something wrong?" I asked nervously.

    The man hummed and said, "No. I''m merely taking in your new appearance. Last time we spoke, you still possessed your old body. So, I''m curious to see how you came out."

    My eye twitched slightly, and I glanced to my left and right and said, "Ri-right¡­ Yeah, last we spoke."

    The figure nodded and straightened up. "Yes. You asked for me to give you a new form. One different from your old life."

    My eyebrows lifted, and I looked back up at him and straightened myself. "So, you turned me into an elf girl? So, you''re the one who reincarnated me?"

    The being sighed and said, "No and yes. So many questions¡­ I did not choose your sex or species; the Current is what decides that, and even I hold little power over its ebbs and flows. Though I did pluck you from your world and bring you here."

    I clenched and unclenched my hands, and my anxious heart began to beat once more. Am I standing in front of a god? Is this for real? Or am I dreaming?

    "Once again, Luna Ashflow, you are not dreaming," he said as he began to levitate around me.

    "Wh-what are you?" I asked as I turned with him, following his unblinking gaze. "Are you a god?''

    "What I am is entirely irrelevant to this conversation." He came to a stop and glanced at the broken bell before us before shifting his gaze back to me as if expecting another question.

    "Okay¡­ well," I stepped back from him as the sound of static returned, and the incessant beep was returning as my heart rate began to kick up a couple of notches. I glanced at the bell before looking at him. The sound was coming from within.

    "Why did you call this place your prison?" I asked.

    "Because it is. I have been trapped here for over two thousand years. Yet despite that, it hasn''t stopped me from reaching beyond the veil and influencing those outside."

    "If you''re so powerful¡­" I took a step back; the noise was growing louder. "Why haven''t you gotten out? Why did you influence me into coming here? Why did you even save me?"

    "So many questions; you mortals never cease to ask questions." He sighed deeply. "Me answering such questions will yield no results and simply stall time by having you ask more."

    "Can you please just answer some of them? Why am I here?" I gestured to the bell. "Why do I keep hearing these scary sounds?"

    "You are here because I wish to speak to you, and to answer your second question, it''s because the bell is feeding off of your fears. Manifesting them into reality."

    I blinked and looked at the bell as I gestured to it. "What?"

    "The Penumbra Bell." He said it with a huff and pointed to it. "It feeds off mortals fears and anxieties, and once they''re satisfied, it brings them to reality. Your fear is that this new-found life of yours is fake, a ruse your mind is playing while, in reality, you''re in a coma. You are fond of this new life." I noticed a smile creeping on his lips as he finished speaking.

    I took a couple of deep breaths, and as my heartbeat calmed, I noticed the sounds of the static and beeping had faded. While not gone completely, they were quieter. "I am," I said. "Dying has been the best thing to ever happen to me. This world is pretty; my family is great; this new body of mine is fun; I love it." The smile on the man''s face grew wider, his lips parted a bit, and sharp canines began to peek through.

    "Excellent, that is what I wanted to hear." He turned to face me. "Come. There is something I wish to show you." He began to levitate around the bell to the opposite side by the piano.

    Nervous, I began to follow him, and as we rounded the bell, I could see a large glass cabinet along the far wall. The being stopped before it and produced a silver key from his robes, unlocked the cabinet, and opened it.

    Within, I could see a variety of tinctures, vases, and other bizarre artifacts. Yet what he plucked out was a small, turquoise vase, no bigger than my palm, and he turned to me. "What I have here," he said, "will help us both on your quest."

    My head cocked to the side like a confused dog. "What quest?" I asked.

    "The one you''re on currently. Do not be surprised that you don''t know what I''m talking about. This is deliberate."

    Despite my nervousness and fear, I couldn''t help but say, "Dude, you can''t just keep falling back on the ''trust me, bro'' argument." I bit my lower lip and glanced at the man.

    Yet instead of irritation or annoyance, he smirked. "Well, if this is what''ll get you to keep moving, so be it. You are to save the world, Luna Ashflow." He smiled.

    "You''re kidding?" I crossed my arms. A fucking chosen one? I guess this is like those animes. I smirked.

    The man in black side-eyed me. "I am not joking. The world is on a tragic path, and the gods are either idly standing by or leaving." He held out the tiny vase to me. "Yet you and I can stop this world''s destruction."

    So, this is where the anime plot kicks in? I jokingly thought.

    "If you want to put it that way, sure." The being responded.

    Fuck, dammit. I keep forgetting. Damn mind reading¡­

    I took a shaky breath and said, "Okay, who or what wants to destroy the world?"

    "That is irrelevant to this conversation."

    "Oh, fuck off with that! You can''t just say the world is going to die and not tell me who''s going to do it." I stomped my foot on the floor.

    "Me telling you would be pointless anyway, as when you leave here. You''ll have no memory of this conversation."

    I tensed up, blinked a couple of times, and looked at him. "Excuse me?"

    With the hand holding the vase still outstretched to me, he said, "When you leave my domain, your memories will be wiped clean. Instead, you''ll think that you walked off into the woods and were attacked; you took shelter in the cave and awaited your family''s arrival."

    "Whoa, whoa, whoa, why? Why do you want to wipe my memories?" I threw my arms out. "What''s the point of this, then?"

    "Secrecy is why. The gods would not be so keen to know that my influences stretch beyond their iron bars. If they find out and stifle me, our chances of saving Enora and even your old world are next to none."

    "Wait, my old world is in danger?" I asked.

    "All of existence is in danger." He said it bluntly.

    I blinked. "That sounds dire," I said as I looked him up and down, trying to gauge if he was bullshitting me or not, yet I couldn''t tell. "You''re serious."

    "Why would I lie?" He asked.

    "Well, you lied to me to get me to the cave by posing as my thoughts. You told me to call you the master; it sounds to me like you''re a manipulator." I replied, gesturing to him. "You have an evil bell that feeds off of fear; you live in a place called the ''Infinite Twilight'' and you''re wearing dark robes like the grim reaper." I gulped and said shakily, "So forgive me for thinking you are sketchy."

    "Said nearly as exactly as you did before." He chuckled. "Except for your new body and voice this time," he said. "Nonetheless, you''re doing a lot of reaching¡ª"

    "Tricking me into going to a cave and influencing my actions isn''t fucking reaching." I cut him off.

    The man in black side-eyed me and continued, "¡ªand judging me by my appearance, but I can assure you, Luna Ashflow, we are allies, or that we could be."

    He inched closer to me with the vase in hand. "In time, I will tell you everything. Whenever you return to my tower, memories of our past experiences will return going forward."

    "Wait return? I can come back here?" I asked.

    He nodded. "Yes, but not to this exact point; only places near the magrite scars and places of power can my tower be reached. I am the one who forcibly creates the entrances, but only for a very, very brief time. Enough to allow any mortal through, but not myself."

    "If you wipe my memories, how will I know to come here?" I asked.

    "The same way I brought you here the first time. Whenever you are near one of my Web Ways, you''ll sense the presence of the bell, and my mind will meld with yours."

    "So, you''re going to possess me?" This made him chuckle.

    "Not entirely; I''ll form part of your conscience and guide you, but I can never fully take control. Not yet."

    Yet?!

    "Not that I would want to." He muttered, "Have I made myself clear, Luna Ashflow? I know this is much to take in, but trust me. Dark times are coming, and well¡­ as cliche as this sounds, you are special." He said that, and I stepped back.

    This really is a chosen one plot. This sounds like a joke.

    I could feel his eyes rolling, and he said, "This is not a joke. I''m being serious. You are special, truly. Why else would I reincarnate you?"

    I bit my lip, nodded, and said, "I-I can''t argue with that."

    "Good. Now, take this vase and breathe in its contents." He handed the vase over to me.

    "Wait, hold up, what?" I peeked over the vase; it had some weight to it, and the colors were nice. Is he trying to drug me?

    "No. Within that vase is some of my power. I wish to deepen the wells within you."

    I gulped. "You''re going to have to elaborate."

    "In layman''s terms, I wish to make you more susceptible to magic. Your soul is already bolder than many, but I know I can nurture it and make it stronger."

    "I, uh¡­ think I get what you mean." I glanced at the vase and then back up at the being.

    He motioned for me to open it by rolling his wrist.

    If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.

    "Do I have a choice in this?" I asked, and his arms stopped moving, and they slunk back to his sides.

    "You do, but not partaking in this boon will be very detrimental."

    "What exactly would it do? Is it going to have side effects?" I asked, my eyes flicking back and forth as I shifted from foot to foot, which was a mistake as my damaged knee flared up.

    "Such information is irrelevant due to my telling you that you won''t remember anything. But if my answer will get you to consume it, every being possesses a soul, and all souls contain a well. Within that well, ether is pooled. Ether is a byproduct of the soul that can be used to manipulate the fundamentals of reality, i.e., magic. There are many forms of magic, all of which I do not have the time or patience to dive into. Though to chalk things up, everyone and everything that is upon the creation of the soul is granted a well. A well that sticks with you through all cycles of life, including those reborn. Though that doesn''t mean it cannot be changed; wells can be shrunk, deepened, or strengthened. Yet it takes time; for some mortal wizards, they spend their entire lives deepening their power by mere droplets, but even then, for a mortal, that is an amazing feat. While others, however, explore the darker sides of magic and choose the raw power of eviscerating their wells for vast exponential boosts of energy, thus damaging their total potential¡­ and I could go on and on." He smiled. "But hopefully that is enough to give you an idea."

    "So, if I drink whatever is in here, this ''well'' of mine will deepen?" I clarified.

    "More than that, it will deepen and swell with more ether. As mentioned, you already have great potential, but this will allow you to become a great master of the arcane arts. But do not be too emboldened by this; there are still limitations. This is a small dosage. I would like to study how well this works and, if so, provide you with more in the future. Do not expect to walk out of here as a spell-slinging god. No. This is merely me paving the path for you; it''ll then be up to you to learn how to control and use it."

    I glanced at the vase and licked my dry lips. Holy shit, this is¡­ amazing. If this is true, then my dream of becoming a wizard-like my mother could come true.

    "It very well may." The man smiled widely, his fangs protruding past his lips.

    I shuddered at the sight. Despite what he said about me having a choice, I couldn''t help but feel it was a trick response. I could leave here without this, but how he implied it made me agree that it would be a horrible idea. So, I decided to go with it.

    "Fuck it," I said, taking the top off the vase. A swirling purple and blue nebulous cloud soared out of the vase. I yelled and nearly dropped it as the cloud lunged at me and engulfed my being.

    "Do not be afraid; this is merely part of the process." The being said, as the swirling clouds forced their way into my very being. Roaring pain erupted within, and I howled with agony.

    Then everything went dark, and I collapsed.

    <hr>

    "Gyak!" I gasped awake and rolled onto my side, my back seared with pain and my body sore all over. As I shifted, I could feel the dried blood and flesh peeling off my back from having dried on the stone floor.

    I panted and groaned. Fuck, I passed out¡­ shit. I glanced at the entrance. I couldn''t see or hear the wolves. Yet I wondered if they were still out there.

    They are probably watching me from the tree line, waiting for me to get out there. I couldn''t believe I escaped. That was close¡ªtoo close.

    I sniffed and wiped my eyes. "I''m going to die here, aren''t I?" I asked myself. "I''m such a fucking fool; why did I come here? What did I hope to find?" I pounded the floor and sniffled as the hot tears streamed down my cheeks.

    I wiped my face with my good arm; the other was still throbbing heavily with pain, and I could barely move it.

    "No use crying, Luna¡­ We need a plan," I said to myself. "Maybe there''s a back exit. Or something, anything!"

    I pushed myself to my feet and winced as I glanced back at the entrance. "Maybe I can scream. Scream for help." I coughed; my mouth was so dry. I should''ve brought a canteen with me.

    Yet if I scream, maybe they''ll come to me. I bit my lower lip in thought. Yet, they couldn''t get in before. They were too big.

    I took a deep breath. Before I go to the entrance, I should listen. Maybe, for all I know, something could be waiting. I nodded to myself, closed my eyes, and trained my ears.

    Yet nothing. I heard nothing, not even the static and beeping. Just the soothing howl of the wind and rustling Kefner trees. There are no monsters that I can hear. No weird TV noises either. Maybe I was just imagining those. I sighed. Why the fuck do I feel bummed about that?!

    I shook my head. Maybe I should wait till morning, yet my wounds... I feel weak, and it hurts. What if I get infected? What if Momma and Papa can''t find me? I wrapped my arms around myself and began to tremble. I''m going to die here. I''m going to die. Maybe I should scream? Isa would probably hear me. She has really good ears, a-and if they heard my screaming earlier, wouldn''t they be here by now? How long was I out?

    My heart began to race as I began to feel panicked. Fuck it! I don''t want to die here; I''m doing it! Those wooden bastards can''t get in here!

    As a precaution, I listened once more. Nothing seemed to be at the entrance; at least I hoped and shifted a bit closer to it before bringing one hand to my mouth and screaming.

    "Mother! Father! Isa! Heeelp!" Before stepping back and coughing heavily, my throat burned, and I screamed for water.

    "Dammit!" I cursed, straightened up, and screamed once more, "Mother! Father! Isa! Help Me! I''m up here!" My voice wavered and echoed, yet further ahead at the tree line, I saw movement.

    Oh, you gotta be fucking kidding me¡­ you dumbass, Luna! Fucking dumb ass!

    For some reason, at that very moment, my memory drifted back to the old Jurassic Park 3 film. Specifically, the scene where Amanda Kirby was screaming into the megaphone for her son¡­

    Maybe that was a bad idea¡­ I thought, as out from the tree line came a massive, hulking construct of wood, vines, and plant matter.

    A beast much larger than the three who chased me. A lupine monstrosity with branches extending from its head like antlers. Its stake-like teeth parted as the monster''s vine-like tongue lapped over them.

    Oh, thank God, he''s too big. He can''t get in here. I sighed slightly as I stepped away from the entrance. Yet the fear that my mother and father may encounter was unnerving to me.

    As I moved away from the entrance, the monstrosity snarled at me as, from behind it, a smaller pup came out, and my heart sank to the floor.

    A pup that was small enough to fit in this cave. "Oh shit, oh shit, oh shit!" My heart began to race. "No! No!" I screamed, turned, and began to limp to the back of the cave, tears streaming down my cheek.

    Outside, the Alpha howled, its tone accented by the sound of snapping wood and scraping bark, as the pup yipped excitedly and began to rush to the entrance.

    As a shadow loomed behind me, I screamed as I limped to a decline that began to dip down and shrieked as my foot gave out from below me, and I tumbled!

    My back impacted the ground as I gasped as the wound flared, and the sound of metallic clanging echoed to my right. Yet just as I opened my eyes and went to get up, I froze as, above me atop the incline, sickly green eyes stared down at me.

    A small wooden timberwolf pup lapped at its jaws before snarling and lowering itself. The wood on its body snapped and popped as the bark splintered and rose like the bristling fur on a dog. I whimpered and cried as I began to kick away from the creature.

    "No, no, please! I don''t want to die!" My good hand frantically patted around for a weapon, a rock, or anything.

    The wolf opened its toothy maw and howled before lunging off the incline and down towards me. Screaming, I felt my hand grasp onto something cold. I curled my fingers around it before thrusting myself forward with it.

    The weight of the construct rammed into me, slamming my back and head into the wall and exposing my neck. Its teeth, however, stopped around my jugular, and the creature reared back, howling with agony as it squirmed on top of me.

    Sticky, fowl-smelling liquid spilled over my hand as the timberwolf pup threw itself off of me and flopped onto the stone floor, kicking and thrashing. Despite my aching head, which I knew was bleeding from the impact, I frantically pushed myself away from the creature. I glanced up at the ramp leading out; I knew there was no way I could run away if it got back up. In a panic, I grabbed a heavy rock and grunted as I hoisted it up with one hand and flung it at the monster''s head.

    A heavy crunch, followed by hound-like cries, filled the cave as the stone smashed across its face, one of its green eyes popping from the impact. A green, glowing liquid gushed down its face, and the hound continued to kick. I crawled over to it and quickly snatched the rock one more time.

    "Fuck you!" I screamed as I brought the rock down onto its face again. Another sickening crunch, its second eye exploding, the green gore spurting across the floor. With its teeth splintering, I hoisted the rock and slammed down again.

    "Fuck you!" I cried, yet the hound continued to move. I shifted myself onto the creature, my knee ramming against the object I stabbed into the creature. I hesitated briefly as I glanced down and saw what I impaled it with.

    The cold iron.

    "It''s the one thing that can slay a fae." Isa''s words echoed in my mind.

    Grasping the sticky, sap-covered metal, I grunted as I tried to yank it out of the injured monster. The wolf howled in pain as I tugged once, then twice, and finally, by the third pull, I ripped the gore-covered metal out.

    Yet that was a mistake.

    The wolf jerked violently and threw me to the ground. I screamed and rolled as my grip on the iron came loose, and it skittered across the floor. The now-blinded wolf got to its feet; half of its face was smashed and bleeding. It gurgled and snarled as it began to blindly charge around, looking for me.

    I panted and glanced around for the iron, and I spotted it at the base of the incline. I dove for it, and the wolf screamed as the sound of my movement whipped into a frenzy, and it charged in my direction. I tried to move, but I was too slow. Its mangled maw clamped around my right ankle, and I screamed with agony as its teeth sank into my soft flesh.

    I cried and pawed for the iron as the wolf violently began to shake its head, tearing flesh and bone. My vision blurred as I continued to cry in agony. Yet my frantic reaching paid off. I felt my fingers grip the metal bar just as the wolf violently yanked its head back, and I felt my body lift off the ground as it threw me into the back wall.

    The wind flew out of my lungs, and I crumpled to the floor, thankfully with the iron still in hand. I panted and heaved for air as the mangled pup limped towards me. Even though my ankle was ruined, I tried to stand with my other foot, and with primal fury, I roared and threw myself at the wolf.

    The monster tried to dodge, yet the injuries I inflicted on it were enough to slow it, and I tackled the beast to the floor. Getting on top of it, the wolf lashed out with its claws, striking my chest and breast, tearing a deep gash down my torso, and slashing my face and cheek. I screamed as its mouth latched onto my left wrist, skin, and flesh, tearing as blood poured down its maw. Yet with the cold iron in my right hand, I slammed downwards with it, puncturing the beast''s neck.

    The pup screamed around my bloodied hand and thrashed beneath me. Removing the piece of iron from its neck, I slammed down once more, again and again and again. The gory sap that shot from its throat splattered across my face and body as I repeatedly stabbed the beast. I lost count of how many times. Yet, after what felt like an eternity, the creature fell still.

    "Fuck you¡­ fuck you¡­" I sobbed as I ripped my mangled left hand from its mouth. "Fuck you!" Tears streamed down my face as I cried. "Mother! Father!" I screamed as I slipped off the beast, collapsing onto the cave floor.

    I''m going to die, I thought, even if I took that bastard with me¡­ I''m going to bleed to death. I sobbed, yet as I lay there on the floor crying, my voice hiccuped when I heard a familiar sound.

    A distant bang echoed repeatedly from outside. It was gunshots¡ªmy father''s gun. Suddenly, a deep, ear-piercing bang rocked the caves, and I could see up the incline a bright red light piercing the darkness. A wave of hot air rushed down towards me as an explosion erupted outside, followed by more gunshots and the sound of timberwolves roaring!

    They''re here; they actually came! My tears of sorrow, now tears of joy, streamed down my cheeks as I weakly pushed myself to my knees and began to crawl up the incline. I panted and moaned as I scurried as fast as I could to the top, but I screamed when a shadow loomed over me. Before I could react, something grabbed me by the scruff of my neck, and I screamed.

    "There you are!" Father''s voice shouted as he picked me up and dropped me behind a nearby rock. "Stay there! Don''t move!" He hoisted his rifle up and cranked the lever, chambering a round before hoisting it up. "Cailynn, your left!" He shouted, and my ears rang as he fired what looked like a flaming bullet down the cave.

    I saw the streak of fire rippling through the air before making contact with the side of another timberwolf pup''s face, exploding its head into hundreds of pieces of charcoal. It knocked the beast to the ground before it could make contact with my mother, who stood just outside the entrance. Her grimoire opened in her left hand, yet in her right, she held what seemed to be a wand with a red ruby on its tip.

    "Thanks!" She shouted. "Did you find her?"

    "Yes! Let me know when it''s clear!"

    Mother nodded. "Battles of rage, warriors of honor, rivers of blood. Lord Kraten, lend me your might! Blade of fury!" A circle of red energy blasted outward from Mother as she twirled her wand, and out from the ruby tip, a blade made of magical energy erupted before igniting with fire.

    I couldn''t see what she was facing, but something massive outside roared, and the ground rumbled. It''s the Alpha, I thought, and Mother is going to fight it alone!

    "Father, Mother''s alone¡­" I muttered softly; my body felt so weak, and my eyes were drooping. I''m bleeding out.

    "Don''t worry about her, "Father hissed as he pulled out the healer kit. Yet it seemed he didn''t have a scroll as he pulled out bandages. "She can take care of herself. Just keep breathing. I''ll get you out."

    "Slyran! Take her back to camp when you can! I''ll cover you!"

    "Roger that!" Father shouted back as he hastily began to bandage my exposed wounds. "What the hell, Luna? What were you thinking?" He muttered under his breath. "Oi! Keep those eyes open!" Father lightly smacked my cheek, forcing me back to consciousness. "No sleeping." He hoisted me up and hastily bandaged my back as another loud explosion rocked the cave.

    I could hear the sound of yipping and screaming wolves, along with Mother. "Stay the fuck away from my daughter, you wooden logs! Closer, and I''ll turn you fucks into charcoal!" She sounded nothing like the mother I knew as I heard her laugh as another smaller explosion went off and another timberwolf disintegrated into ash.

    "Alright, are you ready?" Father asked me, and I weakly nodded. "Hold on tight, dear; we''re getting you out." I cried as my father lifted me off the ground and cradled me in his arms. "I''m sorry; I know it hurts. But you have to bear with me! Cailynn, we''re coming!"

    I weakly gripped his neck as Father began to jog with me to the entrance. Ash and smoke caught my nose as my father cleared the entrance, and here I could see my mother standing within the clearing in more detail. Her black and blue-striped hair was whipping around as if caught in a hurricane; her eyes were searing red, along with the runic tattoos I had never seen before on her arms and neck. The ground around her was light with a magical, crimson arcane circle that burned its way into the earth.

    In her hand, she wields the flaming sword that was once her wand, which she used to effortlessly stroke the air, creating a bolt of flaming energy that shot forth like a cannon toward a pack of wooden wolves. The monsters tried to dodge, yet it was no use; the explosion blew them apart along with the nearby tree line, which was already engulfed with flames.

    "Run, Slyran!" Mother looked in our direction, and I could see her slitted eyes, I whimpered; this didn''t look like my mother at all.

    Father nodded and began to dash out into the open with me, and I cried as I clenched tightly. Through the tree line, wolves began to dash towards us, yet one by one, flaming torrents of energy lashed out, incinerating each one before they could touch us. Yet before we could reach the trees, the ground rumbled as the alpha from earlier revealed itself.

    Father planted his heels into the ground and skidded to a stop before the massive monstrosity, and I cried out in fear. "Shit!" Father cursed. "Cailynn!"

    "On it!" Mother''s voice boomed, and like a rocket, a flaming ball hurled over her head, yet it wasn''t another one of her arcane cannons; it was Mother herself; she was flying!

    With a sword in hand, I watched as she plunged the flaming blade into the creature''s face, sending both her and it howling into the tree line.

    "See why I love that woman?" Father joked as he tightened his grip around me and began to sprint once more into the woods.

    I whimpered and buried my face in his chest as the sound of howling and fire echoed not too far off. I could faintly hear the sound of laughter, which disturbed me.

    "We''re almost there, Luna; just hold on tight!" Father said as he leaped over logs and obstacles effortlessly, never losing his grip on me as the sounds of battle grew distant and more distant.

 Chapter 18: Forgiveness

    I don''t know when it happened, but at some point, I blacked out. When I came back to consciences, the sun was beating down on my face through the canvas tent, and my head rested on something soft. A hand was lightly running its fingers through my hair. I could hear someone crying; was it Varis? My vision was blurry as my eyes gradually opened, and I winced the sun¡¯s bright light assaulted my eyes. I could faintly make out the silhouette of someone leaning over me, I closed my eyes once more and blinked away the blurriness from them. I focused my vision and saw that we were in a tent, and my mother was smiling down at me. Her eyes were red and puffy from crying.

    "Oh, thank the gods, you''re awake," she said in a hushed whisper as she placed her palm on my head and brushed loose bangs from my face.

    I shifted on her lap and gasped as my body ached all over, and Mother halted my movement immediately.

    "Don''t move, sweetie." She whispered, "I patched you up as best I could, but magic only goes so far. Take it easy."

    I shifted my head slightly and looked down at my body. I was wearing a white one-piece dress, and from what I could see, sure enough, the wounds I got from last night were gone. Instead, all I saw were slightly faded scars, which would probably be gone in a few weeks to a month.

    Yet seeing this, I couldn''t help but feel an overwhelming sense of shame wash over me. Biting my lower lip, I took a deep breath and clenched my eyes shut, yet this wasn''t enough to stop the tears. My face broke, and I shuddered with a soft moan as I began to cry. I reached up with my right hand, gripped the button-up shirt Mother was wearing, and buried my face in her. Everything began to bubble out of me. Not just the shame of what happened last night, but everything. The baggage I hadn¡¯t even known I¡¯d been carrying came out of me. The fear of dying again, wasting this life away, the feeling of having died and already losing everything I had. Being a kid again, trapped in a small, frail body, the fact my body was in so much pain. All of this and more I felt emptying from me and into my mother¡¯s dress.

    She cooed softly as she gently wrapped her arms around me and pulled me into a careful hug. Her hand lightly touched and stroked the back of my head. I hiccuped and sobbed for what felt like five minutes, and during that entire time, she held me close and shushed me softly as she held me.

    As I began to calm down, I sniffled, pressed my forehead into her bosom, and sat there as I tried to regain my composure. I''m such an idiot; I thought there was nothing up there; I was afraid and paranoid about nothing. And I got myself hurt and put others in danger!

    "Luna." Mother shifted and reached down to take me by the chin. She gently made me look at her, her blue eyes bright and warm. She gazed upon me with a soft smile. "I love you, and I''ll do anything to protect you. I know what happened was scary, but you''re safe now. We''re all safe now."

    I sniffed and hiccuped. Fuck, the tears are welling back up!

    "I-I''m sorry!" I squeaked out, and my mother closed her eyes and nodded.

    "I know you are, my little star. But it''s alright now." She ran her thumb across my cheek, wiping away my tears.

    I sniffled and asked, "Am I in trouble? Are you not going to teach me anymore?''

    My mother''s smile widened a little bit, and she shook her head. "No, you''re not in trouble. I think what happened was more than any lesson your father and I combined can teach a little elf." She booped my nose. "You''re very lucky and very strong."

    "St¡ªstrong?" I stuttered.

    Mother nodded. "After I got rid of those evil monsters, I went into the cave because I was curious as to why you were there, and I found this." She leaned over and picked something up off the ground. I watched as she straightened up and presented, in her free palm, the piece of cold iron stained with the sap-like blood of the timberwolf.

    "You fought and defeated a monster all by yourself." Mother smiled. "That, my little star, shows you have immense strength."

    I choked up once more as visions of last night''s fight flashed before my mind. "I-I was so scared¡­" I whimpered, and my mother cooed softly once again and pulled me into a tight hug.

    "I know, sweetie. But you''re safe. Momma and Papa will always be there for you." She kissed the top of my head. "Even when you go to school, no matter where you are, you call for us, and I''ll come; even if it means traversing the sea or air, I''ll always come for you."

    <hr>

    After things had calmed down, Mother took me by the hand and gently guided me out of the tent and into the early afternoon light. The smell of the campfire caught my attention, and I looked up to see Father, Isa, and Varis sitting around the fire.

    Upon noticing me, Varis''s puffy eyes lit up, and he screamed with joy as he rushed toward me. Mother reached out to stop him but wasn''t quick enough as my brother latched his arms around my sore, little body and cried into my shoulder.

    "You''re okay! You''re okay!" He cried, and I squeaked as his hug made my lower back crack.

    Once again, I tried to fight back tears as I wrapped my arms around him and held him.

    "Yes, I''m fine¡­ Please, you''re crushing me." I gasped.

    Varis released me and held me by my shoulders as I gulped some air and looked at him with teary eyes. "I''m sorry," I said. "I-I was foolish to go off alone."

    "Yes, you are!" Varis said as he released one hand to wipe his eyes. "You''re the brains, remember? I''m the strong one! How can I be strong for you if you''re alone?"

    I felt my heart ache, and I sniffed and also wiped my eyes.

    My mother awed softly as she knelt beside us, her hand on each of our shoulders. "It''s okay, you two; everyone is back and safe. Now go on; Father has been making lunch for everyone."

    Shuffling towards the fire, we all took our seats around it. Father looked up at me as he poured what looked to be a stew into a tin bowl and passed it over to me.

    "You look good, Luna." He said, "Mother''s handiwork really made you come out as good as new."

    I blushed faintly as I took the stew and said, "Thank you." I placed the food on my lap and spooned some into my mouth briefly before lowering the utensil. My eyes were glued to the fire as I sat and swam in my thoughts.

    "Is something wrong, little one?" Isa asked me. "Is the food not to your liking?"

    I shook my head. "No," I said softly, and I looked at each and everyone here.

    Father''s scruffy face and charming smile greeted me. His blonde hair had grown out a bit and was seemingly disheveled.

    Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website.

    Mother''s smooth yet sharp facial features, her big eyes soft and heart-warming, and her short, black, and blue hair nicely brushed.

    I looked at Varis, who had grown much since we met. His face resembled much of Father''s, yet his short hair was dark like Mother''s. His green and blue eyes, both of them, flicked back and forth between my gaze and his food. His smile, which pierced his lips, made my heart flutter.

    I then finally looked to Isa; while not officially part of our family, I couldn''t help but look to her as an aunt or older sister. Her firm, beautiful facial features and her adorably large feline eyes, which can easily change to fearsome, locked with mine, and she smirked at me. Her fuzzy red ears flicked cutely as her clawed hand brushed her red bangs to the side.

    These people¡ªpeople whom I at first saw as nothing more than just my guardians¡ªI now cared for them deeply, more so than any family I had before. I loved all of them. The hand holding my spoon trembled once more, the metal clinking together as I shuddered and closed my eyes.

    And I stupidly almost threw them all away¡­

    "Luna?" Mother said softly as I sat there silently trembling.

    I took a sharp breath. I held it for a moment and breathed out, my nerves calming as I said, "I''m so¡­ so sorry." I sniffed and looked up at them again. "I''m sorry for scaring you all last night." I looked at Mom and Dad. "I''m sorry for forcing you two to go into danger!"

    Father lowered his lunch and said, "Luna, it''s okay. We forgive you." To try and lighten the mood, he said, "When I was a little squirt, I was constantly getting into danger. It doesn''t mean it''s right, but seeing you now owning up to it. That''s what makes it better."

    Isa nodded. "As long as you do not do that again, everything will be settled." She said this as she placed her clawed hand on my head.

    Father nodded. "Aye, that''s right." He scooped some stew into his mouth, chewed, and swallowed before he asked, "But would you mind telling us why you went up alone?"

    I gulped as Isa placed a hand on my shoulder and nodded, urging me to answer.

    Why did I go up there? I thought. It had terrified me earlier¡ªthe sound of static, that beeping, my nightmare. Did I think going up there would rid me of it? It seemed to.

    I took a deep breath. I have nothing to hide; what''s the point of not telling them?

    "Before I fainted up on the mountain, I felt a weird sensation." I looked up at them; their eyes were all trained on me. "Like this gut feeling that was pulling me to it. A-and well, as I told you all, I heard this weird noise. Like rustling leaves, but not like any rustling leaves I ever heard. It was constant, and then I heard this deep¡­ droning ''beep''¡­ ''beep''¡­" I mimicked the noise of the heart monitor.

    My parents shared a glance, yet Isa kept her eyes trained on me. I continued, "It terrified me. I don''t know why." I think I do, but I''ll leave that bit out. "I was so scared, I just¡­ fell over. And I had this awful nightmare."

    I noticed Isa leaning forward her eyes narrowing. "What kind of nightmare?" Isa asked.

    Should I tell them about the nightmare? It is just a dream, after all.

    "Uh well¡­" I gulped as visions of it replayed in my head; it felt so real and so vivid. "It was weird and scary."

    "You don''t have to tell us, Luna," Mother said, but Isa held up her hand.

    "No, Cailynn, let her speak of it, please, Luna. Continue."

    Father passed me a canteen of water, which I happily took and sipped from. After I lowered it, I continued, "I woke up in a hospital. A big hospital, but nothing like the clinic in town. It felt, strangely, future and foreign."

    "Oooh, like one of those ''Science fiction'' stories Avdol told me about?" Varis asked with big eyes.

    Briefly getting sidetracked Father sighed and rolled his eyes. "Oh, those stories are rubbish,"

    "Yes!" I nodded pointing at Varis.

    Thank you, brother; that''ll make describing it easier!

    "In the dream, I was a grown-up, but I was¡­ a human, a man. I wasn''t a girl."

    Varis blinked. "You were a boy?" He cocked his head.

    "Shush, Varis, let her finish." Isa said before focusing back on me showing great interest.

    I nodded. "I was a boy. Yet I still remembered everything from here, and I saw that around me was a device that could detect what I thought was my heart, and there was this box that had this¡­ moving picture, but it showed snow and made a ¡®shhh¡¯ sound." I expressed myself as I began to describe the whole scene.

    My family seemed very enamored now with the story, especially Varis, who seemed to be enjoying it, yet Isa''s expression grew more grim. "I got off the bed, and I went to the bathroom nearby to look at myself. I was skinny to the bone, I had a big red beard like Mr. Olson, and my hair was scraggly. If I had to guess, I was maybe middle-aged. It was scary because a woman came into the room." I explained as I began to relive the memory, ¡°And she said, ¡®Mister, I''m glad you''re awake, but¡ª¡¯"

    My entire family abruptly pulled back, confused. "Wait, wait¡­" Father stopped me, and I tensed. "What was that you were just saying?"

    "Was that even Maurich?" Mother said in a hushed voice.

    Oh shit, I thought as I realized what I had just done. I just spoke English by accident.

    The only one not startled by the sudden change in language was Isa who then straightened up and said, "Continue, Luna."

    I cleared my throat, and I shivered as my parents now looked at me as if I were some alien. Oh fuck, oh fuck, did I just break my cover? I panicked though closed my eyes and took another breath to calm myself.

    "Sorry, I-I''m just repeating what I heard. I-I don''t know what it was." I tried to lie, though their faces didn''t seem fooled. "Uh, huh¡­ Well. I uh, got scared and fell in the tub as these human nurses swarmed me, and this scary doctor poked me with something, and I woke up! Haha¡­" I rubbed my neck.

    "And then you went to the cave after waking up?" Isa asked me.

    I lowered my head sadly and nodded.

    Isa nodded as well. "This changes things," she said in a low voice.

    "Luna, what did you say?" My mother asked me.

    "I-I do¡ª" Mother held a finger up to me.

    "It''s okay, Luna; I''m not mad." She clarified.

    I took another nervous sip of my water and translated, "She was happy that I woke up. She wanted to get me back to bed; she kept calling me by name, but I swear that I don''t know what it was!" I lied; I knew what she called me, but never again did I want to think of it or say it.

    Thankfully, my family didn''t push me on that. "What language was she speaking? Do any of you know it?" Mother asked.

    Isa shook her head. "I don''t know what it is, but I recall having heard it once."

    This made me straighten up and look at her. "Really? So, I''m not going crazy?" I tried to play it off.

    Isa nodded. "Long, long ago. A traveler came through my village, an old mage, if memory serves me right. He was vastly intelligent and took a great interest in searching for an old ruin." She stroked her chin. "I was a mere kitten back in the day. But I recall him pulling the elder aside one evening. That night, I snuck near the door to their room, and I listened in on them. Inside, the mage and my elder spoke in a tongue very similar to what you just did. It sounded so alien to me. I tried to look into it afterwards, yet my Elder told me I must''ve been hearing things." Isa looked at me. "I knew she was lying, and hearing you just now proved that my ears weren''t wrong."

    I shifted nervously; my mind was going a mile a minute. Wait, what? Are there others out there who speak English? Are there other people who were reincarnated like me? I wondered. I guess it probably isn''t impossible. Yet part of me wished it was and I don¡¯t know why. Why would I be disappointed knowing there were others like me? Strange.

    "Where did you learn to speak that language, Luna?" Isa asked me.

    I responded with a shrug. "I don''t know," I lied. "I only recall the dream." She squinted at me.

    "Isa, why don¡¯t we let it rest for now?" Mother said, "When we return to Oren and the house, we can always discuss more. Yet, for now, let us enjoy the remainder of our time away."

    That''s going to be a little hard to do. I sighed.

    Mother reached over and placed a hand on my back. "It''s okay, sweetie. If you want, you can stay near the camp with me, besides¡­" She winked. "I have some cool spells to teach you."

    Spells?

    My head perked up along with my mood, and I looked at Mother. "Oh?"

    She smiled widely and nodded. "Yep, so finish up your meal and we can go practice!"

    Say no more! I lifted my cooled stew and immediately began to chow away.

 Chapter 19: Magical Studies

    As the morning bled into noon, Father, Isa, and my brother had gone on a hunting trip into the woods. Varis had proven to be quite good with our father''s firearms, more so than me, not to mention that he had grown so much that he was now able to wield our father''s long rifle.

    The offer was extended to me to go with them, but I declined. Last night''s nightmare with the timberwolves was still too fresh. Even now, just thinking about it, I can feel my heartbeat escalating as my palms become sweaty.

    Instead, I chose to stay with my mother at camp, who was more than happy to sit me down and teach me the ways of magic in this world. We sat along the log across from the campfire, which Mother had relit to provide warmth to us as she began to teach.

    "How much has Madam Soza told you about magic so far?" Mother asked me as she brought out her grimoire and ruby wand.

    I thought for a second and tapped my chin. "Uh, not too much, really," I said before a memory popped into my head, and I grinned. "Oh wait! She did tell us about its creation." I nodded.

    Mother smiled. "Recite it for me then."

    I gulped. "Uh¡­"

    Admittedly, I was a bit hazy on the story, as it was about a year ago when she told us.

    "Something about the gods, Margon, and Merlin. Merlin, the god of knowledge, became bored of Sylondra, Mother of Creations, uh¡­ spawn, and wanted to make them more relatable by gifting mortal men a piece of his power."

    Mother nodded. "You''re on the right track; how did he do that?"

    My mind blanked. "I, uh, think I fell asleep that time in class. It was one of Isa''s early classes." I blushed.

    Mother slowly nodded her head and reached out to rub my shoulder. "It''s okay." She cleared her throat and reached out with one hand towards the flickering flames of the campfire. Suddenly, the flames brightened and rose before the dancing fire took on the forms and shapes of beings.

    An old, hunched-over mage with pointed ears appeared within the flames. In his hand, he held a mighty staff, which he then raised above his head.

    "The Keeper of Tomes and the Creator of the Arcane. Merlin, one of the Seven Saints, helped purge the world of the Dark Lord. He is the concept of curiosity, skepticism, wisdom, and the spread of all knowledge. He is a mind forever searching for the truth." My eyes widened as I watched the flaming representation of the god raise his staff high into the air, the embers floating above coalescing into what looked like a meteorite that began to fall.

    "Many, many years ago. Around sixty millennia during the Dark Lord''s rise to power. Merlin took pity on the mortal races as they struggled against the evil god''s influence, and so from the heaven''s, Merlin cast down his essence upon Enora, piercing the heart and unleashing the wells within the Urd Trees."

    I blinked and held a hand up to stop Mother. "Urd Trees?"

    I vaguely recall seeing an old book of Mother''s that depicted large, beautiful trees bigger than anything I''ve ever seen before that reached high up into the clouds.

    Mother nodded. "The limbs of Enora. They''re massive life-giving trees; four grown ones in total exist, one on each of the major continents, and a handful of smaller saplings spread about. The Urd trees are said to be the first living beings to exist on all of Enora. They''re rife with magic, which long ago was sealed away until Merlin released it."

    Mother turned to the fire, and within it, another fiery visage appeared. A large muscular akumari woman, a demonic-looking humanoid, her flames were crimson, and the horns on her head twisted like those of rams. In her hand, she wielded what looked like a massive blacksmith¡¯s hammer.

    "Yet not all was well after Merlin released magic onto Enora. We mortals had no idea how to use it, and in an event that backfired. For Dark Lord had already possessed powerful magics, and with the wells of the Urd Tree¡¯s released, this inadvertently made him even more powerful."

    It sounds like the god of knowledge didn''t think his plan through, I thought.

    Mother continued her story: "In order to assist the mortals of Enora, The Lady of the Forge Margon, Goddess of Crafts, and Magic provided the resistance with the knowledge of Magrite and the tools to mine and create weapons of great power from it."

    The fire then twisted and turned as both the visages of Merlin and Margon faded, and soon what appeared within the flames was a fiery eyeball.

    Oh fuck, Sauron? That was the first thought that came to mind.

    "But then the traitorous Gaul stepped in."

    "Who?" I blinked. "Isa told us a lot about the gods, but she never mentioned this guy." I pointed at the flaming eye.

    "That is because many in the world would wish to forget him." Mother sighed. "Yet his role in the story is important. Gaul, like Meriln, was a god of knowledge, yet he was also the concept of order and law. Unlike Merlin, he wished for all knowledge to be contained and controlled. He did not trust mortals with such power, and he sympathized with the Dark Lord. He saw the Lord as a method of uniting all of Enora and bringing peace, and thus, he defected and informed the Dark Lord of the Enorans acquisition of magic and weapons that could oppose him."

    I blinked. "And then, what happened?"

    "The Calamity." Mother sighed.

    The Calamity? Isa hasn''t taught us this, but it sounds familiar.

    "Also known as the Intrusive War, it was split amongst the gods; a civil war. As much as we hate to admit it, the Dark Lord was a god, one of the few "living" gods, and many hated his involvement with Enora. When Margon and Merlin interfered with mortal affairs, this sparked much outrage as it went against the Divine Right."

    I cradled my head in my hands. "Okay, I have so many questions." I shook my head.

    Mother giggled. "I apologize if this is a lot of information, but it''s good to know." She poked me.

    "What''s the Divine Right?"

    Mother stroked her chin in thought. "This is getting more into clerical studies, which is admittedly out of my field. Though I do have a basic understanding," she said, looking at me and holding her hands out wide. "Think of it as a list of commandments the gods created for themselves. I believe there''s like ten or so rules, but I could be wrong."

    This world has the Ten Commandments as well. I smirked.

    "The gods have always acted from a distance, watching mortals and only occasionally guiding us via avatars, chosen clerics, and paladins during times of strife. Yet never has a god officially set foot on Enora, until the rise of the Dark Lord. As mentioned already, Merlin and Margon took pity on the mortals and were the second and third ones to oppose the Divine Right. The others were outraged by Margon and Merlin¡¯s disregard for the law. One of those was Gaul, who went against Merlin and Margon, and it was here that the battle lines were drawn. Left and right Gods began to take sides, and eventually the Divine Right was sullied, and war broke out in heaven."

    I blinked. "Who won?" I asked as the thought of gods and angels duking it played in my mind. I couldn''t imagine what destruction would''ve been brought if such a war extended to the surface of the planet.

    Mother smiled. "Thankfully, the Seven. Sylondra, Faren, Margon, Kraten, Okren, Baren, and Merlin." She listed them off on her fingers. "Many gods and demigods were slain in the intrusive war. Yet in the end, those seven stood tall among the rubble. Yet the Dark Lord did survive the war as well but was weakened. Halting his conquest of Enora for many thousands of years until finally, the Twilight War."

    I nodded. Goddamn, this is a lot cooler than learning about World War II, that''s for damn sure. I ran a hand over the back of my neck.

    "So, what does all of that have to do with magic, though?" I asked.

    Mother smirked. "A lot, actually. Despite how tragic these wars were, it was during this time that Enorans learned how to use and control magic and how it''s tied to all living things and our souls. We learned how to mine and process magrite to create light, machines, and everything we take for granted nowadays. It''s because of this event that we''re now here, where we are now." She pointed to the ground.

    I nodded and squirmed a little on the log. I was itching to try and cast some spells, but I knew better than to rush my mother. War breeds innovation I guess. Destructive innovation.

    "Magic, Luna, is in all of us. It¡¯s in everything. In the grass around and beneath us, it¡¯s in the trees, and even in the fire before us. Everything possesses it. Our souls are magic; you are magic." She smiled. "And I don''t mean just in a cute way." She pinched my cheek, and I squeaked. "But you are cute!"

    I giggled and squirmed away from her as I swatted her hand off of me. "Sounds very philosophical when you put it like that."

    My mother''s eyes widened a bit, and she nodded. "In a sense, yes, but it''s true. Everything carries a soul, and within that soul is what Magisters refer to as ''The Well''. Within that well, the byproduct of the soul is collected, and this is what we call ether. We don''t know exactly what ether is, yet what we do know is that mages like myself..." She trailed off into silence.

    She raised her hand in the air, palm facing upwards, and after doing so, the fire in the pit roared upwards in a torrent, and I gasped as heat radiated intensely from it.

    Then she continued as she controlled the flames. "Allows us to control the physics of the world to a degree," she said, and the flame lifted off of the pit. She twirled it through the air with a flick of her wrist, and I gasped as I watched the string of flames dance over my head. ¡°The patterns that bind everything to law can be altered and changed with ether.¡±

    Yet eventually she dropped the fire back down into the pit and smothered it until it was back to the small fire it previously was.

    "Whoa!" I gasped.

    Mother smirked and took a deep breath. "Some say it''s also what helps fuel and heal us. Ether can do so much, yet we know so little." She smiled.

    I swear to God, if it''s Midichlorians, I''m going to cry. I jokingly thought as I giggled and said, "That''s amazing, mother!"

    "Isn''t it?" Mother smiled at me and patted my head before leaning in and kissing me on the forehead. "Every creature carries a well, as I already mentioned, yet the depth of their wells varies. That''s where the spiritest comes into play. The spiritest is how the Magisters determine how deep one''s well is. This is done by¡­ exposing oneself to vast quantities of concentrated ether."

    Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.

    I blinked. I hope this shit isn''t radioactive. I can''t imagine just walking into a concealed chamber and being blasted by radiation.

    "Is it dangerous to do that?" I was a bit concerned.

    Mother thought and said, "Well. Not usually."

    "Usually?" I repeated, and Mother blushed.

    "I''ll admit the test isn''t perfect. Those with wells that aren''t deep usually fall unconscious due to their overwhelming nature. No one has ever died, though, if that''s what you''re concerned about." She smiled at me as she leaned forward.

    I sighed. "Well, that''s good to hear." I smiled. "So, you took this test, right?" I asked. "What did you rank?"

    Mother smirks, straightens up, and thrusts her chest out as she puffs herself up all silly-like. "Don''t go boasting about this to everyone, but Momma is an Ethereal Archon!"

    An ethereal what now? I blinked.

    "That sounds metal," I said.

    Mother blinked and looked at me. "Excuse me?"

    I giggled. "Uh, it''s a thing Varis and I say when we think something sounds cool!" I beamed.

    Mother thought about it for a second and giggled. "You''re such a goof." She tousled my hair.

    I snickered some and asked, "So, like, how strong is an archon?" I asked.

    Mother hummed. "Well, it''s said that my well runs deep as an ocean, and magic comes easy to me, as you can see." She hummed as she began to toy with the fire again. "I am capable of performing great feats, and you saw some of that the night before."

    I gulped as the memories came back.

    Mother noticed this and blushed, and her eyebrows curled up with guilt. "O-oh, I''m sorry, Sweetie." She ran her hand through my hair again. "That was wrong of me to bring that up so soon."

    I shrugged. "It''s okay; what happened, happened." I sighed and looked at her as she relaxed. "You looked super cool!"

    Mother cocked her head a bit and leaned back before I could see her ego kick in, and she brought a hand to her chin. "Oooh? Did I now?"

    Playing along, I nodded. "Yeah! You looked super pretty when you flew in the air all fire-like!"

    My mother smirked, crossed her arms under her bosom, straightened her back in a heroic pose, and smirked. If Father were here, he''d probably faint due to how gorgeous she looked as she side-eyed me.

    "Thank you, dear, and you may get to do all that too in the future." She turned to me and smiled wide as she booped my nose. "Now pay attention." She leaned in. "So, because we don''t have a way to test how deep your well is as of right now, we''re going to start small. I''m going to see if I can teach you some mote level spells."

    "Mote?" I asked.

    "Yes, they are also known as cantrips by other scholars, but the majority refer to them by their given names. They''re simple spells; all etheric initiates can cast at least a couple of them with ease, and those proficient enough can skip the chant all together."

    "By chant, you mean what you say usually before every spell?" I asked, and Mother nodded.

    "Yep, a chant is what allows you to connect with your well and gain access to the ether. Most mages, even myself being an archon, still require me to chant for higher-tier spells," she explained. "Yet the stronger you become and the more you learn, you''ll soon reach a point where chantless casting for lower-tier spells becomes natural. Very, very rarely, fully chantless casters make their appearance, and those who do are usually Celestial Magus-tier mages."

    I sputtered. "Celestial what?" I blinked.

    Mother laughed. "Cool name, huh? It''s the tier above me and second to last." She smirked. "If you think Celestial Magus sounds cool, the last one is called ''Apotheonic Aegis''."

    "Doesn''t that mean you''re just a god?" I asked her, and Mother snickered and nodded.

    "Yep! Only one has ever existed in all of Enora, and that was the Dark Lord. A mad man who drove himself into literal godhood. Despite his infamy, many scholars respect what he''s done in terms of magical studies. He could literally reshape the fundamentals of reality and condemn entire armies to death with a single word. His grasp on the pattern of reality was quite extensive."

    My eyes widened. "Sounds truly frightening," I said as my mother nodded. I bit my lip in thought, she mentioned ¡°pattern¡± again. ¡°Mother,¡± I prompted. ¡°What do you mean by pattern?¡±

    My mother blinked and blushed faintly and smiled. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. It¡¯s very complicated to explain.¡±

    ¡°I think I can try understanding,¡± I said with a grin.

    Mother took a deep breath. ¡°Remember how I said everything possesses a soul?¡± I nodded, and she continued, ¡°All souls and wells possess a ¡®pattern¡¯, it was the Dark Lord himself who discovered this. He figured that everything follows this ¡®pattern.¡¯¡±

    ¡°The laws of physics?¡± I asked, and my mother smiled widely.

    ¡°Yes, you¡¯re on the right track.¡± She nodded. ¡°Though the pattern and physics are not entirely the same. Before you ask,¡± she said, holding a finger up. ¡°Even I do not know what the pattern truly is. Nobody, knows. What we do know is that it¡¯s connected to our souls, wells, and incantations.¡±

    ¡°Incantations?¡± I asked. ¡°How so?¡±

    Mother smiled. ¡°Well I told you silly. Incantations are what lets us connect to our wells and ether. Some theorize it¡¯s the pattern in which the incantation is spoken is what allows us to channel our magic¡­ but, some argue that those who do not need to chant contradict this theory, and thus nobody knows if that¡¯s truly the case.¡±

    ¡°Do you believe it?¡± I asked her.

    She thought for a moment. ¡°The thought is nice as it¡¯s simple, but I don¡¯t know. The only one who seemed to know how the patten worked was him, the Dark Lord.¡±

    ¡°And because of that he became a god and could kill entire armies with a wave of his hand?¡± I said and Mother nodded grimly. ¡°He must¡¯ve been terrifying to fight¡­¡± I muttered.

    "He was, and that''s why, after the Intrusive War, when he was weakened, the Global Alliance formed and waged a total war against him. If it wasn''t for that brief window of weakness, we would probably still be under his boot and the eternal twilight."

    I thought for a second and stroked my chin. "Not to get too off topic, but why is he called ''The Dark Lord''?"

    Honestly, for real, everything else has these cool badass names, yet this villain I always hear about has such a generic name.

    Mother chuckled. "He does have a name¡­ or did have one." She corrected herself. "Once again, we''re getting into clerical studies here, but gods harness power through beliefs and memories. The more followers a god has, the stronger they become. Or any man, for that matter."

    My head perked up. "Wait, any man? Does that mean if I get enough people to worship you, you can become a god?" I asked with a shit-eating grin.

    Mother laughed and covered her mouth as she giggled. Though she did nod, "Hypothetically, yes, love. Though I don''t think I want to be a goddess, as nice as that may sound, it would take many, many followers. I''m talking millions of people, Luna. The collective faith of so many souls would allow their ether to converge and ascend one person to glory. Or darkness." She sighed. "Hence, we never refer to the Dark Lord by his real name. It is best left forgotten. A god can never truly die; you cannot kill a concept. But you can forget it."

    I nodded as I made a mental note of this. "That''s crazy," I said as I took a deep breath. "Maybe I can become a goddess someday!" I joked, and my mother giggled.

    "You goof." She hummed and rubbed my head. "Well, before my little goddess can ascend, let''s get back to our studies. As said, we''ll be starting with motes of magic. Now pay attention."

    Mother scooted next to me, her soft and warm body pressing against me as she wrapped one arm around my shoulder and pulled me in so that my head was pressed into the side of her breast as she laid her grimoire on our laps. She opened the book to reveal beautifully handwritten... gibberish.

    "I can''t read it," I said looking at the scripture. It almost looked like gorgeous calligraphy; if said calligraphy was incomprehensible garbage.

    "Watch this," Mother delicately whispered into my ear, and I shuddered as she waved her hand over the book. Soon, the scripture began to shift. The ink on the page squirmed and wriggled as the letters began to reshape themselves into legible text, and I gasped.

    "Lucien''s Cipher. One of my favorite spells." She hummed. "Your father hates it, though." She giggled. "It helps keep a lot of my favorite books illegible to him." She winked.

    I think she''s referring to the smut I found last year. That''d explain why I couldn''t find or read those books.

    "But this isn''t what I''m going to teach you. We''re going to start with something simple." She began flipping through pages towards the beginning of the book, finally landing on a page with depictions of clouds and airlines. On it, written in beautiful calligraphy, was the word "Gust."

    "I''m gonna break wind?" I joked, and my mother snorted and bopped me lightly on the head.

    "No!" She exclaimed with a smile as I laughed. "Your brother is rubbing off on you too much, little lady." She snickered. "But, in a sense, yes, you''ll be pushing the wind. I''m going to show you how to make a gust of wind."

    I rubbed the spot she lightly patted, and I nodded with a big grin. I should''ve guessed she wasn''t going to show me how to throw fireballs right away.

    Mother pointed to the firepit. "Your task is going to be putting out that flame." She shifted, straightened her back, and unwrapped her arm from around me. "Like this." She held her right hand to her mouth, her index finger and thumb forming a small circle, while her other three fingers held straight up, similar to the "OK" gesture.

    Taking a deep breath, she blew air through the window gently, yet on the other side, a torrent of air shot forth in a heavy gust! Dust and ash blasted back as the flame was instantly snuffed out!

    I gasped and clapped as my mother looked back at me with a big smile and said, "Now that looks easy; this was one of the first motes I ever learned. It''s been so long that I do not need to say the incantation, but I''m going to do it again to demonstrate it."

    Mother held her hand out to the small pile of tinder and firewood, and I squeaked with joy as I watched her levitate some chopped logs and tinder over to the blown-out firepit. One by one, the logs magically stacked themselves, and as the tinder was set, she snapped her fingers, and the fire ignited.

    She then looked at me, nodded, turned back to the fire, and resumed her posture to cast the spell again. Except this time, she began speaking the incantation, "Breathe the breath of Okren, Tempest''s sovereign might, whispering through leaves and roaring through heights. By his grace, let the winds respond to my call¡ªGust!"

    She blew into her hand, and once more, a surge of roaring wind blew out the flames and scattered the half-burned logs! I gasped loudly and said, "Holy crap¡ª"

    Mother silenced me with a raised finger, and she wagged it. "Language dear." Mother smiled as I sputtered.

    "Wow!" I stood up from my spot and asked, "Can I try? Can I?"

    Mother''s smile widened, and she giggled. "Of course. Sit back down; I''ll get the fire set up again." I nodded and sat back down, vibrating with childlike joy.

    Once more, Mother magically lifted logs and Tinder and set everything up before me. As I squirmed excitedly, she handed me her grimoire and pointed to the lovely text written on its pages.

    "Now reciting the incantation isn''t enough, Love." She said, "You''ll want to concentrate. Focus. Like meditation, clear your mind and look inward. Focus on what you want to happen and begin reciting the incantation, and you''ll feel it. The ether bubbling out of you¡ªit''ll feel weird, but it''ll feel nice. But don''t let the pleasure distract you. Just keep focusing."

    I nodded. Does magic pleasure you when you use it? I shook my head. Shut up, degen, and get back in your cage!

    I nodded and clapped my little hands on my cheeks, pretending to hype myself up but just smacking away the impurities.

    "Okay!" I nodded and gripped the book as my mother reignited the fire.

    I glanced at the diagram of the well-drawn hands in the book; if Mother drew these, call me impressed.

    I took a deep breath and began to copy the image. I raised my hand to my face and closed my eyes. I had experience meditating in my old life, so clearing my mind shouldn''t be too hard. Inhaling deeply, I held it for a second before releasing it. I repeated this a few times until the thoughts in my mind quieted down.

    Around me, I could hear nature, the crackling fire, and the gentle breathing of my mother. I was present. Gradually, I began to think about what I wanted to do¡ªto blow a gust of wind at this fire and extinguish it.

    I kept repeating this in my mind as my eyes slowly opened and I began to recite the incantation. "Breathe the breath of Okren," I started, my voice low and monotone as the feeling of butterflies built in my stomach. "Tempest''s sovereign might," I continued as the feeling of butterflies began to radiate out throughout my core and up my torso. I could feel goosebumps forming on my skin, and my head began to buzz pleasantly.

    My brow twitched as I hesitated; the sensations were, in fact, pleasurable!

    "Don''t get distracted; you''re doing this perfectly," Mother hissed softly.

    I swallowed and continued, "Whispering through leaves and roaring through heights." The sensation moved to my chest beneath my breasts. I could feel it wrapping around my heart. I began to feel a bizarre yet welcome tingle, as whatever was traveling up my body was nearing my throat. I stuttered once more but kept going, "By his grace, let the winds respond to my call¡ª"

    This sensation ran up my spine and into my skull. My brain erupted with a magical euphoria I never felt, and my eyes widened as my perception around me expanded and my voice echoed out, "GUST!"

    Blowing through the window of my index finger and thumb, a cannon-like blast of air disintegrated the campfire pit and, further out, Mother and Father''s tent! An eruption of splitting air caused my mother to grip her pointy ears and watch with shock and a mix of horror as the tent and fire logs went into the tree line.

    Meanwhile, I was twitching and gasping from the tingles my body felt as I looked at my hands and then shakily at my mother. "I-I di-did it!" I stammered out.

    Mother, who was still gripping her long ears on the side of her head, released them and looked at me with pinpricks for eyes. She gulped and nodded. "Y-you sure did, sweetie!" She looked back at the mess; the tent now hung from a nearby Sycora tree. "I think you more than did it¡­"

 Chapter 20: Like Sister Like Brother

    I shuddered heavily as the pleasure of the spell radiated through my body, sending wave after wave of jitters over me. I felt as if I had just downed an entire liter of espresso. I was shaking so much that I felt like I would kick my boots off. So much so that I let out a pleased sigh as I finally shook the last quivers out of me and took a couple of deep breaths.

    I looked to my mother, who was still looking at the tent hanging off the Scycora tree, in shock. In the distance, I heard shouting and breaking sticks, and I jolted and looked to see Father, Isa, and Varis running back into the camp, rifle in hand.

    "What''s happening?!" Father shouted as he dead-sprinted towards us.

    Isa darted past Father, her body hunched forward like a predator pursuing prey, just before reaching us; however, she twisted her feet, planted her heels into the dirt, and skidded to a stop a few feet before us.

    "What happened here? Why was there an explosion?" She asked just as Father reached us, panting and looking at the mess. Realizing nothing was actually wrong, he took a deep breath and shook his head.

    Varis ran up behind him, his worried face changing to one of shock when he saw the tent hanging off the tree. "Whoa! Did you do that, Luna?" He asked.

    My father pinched the bridge of his nose. "Cailynn, what were you teaching her?" He asked as he gestured to the tent with an open palm.

    Mother spun around and threw her hands up. "Nothing like this!" She threw both her hands towards the tent as if presenting it. "I am teaching her a simple mote spell, nothing crazy. It was only supposed to put out the fire!"

    Shit, that felt so cool. I sighed and shook my head. But maybe I overdid it? Was it the pleasurable feeling? Did that distract me too much?

    I looked up at my bickering parents and tugged on the hem of my mother''s polo. My mother held her breath and glanced down at me.

    "Did I do bad?" I asked her, and everyone around me softened and cooed.

    Mother shook her head and knelt down. "No, sweetie, you actually did¡­ too good." She sighed.

    Isa stepped past us and walked towards the hanging tent, her eyes squinting as she examined it. "If this was a mote, I am curious to see how well she performs whispers." Isa turned back to us, her left hand on her hip.

    Mother stood back up, her hands now on my shoulders. She looked to Isa. "I''m sure she can perform them wonderfully." She smiled and looked down at me. "We just need to teach you how to control the strength." She giggled softly.

    "My coffee canteen was in that tent¡­" Father moped and sighed as he shrugged his shoulders.

    "It''s probably still in there!" Varis said. "I can climb up and go get it!"

    "No need for that," Isa said with a wave of her hand as she began to walk towards the tent.

    "I can try bringing it down." Mother offered as Isa leapt off the ground, which seemed like six feet, and latched onto a hanging branch before effortlessly yanking herself up it. My eyes widened as the serelli scaled up each branch with the ease of a gymnast until reaching the large branch that held the tent.

    Rather than yanking the canvas off the branch, Isa pulled out from her robes what looked to be a large knife similar to that of a bowie and began to hack at the branch. After about half a minute of this, I squeaked as the branch buckled and snapped before dropping itself and the tent to the ground with a heavy thud!

    Father winced and sighed. "The canteen is probably smashed now¡­" he sighed.

    "Why didn''t you say anything then?" Mother hissed.

    "It''s not every day you get to see a pretty Serelli leap around like¡ª" My mother gasped and bopped him over the head.

    "You disgust me sometimes!" She growled and glared daggers at him. "Next time, I''ll have Luna blast you into that tree if you joke like that again!"

    Father yelped and laughed as he clutched the spot on his head and said, "I was kidding, I was kidding!" he blushed. "You look adorable when you''re mad."

    "Okay, this is getting weird!" I butted in, causing Mother''s anger to break, and she giggled.

    "Yes, yes, it is!" She agreed and rubbed the top of my head as Varis ran over to help Isa pull the tent off the branch.

    After some time had passed, the tent itself was unfortunately unsalvageable, at least not out here in the field. Massive tears and gouges from being thrown into the tree by yours truly had severely, in layman''s terms, fucked it up.

    Father was confident he could repair it, but he''ll need his tools and left-over canvas at home. Though there was another unfortunate casualty of war, the beans were unfortunately scattered.

    The force of my projection caused the lid in the canister to fly off, and the powdered dust that was the bean of God has been forsaken. My father was truly broken when he lifted the flap and saw the loss. He was upset, and I was too. Though I didn''t show it, I was crying with him on the inside.

    If only I''d known, I wouldn''t have blown so hard!

    There were only a small handful of days left in our trip, and without the liquid caffeine boost, my father was adamant that we''d perish. Not to mention, he, Mother, and Isa would have to share a tent. Though it was not verbally spoken, I could see on all three of their faces that none of them were looking forward to it.

    While the adult children cried about their lost coffee and having to share cuddle time with a third party, I went off with Varis, who was excited to tell me about the hunting trip.

    "So, like, Father gave me his gun, right? The big rifle!" Varis said as he and I went over to the edge of the tree line, at which point I chose to go no further.

    I''d learned my lesson going out there.

    "Yeah?" I nodded and motioned for him to continue.

    "He calls it his ''baby'' a lot and that it''s a ''K-12 Lambert'', whatever that means!" Varis climbed onto a fallen log and began to balance on it as he walked.

    K-12 Lambert, like kindergarten to 12th grade? Funny way of remembering it, I guess.

    "It''s super fun to shoot, Luna! It''s much stronger than Father''s cycler!" Varis said as he mocked holding the revolver in both hands.

    "I bet! I remember Papa shooting at the wolves last night," I mumbled as I rubbed my arms. A cool wind began to pick up as the afternoon sun began to dip into the evening.

    Varis stopped balancing on the log and turned to face me, his face twisting slightly in an expression I couldn''t quite make out before he composed himself.

    "Why did you walk out there?" He asked, his tone shifting to that of a surprisingly mature one.

    I said nothing for a moment and shrugged. "I don''t know; I actually don''t."

    Even now, just thinking about it, I can''t recall what it is. I just felt this compulsion to go.

    I looked up at Varis, and I could tell by his expression that he wasn''t convinced. I bit my lower lip and shrugged again. "I don''t know what you want me to say, Varis; I told you everything."

    Varis clenched his fist and sighed.

    Oh no, I can see it. His childish rage.

    "It''s not fair!" He huffed, hopped off the log, and sat on it.

    I recoiled a bit. "Excuse me?"

    Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel.

    He threw an arm up in the air in my direction. "You''re like a hero in those books Momma reads us!" He frowned. "You had a crazy vision and then fought monsters, and now you have cool magic powers! It''s not fair!"

    One after the other, his words felt like fists to my face, and I stepped back and shook my head in disbelief.

    What the fuck is he saying? Does he think I like this? Or enjoy this? The magic sure, I like that, but the nightmare, almost¡­ I stopped myself, brought a hand up to my face, and took a deep breath. He''s just a boy. I told myself. A dumb little kid who doesn''t know better.

    I calmed myself before having an outburst. Honestly, I can relate to this. I thought.

    Growing up in my old life. I was a sheltered kid; I hardly went outside, and my family was constantly moving. Eighteen times in one year, we moved across the tristate area. I was around seven years old. I hadn''t learned how to keep a stable friendship; I couldn''t.

    Yet my older brothers, both of whom were about six or ten years older than me, were used to this and could pick up friends or girlfriends at the snap of a finger. Yet the friends they chose weren''t always the best. Almost every night, I''d hear stories from them about how they and the boys got caught up in a crazy police chase while they rode their bikes through the backwoods and aisles. Or how they''d encounter one of the local high school gangs and get into an intense brawl, or how they''d try a fancy drug.

    Yet here I was, at home. Playing a video game or listening to my mother watch her gospel TV. I was either too young to go outside, or the places we moved to had no one my age. Besides, I barely knew how to interact with kids, and because of this, I began to become jealous.

    Why were my brothers always the ones to get into crazy, dangerous situations? I''d see my brothers come home riddled with bruises and injuries, like the time my middle brother got bashed with a rock and taken to the ER. Part of me was jealous. They always had these crazy, cool stories, and Mom and Dad always paid attention to the crazy stuff they did.

    Maybe that''s it.

    Being the youngest, my mother always told me not to be like them. My father always threatened the belt if he caught me doing stuff they did. They always hovered around me. Yet when my brothers began to act up, they went away. Started focusing on them.

    I bit my lower lip and looked at Varis, who was sulking. "I''m sorry," I said softly.

    Varis blinked and looked at me as I sniffled and wiped my eyes. "I never asked for this," I said as tears began to well up. "I''m sorry, I''m not trying to take them away." I took a deep breath, but I couldn''t help but feel the emotions in me running wild.

    Fuck these child-like feelings! I whimpered.

    Varis looked at me, his green and blue eyes widening as a sudden look of guilt washed over him. "I-I¡­ No, Luna, I''m sorry." He got up and walked over to me. "I just felt grumpy."

    I shook my head and hiccupped softly as I wiped my eyes. "No¡­ I shouldn''t have left yesterday. I-I was feeling selfish."

    He draped his arm around me and pulled me into a hug. "You''re not a fish," Varis said, and I couldn''t help but hiccup and laugh.

    I can''t tell if he''s being dumb or trying to make me laugh.

    I sniffed and took a deep breath. "You''re cool." I said softly into his chest.

    I felt Varis shift and look down at me. "Nah, I''m not¡­ You''re smart and can do magic now, and you fought a monster!"

    "Fighting monsters doesn''t make you cool." I smacked his chest, and he snorted.

    "Not true!" He lightly grabbed my hand, which just hit him. "You said I was to be the strong one for you, yet¡­ I think you might be stronger than me."

    "Not true." I spoke. "You''re better with Papa''s guns, and you''re taller than me and much stronger."

    Varis huffed and smiled, and he puffed his chest out and said, "Well, I am all of those things." He smirked; he definitely has Mom and Dad''s ego.

    "But what I mean is that you''re like¡­ brave!" Varis said as he let go of me.

    I snorted and shook my head. "I-I''m not brave!"

    "Shut up, I''m saying nice stuff to you," Varis said, and I recoiled back as if I were being sucker punched. "That was mean of me before to say what I said. Yet part of it was true. Sister, you are very brave. I agree with Father that it was silly of you to go out alone, but despite being in danger, you didn''t give up."

    In a rare moment of self-reflection, my brother took a deep breath, looked over at our parents, and said, "If I were in your shoes¡­ I don''t think I would''ve made it. I get very scared a lot." He looked at me, his ears flopping to the side of his head.

    What''s he talking about? Varis is always a bundle of energy and a goofball.

    "Ever since Momma and Papa said you''d be going away, I''ve been scared. I was afraid when last night we heard screaming and the wolves. I knew you were in trouble, but I froze up." He sniffed. "I know Soza wouldn''t let me go, but she didn''t have to try. I just tensed up, and I couldn''t move. And I was scared; I was jealous because if it was me out there, I know you wouldn''t hesitate."

    I stepped back and wrapped my arms around him. "Shush, you''re going to make me cry!" I spoke. "And it''s okay; it was scary. I wouldn''t want you to be out there."

    Varis took a deep breath and calmed himself. "I-I know."

    "Tell me about the hunting trip," I said, trying to change the topic as the two of us regained ourselves.

    We both stepped apart and sat down on the log, and Varis looked forward and wiped his eyes. He looked immensely embarrassed now.

    "I-It was nothing¡­" He said it softly. "We didn''t get that far; Father wanted to hunt some jabbers." Little rabbit-like creatures. "But we didn''t find anything. And that big boom you made, father said, most likely scared everything off."

    It was my turn to have my ears flatten, and I sighed, "I''m sorry. I have no idea why the spell came out the way it did."

    Varis shrugged. "It''s okay. What was it like?" He looked at me, and we shared eye contact before a silly thought came to me.

    "Wanna try it?" I asked him.

    My brother stared at me with a blank look. I could feel the gears in his head turning before suddenly his eyes lit up. "Heck yeah!" He beamed, his childish excitement returning.

    I smiled and motioned for him to scoot closer. "Okay, I''m not going to demonstrate, just in case I blow a big hole in the ground but listen closely."

    My brother nodded as I began to give him the crash course variant of what my mother told me.

    "So, like, there''s a magic well inside me full of this ether stuff, and I just need to say some funny words to get it out?" He clarified.

    I shrugged and said, "Close enough. Don''t forget the hand signs too."

    Varis nodded as I showed him the "OK" hand gesture and explained how he needed to blow through it.

    He nodded, and the two of us stood up off the log, I glanced around and pointed to a low, hanging branch. "Let''s see if we can push that," I said as my brother nodded.

    Turning to face the branch, Varis raised his hand to his lips in a gesture and closed his eyes.

    "Remember to take deep breaths; don''t think about anything except what you want. You''ll feel all fuzzy and weird down below, and the warmth will spread throughout. But don''t pay attention to it and try to focus." I explained.

    Varis nodded, and after a few deep breaths, he began to utter the words. "Breathe the breath of Okren, Tempest''s sovereign might, whispering through leaves and roaring through heights. By his grace, let the winds respond to my call¡ªGust!"

    Varis blew into his hand, and my eyes widened as a surge of wind flew forth from the opening in his fingers and battered the branch above. It groaned and swung violently as it thrashed about, and as quickly as it started, it relaxed as the wind dissipated.

    A moment of silence fell over us as Varis shivered and trembled. I could see goosebumps running along his arm, and his face was faintly pale, though his eyes were wide with shock. I stared with awe as I processed what had just happened.

    He did it; the goof actually pulled it off. Not as strong as what I did earlier, but still more intense than what my mother demonstrated!

    I shook my head, brought myself back to reality, and shouted, "You did it!"

    "I-I did!" Varis yelled as he threw his arms up. "I actually did it!"

    I ran over and hugged him before immediately regretting it as he crushed my spine with his arms and lifted me off the ground.

    "Gyak! Vaaaris!" I squealed.

    "What''s going on over there?" Our father called out as he began to walk towards us. "What did I say about wrestling your sister, boy?"

    Varis let go of me and said, "We''re not wrestling!"

    "We aren''t!" I backed him up. "I was teaching him magic!"

    Father stopped. "Excuse me?"

    "Yeah!" Varis pumped his fist and pointed to the tree branch. "Luna showed me how to do what she did!"

    Father looked at us for a few moments, his face a bit stern, and I couldn''t help but feel a sinking sense of dread. Was I not supposed to do this?

    Yet he didn''t say anything; he turned around and shouted, "Cailynn, Isa, can you come here for a second?"

    Mother and Isa, who were folding up the tent, nodded and stood. After dusting themselves off, they walked over to us, and Father turned to me.

    "Tell them what you told me."

    I suddenly felt on the spot, and I began to quiver a little.

    "You''re not in trouble." Father assured me and smiled.

    Thanks, asshole; you should''ve said that out the gate!

    I gulped and nodded. "I taught Varis the spell you just taught me," I said, looking at Mother''s widened eyes.

    Varis nodded. "Yeah! She explained it so easily. See, I''ll do it again!" He turned and gestured toward the branch.

    Taking a breath, he began to recite the words and shouted, "Gust!" Once more, a torrent of air shot forth and battered the branch!

    Mother gasped and smiled widely as Father nodded approvingly, yet as quickly as the amazement came, it was replaced by shock as Varis shuddered and stumbled back a bit.

    Being right beside him, I reached out with my little arms and caught him just in time. "Whoa¡­" Varis grumbled and grasped the side of his head. "I-I feel funny."

    I blinked and said, "Is everything okay?" I looked up at my mother, who sighed.

    "Spell fatigue," Mother said as she stepped on over and helped me prop him up. "Nothing to be worried about."

    "That''s good," Varis mumbled, shaking his head.

    Mother nodded. "Yep, it happens when novices cast too many spells too quickly. Even if you have deep wells, you''re tapping into the magic for the first time. Like a muscle, it needs to be trained."

    "Oh, thank God," I said out loud and took a deep breath. "I thought I did something bad."

    "Oh, you did," Father said, crossing his arms, and his stern face returned. I gulped. He wagged his finger at me. "Magic practice is prohibited unless your mother is around. Do you hear me?"

    "Wh-why?" I whined, and Varis whimpered too.

    "Sweetie, what if you blew our house down?" Mother asked me.

    Smugly, I puffed my chest. "We build a new one!"

    My father rolled his eyes. "No jokes. We''re serious, Luna. Your mother is trained in well¡­ training people." He shrugged. "It''s for your brother''s and yours safety. Do you understand?"

    I sighed and deflated. "Okay¡­" He stepped over and placed his hand on my head.

    "You''re doing great, kid." He smiled down at me before looking at everyone else. "We have a handful of days left here. Soza showed me on the map that there''s a river near here; why don''t we all go there and fish?''

    My mother''s head turned to Father, and she nodded. "Oh, that''ll be perfect for some water magic training." Mother said, and both I and a tired Varis perked up.

    "Oh, that sounds nice!" I beamed, fishing by a mountain river with some magic lessons.

    Sign me up.

 Chapter 21: Changes

    Day by day, our trip to the Heinland Mountains gradually became better. The second night with the wolves still hung fresh in my mind, and for the most part, I had stuck close to my family, no longer wandering anywhere beyond their line of sight.

    I continued to practice magic with my mother, and Varis hung around for a couple of the lessons. While he seemed magically inclined like me, Mother theorized that maybe he was suffering from a shallower well than mine. I don''t know if she was trying to comfort him with this knowledge, but she made it clear to him that with practice, he could deepen it, especially since he''s young.

    Yet I don''t know about that, at least the young part. While I''ve been fully engrossed in learning, Varis has nearly fallen asleep on the log a few times as Mother lectures us about the schools of magic in Enora. There were a few and all kinds I was familiar with, at least from a fantasy setting.

    Evocation, Conjuration, Divination, Transmutation, Necromancy, and Abjuration

    Except for these last three, I wasn''t familiar with them.

    Dilation, Gravitation and Spirimancy.

    Mother explained to me that dilation is a rare form of magic that involves the use of time. Very rarely have time casters been a thing, though it''s theorized that with the use of ether, the fundamentals of time could be altered. Which is horrifying.

    Secondly, she told me gravitation is, well, the control of gravity. This has been proven; she stated it to be possible. It''s how she was able to fly in her encounter with the timberwolf alpha and how certain mages can make their towers fly. Which interested me.

    Finally, there was spirimancy. The power of the soul. Spirimancy, she told me, is a very dangerous and new form of magic, as it has only been discovered this decade. It is also already the most powerful form of magic. She said it was the art of consuming a piece of one''s soul or other souls from the ethereal realm to manipulate all of reality. Because everything is known to possess a soul, the power able to be obtained from this form of magic is insurmountable and highly volatile.

    Mother told me that even as we spoke within the confines of the Magus Concordium, the Magi Council was still discussing the ethics of this discovery. Thus, as of now, the usage and teaching of spirimancy have been put on hold until the magisters confirm their approval.

    I hadn''t expected to learn about magical politics, but it was interesting. Another interesting thing I learned from my mother about this world is that teleportation isn''t a thing. Well, she told me that there are "portals" in a sense, but they''re pathways known as "Web Ways," which allow people to travel between realms or far-off destinations. Yet no one knows how they''re made; she told me they''re just natural events.

    Web Ways can open up in certain areas of the world and remain there for thousands of years or seconds before they disappear. She went on to tell this long historical tale about how humans came to be¡ª

    "Wait¡­" I stopped. "What do you mean humans came to be?" I asked now, focusing my attention as Father motioned for me to climb onto the wagon as we were about to depart for home.

    Mother stopped mid-lecture as she got onto the wagon and looked at me. "Oh, humans aren''t from Enora."

    "Eh, what?" I sat beside her on the wagon and looked at her with wide eyes.

    My mother smirked when she saw how interested I had become. Wrapping her arm around me, she pulled me in for cuddles.

    Fuck I should''ve expected she was going to snuggle me on the way home!

    "Humans came to Enora via a Web Way many, many thousands of years ago." She hummed.

    Accepting my fate, I sighed, relaxed into her bosom, and glanced at Isa, who was climbing onto the driver seat beside Father. "Isa, why haven''t you told Varis and I this?" I asked, knowing she was listening; she was always listening with those rotating feline ears.

    "Because we haven''t gotten to human history yet in our historical studies." Isa said as Varis boarded.

    "You seem very interested in this, Luna." Mother hummed and pulled me into her breast as she bent over and kissed me on the head.

    Like hell, yeah, I am! Being someone who was once human and reincarnated makes this very interesting! I wanted to say, but instead suffered under the onslaught of love.

    I shifted and said, "I am a little; I read a little bit ahead in my books, but I want to hear from you!" I smiled.

    We might as well get a story going while we ride.

    Just as Varis got on board the wagon and made sure all his stuff was on, Father checked with us one last time we were ready. Seeing that we were, he flicked the reins and ordered Opal to take us home.

    As the wagon began to move, Mother hummed and said, "Sure, why not? Though Isa, you''re better with ancient history than I am. So, if you want to dive in and help feel free."

    The serelli nodded and smiled as she gave my mother a thumbs up.

    Mother took a deep breath and started, "It was long ago. About seventy thousand years ago, before the Intrusive War, there was an event that rocked all of Enora and possibly even the universe at large."

    My eyes widened. "What the heck could that be?"

    Mother smiled. "The Consolidation of the Planes."

    "The what?" I asked and tilted my head.

    Isa spoke up for Mother as she turned to face up: "The Consolidation of the Planes was an apocalyptic event that shattered many of the ancient kingdoms and allowed for the Dark Lord to begin his rise. The event is theorized to be the convergence of many different universes and planes into one point."

    I blinked. "So, wait¡­ you mean? Like another Enora hit our Enora?"

    Mother giggled. "Yes and no. That''s one of the theories, though, you smart girl." She pinched my cheek. "The event is still being studied to this day."

    Isa nodded. "The Consolidation triggered an event we called ''The Portal Storms'' or ''The Creation of the Web Ways.'' When our reality collided with the others, it tore fabrics of it open all over the place, allowing entities from other worlds to enter ours and ours into theirs."

    "And such entities involve humans?" I guessed, and Isa smiled and nodded.

    "Yes. It was said that during the crisis, a human war fleet entered our world in the Westriden Ocean near my home of Kazora. It was here that the humans founded what is today known as the nation of ''Vinland''."

    I nearly convulsed with shock in Mother''s arms and fell off her.

    Vinland? Fucking Vinland? Were these humans Norwegians by chance?

    Isa blinked as she noticed my mental break and asked, "Are you okay, Luna?"

    How did I not know of this? You''d think out of all the maps and books at home, I couldn''t possibly miss freaking Vinland! Alright, a new thing has been added to the bucket list of my new life. I need to see Vinland.

    I coughed and cleared my throat. "I-I''m okay; it''s just that name. It''s very cool."

    Isa chuckled. "It is, I guess. But yes, before seventy thousand years ago, humans did not exist on Enora. Based on Vinlander studies and descriptions, it''s said they come from an ancient land known as Norvegr."

    It kind of sounds like Norway, but I don''t know too much about Vikings.

    Isa continued, "A land that, based on their descriptions, does not match anything here in Enora. Thus, adding to King Erikson''s story of how the Vinlanders sailed to their homeland over a ''rainbow ocean'' within a land of stars."

    "What makes it even more interesting?" My mother spoke as she patted me on the head. "That would mean they would''ve had to traverse over The Thing."

    Isa nodded. "Exactly. Vinlanders are famous for making tough vessels, but even now Yankston''s dreadnoughts avoid The Thing even today."

    Varis groaned. "What even is The Thing? Momma mentioned it before, yet she never clarified."

    What the hell are they talking about? The Thing?

    Mother nodded and looked at me. "Hold on, Luna, hop off my lap. I think I brought a lot of my maps with me."

    I scooched off her lap and sat to the side as my mother bent over and began to rifle through her belongings. After about a minute of searching, she said, "Ahha! I got my sea map here."

    "Why did you bring a sea map to the mountains?" Isa asked her with a confused look as Mother simply smiled.

    "I like to read maps!" She hummed and began to unfurl it on the floor of the wagon.

    It was a massive map, revealing many of the world''s oceans and seas. My eyes widened. I had never seen this map before. I''ve only had the chance to look at what''s in books or what Isa provided.

    Perhaps this was in the cabin. I wondered as the map stretched about four and a half feet wide and was tall enough to ride up on Varis on his side of the wagon.

    Enora is fucking massive¡ªway bigger than Earth. Either that or the cartographer exaggerated here. Yet, what the fuck is that?

    I leaned over Mother''s shoulder and looked at the massive map, squiggling down the entire known planet from the top, down, and under a couple of continents to this world''s version of Antarctica, known bluntly as the Eternal Frost. Was this a massive black line? It was almost as if the cartographer got drunk, or let a child ruin a perfectly good map.

    Yet there were some gaps in this massive ink stain that had markings such as "safe passage" or "only use during the summer season," etc.

    "Why is there a big mess?" I asked my mother.

    "That, sweetie, is The Thing." Mother tapped on the big mess.

    I blinked. "What is it?"

    "That''s what I''ve been asking!" Varis huffed.

    "Nobody knows what it is or even if it is an ''it''." Isa said with a shrug. "The Thing has been here since time immemorial. It is dangerous to cross over it in the ocean. A very, very small amount of brave adventurers have tried in the past, and only a few have succeeded. Those who had succeeded never wished to speak of it and many of those have even gone mad."

    Mother smiled. "Weren''t the Yanks trying to create an underwater vessel to explore it? I recall reading the papers about it a few years ago."

    Underwater vessel? A submarine?

    Isa shrugged. "I do not look much into what the Yanks are doing nowadays, and I honestly don''t care." She huffed.

    I keep thinking they''re talking about Americans, and it''s tripping me up so fucking badly.

    "So, is it like a big, scary monster?" Varis asked again, and everyone sighed.

    "Nobody knows what it is, Varis." My mother repeated this as my brother sighed and crossed his arms, still seemingly skeptical.

    "Fine, when I grow up, I''m going to go see what it is!" He proclaimed this, and my mother laughed and shook her head.

    "No, you aren''t. I''ll make sure you don''t ever get near it." She smiled and glanced at me. "Is something wrong, Luna?"

    I hadn''t realized it, but looking at the map, my face was scrunched up. Hearing my name, I relaxed and nodded. "O-Oh I''m fine. It''s just a lot to take in." I laughed nervously.

    Humans came from the Norwegian Vikings, and there''s something big wrapping around the world. Not to mention, this world is massive. This is just a lot to take in.

    Mother giggled and nodded as she began to roll up the map. "Enora is a big place with a lot of different cultures and mysteries."

    Isa nodded. "Especially on the Western continents."

    "Which reminds me!" Mother snapped her finger and smiled widely. "The Yanks recently uncovered an ancient ruin in the Wylde Lands that, to be believed, was once held by the Far Reachers." Her eyes were gleaming with ideas of what could''ve been found.

    Isa rolled her eyes. "Once again, the Great Migration is desecrating sacred ruins." She grumbled and turned away.

    I blinked and looked to Mother, who deflated a bit when Isa turned away. Okay, that seemed like a sore topic, so I noted and reached over to pat my mother.

    Mother took a deep breath. "I didn''t mean to sour the mood, Isa."

    "What''s wrong with some old ruins being dug up?" Varis asked.

    "Brother," I said, "I don''t think it''s right for us to poke."

    Mother nodded. "Yes, we can discuss this later. For now, let us enjoy the ride home."

    <hr>

    The trip home was mostly uneventful, which, frankly, I was more than happy to take. The past week has been too packed with events. Sleeping has become difficult. I''ve been having recurring nightmares about my encounter with the wolves. It''s embarrassing, but I''ll admit that the first night on our trip home, I snuck into the tent with my parents and Isa and cuddled up to them.

    I haven''t done anything like that since I was a child in my old life. Yet when I felt my mother''s arms around me, I passed out almost instantly. That next morning, even though she was surprised I had done such a thing, she was happy to comfort me. I also think doing so made her feel better for herself, as she seemed a lot more upbeat and cuddlier on the remainder of the trip home.

    Well, actually, there was one event I forgot to mention. I''m officially seven years old! Due to the trip almost killing me, the actual birthday celebration didn''t happen. Yet on the ride home, my mother slipped something into the pocket of my skirt, and what I found was something truly touching.

    It was a tiny ornate wand with a nice wooden handle and a silver top that spiraled on itself, forming a cage that contained a bright sapphire.

    "I made this for you," she said to me as the wagon strolled along. "I meant to give it to you the day you cast your first spell." She whispered into my ear so as not to wake Varis, who was passed out in front of me. "But as you know, my little mage got me all distracted." She giggled and tickled me playfully.

    "Wahha! Stop!" I squealed and squirmed before smiling as I gripped the small wand in my tiny hands. "Th-thank you, Mother." I looked back at it, my eyes shimmering as I could feel myself getting a little emotional.

    Curse these child hormones!

    "This looks lovely," I said. "How do I use it?" I smirked.

    Mother giggled and kissed me on the cheek and whispered, "I can show you when we get home, though the wand is meant to supplement the somatic parts of spells. The hand motions." She clarified. "It can also enhance the spells as well, though¡­" She smiled smugly. "My little archmage probably won''t need that." She giggled.

    I blushed deeply and leaned back to kiss my mother on the cheek, which made her ears wiggle fast and her face turn red. Her smile was so wide, I thought her face would split as she pulled me into her breasts tightly and nearly smothered me with a hug!

    Yet aside from that, the trip home ended with us arriving at our two-story property sometime before dusk. The sun is dipping beneath the mountains and illuminating the sky in bright blues and purples. Spring was officially settling in as winter appeared to be departing early. A warm gust of air wafted over us as Father stopped the wagon outside the front door.

    "Alright," he said, "I know we''re all tired, but let''s get this unpacked so I can take Opal back to Mr. Hautchkins."

    "Would you like me to come with you, love?" Mother asked him, and he shook his head.

    "No. Stay here with the kids. I''ll be back shortly, I promise."

    Mother nodded, turned to me, and ruffled my hair. "Alright, Kiddos!" She lightly kicked Varis so that he woke up. "Unpack the wagon, then it''s bedtime!"

    "Bedtime?" Varis groaned. "We just got home!"

    "You have classes in the morning," Isa reminded us, and Varis whined.

    "No whining!" Father said it sternly. "Listen to your mother and Isa."

    I smiled and nodded. "Okay, Papa!" I got up and stretched before grabbing my bag of items and tent and hopping off the cart.

    <hr>

    So, it finally happened. It began to happen. I don''t know when, how, or what the hell triggered it, but I can feel it. Puberty 2.0 has arrived, the speed run edition.

    Both Varis and I seemed to have gotten hit by it at once; it all started around the spring equinox in the month of Cirrus. Varis had recently turned nine years old, and like me, we held a big event. Though nothing too crazy like going out to the mountains. No. Father rented out the town hall for a hefty sum; I know this from listening to our mother belittle him for how much he spent, and we held this massive party! We invited the Hautchkins, some of Father''s fellow constables and their families, and even a few distant relatives I had never met before from both my mother''s and father''s families.

    I''m thinking about it now. I never really asked them about their families. I''ll make a mental note.

    Well, the point is. Almost the day after, and I swear it felt like the day after. It struck us. It started weird at first. I began to feel little pains in my chest area beneath my flat breasts. It was tender, and wearing my outfits caused annoying pain whenever my nipples ran over the fabric. Not to mention, I felt a little taller.

    Varis had another growth spurt too, and much of his pants and clothes were no longer fitting, and he was lanky! I mean, skin and bone and nothing in between. It didn''t hit me what was happening until just the other night, after a day of magic training when we started doing our Rest Days. We got a bit dirty.

    If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

    I''ve recently gotten the hang of wind spells, and it turns out I was succumbing to those pleasurable sensations when spell casting, which resulted in me being overwhelmed with ether and overcasting. After doing so, we moved on to water magic, which was extremely easy and fun, and next, we moved onto earth.

    Well, I decided to get a little cheeky. It turns out that while magic can break physics, to some extent it still follows them. Back in the old world, I was a bit of a science nerd. I won''t say I knew it all, but I liked to read. And I wanted to experiment.

    I wanted to make mud.

    Can water magic fuse with earth magic?

    It turns out it can, of course, but my little child brain and inner RPG nerd wanted to try this tiny bit of knowledge.

    It backfired.

    Mother and I were standing outside as she explained to me a simple mote spell perfect for self-defense. A spell known simply as "Stone Shard."

    Essentially, the spell would allow me to magically pluck a decent-sized chunk of earth from the ground, about the size of my small fist, and lob it at whatever speed I decided based on how much ether I applied to the spell.

    But you can do a little bit more. You can also levitate the rock around and move it. So, using a bit of my knowledge of erosion, I wondered, What if I apply some wind and water to the dirt to shape it into something like a drill or arrowhead?

    I was missing a crucial piece here: fire. I forgot that I would need to heat the stone and dirt to harden it and that air wouldn''t be enough. So, as I began to do my little trick to show off to my mother, I began to rotate the rock rapidly, and I concentrated my ether on creating a gust of wind to widdle away at the stone along with sprinkles of water.

    What started well eventually turned into me aggressively splattering myself and Mother with globs of mud! Father and Varis had watched from the sidelines while they worked on the fence around our house and howled with laughter.

    Mother was a bit frustrated as she was wearing a fine dress today rather than her usual sundress or polo and pants, and she sighed.

    "Okay, class is dismissed for right now." She muttered as she flicked some mud off of her eye. "Let''s go get cleaned up."

    "S-sorry." I whined, feeling immensely embarrassed.

    I should''ve seen this coming!

    Mother smiled. "It''s okay, but instead of doing your own thing, sweetie, let''s follow instructions." She patted me on the back and began to pull some mud out of my long black hair.

    "Is it me, or have you gotten a little taller?" Mother hummed. "I swear you used to be this big just yesterday." She placed her hand at her hip, which was maybe about half a foot below me; now I stood about chest height to her.

    I blushed. "I dunno¡­ Maybe I just got lucky and grew with Varis." I sighed as we began to walk inside, though just by the act of turning, I felt my dress shift, and then a sharp throb hit me right in the nipples. I halted and groaned softly and rubbed my chest grimacing as I wondered what the hell was that.

    "Something wrong?" Mother asked as she held the back door open for me, and we stepped into the kitchen. "My chest has been feeling funny," I said softly.

    "Did you get hit in the chest on accident?" She asked me as she shut the door and greeted Isa, who was eating her lunch at the table.

    "I don''t think so." I grumbled and sighed. Great, now I''m all grumpy.

    Mother was silent for a moment and said, "Why don''t you go up to the washroom? I''ll join you in a moment."

    I blushed. "Wh-what? I can wash myself!"

    "No arguing." Mother ordered.

    My face burned brightly as I heard Isa snickering. I bit my lip, huffed, and marched up to the bathroom. It wouldn¡¯t be the first time I¡¯ve bathed with my parents. Each time it never got easier. Especially with my father. Seeing them naked was something I wish I could expunge from my memory. Not saying they¡¯re ugly, but it''s not quite the opposite. Both of them were practically super models it¡¯s just¡­ they¡¯re my parents. The mere thought sent shivers through me.

    I hadn¡¯t bathed with them in almost two years now because I was a ¡°big elf¡± now according to them. So why now? What¡¯s changed? Does mother¡­ Dear god. She wants to cuddle with me more. I thought. No. No. No. I¡¯m not ready for it!

    Calm yourself, Luna, I thought. Maybe she just wanted to make sure I didn¡¯t strain myself with my magic. Or. Uh, no actually that might be it. That has to be it. There¡¯s nothing else I can think of that would make her want to wash with me. I groaned and stepped into the bathroom and shut the door.

    Our bathroom was of average size and even had basic plumbing, which was a nice thing to discover when I first came to this world. There were no water heaters or anything, at least that I know of. I had originally thought the basement held a water heater. It looked like one at least, though Mother explained to me that it was a ¡°crylanpump.¡± A big archeo device, which is a magic item, that apparently is what moves the water throughout the house. But what we did have to make up for it were these neat things called heat stones. As I pumped the in-house well to fill the large metal tub upstairs, I went to the closet and pulled out a little red rock with a flame etched on it.

    I don''t know if Mother made these with her magical abilities or if they bought them. But what you do is toss them into the water, and immediately, it begins to steam and bubble lightly, warming the water to a comfortable level but never boiling.

    I think at least. I never actually left the stone in the water long enough. Nor did I intend to experiment. Especially not after getting dirty outside from my last test. Once the water was to my preferred temperature, I reached in, plucked the warm stone out, and put it away. You¡¯d think with a stone that¡¯s capable of heating water I would¡¯ve burned myself, yet shockingly no. The little archeo was room warm to the touch, yet nowhere near scalding. As to how that¡¯s possible? Magic I guess.

    I placed the heat stone back into the bathroom cabinet and closed it. I then took a deep breath and began to strip out of my mud-covered clothes and tossed them to the side. I now stood in the bathroom naked and alone, waiting for Mother. I nervously glanced at the mirror and saw my pale-naked self staring back, and I blushed faintly. Seven years. Seven long years and I still can¡¯t stop feeling gross looking at myself like this.

    I need to stop doing that. I thought. I¡¯m not that guy anymore. I¡¯m not some old geezer. I¡¯m Luna, little Luna the elf girl. But¡­ it¡¯s hard. I closed my eyes and shook my head. You¡¯re not a freak. You¡¯re just a little growing girl. In a humble little home. Just stop. But¨CNo, stop!

    I clapped my cheeks with my little hands and pulled myself back into reality. With a sigh, I leaned against the kitchen sink. "Is she really going to barge in here?" I muttered and glanced back at the mirror. It was already starting to steam faintly from the hot bath. Getting on my tip-toes I reached over and wiped the fog away and looked at myself. This time pushing the dreaded thoughts away and just focusing on myself. Looking at the young elf staring back I cocked my head and then blinked before narrowing my eyes at her.

    Something''s off. I thought as I stretched my tiptoes and leaned closer to the mirror, and that''s when I saw it.

    "No shit¡­" I muttered under my breath as I brought my hand up to my right breast, and what I noticed in the mirror was a little bump. It was like a small hill forming on my chest and my hand lightly touched it and I gasped as the sensitive flesh throbbed to the touch.

    It''s finally started, I thought, just as Mother threw open the door and I screamed!

    "Time to get washed!" She proclaimed in nothing but towels draped over her body.

    I frantically jumped away from the door, hands shooting to behind my back as I prayed she hadn¡¯t seen me exploring myself.

    So Mother noticed that my breasts were finally starting to develop. That¡¯s why she wanted to take a bath with me. She was ecstatic to see her baby girl developing into a woman. So much so when we finally got into the tub together. Her behind me as I sat between her legs. She just wouldn¡¯t stop talking about, "Oh, I can''t wait to get you this kind of bra." Or. "If you get as large as me, I have the cutest outfit that¡¯ll get you all the boys." And, of course, "My little girl is finally becoming a woman!"

    It wasn''t fun. I love my mother to death, but only for the love of God. Please, I''m dying of embarrassment here! Part of me was just as excited as her to grow up but, dammit. I was jealous. I wanted her excitement! Or at least to be able to express it openly like her, but I couldn¡¯t stop feeling like I shouldn¡¯t be. Doing so would make me gross.

    ¡°Is something wrong, Luna?¡± Mother asked me as she leaned over, resting her chin on my shoulder as her finger dexterously scrubbed my hair. ¡°You don¡¯t seem excited? Aren¡¯t you happy to be growing up? Don¡¯t you want to become as beautiful as me?¡± She said jokingly with a smug smirk.

    I blushed. ¡°I-I do¡­¡± I said scrubbing my arms. ¡°I-I¡­ I just, feel¡­¡± I want to talk about it. I do. Yet, telling Mother that I am actually a thirty-four-year-old man in a little girl¡¯s body dreaming about becoming hot like her would just absolutely ruin the mood. But¡­ I wasn¡¯t that guy, and even though I knew that, I couldn¡¯t stop thinking like him. I feel dirty, and no matter how much I scrub myself I can¡¯t get rid of those thoughts.

    ¡°I feel embarrassed,¡± I said blushing deeply.

    ¡°How come?¡± Mother asked, pulling away from me as she focused more on my hair. ¡°It¡¯s natural for all ladies to go through this, there¡¯s no need to be embarrassed.¡±

    I sputtered. ¡°I well¡­ I-I¡­¡± Maybe I can try speaking about the subject.

    ¡°I wanna become pretty like you,¡± I forced out the words. ¡°I-I want to have¡­ uh¡­¡±

    My mother giggled. ¡°You can say it, dear. We¡¯re both ladies and we¡¯re alone,¡± She hummed as her fingers combed my hair elegantly.

    I was red as a tomato. I gulped. ¡°I want to have a body like yours. I want to be striking. Beautiful, alluring.¡±

    My mother cooed. ¡°Is that how you see me?¡± She hummed, and I could feel her smug smile behind me.

    I tried to nod, though my mother held my hair tightly. ¡°Y-Yes. I think you¡¯re really pretty. I want to grow up and have¡­ people look at me like father does you. I-I want to¡­¡±

    Mother giggled. ¡°You want to be irresistible?¡± She mused.

    ¡°Yes¡­ but, I feel like that¡¯s¡­ wrong¡­¡±

    Mother stopped for a moment and peered around me. ¡°How so?¡± She asked.

    I pulled my lips into a tight line as I tried to find the words. ¡°I fe-feel like¡­ it¡¯s¡­ naughty.¡±

    This seemed to amuse her as she smiled. ¡°Naughty?¡± she repeated. ¡°Oh, dearie, I love you.¡± She draped her arms around me and pulled me close, her ample chest pressing into my back. ¡°There is nothing wrong with that.¡±

    ¡°Wh-why not?¡± I blinked.

    ¡°Because it¡¯s natural, Sweetie. Girls your age always dream of becoming beautiful maidens or princesses, and as you get older you¡¯ll start thinking about boys or girls. And you¡¯ll want them. Like how I wanted your father when we were growing up together.¡± She hummed. ¡°It¡¯s okay to have those thoughts.¡±

    Maybe if I was a normal little kid¡­ The dreaded thoughts returned.

    ¡°Luna,¡± My mother said, ¡°You¡¯re starting down a path all of us had, and will take. It¡¯ll be weird, it¡¯ll be gross, but it¡¯s normal. Knowing myself and your father, you most certainly are going to be like me. Soon you¡¯ll be going through bras faster than I can make them, and then we¡¯ll be needing to get you pads¨C¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t wanna talk about those pads,¡± I said remembering the conversation on the wagon.

    Mother laughed. ¡°But it¡¯s okay, sweetie. If you wanna grow up and be sexy, go ahead.¡±

    ¡°Mother!¡± I gasped and she howled once again.

    ¡°Don¡¯t repeat what I just said,¡± she said giggling and patting my shoulder. ¡°Momma got caught up in the moment.¡± She snickered. ¡°But what I said is true. It¡¯s okay to want these things.¡±

    ¡°But I thought that stuff is like¡­ bad,¡± I said with a deep blush. ¡°Like thinking about that kinda stuff is, gross.¡±

    Mother snorted and shook her head. ¡°No. Maybe if you were part of the clergy, sure, but we aren¡¯t.¡± She booped my nose and placed a blob of sudsy soap there making me go cross-eyed. She sighed. ¡°Just know that your Mother doesn¡¯t judge you. Honestly, I encourage you to be more open like this.¡± She hummed. ¡°I want you to be happy, safe, and comfortable. If you ever have any worries like this, don¡¯t be ashamed to talk to me about it,¡± she said confidently and we fell silently for a few moments.

    Finally, I decided to break the silence. ¡°Momma, why do we elves mature faster?¡± I asked. Ever since our conversation on the wagon I always wondered that. I was only seven years old and beginning to develop, yet back on earth I remember boys and girls didn¡¯t start developing till like sixth grade and middle school.

    Then again, Luna, you were human back then. I reminded myself.

    ¡°Like,¡± I continued, ¡°We mature really fast, but you said we have¡­¡± I blushed deeply. ¡°Periods every decade or so. That doesn¡¯t make sense to me.¡±

    ¡°How come?¡± She asked though I noticed she peered around me with a curious eye.

    ¡°Well¡­ doesn¡¯t that¡­ mean that¡­ babies can only be made once every decade?¡± I muttered shirking under her gaze.

    My mother cocked an eyebrow. ¡°Who told you how babies are made?¡± She asked, she didn¡¯t seem mad, but curious. Mother knew for my age I was much smarter than other kids. Perhaps she expected I¡¯d catch on?

    Despite knowing that I sputtered. ¡°I-I, uh, eh¡­ I re-read a book.¡±

    ¡°So you got into my books again?¡± She arched an eyebrow.

    ¡°Uh, yeah,¡± I lied, though I was terrible at it.

    To my surprise, my mother didn¡¯t press the issue. ¡°Oh, you poor girl. Why must you rob yourself of your own innocence?¡±

    ¡°I like learning!¡± I exclaimed, and Mother laughed lightly.

    ¡°Spoken like a true scholar¡­¡± She said, and I noticed she was blushing. ¡°I¡¯ll be clear, Luna, and say that I don¡¯t know entirely. Biology is not really my realm of expertise, as I¡¯m an ethereal archon. A mage. I study magic, or at least I did. Some clergy theorize that in the ancient era of stone and wood our race made a deal with the gods to prolong our lives at the exchange of our kin so that our elders can preserve our knowledge rather than pass it down. I¡¯m paraphrasing, but that¡¯s sort of how it goes. In the ancient period our species had almost gone extinct due to this very reason.¡± She hummed.

    My eyes widened. ¡°Really?¡±

    She nodded. ¡°It was said that there was a period of great abstinence. Our ancient elders thought it abhorrent, or weren¡¯t interested in procreation. Like factory workers going on strike.¡±

    That made me snort with laughter, and my mother grinned. ¡°I shouldn¡¯t be surprised you got that joke,¡± she said. ¡°Are you really seven years old?¡± She asked then shook her head. ¡°Maybe you¡¯re just around your father too much.¡±

    ¡°What happened?¡± I asked. ¡°To the elders? Did they¡­ throw a party and have a lot of fun?¡± I smirked and my mother scoffed.

    ¡°Luna, that¡¯s¡­ ah, whatever.¡± She gave up scolding and giggled. ¡°That was kind of funny.¡± She patted me on the head. ¡°Watch your mouth.¡± She playfully chided. ¡°But no. Not entirely. I unfortunately don¡¯t know how exactly the legend went, but I do know what happened in the real world. The Tsunari¨C¡±

    ¡°Who?¡± I asked.

    My mother sighed. ¡°Tsunari, they¡¯re sea elves. The Elders of the Waves as they call themselves. A nomadic race and nation of sea dwellers. They travel across Enora on massive ships and their home island of Tsulana.¡±

    ¡°They travel with an island?¡± I gasped. ¡°Like the island moves?¡±

    ¡°It flies,¡± Mother said with a big smile.

    ¡°A sky island?!¡± I exclaimed and Mother beamed.

    ¡°Yep,¡± she nodded. ¡°They are scholars and traders. Traveling the world and learning and sharing all they can. The Tsunari people are said to be the ones to stop our extinction by developing sort of drug¡­ that helps with making baby elves.¡±

    I nodded. ¡°Is that what you did?¡± I asked.

    ¡°Huh?¡± Mother looked at me.

    ¡°Take a pill to have me.¡± I blinked.

    Mother¡¯s face turned a deep, deep shade of red. ¡°I, uh,...¡±

    ¡°Well if Varis is nine and I¡¯m seven, that¡¯s before the cycle¨C¡±

    Mother held a hand up. ¡°That¡¯s a story for when you¡¯re older.¡±

    I giggled and nodded. ¡°Okay, okay¡­ I won¡¯t pry anymore.¡± Mother smiled and patted me on the head as we began to wash again.

    I appreciated her words. Everything she said was true. I believed her, or at least I wanted to. What¡¯s happening is normal. I am normal. Yet, I¡¯m not. Again, I could just tell her, and spill the beans about who I really am, but¡­ that wouldn¡¯t change anything. Her, or anyone knowing who I am would change nothing. Honestly, I might just alienate them. I just wanna be happy. I want to enjoy being a girl and growing up, yet¡­ it feels gross. I feel like I¡¯m taking advantage of something, but what? Myself?

    Just focus on the now. Just focus on the now.

    As we continued washing up we sat in silence. Mother continued to wash my hair and I got to scrubbing my upper body. I winced as my hands ran the washcloth over my tiny little breasts and I gasped.

    ¡°Ouch, why do they hurt?¡± I whimpered.

    ¡°It¡¯s because they¡¯re growing, sweetie,¡± Mother whispered in my ear. ¡°Your little boobies are growing and doing so is tiring.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t call them that,¡± I said.

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°That,¡± I huffed.

    ¡°What is that?¡± Mother smirked, oh she¡¯s fucking with me.

    ¡°That word.¡±

    ¡°What word?¡±

    ¡°Boobies!¡± I barked, and she laughed loudly.

    ¡°Oh by the gods you¡¯re so cute!¡± She kissed me on the cheek and cuddled me again against her breasts. As she held me tightly, Mother reached up with her right hand and whispered, "No promises to say the word, but hold still, this will help." She lightly placed her hand in the middle of my chest and whispered, "Resilience." Her hand pulsed with a blue glow, and warmth shot through my chest and up and down my body like a raging current washing over me.

    Within seconds, the tender, raw feeling that plagued my developing body faded. ¡°Wh-whoa, wh-what was that?¡± I gasped, no longer feeling the pain in my chest and, surprisingly, aches I hadn¡¯t known were in other spots of my body.

    "Something I wish I had when I was your age," Mother whispered delicately into my ear. "It won''t last forever, but as your boobs grow, my love, if they ever bother you, let me know, and I can make it go away. The pain that is, you''re stuck with the boobs." She joked.

    "Darn it!" I playfully complained and smiled.

    "Aww, I thought you wanted big boobies like your mommy?" My mother snickered and poked me.

    I stammered ¡°I said I do, but don¡¯t call them that!" I giggled as my mother poked my right breast which no longer hurt. "I just wish they weren''t so annoying." I huffed.

    "You''ll learn to live with them." Mother hummed as she began to help me wash my hair as the remainder of our time peacefully went by as we cleaned up.

    Eventually, when we got out of the tub, my mother told me to meet up with her going forward. She mentioned something about taking me to the doctor to get checked up on in town. It surprised me to hear this, though she explained we elves develop quickly and its best to keep an eye on our health during this process. She also told me to let her know whenever my clothes started to feel restrictive so that she could adjust them.

    Ugh, so much to keep track of. I groaned internally. But I guess it''s all part of growing up.

    Elven puberty isn''t fun. Not saying normal puberty back when I was a human boy was fun. Even though I''m in the early stages, I can already feel stuff changing. Am I excited to get boobs, and maybe some like mothers? Heck yeah, my mother is beautiful, and I want to be too, but if their growth sucks this much, I dunno, man. Not to mention the pain I''m feeling all over.

    When she said Elven puberty is fast, she wasn''t kidding!

    To make matters worse. Varis is in full swing, too, and he smells. Do boys smell this bad? Do I smell? I haven''t checked. But, dear Lord. I need to ask Mother if I can get my room now.

    <hr>

    Life continued to trudge forward. A month has passed since puberty slammed into both Varis and me. My breasts have begun to swell more and are now visible when I bathe. Nothing crazy, just some noticeable bumps, which Mother has been easing every morning for me. Thank God for her magic.

    Father and Mother have also conceded to my pleas. Father has emptied his study, which he rarely uses anyway, and moved all the items to Mom''s mystery cabin. Thus, the study was transformed into my room! Once again, I praised God.

    For the first time in seven years, I officially have privacy¡ªor at least some privacy. The walls in this house are thin, and my room is now next to Mother and Father''s.

    Mom and Dad don''t care that we know what they do at night. Maybe getting my room was a mistake.

    However, as the month of Orpheus came around and the warm spring air cleansed the land, trees, and flowers began to bloom, and the fresh air was immaculate. My new room was now in the front of the house facing the direction of town, and every morning, I would wake up, throw open my window and curtains if they weren''t already there, bask in the light, and look out towards the town of Oren.

    Yet this morning, as I got out of bed and stretched, I noticed I could slightly reach up higher today. Maybe I grew a little again; I thought as I went over to my curtain and threw it open. I squinted as the sun''s bright rays hit me, and I threw open my window to breathe in the fresh air.

    Yet, as my eyes adjusted, I noticed something off. The town of Oren looked different. Along the edges, I saw massive, drab green and gray tents, smokestacks from campfires, and large amounts of movement. Yet before I could focus my attention, my ears twitched at the sound of thunderous boots marching just outside the house.

    I heard a man''s voice shout out, "One! Two! One, two, three!"

    And just outside my house, marching along the road, a column of soldiers marched from Oren, and the one leading began to sing.

    "In the heart of Heinmarr, where the alders soar,

    We march with pride, forevermore.

    Through fields and cities, a united might

    Heinmarr''s sons, we stand and fight."

    As the lone man quieted down, the rest within the marching column boomed in unison.

    "For glory, for honor, our banners held high,

    Under the sun, under the sky.

    With comrades true, side by side,

    Heinmarr''s strength, our eternal guide."

    My eyes widened as the soldiers continued to march past my house. Outside, I could see Mother and Father running out the front door to see the commotion. Yet once again, the man leading the march sang out,

    "Onward, soldiers, through day and night,

    With disciplined steps, our duty is in sight.

    In the land we love, our voices raise,

    Heinmarr''s sons, our anthem plays."

    A loud cheer erupted from the column as the boisterous soldiers all sang out in unison once more.

    "For glory, for honor, our banners held high,

    Under the sun, under the sky.

    With comrades true, side by side,

    Heinmarr''s strength, our eternal guide."

    A knock came from my door, and I turned away from the column of soldiers outside my window. I rushed over and opened the door to find Varis''s tall, lanky look, as if he was going to keel over with excitement.

    "Luna! You see the army marching outside?!" He frantically asked.

    I stammered. "How could I miss it?" I pointed out my window as I heard the leader singing out another verse.

    "Papa said it''s the whole battalion, whatever that means!"

    I blinked and said, "O-okay, go down the stairs; I''ll get dressed."

    Varis nodded his head and quickly ran down the stairs.

    "We''re almost there, lads! " A soldier shouted outside as I stopped to listen to the song again.

    "Through trials and triumphs, we shall endure,

    Our unity is strong, our spirits pure.

    In the face of challenge, we stand tall,

    Heinmarr''s call, we heed the call.

    For glory, for honor, our banners held high,

    Under the sun, under the sky.

    With comrades true, side by side,

    Heinmarr''s strength, our eternal guide.

    As shadows lengthen and the night draws near,

    Heinmarr''s sons, free from fear.

    In unity, we march, a nation strong,

    Heinmarr''s legacy, our marching song!

    Hoo-rah! Hoo-rah!"

    The soldiers cheered loudly as the thunderous marching continued, which was soon followed by the roars of land striders pulling along wagons filled with supplies and what looked to be massive cannons and other siege engines.

    I quickly wore a simple black dress and stockings and slipped into my boots. Thankfully, with the warm season blowing in, I no longer needed to layer up so much. Yet, as I went to grab the wand my mother gifted me, my ear twitched as I heard my parents outside.

    I turned to see Mother and Father standing side by side, holding each other, as they watched the column of soldiers go by.

    "He wasn''t lying," Mother said as she glanced at Father.

    "No, he wasn''t, Lorzio thus far has been truthful," Father said in a low but audible voice.

    "How much longer do you think we have?" Mother asked, sounding concerned.

    "I don''t know, but I know for certain that this isn''t a training unit. Look at all the stationary armaments. They''re going to fortify the border."

    My eyes widened as I listened in. What the hell are they talking about?

 Chapter 22: Change of Plans (Interlude)

    Hautchkins

    Herbert Hautckins heard them as they arrived. The sharp whistle was followed by the rhythmic marching of the Heinn''s guard as they marched down Main Street.

    "Make way!" The lead officer and his men shouted to morning commuters on the road. "Make way for the third brigade!"

    Herbert glanced around the general store at the other shoppers until his eyes landed on his wife, who spoke to Mr. Olson at the cash register. Yet as the army marched by, like him, they stopped and looked out the window.

    "What in the hells are they doing here?" Anora said as she straightened up and turned to Herbert as he placed down his basket of produce and came over to his wife.

    The dwarf, Mr. Olson, stroked his beard, his face stern. "Aye, Mr. Hautchkins, it seems the merchant''s predictions are to be believed." He smirked.

    "Aye." Herbert grunted and came to his wife. "This isn''t some planned march. Why don''t you go check on Opal and make sure whatever is going on isn''t making her skittish?"

    Anora glanced back out the shop''s front windows, the large column of soldiers thundering by their voices singing the Heinmarr national anthem. She noted how the soldiers weren''t dressed in the usual colorful garb they wore, like in the Frostland March. Instead, the uniforms were a drab gray and yellow. Their backpacks were stuffed to the brim with supplies, and their lever rifles were slung over their shoulders. Aside from the holiday march, she''s never seen an army like this march through Oren, and something about it unsettled her.

    "Anora." Herbert called her attention back, and she glanced at him and nodded.

    "Yes. I''ll be just outside." She nodded and smoothed out her dress before lifting it slightly and walking briskly outside.

    Herbert watched his wife go along with a few other shoppers and turned to Olson. He bit his lower lip; he had hoped what Olson said all those months ago was just a rumor. Yet after speaking to Mr. Ashflow, the elf seemed convinced almost immediately, and now this army is outside. That was the nail in the coffin for Herbert.

    "What else do you know, Mr. Olson?" He asked the dwarf who had stepped out from behind the counter and waddled his way over to the "open" sign and flipped it to "closed.".

    "A little more than you probably do, Mr. Hautchkins." The dwarf said this without turning to face Herbert. His eyes focused on the marching column. His hand reached up to stroke his beard as his brow knitted before he closed his eyes and took a deep breath.

    With a shake of his head, he turned to Herbert, who stood by the check-out, watching him anxiously. "War is coming sooner than expected." He cleared his throat. "I heard from the last caravanner that came through town that many of the merchant companies are shutting down supply lines. Due to ''dangerous'' activities, shipping lanes are being remapped."

    Herbert came over to Olson, glanced out the window, and saw Anora stroking Opal''s neck. The strider began to squawk loudly when the larger siege haulers began to come down the road. Massive ground dragons, the size of train cars, pulled what Herbert recognized to be godhammers. Gargantuan siege howitzers, which he read were capable of penetrating deep into the earth and smiting bunkers off the face of Enora like that of Margon''s hammer.

    Olson spoke up: "News rarely reaches this small town. Most of the folk here aren''t aware."

    "Aware of what?" Herbert glanced down at the solemn dwarf, which surprised Herbert to see him in such a state.

    "The Kaiser''s cousin and first advisor to the state, Erlin Dommletel, was assassinated in the border country of Aeilhart." Olson sighed heavily.

    Herbert blinked as he wracked his memory as he tried to remember where the fuck Aeilhart was. Moments like this made him wish he paid more attention in school. Yet after a few moments, it came to him.

    "Isn''t that to the south? Why is the army way up here?" He asked and gestured to the forces outside.

    Olson snorted. "Ah, Dumi, unfamiliar with politics as per usual."

    "I normally don''t let it concern me." Herbert shrugged.

    "Aeilhart is a puppet state of Rusimia." He sighed and eyed Herbert as he reached into the vest, pulled out a pipe, and began to pack it with loki. "It''s said that when Erlin was on tour through the country, Rusivite magisters attacked his automobile."

    Herbert shook his head and blinked. Automobiles? Assassins?

    As if sensing his confusion, Herbert pointed out the window, and Herbert''s eyes widened in surprise as outside the window were these large box-like wagons rolling across the cobblestone street without anything pulling them. The machines purred loudly, and through the open windows around a concealed hatch, he saw what looked to be a halfling man with goggles fighting a wheel.

    Olson smirked upon seeing this. "Interesting device, isn''t it, Dumi? Gnomeish engineering at its finest. The nations of the world have been buying these metal puppies up like hotcakes."

    Taking his eyes off the metallic monster, Herbert looked at Olson. "So, what does this mean, then? What''re you getting at?"

    Olson lit his pipe and took a drag before blowing smoke into the air. "The Kaiser is furious and mourning the loss of his beloved family member. The people within the metropolises are also filled with rage. The wheels of propaganda and national fervor are spreading like wildfire, Mr. Hautchkins. A change of plan is happening around us; once the news officially reaches Oren, you may see it here. My great-grandfather told me this long ago, when he served in the Twilight War, that all it takes is a single spark to light a fire. And just last week, that spark was cast."

    "How much time do you think we have?" Herbert asked.

    Olson took another drag of his pipe as he continued looking out the window. "Not much time. If those aristocratic fools can''t talk it out, I give it about a few weeks before conflict arises. I''ve already heard news that the governor of Johanneson has ordered the opening of recruiting offices."

    Herbert took a deep breath and sighed.

    "My offer still stands, Mr. Hautckins." Olson looked at him. "Come with me and my family."

    "I don''t know," Herbert said softly. "I don''t know if I can just uproot everyone."

    "Well, you''ll need to decide soon, Mr. Hautchkins."

    Herbert turned to Olson fully. "What do you mean?"

    "I''ve made my decision. Tonight, I''m gathering my wife and kids, and we''ll start packing."

    Herbert stepped forward and said, "Wait, you''re closing shop?"

    Olson nodded. "I''m not taking any chances, Mr. Hautchkins, and I advise you to do the same. You don''t want yourself or your kids to get drafted into a bloody conflict, do you?"

    Herbert shook his head. "No, and my children are too young. Besides, I don''t think it''ll reach this far out." Herbert''s heart began to race as his eyes wandered out to his wife, who was nervously shifting and looking toward the shop.

    "Don''t be foolish, Mr. Hautchkins." Olson huffed. "Look out there." He pointed to the army. "Those weapons, cannons, guns, and spells. This war that is coming is one that has never been fought like today before. Heed my words, Mr. Hautchkins. This will be larger than the Twilight War."

    "That is doomsay."

    "Nay! It isn''t! We no longer fight with swords, spells, and spears. No war has been fought with cannons that can flatten cities! Machines that can fly! A simple peasant can now kill a magister with a draw of their pistol. Magic isn''t the end-all-be-all anymore, Mr. Hautchkins. It''s no longer who has the most magical prowess, but who has the most bodies to throw into the meat grinder."

    Herbert blinked. "Olson¡­"

    "Just listen to me, Herbert." Olson said it sternly. "Please, as a friend, come with us."

    Herbert bit his lower lip and sighed. "I''ll need to speak to my wife and kids."

    "You have five days! Come the start of the next week, we will be leaving." Olson stuck his pipe into his mouth. "Take your produce, free of charge. Store some extra food while you''re at it!"

    Herbert blinked, nodded, and went to grab his basket of goods and walk back out to his wife. The streets were bustling with the noise of soldiers and the loud purring and banging from the automobiles that Olson mentioned.

    Anora''s eyes lit up as she saw Herbert coming over to her and rushed to meet him. "Did you get lost in there?"

    Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred platform. Support original creators!

    Herbert shook his head. "No, Olson and I just had a chat. He also gave me some extra fruits." He placed the goods in the back of the wagon. "We''re going to the schoolhouse."

    Anora blinked. "Why? Class is still in session for another three hours."

    "We need to have a family meeting," Herbert said. "I''ll explain everything once we have Avdol and Mila."

    "Is this about the doomsay Olson has been telling you about?" Anora asked, and Herbert glanced at her as he was midway up the wagon.

    He shook his head. "I don''t believe this is doomsay anymore."

    Ashflows

    Slyran watched as the soldiers went by his home, his arms wrapped around Cailynn as he clung to her tightly. His eyes narrowed as he watched the soldiers march along; he could hear Lorzio''s voice in his head clearly from all those months ago.

    "Oh, one more thing. Major General Holser''s third brigade will be arriving in Oren come spring, as the rest of his division has been instructed to bolster the Strickland line. So, expect this place to get crowded."

    Slyran released his wife and began to rush towards the marching soldiers just as their singing and cheering died down. "Slyran, what''re you doing?" Cailynn shouted after him.

    "I''ll be back; just stay here and check on the kids!" He yelled over his shoulder as he ran towards the soldiers.

    "Oi! Stand back!" A dragon-rider officer shouted above her highly decorated land strider.

    The black-scaled and red-feathered dragon snarled at Slyran as he stopped, clicked his heels together, and arched his fist upwards as if pumping the air as he saluted the officer.

    "Apologies, Senior Lieutenant!" Slyran stated as his eyes flicked over the chevrons on the woman''s drab uniform.

    The dragon rider lifted her plumed cap, and Slyran noted the slightly pointed ears on the half-elven woman. "Learned fellow, a veteran by chance?" The officer pulled her strider off the column, briefly breaking formation.

    "Former Lieutenant, Slyran Ashflow, ma''am. Served with the 2nd field army under General Wahler!" The half-elven woman nodded and smiled.

    "At ease, civilian, no need to salute me." The woman maneuvered her growling strider around Slyran; she cooed softly and patted the menacing animal on its neck, calming it. "I am Senior Lieutenant Carina Roth. What brings you running towards my company?" Carina looked at Slyran with a stern gaze. "Rushing towards a column is a quick and easy way to receive punishment. If you wish to join the march, Lieutenant, you''ll need to report to city hall." She gestured back towards Oren.

    Slyran bit his lower lip and bowed. "Apologies, ma''am. My family and I are concerned. I just wish to see what is happening." He straightened up. "I take it you''re familiar with towns like ours and I''ve marched before; I know this is not the training company you got going on here."

    The woman nodded. "Aye, you''re right about that."

    A few soldiers whistled and howled as they went by, and Slyran glanced over to see them hooting and hollering towards Cailynn.

    "Oi!" Slyran barked, his voice taking on a stern tone. "That''s my wife! Get back in line!"

    The soldiers jolted at first upon hearing him, glanced at Slyran, and laughed, yet immediately were shut down. The senior lieutenant barked out for them to be silent and move.

    "Apologies for my men." Carina said she turned back to Slyran. "They''re young and dumb. Many of them have never stepped foot beyond the metropolises."

    "Where are you all going?" He asked as Carina pulled the reins on her strider. "To the Strickland line." She tsked as she pulled the strider back towards the formation. "Do not worry, Lieutenant. Your family is safe, though, if you ever wish¡­ Our brigade can always use more seasoned officers. Speak with Sergeant Himmler at the recruiting office in the town hall!"

    Before Slyran could say anything, she lightly kicked her strider, which began to trot ahead to return formation. Slyran cursed softly and muttered to himself, "Just as Lorzio said." He glanced in the direction of Oren. The town was bustling with activity, and he could just barely see the town hall peeking over the houses in the distance.

    "I hope Harold has a few striders by now," he muttered to himself. "And Henderson better have that goddamn wagon ready." He sighed, turned around, and made his way back over to Cailynn, who was kneeling before their children. Luna and Varis seemed to be hammering her with questions.

    "Everyone inside!" Slyran instructed them.

    "But I wanna see the weapons!" Varis whined, though, before Slyran could say anything. Luna grabbed him by the arm.

    "Let''s listen to Father," she said to him, pulling him away. Her eyes never broke with Slyran''s.

    Slyran took a deep breath as Varis deflated, and they went inside. "She''s a good girl," he said softly, happy that his daughter rarely spoke back. She was so smart for her age¡ªtoo smart. He knew she had an idea as to what was going on.

    "What''s up?" Cailynn asked as she stood up, her face stern though Slyran could see the worry in her eyes. "What did that woman on the dragon say?"

    "She confirmed exactly what Lorzio told us,¡± He said and noticed Cailynn¡¯s hands instinctively clench. ¡°Then she told me I should go sign up to join the march. They''ve erected a recruiting station downtown, and from what I can see, they''re probably setting up a base of operations here."

    Cailynn took a deep breath, her expression conflicted as defeat began to settle in, she pinched the bridge of her nose. "What do we do?"

    Slyran gritted his teeth, part of him wanted to have an outburst but he kept his cool. Part of him wanted to tell Cailynn how right he was but he knew that¡¯d just make things worse. "We change our plans," Slyran hissed as he wrapped his arm around Cailynn''s waist and began to walk her inside. "What¡¯s happening is exactly what I feared.¡± She looked at him quizzically. ¡°Everything is happening faster than I anticipated.  I''ll go down into town, speak to Lorzio at the Step Right Inn, and see if he learns anything else. Then I''ll check on Harold and Henderson to see if he has a suitable strider now and if the wagon is done. Till then, I don''t think we have a full year."

    Cailynn sighed. "Harold still doesn''t have a strider?"

    Slyran shook his head. "Last time I checked when we returned from the trip, he mentioned that lately procuring one is like ripping teeth out of dorrogan. But, he told me that his niece is breeding them down in Johanneson and should be getting some shortly."

    Cailynn watched the column march by and nervously hugged herself and looked at Slyran. "What about Luna''s training and schooling?" Cailynn whispered as they stepped to the side.

    Slyran''s ears twitched as Varis and Luna were talking a bit too loudly in the kitchen with Isa about what was happening outside.

    Slyran rolled his eyes and ran a hand through his hair. "That is what you¡¯re concerned with?¡± He asked and Cailynn pulled back looking offended. ¡°By the divine, Cailynn,¡± Slyran said with a sigh. ¡°Have these nine years dampened your edge?¡± He said immediately regretting his words despite how much he wanted to say them.

    Cailynn blinked and struggled to find the words.

    ¡°Darling,¡± Slyran said softly, ¡°I know how tired you are.¡± He looked deep into her eyes. ¡°I can understand how you want to settle down, and I get why you despise Lorizio. But, you have to admit that what he told us was the truth.¡± He pointed to the marching army. ¡°And it¡¯s walking right past us. Now is not the time to worry about our children and their future. The only reason I went along with that fantasy is so that we can get the kids away, assuming we had the time we thought we did.¡±

    Cailynn opened her mouth to speak but no words came. She looked distraught. Her eyes flicked back to their home. The home they thought they¡¯d stay in for years, maybe even a century as they raised their children. All of which seemed to be crumbling into the mud by that very marching army.

    ¡°You can¡¯t keep denying what¡¯s happening, but staying here would be a mistake. I don¡¯t want to go either.¡± He took in a deep breath. ¡°But we¡¯ll have to. For the kid¡¯s safety.¡±

    Cailynn looked away and covered her eyes as she sighed. "Okay¡­¡± She said in a low voice before lifting her head, hand dropping to her side. ¡°I can see about getting in contact with my brother."

    "Your brother? Aenorin?" Slyran cocked his head.

    "Yes, that one." Cailynn nodded and looked at him. "He and his family have a house in Johanneson; in his last letter a couple months ago, he mentioned he got a construction job. Something big is being built there. He can probably take us in if we pay him some rent. Luna and Varis can even meet their cousins." She rubbed her neck. "That is if those two are in town come then," she sighed.

    Slyran nodded. "Okay, okay, I like this." He stroked his goatee and snapped his finger. "Alright." He pointed to his wife. "If you can try to reach out to him and start packing, I''ll go contact Lorzio and check on the wagon and striders. Till then, keep this hush around the kids."

    "What about Luna?" Cailynn asked. "She''s smart, Slyran, and mature."

    "Too mature." Slyran nodded. "But she doesn''t need to know what''s coming. Our little star is growing up too fast, and I don''t want to force her with the little free time she has left. Ignorance is bliss after all."

    Cailynn took a deep breath. "I''m concerned she''ll find out for herself."

    "If she does, then we''ll tell her; she''s a smart girl. I''m sure she''ll understand."

    Cailynn took a deep breath as a sharp cry tore both of their attention to the kitchen just as Luna and Varis ran into the living room, Luna''s arms clutching around her chest.

    The little elf ran over to Cailynn and grabbed her by the skirt. "Mother. Varis punched me in the chest; it really hurts!"

    "It was an accident!" Varis pleaded.

    "What did I say about hitting your sister?!" Slyran barked and stood over Varis, who shifted away nervously.

    "I-I was just playing¡ª"

    "It doesn''t matter, boy; never lay a hand on her!" Varis gulped and nodded.

    "Yessir." He looked at Luna. "Sorry, Luna."

    Luna smiled and nodded. "It''s okay."

    "Why did you hit her?" Father asked.

    "I was telling Varis about my chest and how it hurt lately, and he teased me by smacking them!"

    Varis opened his mouth as if to protest, but in a defeated state, he nodded.

    Cailynn scowled. "Varis, that is too far. Never touch a woman''s breast, let alone your sister''s. You know both of you are growing, and that area is very sore."

    "Imagine if she punched you in the boys, son," Father said, gesturing to his crotch. "You wouldn''t be so happy if she did that.''

    Varis nodded. "Sorry. I won''t do it again."

    "Lets go play tag now!" Luna beamed, ran up to Varis, and took his hand. The boy looked confused, but as his sister dragged him to the backyard, he seemed to lighten up.

    Slyran held a hand out, "Wait as second I said stay in¡ª"

    Cailynn reached out and placed a hand on his wrist. "Let them go, dear; I don''t think the soldiers are going to be marching around the back yard."

    Slyran sighed. "I know it''s just¡­ I''m worried."

    "So am I," Cailynn said.

    At this point, Isa poked her head into the living room. "I can watch over them for you two."

    The couple looked at Isa and smiled. "We''d appreciate that," Slyran said.

    Isa nodded and gave them a clawed thumbs up before going to grab her jacket and step outside.

    As things quieted down somewhat, Cailynn said, "I remember when we were kids, and you slapped my tit when I was growing." To lighten the mood.

    Slyran was not expecting this statement, and he recoiled. "Wait, what I never did¡ª"

    "It was almost ninety some years ago over in Covington when our parents had us meet, just like those two. I was complaining about my boobs, and you said, ''Oh, it can''t be that bad''." She mocked Slyran''s voice and smacked his chest. "And slapped me right on the breast. Do you know how bad that hurt?"

    Slyran looked at her stone-faced and said, "I have no recollection of this."

    "Of course, you don''t."

 Chapter 23: The Ultimatum

    I pulled Varis outside by the hand and ran out into the middle of the backyard as the door clattered shut behind me. Varis looked at me with wide eyes.

    "Y-you''re n-not mad at me?" He stuttered.

    Well, you did punch the shit out of my chest. But once again, I know you''re just a dumb kid. That was what I wanted to say to him, but I shook my head and smiled.

    "Nope! It hurts a little, but it''ll go away." I then pointed towards the distant road that wrapped around my home. "Look! You can kind of see the soldiers downhill from here." I smirked at Varis.

    My brother''s eyes widened; he then quickly shook out of my grasp and ran forward to get a clearer view. "Whoa! There''s so many!" He exclaimed as I approached him and watched the gray-uniformed army march eastward along the dirt highway. We could hear the distant shouts of the superiors and the singing of the soldiers as they trudged further and further away from us.

    My eyes narrowed as I tried to make out extra details. From what I could see, every soldier carried large packs of supplies on their backs. To be expected, I guess, I thought.

    Yet what I noticed that made me bite my lower lip were the large siege armaments that the dorrogans, the massive quadruped land dragons, were pulling. These massive creatures were about the size of elephants, and strapped to them were cannons nearly the size of them alone, which were tugged at the center of this fighting force.

    I vaguely recall the memories of the Frostland march I attended five years ago. Part of me wished we stayed for the one this year, so I had a more recent comparison. Yet it was obvious this wasn''t a celebratory march.

    Not to mention that tent city I saw from my room. My mind wandered; if there''s one thing I was kind of grateful for from my past life, and that was my obsession with the First World War, right now I was seeing a lot of parallels. They¡¯re preparing for something big, like a conflict.

    "I wonder where they''re going?" Varis asked as I heard the sound of the back door to the house opening.

    I glanced over my shoulder and saw Isa coming outside wearing a nice red dress and a comfy brown jacket. Turning to Varis and the marching forces, I said, "If I remember right, Isa told us over the eastland mountains is Rusimia." I pointed to the far-off purple mountains; at least they looked purple in the sun''s light.

    I could hear Isa coming towards us as Varis, who was oblivious to her presence, said, "Why are they going to Rusimia? That''s the place with the big fuzzy people, right?"

    "They''re called Ursans," Isa said as Varis jerked and turned around. "They were the natives of the land, however not many of them are left."

    "What happened to them?" I asked, and Isa took a breath.

    "Settlers came and now outnumber them."

    Colonialization¡ªeven this world isn''t safe from imperial powers.

    "So, a lot of new folks moved in? Guess it got crowded," Varis said unknowingly as I simply gulped.

    "That''s awful," I said as I shared a solemn look with Isa.

    Her eyebrow raised as we made eye contact. For a second, she seemed a bit surprised that I caught onto what she was referring to, and soon she nodded.

    "It is. The land the Heinn''s Guard is marching towards is now controlled by the Rusivite people. Ruled over by Empress Natasha Tarasovna." Isa snarled the last bit.

    I bit my lower lip; this is not looking good at all.

    "Is she a bad person?" I asked.

    Isa clenched her fist and said, "She is one of the vilest monsters to exist on this planet. The monster hides behind the face of a beautiful half-elven woman; in their culture, it is said that she is the avatar of Igor, Lord of the Frost Wind. With that, she was able to secure absolute power. Behind her facade, she is a power-hungry witch."

    Varis glanced up at Isa and said cluelessly, "You really don''t like her? She sounds cool!"

    "Varis," I hissed, and I dismissed him with a hand.

    Yet Isa seemed too lost in her thoughts as she clenched her teeth. "The vile witch and her people were the ones who came to my lands. They offered my people trade, wealth, and protection. All these gifts, yet it was a trap. They enslaved and imprisoned us. They¡­" She stopped herself, took a deep breath, and said, "My apologies."

    "No reason to be sorry," I said softly.

    I think I know why Isa doesn¡¯t like talking about herself...

    Isa smiled at me, placed her clawed hand on my head, and lightly patted me. "Thank you, little one. Now, let us not get distracted. Weren''t you going to play tag?"

    <hr>

    "Kids!" My mother shouted as she slammed a wooden serving spoon against a pot. The clanging sound alerted Varis and me to the fact that the day was drawing to an end.

    The two of us and Isa sat upon the decline of the hill in our backyard behind the cabin. The game of tag had grown stale after about an hour or so, and we had decided to sit and relax. Mostly just cloud gazing as Isa told us random facts and some other tales she knew.

    Whenever the topic of the marching army came up or about what was happening in town, she always sidestepped the question. Varis seemed oblivious and didn''t seem to care, yet I think I had an idea of what was going on.

    Something is brewing, and it''s something big. I gave Isa the side eye as we got up and began to head towards our mother.

    "It''s dinner time!" My mother called out again as she continued to slam the spoon against the pot, though she stopped when we came over the edge. Varis, excited and hungry, ran forward, leaving Isa and me alone as we walked.

    "Something bad is about to happen." I said it bluntly.

    Isa''s head perked up, and she glanced down at me.

    "Mr. Blaxen told Mom and Dad something that scared them; Dad now wants to move, and I''m going to be sent away. A large army is here in town and is sending troops to the border, and I heard Mom and Dad talking about ''running out of time''." I looked at Isa and stopped. "There''s a war coming, isn''t there?"

    Isa stopped as well. Knowing something was up, Mother stepped onto the back porch and shut the door.

    "Is something wrong?" Mother asked as Isa, and I shared a long stare.

    After a few moments, Isa sighed and shook her head. "You are a very, very observant girl." She dropped the facade as Mother came over. Isa looked at my mother and said, "The little genius here figured it out."

    "Figured what out."

    "There''s a potential conflict." I crossed my arms, and my mother stopped and stared at me wide-eyed.

    My mother sighed. ¡°Star¡¯s light, if only you were as oblivious as your brother,¡± she muttered and I frowned.

    With a shrug, I said, "It wasn''t hard to figure out, Mother, Isa."

    Mother bit her lower lip and looked at Isa, whose ears were also flattened, and she took a deep breath.

    I blinked and glanced at them. Why do they look so sad? What''s wrong with me knowing? Why would they hide this anyway?

    "I''m sorry, Luna." Mother looked at me sadly. "I''m so sorry."

    Isa placed a hand on Mother''s shoulder and said, "There''s trouble brewing on the border." She looked at me. "Rumor has it that a government official was slain in Aeilhart last week."

    My eyes widened. "Wait what?" That was the country south of here. "I never heard anything about that."

    Mother placed a hand on her chest; she seemed to be getting anxious. "Isa has a lot of friends, sweetie. She knows a lot."

    "I can pull many strings when need be." The serelli nodded. "After Mr. Blaxen spoke with your family, Slyran asked me to reach out to those who owe me favors."

    "Why would a tutor be owed a lot of favors?" I asked, my stupid brain latching onto the least important bits.

    Isa gave a small shrug. "I teach a lot of important people, but I wasn''t always a tutor."

    Mother got onto her knees beside me and placed both her hands on my shoulders. "Luna, please, do not say anything about this to your brother or anyone else."

    My frown deepened. What¡­ why¡ªoh, I think I know why. It makes sense now; they''re trying to protect us. That''s why they look so down.

    If I told Varis this, he probably wouldn''t understand. He''s a kid; he thinks of war differently; he thinks of it like a game of pretend or those cool storybooks portray it. Yet I knew what war was like. I never served in my old life, no. So, I don''t know it on a personal level. But as a spectator, I''ve seen cursed shit on the internet or in the local news. One of my uncles even served in Iraq during the Desert Storm; he told us stories of the horrible things he¡¯d seen.

    I nodded my head slowly as I felt my chest tighten. I kind of wish I didn''t know now. If there''s going to be a conflict, then that means everyone''s in danger. Is this why they wanted to send me away and move?

    "Ar-are we in danger?" I asked, and my anxiety was starting to bubble out.

    My mother smiled and shook her head. "No, we''re safe. Your father and I are working on a plan to get us all someplace safe; we still have time. Your father made a request before the trip to get a wagon made and requested a strider from Mr. Harold. We''ve also been storing supplies off to the side."

    "But I heard you and Papa say there''s not much time." I said softly as my mother squeezed my shoulders, and I saw very briefly in her eyes. Fear.

    "We''re working on it. Just don''t worry. For the next while, just¡­ stay near the house, within earshot. Don''t go far and try to keep your brother close; don''t tell him. If he asks, tell him we''re going on another vacation."

    "You want me to lie?" I began to nervously tug at my skirt.

    Mother bit her lower lip and nodded. "Yes. Just this once."

    "Why don''t we leave sooner?" I asked her. "If war is coming, we need to move away." A new emotion briefly flashed across her face. Guilt? Or maybe it was just fear.

    Mother took in a sharp breath. "We will,¡± she said, ¡°but we don''t have the capacity to carry everything with us. As I said, Father is trying to get us a strider, but¡­ he told me Harold is having a hard time procuring them."

    "Most likely the army is buying them up, or taking them." Isa muttered softly, and Mother nodded in agreement.

    Mother stood up, took my little hand in hers, and said, "Come. Let''s go eat dinner and get you and your brother settled for tonight. I''ll read you both a bedtime story." She tried to smile to calm my nerves, yet now that I saw it, I couldn''t unsee the fear and anxiety behind her smile.

    <hr>

    A few days had passed since the arrival of the brigade of soldiers, and a strange sense of normalcy returned to the town as we adapted to the vast increase in population. The day after, I learned the truth. Father came home absolutely livid. I had never seen the man so angry as he cursed and swore. I had heard from Isa on the side that Mr. Henderson, the carpenter working on our wagon, had run into numerous delays with the military in town. They had confiscated much of his wagons and lumber. Thankfully, he still had ours, yet he told Father it''d take another week for him to finish it due to the supplies he¡¯d lost. To make matters even more anxiety-inducing, Mr. Harold, the stable owner, had received word that he''d be getting new striders from his niece who was en route. Yet they won''t arrive until tomorrow morning. The problem, however, is that the military is also snatching up every creature they can get their hands on in preparation for what¡¯s coming.

    Ever since I learned the truth, I have been accosted by multiple night terrors and visions of faceless soldiers and mages barging into my home and slaughtering us as they pillaged Oren for all its worth. On one such night, as I jolted awake in my sleep, I thankfully stifled a scream so as not to wake anyone in the house, and I rolled out of bed. I felt a sudden urge to use the restroom and wash my face. So, I stumbled out of my room and began to go to the bathroom.

    Yet, as I neared the restroom beside the stairs where I stood that night, I heard voices, and I saw the lights below were lit. Surprised that anyone was awake at this hour, curiosity got the better of me.

    After relieving myself and washing my hands, I carefully pretended to go back to bed before sneakily moving to the top of the steps. I could hear people talking downstairs. More importantly, I heard Mr. Blaxen''s familiar guttural tone.

    "The Rusivites tricked us. We thought we had perfect intelligence regarding their supply chain. But we recently uncovered that they¡¯ve been subtly rerouting many and hiding others right under our noses. Originally the Sovereign Right estimated that we had about a year or more of preparation. With the facts we have now, we were wrong. My contact informed me that much of the recent merchant shipments were actually disguised military cargo vessels¡­¡± He explained as his voice grew solemn. ¡°That is why their forces are building up on the border¡­ I am sorry,¡± He said dejectedly. ¡°We¡­ I was wrong. The Rusivite¡¯s are far more prepared then I had anticipated.¡±

    My eyes widened.

    "How long before they''ll attack?" I heard my mother''s concerned voice.

    There was a brief silence before Mr. Blaxen said, "If I had to guess, any day. Our contact last said before going quiet that the parliament was drafting up an ultimatum."

    "Were you able to get any information as to what the demands are?" I heard my father ask gruffly; he sounded pissed.

    "Not as of yet, but in the coming days, we may know." Mr. Blaxen spoke slowly.

    "What about the other members of the Warriors of Light? Any news on them?" Mother asked.

    "Not much, unfortunately. The Sovereign Right has been having issues infiltrating the eastern nations. The last thing we learned was that the Defender of Order Fleet departed from port Nangshi and were making their way to the Pelongshi Strait near the nation of Napon."

    "They could be planning a naval invasion," Father grumbled as I heard glass cups clanging, followed by a pop of a cork as it sounded like he was pouring them drinks.

    Mr. Blaxen grunted and said, "That''s what we''re thinking. It''d make logical sense. Napon, Yankston, and Vinland control much of the Atlurian Ocean. If Xing and Kossaton can wipe out the Naponi, their closest rival, that''ll drive the Alliance¡¯s staging base off of the Light¡¯s borders dividing the ocean and making the war for Enora¡¯s seas easier."

    "Not to mention, it''ll make a great staging area to take on the wall," Mother said.

    "Doing that would be suicide," my father said as I heard a cup slam on the table. "''An attack on the wall is an attack on all.'' If they do that, the entire world would be against them."

    "The entire world would be against them if they attacked us anyway." Mother sighed.

    If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it.

    An attack on the wall is an attack on all. I repeated it to myself. What is he referring to? Wall¡­ wall¡­ wall¡­ I dug through my sleepy mind until suddenly it hit me. The wall encasing the southern continent! The ancient empire of the dark lord! Soza taught us that the Warriors of Light wish to destroy the Dark Lord. Yet that wouldn''t work; she told us that gods cannot be killed, not by traditional means. She said you cannot destroy a concept. If they destroy the wall, they could release him¡­

    "Aye," Mr. Blaxen agreed. "I apologize for the false information." He said it after a moment of silence.

    "No need to be sorry, Lorzio," Father said as I heard him pour another glass. "Whatever these religious nuts are planning, they fooled all of us."

    "I know; I just hope that you and your family can get somewhere safe." Mr. Blaxen said as I heard glasses clinking together as if making a toast. "How are your plans for escape?"

    "I''ve sent a letter to my brother in Johannson alerting him of our coming arrival," Mother said before they all went silent to take a drink. With a deep sigh, she continued, "Even if he can''t shelter us, he can point us to some place that can. Slyran is currently trying to get a wagon and a strider off of Harold and Henderson, yet we''re hitting some irritating road blocks."

    "Fucking bullshit!" Father growled. "He told me two months; it''s nearly been three now."

    Blaxen sighed. "Supplies have been tight with the military eating up everything, but you said you''re aiming for Johannson?" Blaxen grumbled. "Excellent choice. Governor Trenton has a mysterious construction project going on there."

    "Mysterious? What''re they building?" Father asked as I heard him take another drink and place his cup down.

    "Admittedly, I do not know, though the city has been buying mountains of magrite and the soldiers have been fortifying the metropolis to the point it looks like an impenetrable castle. If you''re looking for a safe place and don''t want to go far, you could go there. Though personally, I would suggest leaving the country altogether."

    Another moment of silence went by, and Mother said, "That is the plan. If things are going to kick off as soon as you think, it''s best to at least get ahead."

    "That¡¯s what I¡¯ve been saying," Father growled and I couldn¡¯t help but notice the passive aggressiveness in his tone. "Herbert Hautchkins told me his family is leaving with Mr. Olson. It seems like some of the townspeople are catching whiff of what''s happening."

    "If Henderson and Harold don''t pull through, do you have any other means of transportation?" Mr. Blaxen asked them. "Johanneson is far, about a two and a half-week walk on foot."

    "Unfortunately not." I heard my father''s voice becoming louder as he went into the living room. "The only other thing I could think of is the Hautchkins; they have a wagon that could probably fit all of us, but I''d have to speak with him."

    I heard my father take a deep breath. "Come sunrise, I''m going down into Oren and seeing if I can scrounge up a mount. Harold said his niece had a shipment of striders coming in; if I can beat the soldiers to them, we can maybe scrounge some up, and I''m going to see if I can try to convince Henderson to finish that goddamn wagon." I heard him snarl. "How much gold do we have, Cailynn?" Father asked.

    "About two hundred pieces."

    "Good, I''ll take a hundred."

    "What?!"

    I heard Father''s voice getting louder as he neared the steps, and I squeaked and began to step back.

    "Look around, Love, soldiers in the streets; the people know something is up, and I can guarantee you. Mr. Harold, the stableman, isn''t going to be selling his striders cheap, and I bet the snake Henderson is going to milk us for what we got." I heard my father reach the steps, and I quickly turned and scurried back to my room. Just as my father reached the top of the stairs, my bedroom door clicked shut.

    I pressed my back against the door and took a couple of deep breaths. That mad dash got my heart racing.

    So, I was right. Mr. Blaxen told them everything. War is coming, for fuck''s sake. We should''ve left far, far sooner!

    I glanced around my bedroom¡ªmy new bedroom. I haven''t even been in this place that long. I haven''t even been in this world for that long. For seven years, I''ve been the happiest I''ve ever been. Part of me now would rather be sent off to some school, knowing that my home was about to plunge into chaos.

    Why? Why me?! I thought this was supposed to be a good life¡ªa second chance.

    I''m scared. What if something awful happens? I don''t want to lose anyone. I don''t want anyone to die. I don''t want to die.

    A faint knock came on my door, and I gasped. "Luna, are you alright?" I heard my father''s voice come through the door.

    I turned to face the door and stepped back into the center of the room. It was here that I noticed my cheeks were wet, and I reached up to my face. I''d been crying.

    I hiccuped and said, "I-I''m fine." In a tone that betrayed what I said.

    "Can I come in?" he asked.

    A moment of silence fell, and I took a deep breath and mumbled out, "Y-Yes."

    With a creak and a click, the door to my room swung open as Father came in and stopped when he saw me standing in the middle room. He looked for a few moments before taking a deep breath and kneeling.

    "Your mother and Isa told me you know what''s happening." He said this as I slowly nodded. "Did you hear what we were talking about? I heard someone go into the bathroom."

    I hesitated, though it was my hesitation that gave me away, and my father sighed. Though he didn''t seem angry, he pulled me into a hug before I could react.

    "It''s okay to be scared," My father said it in a hushed voice, and in a rare moment of vulnerability, I could hear his voice waver. "I''m scared too, as are your mother and everyone else. But it''s okay; it''s natural."

    "Why did Mr. Blaxen tell us?" I asked and sniffed. A childish notion that if we hadn''t heard of this, this would''ve never happened came to mind. I knew it in hindsight; this was dumb, yet as I trembled in my father''s arms, I didn''t care.

    My father stroked my hair as he whispered in my ear, "Because we are very lucky; we didn''t know it, but someone out there cared for us, and he decided to come and warn us."

    I sniffed and nodded as my father continued, "Luna, I know it''s hard. But you need to go rest. Come sunrise, why don''t we go together into town? I was able to get off duty for today, and we can go see about finding a new strider and pick up our wagon."

    I cleared my throat, looked up at my father, and nodded. "O-Okay."

    Father smiled, patted me on the head, pulled away, and gripped my shoulders. "Whatever happens, just know that your mother and I will be there to protect you and Varis. Come the hells or high water, I will fight, scream, and run to get to you. Do you understand?"

    I nodded, but that wasn''t good enough.

    "I need to hear you, Luna; do you understand?"

    I gulped and nodded. "Yessir."

    My father smiled and kissed my forehead, his mustache tickling my skin and forcing a smile on me as he pulled away.

    "I love you, star."

    I hiccuped, and my heart twitched as I nodded. "I-I love you too!"

    <hr>

    The next morning, Varis stayed behind at home with Mother and Isa. Ever since the arrival of the third brigade, news got out that my mother was a renowned baker, and traffic of soldiers constantly flooded our home. Even higher-ranking officers stopped by to put orders in for certain baked goods. Which my parents had commented was welcome, yet also tedious. The pay was good, but as Father told me, it made preparations to leave Oren stagnate.

    Father and I had gotten dressed and left together when the sun rose. Father was wearing brown khaki suspenders with a white button, along with a matching jacket and vest. I was wearing a simple dark blue dress and stockings with a cute button-up vest to go over it.

    We were walking down the highway, my hand holding his as he briskly led the way to town. A cool, still air hung over us, and an eerie silence made my hair stand on end. Something didn''t feel right as we walked towards the massive, sprawling tent city that was now the Third Brigade''s forward operating base.

    "Stay close to me," Father said from over his shoulder as we walked. "Don''t look at the soldiers or provoke them; if they speak to you, just refer them to me. We don''t need any interruptions."

    "Okay," I said softly as we entered the campsite.

    Around us, we could hear the sounds of laughter and chatter coming from the soldiers as they crawled out of their tents and gathered around fires. I saw many of them digging into their mess kits and boiling water. A few of them¡ªan akumari woman and a human man¡ªwere hastily dashed out of their tent, half-naked, the halfling officer who flushed them out yelling obscenities.

    Not too far off, I heard the sound of a bugle blaring, followed by a booming voice I knew was magically amplified. "Rise and shine! Another glorious day for Heinmarr! Wake up and report to your duties in fifteen! Heil to the republic!"

    Around us, those who hadn''t awakened from their tents came crawling out in mass, and suddenly, the entire area was dense with activity. Father yanked me close so as not to lose me, and we quickly pushed our way through the camp. A few soldiers who spotted us helped by shouting for others to make room, for which my father thanked them with a curt nod.

    Yet, as we were nearing the edge of the camp and the start of town, another shrill voice of a man shouted. "It''s happening! It''s happening!"

    A loud bang, bang, bang made us stop and turn to see a large, gray-skinned, orc-like man standing nearly eight feet tall, slamming bone against a trash can lid. Beside him was a small, tiny man in an officer''s uniform.

    A gnome? I thought.

    The little gnome ran towards the camp center we were just passing through, a newspaper in hand. "It''s happening!"

    "Out with it!" Shouted an elven woman beside a campfire. She spat into the fire and sat her ration tin to the side. "What''s it saying?"

    I looked up at Father, who was watching the gnome intently.

    The gnome cleared its throat as the orc man bent over and lifted the little guy off the ground so everyone could see.

    "Ahem!" The gnome coughed. "The Blizzard of War! Rusimia issues Ultimatum!"

    My heart ran cold, and my eyes widened.

    "On the 14th of Cirrus, tensions between the sovereign nations of Rusimia and Heinmarr have reached a perilous crossroads as Rusimian Empress Natasha Tarasovna delivers a grave ultimatum to the Kaiser of Heinmarr, Brikur Lirner, just days after the assassination of his cousin Erlin Dommletel. The demands, bordering on the unprecedented, include an immediate surrender of Heinmarr''s sovereignty and an unimpeded passage for Rusimian forces through its territories.

    The ultimatum gives Heinmarr a mere 21 days to acquiesce to Rusimia''s demands or face the ominous threat of total annihilation. In a move that has sent shockwaves through diplomatic circles, Empress Natasha aims to bypass the potential intervention of the Global Allied Nations, presenting a stark choice for Heinmarr: surrender or suffer the catastrophic consequences.

    International observers, caught off guard by the audacity of the ultimatum, now turn their attention to the Kaiser''s response. The clock is ticking, and the Heinmarr Republic is faced with an unenviable decision that could reshape the geopolitical landscape of the known world.

    As the global community holds its collective breath, speculation abounds regarding the motivations behind Rusimia''s bold move. Some experts posit that this ultimatum attempts to redraw borders and consolidate power, while others fear it could ignite a conflagration that engulfs neighboring nations.

    Yet no matter what, in a swift and resolute response to Rusimia''s audacious ultimatum to Heinmarr, the Global Allied Nations have united in condemnation of the aggressive maneuver, denouncing the actions of Empress Natasha Tarasovna. The Chief of Global Security, Ronald Dower, delivered a stern rebuke, categorically rejecting Rusimia''s attempts to circumvent the established norms of diplomacy.

    Chief Dower, a seasoned diplomat known for his measured approach, expressed deep concern over Rusimia''s blatant disregard for international protocols. In a press conference held at the Global Allied Nations headquarters minutes after the ultimatum was issued, he stated, ''The actions of Rusimia are not only a threat to the sovereign rights of Heinmarr but an affront to the principles of peace and cooperation that the Global Allied Nations stand for.''¡ª"

    The gnome continued, but Father squeezed my hand gently and said, "Let''s get going. We''re running out of time."

    I hadn''t realized it, but I was trembling as Father pulled me along the streets of Oren. The town was bustling with activity, as people who had heard the news from the papers on every corner rushed to shops to stock up, while others stood around and listened to one of the newsboys.

    "''We will not stand idly by while the specter of aggression looms. The Global Allied Nations stand united against any attempts to disrupt the delicate balance of world affairs,'' declares Chief Dower. '' Read all about it!"

    I gripped my father''s hand tightly as we turned onto Main Street and continued our brisk walk towards the opposite end of town, where the stables were. As we passed by another newsboy, I heard him shout, "Global Allied Fleet on High Alert: Yankston Dreadnoughts Dispatched to Reinforce the Naponi Islands!"

    I took a deep breath as my father began to walk faster, yet my little legs couldn''t keep up. I gasped and nearly tripped. Seeing this, my father mumbled an apology, and I yelped as he hoisted me off the ground and began to carry me.

    Within his arms, my father began to walk as fast as he could, and I clung to him tightly as I watched the commotion in the streets. I could see constables, my father''s comrades, blowing whistles to stop those getting riled up as confused citizens began to shout and argue over the news.

    "Who the fuck do they think they are?! Rusivite bastards!" An older, rotund man shouted to those around him. "If any one of those bear-fuckin'' snow-eating bastards comes near my farm, I''ll put one in them!" The crowd around him cheered.

    As I went by, I noticed coming towards a crowd was a soldier carrying a ton of fliers, which he quickly began handing out just as I heard, "If you wanna shoot some bear-loving bastards¡ª"

    Damn, recruiters.

    We reached Harold''s stable just early that morning, and news of the ultimatum spread like wildfire throughout the town. Citizens rushed to shops to stock up, and I saw many young men and women making their way to the city hall, where Father told me the recruiters were stationed.

    When we arrived at the stable, my father sat me down, and we noticed an old man putting up a sign outside his window. Which read, "Sold out, date till restock, unknown."

    "You have got to be fucking kidding me." Father grumbled as the old, hunched-over human turned to face us. The man wore faded denim jeans and a white polo with a fraying straw hat.

    "Oh, Mr. Ashflow¡­" The old man sighed and glanced at the sign. "Afraid ye just missed the last of my striders being picked up."

    "Harold, what the fuck?!" My father snarled at the man. "I fucking told you yesterday that my family needed a goddamn strider!" He shouted at the old man, and I flinched and stepped away.

    The old man gasped and stumbled back into the wall as my father jammed a finger into his chest. "Who took them, and how much?" Father asked sternly.

    "Eh, fraid, it was the army!" The old man sputtered and sank against the wall, his mouth quivering open as he stuttered. "P-paid m-me well too! I-I''m sorry, M-Mr. Ashflow th-they didn''t g-give me a choice!" He pointed to the stable near the shop itself, and we saw a group of soldiers wrangling six beautifully colored land dragons.

    "Fuck!" Father cursed and turned away with me in his arms. I was about to walk him but stopped. In a flash, he turned around and picked me up off the ground as I yelped and began to walk over to the soldiers.

    Taking on a different tone, my father called out, "Excuse me! Excuse me!" His tone took on that of desperation as, with a free hand, he waved for the soldiers to stop.

    Seeing my father, the striders squawked and howled as the six soldiers yanked on their reins and hissed at them to calm down. One of the soldiers, a dwarf, turned to my father and said, "Oi, look what you did; you made them excited!"

    My father stopped. "I''m sorry. I''m sorry. I just¡­ can I take one of those dragons off of you?

    The dwarf scoffed and said, "I can''t do that. We were instructed by the Colonel to take these beauties to the front."

    "Please, I beg you." My father said he bounced me in his arms, which made me squeak. "My daughter and the rest of my family need something to pull our wagon. We need to leave here; please, you have to understand."

    The rest of the soldiers stopped for a second, and the dwarf took a deep breath. "Look, I understand, but you have to understand that we can''t go against orders."

    "I''ll pay you! All of you." My father reached into his jacket and pulled out a hefty coin purse. "A hundred gold coins. One dragon."

    One of the soldiers practically doubled over when hearing the amount. "It''s all I have," my father pleaded.

    The dwarf glanced back at the other soldiers struggling to contain the dragons.

    "Please, sir," I said. "Please, I don''t want to walk to the next city!" I whimpered, and to help my father, I gave him the biggest doe eyes I could muster.

    The dwarf clenched his fist and sighed as he stroked his mustache. "Aye, fine. Seventy-five gold; keep the other twenty-five. You''ll need it. Chuger, hand him the red one."

    "What about the colonel?" The halfling Chuger asked.

    "We''ll tell''em the red one was lame." The dwarf grabbed the reins of the bright-scaled, red strider with purple and blue feathers and pulled it towards us. "Here, take this damned thing and go before anyone sees."

    Father smiled widely, pulled out roughly twenty-five coins, stuffed them in his pocket, and handed the sack to the dwarf. "You''re a good man; you just helped my family immensely."

    "Alright, alright. Now go, before things get hairy.'' The dwarf smirked as he took the money.

    Taking the reins of the dragon, Father looked at me and kissed my cheek. "Thank''s for the assist." He smiled, and I blushed as we began to briskly walk home with our new dragon.

    "What do you want to name it?" He asked me, and I blinked.

    A name? Oh, shit. Uh¡­

    "Is it a boy or girl?" I asked Father, and he blinked and thought for a second.

    "I think it''s a girl." He said he was looking at the dragon. "I''ll need to ask Isa; she''ll know for sure. But I''m positive."

    I smiled. "Well, if it is, I want to name her Ruby!"

    Farther smirked. "Well, Ruby, it is¡­ Now we just need to find Ruby a wagon to pull." He said this as we began to make our way back home through the bustling, chaotic streets filled with fear and anger towards the carpentry shop.

    With the strider in tow, much of the animated crowd parted for us as we hastily made our way over to Henderson''s shop. I had personally never met nor seen the man, yet ever since hearing the truth, I can''t stop hearing my parents constantly muttering about the man.

    As we neared the other edge of town, Father began to walk more quickly, and I could see his face conflicted with emotions. "I hope he takes the twenty-five," I heard him mutter. "For the love the gods¡­" I could see the concern written all over his face as we approached the mostly empty workshop.

    No lights, no signs, no employees. The place looked deserted.

    "No, no, no. What the fuck?" Father hissed as he began to jog with me towards the building, Ruby squawking as she moved along behind us.

    "Henderson!" Father shouted. "Henderson, are you here?!" He called out.

    Yet we received no response.

    Father, set me down. "Stay here!" He said this as he hitched Ruby to the front fence and ran to the front door.

    I heard him banging on the front door. "Henderson! Henderson, open the goddamn door!"

    I felt my heart kick up a few notches as I nervously rubbed my hands together and glanced at Ruby, who seemed confused. Turning back to my father, I noticed something on the window of the shop.

    A sign that read, "Closed until further notice."

    "Papa!" I called out to him as my father jimmied the handle on the shop. "Papa!"

    "What is it, Luna?" He said he was irritated.

    "The shop sign¡­ it says it''s closed." I pointed as he looked back at me.

    Moving to the front so he could see the window, he turned and ran both hands through his hair. "Oh, you got to be fucking kidding me?" He laughed nervously and said, "Are you fucking for real?" He threw his hands up. "Maybe, maybe he left it in the back! Maybe!"

    He came over to me and took my hand, and the two of us quickly moved to the back of the shop, where most of the finished wares were stored. Yet there was nothing.

    The entire shop was empty.

    "Fuck!" Father released my hand and kicked the dirt. "Fifty gold! I put fifty fucking gold down, and he said two months! Two fucking months!" He ran his fingers through his hair and panted heavily. "We don''t have time; we don''t have fucking time¡­"

    I felt my heart racing and fear welling up inside of me. "Pa-papa, it''ll be okay." He stopped, looked at me, and took a deep breath.

    "Thank you, Luna¡­" He took another breath to compose himself. "I just¡­ everything isn''t going as I planned. I can''t believe he up and ran." He looked around. "He was here just yesterday; he told me another week and the wagon would be done. Yet it isn''t here. He fucking took it¡­ That rat." He kicked the dirt again.

    I nodded. The bastard robbed us.

    "Not all is lost; we have Ruby," I said. "We can maybe fit her with some bags and carry some of our stuff, at least the stuff we need."

    Father nodded. "I guess." He sighed defeatedly. "Let''s get home. We shouldn''t keep them waiting. We''ll figure out what to do then."

 Chapter 24: A Plan and a Dream

    "Order! Order!" The constables shouted to the disorderly crowd in an attempt to restore peace as my father and I quickly made our way home through the streets. Around us, men and women shouted angrily as the news of the ultimatum spread like wildfire.

    "What''re we going to do if we reject?" A woman asked.

    A younger man hopped onto a nearby shipping crate and shouted, "We fight! Fight for our freedom!"

    "What of the children or elderly? They cannot fight!" Another man shouted.

    "Stay close," Father said as he held me close to his chest and pulled Ruby along behind him.

    A handful of constables began to run out into the street toward the crowd. "Enough! Enough!" One of them shouted.

    A plump enforcer blew into his whistle, releasing an ear-piercing screech that sent Ruby into a rage as she squawked and roared.

    Father grunted as he hushed the creature and pulled on her reins while holding me tight. After a few moments, the creature relented as the rotund constable shouted, "Everyone, please remain calm; the situation is under control. Please return to your homes and places of work."

    A man nearby scoffed. "What do you mean, remain calm?"

    I woman shouted to the constable. "I have six children; I can''t just do nothing, knowing our neighbors want to kill us!"

    I whimpered softly as I watched the mob behind us encroach on the officers. Taking a deep breath, I closed my eyes and buried my face in my father''s chest praying that a riot wouldn¡¯t start.

    Thankfully, within minutes, we were out of the town and back at the military camp. Officers shouted orders left and right, and around us, soldiers bustled to and fro.

    "This is a restricted area!" An elven woman in an officer''s uniform or I assumed bed on the three gold marks on her shoulders, shouted to my father. "Civilians are prohibited from passing through between 08:00 and 21:00!"

    "Apologies, Ma''am!" My father responded. "My home is just up this passage; I''ll be out of your hair!"

    For a moment the officer turned and looked at my father, eyes narrowing. Finally, she took a deep breath and motioned for a collection of soldiers to trail behind us. ¡°Escort these two out of here will you!¡± She ordered the men.

    Father simply nodded and kept walking, not minding the men following us. "What has her all worked up?" I mumbled. "They let us pass through earlier."

    Father shrugged. "Everyone¡¯s going to be on edge now, hon." he said softly. ¡°Just hold on tight.¡±

    We made our way through the camp and upon reaching the edge we were searched by those who stood on guard. Seeing we only carried the money Father brought for the strider and wagon. The soldiers there let us go.

    We moved up the highway at a brisk pace now a little ways away from town I could still hear the commotion coming from there. In the distance somewhere to the south on my left, I caught a glimpse of something glittering. Looking over my father¡¯s shoulder I saw far off coming from the southwestern highway another convoy of vehicles and striders making their way to town.

    "Shit¡­" Father grunted softly, and I glanced back at him and noticed he was looking out in the direction of the eastern field near the Hautchkins mill. Following his gaze I saw he was watching a group of soldiers with shovels and pickaxes digging into the farmfields. Among them were figures in white and grey robes wielding¡­ balls. I had to squint to focus my vision and what I could make out were what seemed like crystal orbs no larger than a man¡¯s fist.

    Wizards? I thought and just then, my assumption was confirmed as the orb began to glow. Whisps of shimmering mist shot forth from the orb and into the soil near the soldiers. In an instant, the ground began to part as if a giant¡¯s blade tore through the soil splitting it apart and forming a trench. The soldiers who were digging turned to look at the image with a mix of bewilderment and apprehension.

    ¡°You couldn¡¯t have done that to begin with?¡± I heard one soldier shout to the mage.

    "They''re making trenches." I whispered, and Father glanced at me and nodded.

    "Yeah, dug my fair share back in training." He sighed as we kept moving. "Though that doesn''t look like training, no wizard ever came and dug our holes for us. Which tells me the brass is taking this seriously."

    "But we don''t know if we''ll accept or reject that ultimatum thing the gnome read about," I said, though I had a hunch as to what the answer was going to be.

    "Yeah, but Papa thinks our glorious leader isn''t going to bend over, especially not after what happened to his cousin." Taking a deep breath, Father spat away from me and over his shoulder. "That frosted bitch is going to make him do something stupid. All the more reason we need to get moving." He snarled fiercely, and I swallowed. I could sense my father''s fury in his eyes.

    We continued on a bit further in silence, yet down the road, I noticed a dark figure coming toward us on a land strider. I gripped my father tighter as he continued forward with Ruby and me before stopping within a few dozen feet of the mounted individual.

    "Good afternoon, Mr. Hautchkins." Father nodded to Herbert as my head perked up and I looked towards the miller and his strider, Opal.

    "Good afternoon, Mr. Ashflow and Lady Luna." Herbert greeted us with a tip of his cap as he pulled Opal''s reins to the side and made room for us on the road. "Now this is mighty convenient."

    "What do you mean?" Father asked as Herbert came to a stop beside us just as Opal squawked at Ruby, the two striders examining each other thoroughly.

    "Well, I just got done gifting my wagon to Cailynn," Herbert explained. "She told me you and the little miss right there were out getting a strider and that Henderson was taking his sweet old time with your wagon."

    Gifting a wagon?

    I felt and saw Father relax as relief washed over him. Like a heavy burden taken off his shoulders. "Henderson did more than take his fucking time. He took our fucking wagon and presumably fled town."Father gestured back to the town, and Herbert''s eyes widened. "But why have you gifted us your wagon?" He asked

    Herbert took a deep breath and said, "Oh shit¡­ I''m sorry to hear that, Mr. Ashflow." He sighed and looked at me. "Is your little one¡ª"

    "She knows what''s going on," Father said before he could finish, and Herbert nodded.

    "I should''ve expected as much, especially after everything I''ve heard from my kids." He chuckled.

    His kids? I hardly hung out with Avdol and Mila¡­ Then again, Varis was friends with Avdol, so he probably heard of me from him.

    "Yep, our little star here is our little super genius." Father smirked and hoisted me up a little higher.

    "I''m not that smart!" I protested. "I just catch onto stuff easier."

    "Right." Both Herbert and my father said.

    "Anyways," Herbert continued, "Mr. Olson and his family, as I told you, caught wind of everything before it was announced. Just as I was leaving, the newspapers arrived at your house talking about this ultimatum. Well, Mr. Olson offered a trip to myself and my family to go with them to Khannatore."

    "Khannatore?" Father blinked and smiled. "Well, I wish you the best of luck. Not many humans ever get to see the undermines; count yourselves lucky."

    Herbert laughed. "I dunno how I feel about going so far deep beneath Enora. Personally, I''d prefer the fields and my mill. Though if it can get us away, even for a short while, from whatever is coming this way, I''ll take it."

    Father nodded. "But that doesn''t explain why you gave us your wagon. Don''t get me wrong, I appreciate it, Mr. Hautchkins; we''re going to need it. But what about your folks?"

    Herbert waved his hand to the side. "Already taken care of, Mr. Olson and his family are practically taking their entire shop with them; they have three wagons, one of which is open enough to house my family." My father nodded as Herbert snapped his finger and pointed at us. "Cailynn mentioned you all were going to be heading to Johanneson, right?"

    Father nodded. "Aye, that''s correct."

    "That''s along the way to Khannatore; why don''t you travel with us? Safety in numbers, and both I and the Olsons have plenty of supplies to share, not to mention I think Olson¡­ and myself would feel safe knowing you lot are with us."

    My father glanced at me and then at Herbert. After a brief moment of silence, he said, "I''ll need to discuss the matter with my wife. We''ve been storing supplies since we found out down in our basement, but thanks for the offer. When are you leaving, and where would we meet up if we decide?"

    Herbert nodded. "In two days, at the start of the new week, at the Kenchala River at sunrise," he explained.

    Father nodded. "Two days¡­" He sighed. "I was hoping to leave by tomorrow, though I know Cailynn has some final preparations she needs to handle. Soldiers have been paying us well for her goods." Father nodded, and Herbert snorted.

    "Cailynn is an excellent baker!" He laughed. "And you''ll need all the coins you can get. Shops in town gouging everyone."

    Father nodded in agreement and waved at Herbert. "Well, thank you; come then. If you don''t see us, do not wait. Go."

    Herbert gave us a thumbs up. "Alright, I''ll go let Mr. Olson know. Till then, Slyran, be safe."

    "You as well, Herbert." Father glanced at me as Mr. Hautchkins flicked his reins, and Opal squawked and began to trot away. "Actually, one last thing, Herbert." Father faced Hautchkins, who stopped and looked over his shoulder. "You''re a good man; even if we don''t travel with you, what you did by giving us the wagon is something I won''t forget." Without a word, Herbert closed his eyes and smiled before giving us a curt nod and riding off.

    Turning back around, Father gripped me a little tighter and looked at me. "Luna, what do you think?" Father asked me once Herbert was out of earshot.

    Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.

    Wait what? I blinked and looked at him. Father, are you asking me about my thoughts now? I smirked. Maybe now I''m part of the inner circle.

    "Uh¡­ I think it''s pretty sound." I nodded. "If we''re all traveling together, I don''t see it as a huge issue. Maybe slower, but probably much more comfortable. Mr. Olson, I think, has kids, much older than Varis and me, but Herbert''s kids are our age, so we''ll have some friends to hang out with on the road." I explained. "Also, at night, we''ll have more people to keep watch if things get a little hairy."

    Father blinked and looked at me with wide eyes. "You were really putting a lot of thought into this, weren''t you?"

    I blushed faintly. Of course, he wasn''t expecting a well-thought-out opinion, gah.

    "Yeah." I nodded. "Best to be prepared!"

    "Well, let''s get going home. Your mother is probably worried sick."

    <hr>

    Worried sick she was. When we arrived back on the property, Varis was the one to spot us and shout for Mother. Like a whirlwind, she was upon us in seconds. Flying out the front door in nothing but a pair of loose shorts that went over her knees, a casual polo, and no shoes, she began to scold my father.

    "Where have you been?! You were supposed to be back before noon!"

    My father placed me on the ground and held Ruby''s reins in his other hand as he straightened up and held out his newly free hand to Mother. "I''m sorry. The town is in chaos right now after the news and that snake Henderson stole the wagon."

    "Excuse me?!" Mother gasped.

    Father nodded. "Yep, and Harold tried to sell this strider off." He shook Ruby''s reins. "Despite me telling him to hold one for us, but¡­ well, never mind. I heard Herbert dropped off a wagon."

    Mother took a deep breath and calmed herself. "Yes, he did." She said as she glanced at Varis, who was reading a book on the front porch, and said, "Dear, go inside and help Isa with the dishes."

    Varis groaned, but a stern glance from Father sent him to go inside. Before closing the door, he said, "Is Luna coming?"

    "She''ll be in shortly," Father said, shooing him off.

    Mother looked back at Papa and said, "What else is happening down there?"

    Father waited for the front door to shut before explaining, "News of the Ultimatum and the assassination reached the town. People are shouting and acting up; the constables are out now, and things aren''t too bad. Though it did make travel hard, not to mention, the soldiers are buying up all the striders."

    My mother raised an eyebrow and nodded towards Ruby. "How''d you get this one, then?"

    Father sighed and rubbed the back of his neck. "With Luna''s help, I was able to buy one off a dwarf for seventy-five gold."

    My mother gawked, her mouth going slack for a second as she shook her head. "Excuse me? Seventy-five, did you at least try to haggle?"

    My father shook his head. "No, I didn''t¡­" His hand slid up to run through his hair. "I probably should''ve, but¡­"

    Mother sighed. "It doesn''t matter; what''s done is done." She pinched the bridge of her nose. "We still have money, though that''ll put a dent in things."

    Father nodded. "Where''s the wagon Herbert dropped off?" He asked

    My mother turned and pointed to the wagon parked along the side of the house. "It''s right there. The same wagon we took on the mountain trip."

    "Mr. Hautckins also said we could travel with him and Olson!" I said as I came over to Mother and patted some dust off of her shorts.

    Mother glanced down at me and smiled as the sight of me seemed to calm her. "Is that so?" She said it in a calmer tone.

    I nodded. "Yep, he said in two days they''re going to this place called Khannatore!"

    "They''ll be traveling past Johanneson," Father said. "Little one made a point here too; Olson and Herbert both have kids. Travelling as a group could be safer, and the little ones will have some company."

    Mother smiled. "Does that mean you''ll finally get some friends of your own?" Mother said to me, and I felt like an arrow shot through my chest!

    Dammit! God, I wish I could tell her to shut it right now. It''s not my fault I''m shy; besides, there was plenty to do at this house with Varis.

    I must''ve done a terrible job at hiding the blow to my ego because my mother giggled and ran her hand through my hair. "I''m just teasing, love." She hummed and glanced at my father before resuming her more serious tone: "I''m okay with this; if it''s just us with them until Johanneson, then I see no point in not taking them up on their offer."

    Father nodded. "Any news from Aenorin?"

    Mother shook her head. "No, not yet, though I don''t plan on it till we''re at his front door."

    Father shrugged. "Makes sense, I guess, well anyways. Meet, Ruby." He gestured to the red strider, which squawked in my mother''s face.

    Placing a hand on her hip, she glanced at me. "You named her?"

    I nodded. "Yep! She''s as red as a ruby and has cute blue feathers!" I pointed at the highlights alongside her red feathers.

    Mother giggled and nodded. "Well, it''s a lovely name. Want to help me get her comfortable out back?" Mother asked as she squatted beside me.

    I beamed and jumped up and down. "Yeah!"

    With a laugh, my mother messed up my hair some more before taking my hand in hers. "Slyran, I can take the strider from here."

    "You sure?" Father asked though he handed her the reins anyway.

    "Yep. Go check on Varis; he''s been kind of grumpy all morning." She said it with a small sigh. "He talked back to me this morning."

    Father groaned and kicked the dirt. "Of course, he did." He glanced at me.

    Oi, why are you looking at me?

    I gulped. "Maybe he knows what''s going on?" I suggested.

    Both Mother and Father bit their lower lips.

    "We should tell him," I continued. "Varis is young, but, uh¡­ I''m younger, and I caught on! Maybe he is too and is grumpy that we''re keeping secrets."

    They both shared a glance as I continued, "See, I would be mad too if Isa tried to keep lying to me when I found out."

    "Okay, I wouldn''t say we''re lying¡ª" My father started, but my mother silenced him with a wave of her hand.

    "Yes, we are," I corrected. "Even white lies are still lies. Even if we''re trying to protect him, in the future, when I''m grown up, I''ll probably look back on today and be happy that you guys trusted me with knowing this, and, well, he probably would too. Even if he''s a little immature most of the time, he can probably help us with ideas too, and it''ll just make everything else easier in the long run."

    Both my parents looked at me, their expressions stun-locked. After a few moments, Mother glanced at Father and said, "Uh, go check on him." Before looking back at me and saying, "We''ll think about that, sweetie, thank you."

    Oh shit, did I overstep?

    Without a word, my father nodded and went back inside as my mother lightly squeezed my hand and said, "Come one, love, let''s take Ruby to the backyard."

    Suddenly, the door opened, and Father stuck his head out. "One more thing, Cailynn. Start moving the boxes from the basement to the wagon when you can. I want us to be out in a flash when we''re ready!"

    Both I and my mother nodded to him before taking Ruby''s reins and walking her out back.

    <hr>

    A day has passed since the issuing of the ultimatum. Once again, my night was plagued by nightmares. This time, as I was running through the woods at night, echoes of screaming people and crying children came from all around me, interspersed with bouts of what sounded like machine gun fire. The ground trembled as something large, and mechanical moved behind me. Sounds of turning and twisting cog wheels mixed with the gaseous hiss of steam pistons as metallic feet slammed into the earth as something pursued me and drove me further into the woods.

    A woods that began to decline as I appeared to be running down a hill. My heart raced, and my cheeks and ears burned as I huffed and puffed as my tiny legs forced me forward. The mechanical monstrosity hissed and roared like a person screaming into a metal pipe. Its tone was hollow and lacking life, as whatever it was tore through trees and underbrush relentlessly as it came after me.

    Sharp whistling cracks tore past my ear as I screamed and dove to the ground as the rapid retort of a machine gun tore over my head. The bark of trees exploded into clouds of fragmentation as the dirt around me blasted puffs of dust and debris into the air. I began to army crawl ahead, moaning and crying as the rapid, heavy thudding of metallic limbs grew closer.

    Through the underbrush, I spotted a hollowed-out log and made my way to it. Feverishly crawling on all fours, I dove into the muddy, rotten log and cowered.

    "They''re coming, they''re coming!" I heard a panicked woman cry beyond the safety of my log.

    "Don''t look back, Debrah; keep moving." A man''s voice responded, and I could hear the snapping of twigs and the rustling of bushes as the couple ran past my hiding spot.

    Suddenly, the mechanical footsteps halted but were soon replaced by a haunting howl. A horn that sent my heart into a frenzy, and beyond my log, the world was engulfed in a red light. Once again, the mechanical shunting of the monster''s feet resumed, yet much faster, and the ground beneath me began to shake as the machine made itself known.

    Outside, the couple screamed with horror, and I cried softly. Peeking out of the small hole, I saw the monster''s feet. A mechanical four-toed foot like that of a bird''s slammed into the ground, meager inches from my spot.

    I cupped my mouth and screamed as the whirring of the monster''s machinery drowned out everything around me. A sharp hiss and a bang had me cupping my ears before suddenly, an immense heat washed over me as a sharp whooshing sound started and then immediately ceased.

    Everything fell quiet; the screaming couple was silent.

    You must keep moving. My mind told me. You must make it to the city. Do not stop.

    What''s happening? I thought. What is this? What''s that thing?

    That thing is an obstacle. One that can be avoided, but only if you aren''t too slow.

    The mechanical whirring above me resumed, and the creature bellowed its horn, and I gasped as massive hook-like tendrils pierced through the top of my log. I screamed out loud as the hooks yanked upwards, my ears deafened by the sound of splintering wood and screaming machinery.

    As my hiding spot was exposed, I lay there face-to-face with my pursuer. A large quadruped machine with a single glass eye that projected a blinding white light. As the machine gazed down at me, I screamed as its tendrils shot for me.

    Reach the city and find me again.

    <hr>

    I jerked in my bed and screamed as I rolled over and cried out when my bed disappeared, and I fell to the floor. Panting heavily, I rolled out of my covers and sprawled out on the floor in nothing but my black nightgown. I panted heavily and sat up, groaning and rubbing my head.

    "Oh, thank fuck, it was just a dream." I muttered softly under my breath and reached up to test my ears, then patted my chest and checked below. "I''m still me." I took a deep breath and smiled.

    Ever since my nightmare, where I reverted to my old life, I''ve been paranoid. Though the dream had me as my normal self, I think I didn''t have time to check in that dream to see if I was Luna.

    "The city¡­" I muttered under my breath as I heard someone knock at my door.

    "Luna, are you okay?" My mother''s voice came from behind the door.

    "I, uh, yeah." I nodded. "I had a bad dream, and then I fell out of bed."

    My mother opened the door and came inside to see me sitting on the floor. "Another dream?" My mother asked.

    "Sort of¡­ though it might just be a normal nightmare." I sighed, tried to get up, and winced as my gown shifted over my chest. My hand reached up and lightly touched my breast.

    Goddamn, these things are a pain. I sighed softly.

    My mother nodded and came over to me as she knelt and held her hand over my chest. A surge of embarrassment came over me as my face flushed as Mother cast the numbing spell, which made the pain go away.

    "There we go. Are you hurt anywhere else?" She asked me.

    I shook my head now, too shy to speak. My mother noticed this and cooed softly as she rubbed my shoulder. "No need to be embarrassed, dear." She glanced out my window, where daylight was beginning to stream through. "Why don''t you get dressed and meet me downstairs? We can talk about this dream."

    "It-it was just a normal dream." I muttered.

    "Normal dreams don''t have little ladies screaming and leaping out of beds, love." My mother booped my nose. "You can always talk to me about issues. Now. Go on, get dressed. We have a lot to do today."

    As my mother helped me up to my feet and fix my bed, she once again tussled my messy hair and left me alone. Once the door shut, I sighed softly and glanced at myself through my bedroom mirror. I looked like a mess; my long hair, which now reached midway down my back, was unkempt, and my eyes held dark rims. I did not sleep well at all.

    I sighed. "Make it to the city¡­" I muttered softly to myself again as I tried to recall the dream. Yet it was hazy; I could vaguely recall shapes, yet the message seemed very clear.

    We''re going to need to move fast.

 Chapter 25: Breakfast Talk

    After blocking the drain, I went to the bathroom and pumped some cool water into the sink. Taking a deep breath, I dunked my face into the frigid water and gasped as I pulled myself back out. I brushed my soaked bangs from my face and took a few more deep breaths as I grabbed the nearby towel and dabbed myself dry. The shock from the freezing water did wonders at snapping me awake as I pulled the towel away and looked at myself in the mirror.

    Messy ass hair, though my cute face doesn''t look dead anymore. Making progress!

    Knowing that my mother would make such a fuss about my hair. I decided to take the time to brush it. Ever since becoming a girl, I''ve learned to hate the tedium that is hair maintenance. Originally, when I learned of my abrupt and new gender identity, I thought that I would give long hair a shot. Back in my prior life as a man, I had two forms of hair.

    One, no hair, as every summer I shaved it all off and took on my Heisenberg persona.

    Two, I grew it out to about past ear length. I usually did this around the winter.

    My winter hair, while slightly long for a guy, was pretty easy to maintain. Bed heads weren''t an issue, and usually, a quick shower and brush were all it took.

    Yet now. With hair going down my back, first off, it''s heavy. I feel like every time I bend over to look at something, gravity is just grabbing my hair and yanking me to the floor. Especially when it rains or after a bath. Maybe it''s just because I''m not used to having hair this long. I wonder if there are any neck exercises I could do to make it easier.

    Secondly, it can smell. Like, really bad. Now I know this is probably just because I don''t bathe as much, or maybe I''m bathing wrong. But like, after days or nights of being outside with my brother and getting all sweaty, it can smell. Even after washing, I swear the smell just gets stuck. Whenever Mother washes my hair with me, she seems to be perfect at it.

    Mental note: Gather Mother for some girl talk when things calm down about washing hair.

    Yet a second idea came to mind.

    My mother always had short hair. Why don''t I just cut mine too? If I do that, I can join her on Team Tomboy. Yes, yes, I like this idea. Mother does seem to rock the look well so maybe I could too.

    This could be a solution. Yet for now, I was stuck with the endless knots and curliness that refused to straighten out as I sat in my room for about ten or so minutes brushing. When I did finally get it to a state I could be satisfied with, I proceeded to get dressed. Which was thankfully not an issue due to Mother''s help when she came in earlier. Ever since puberty 2.0 kicked in and my breasts began developing, the pain they brought me when changing was annoying, to say the least.

    It''s like a sore that doesn''t go away until later in the evening. I also noticed some concerning markings¡ªred spots and what look to be stretch marks¡ªappearing around my bumps, though my mother said this is normal. I sure hope so. In my prior life, my great-grandmother had breast cancer.

    Now that I think about¡­ Does cancer even exist in this world of magic? If it is, is it even called cancer? Duh, no. That¡¯s an English word. Diseases and such do exist. Varis and I got sick a couple of years ago. It was a horrible time. It was like the flu but worse. Not only did it make me and my brother bedridden and constantly puking, but it also made our muscles spasm. My mother called it ¡°The Trembles.¡± I wondered why they didn¡¯t just use magic to make it go away. Instead, they went to the physician''s office in town and got normal medicine, which helped of course, but wouldn¡¯t it have been easier to just poof it away?

    Well, let''s think about it like D&D. In that game some spells required components to cast which cost money. Maybe it¡¯s the same thing here? Healing magic is probably expensive.

    Anyway, I continued to change, and today I chose to go for something different and comfortable. I had asked my mother a while back about getting me some clothes that weren''t just dresses and skirts. To my surprise, she seemed more than happy to provide. As Varis began to grow taller and taller, Mother modified some of his older pants and gave them to me.

    I was shocked to see that I could fit in the weathered pair of jeans. When looking at myself in the mirror as I pulled them on, I couldn''t help but notice that my shape seemed a bit different than normal.

    Am I getting fat? I wondered as I looked myself over, noticing some very faint curves forming and taking shape. I had grown taller over the past year, and now that I¡¯m looking at myself¡­ yes. I look like I¡¯ve put on a little bit of weight. Nothing bad, quite frankly, it was nice. It was like my body was finally taking the shape it wanted. Once again my thoughts began to wander to what I would look like in ten years or so. I was taking heavily after my mother, almost an exact clone of her it seemed. I had a bit of my father in me too, such as his sharp eyebrows and nose. I mentally pictured myself looking like my mother but with my father¡¯s height. The thought excited me, I was eager to reach that point. Unlike my last life, I didn¡¯t want to squander the chance to work on my self-image. I wanted to be strong, confident and¡­ very attractive.

    For some reason, I felt wrong thinking that. Dirty. Is it wrong for me to be thinking about stuff like that at my age? Realistically, I¡¯m an adult. Like, chronologically speaking I mean. I would be thirty-four back on earth. I would also be a guy. Yet, now I was a young girl trying on her brother¡¯s clothes wondering how big her tits were going to be and how hot she wanted to become. God, I feel disgusting. It feels like I¡¯m just making excuses to enjoy this¡­

    I closed my eyes. Took a deep breath. You¡¯re Luna, now. You aren¡¯t ¡°him,¡± you can be and enjoy whatever you want. I tried to tell myself, and while the dread in me was pushed away for now. I could feel it still lingering. Focus on the now. Let''s have fun. I tried to cheer myself up.

    Taking a deep breath I wiggled my hips and pulled the pants up my legs and then waist before buttoning them. I then looked back up at myself for a moment in the mirror and shifted as I kicked and wiggled my pants-covered legs before doing a twirl in the mirror and looking back at myself from over my shoulder.

    It wasn¡¯t bad. The pants were worn and a bit faded, but Mother did a good job refitting them. I could hardly tell they used to be my brother''s aside from the aged look. The material clung nicely and wasn¡¯t too tight. Yet, something wasn¡¯t right.

    "This feels weird," I said out loud to no one in particular.

    I haven''t worn pants in how long. I thought. Years maybe. As a once avid pants wearer, this feels strange now. Mother had always had me wearing skirts or dresses. Or, well, I should clarify, that she hasn¡¯t ¡°made¡± me do anything. It¡¯s just the clothes they had gotten for me. One more thing, I should state that I have worn pajama bottoms, but those don¡¯t count as true pants to me. Unless you¡¯re one of those folks that walk around in public wearing them, which hey, I used to do that too. But then after a few unwanted looks of judgment from people looking at my Star Wars pajama bottoms, I realized that maybe I shouldn¡¯t. Perhaps I¡¯m just a coward. No, I am. I¡¯ll admit that.

    Mother would absolutely kill me though if she saw me outside in my pajamas. So, I¡¯ve stuck with skirts and dresses. Which honestly, are fantastic. I never knew how attached I¡¯d become to feminine clothes. I¡¯m not into the bright pinks and such, and thankfully mother and father were understanding of that. So I mainly wore cooler colors. Unlike these jeans, skirts were so much more liberating, and really never became too much of a hassle for me. It¡¯s all about your loadout if I were to use video game terms.

    You need to prep the right equipment. If you¡¯re going out in the field, say a camping trip. You¡¯ll need a suitable dress and skirt. Don¡¯t go with the big frilly ones that drag on the ground. You¡¯ll be catching all sorts of dirty things and snagging on every branch. So, go with a shorter, form-fitting outfit like I had. You get the freedom of movement, and it¡¯s comfy. Just gotta think practically.

    I never knew I¡¯d be so into this. By that, I mean dressing up, or well, acting feminine. It¡¯s really refreshing and it makes me happy, but, today I was feeling nostalgic. Also, I wanted to see how I look wearing boyish clothes, and well. These pants, while weird. I like it. I might actually be able to pull off the tomboyish look I was gunning for. Watch out, mother. Soon I¡¯ll be the prettier tomboy!

    I went to my dresser and pulled out one of the casual shirts that my mother got for me a few years ago. It was a bit small, but it would go well with the pants. So, I slipped into it. The alabaster fabric clung to me comfortably; it was a bit snug, but when looking in the mirror, I looked like a little farmer girl. All I was missing were some suspenders to go over my shoulders and a straw hat. I smirked at myself and giggled. I did another twirl as I looked myself over, admiring the simple yet comfortable outfit. The clothes clung to me comfortably, almost like a second skin as it ran over my growing form and shape. As I turned I stopped and blushed faintly as I noticed around my chest there was a subtle suggestion of my developing womanhood. My face turned a deep red and I spun away and went over to my bed and grabbed my boots before pulling them on as I tried to erase that image from my mind.

    Why am I getting flustered over something so natural?! I shook my head again. Don¡¯t think about it.

    Once I was ready, I did a once-over on my hair again and went downstairs.

    It was very early in the morning; Father was still snoring like a bear in his room, and as I passed by Varis''s room, I could hear him snoring equally as loud. It¡¯s like they¡¯re having a snoring competition, I thought and giggled.

    Downstairs, I could faintly smell coffee and cinnamon porridge. As I came down the stairs and into the living room, I turned to the kitchen and saw Isa, as usual, already awake and eating breakfast. I could also hear my mother working the range as the two of them talked softly as I approached them.

    It was Isa who took note of me first. Her feline ears perked up and swiveled in my direction like two radar dishes as her eyes glanced up to meet mine. She squinted as I stopped and noticed her eyes scanning me from head to toe.

    A big smile soon bloomed on her face, and the serelli glanced at my mother and said, "Cailynn, come look."

    My mother appeared from around the corner, wearing a surprisingly similar get-up to myself. Though her shirt was gray, and her jeans were not as worn down, she held in her hands a washcloth she was using to wipe her hands off, and her eyebrow raised upon seeing me.

    I blushed deeply. "Wh-what''s wrong?" I asked. "Do I look funny?"

    My mother smiled and shook her head. "No, sweetie, you look different! But good! Great even!" She came over to me and walked in a circle around me.

    I blushed even harder and felt the tips of my ears wiggling as my mother said, "My little girl is turning into a woman!" She squealed, which sent me almost to the ceiling. "Isa, look, my little one is going to need a bra soon!¡± She exclaimed as she pointed and then tapped my right breast which was only a tiny bump, hardly visible through my shirt.

    Instinctively I yelped and crossed my arms over my chest, my first burning intensely as I shielded them. ¡°He-hey!¡± I squeaked and hopped away.

    My mother was abuzz with excitement. ¡°How should I make it?¡± She asked herself out loud. ¡°Luna, what''s your favorite flower? Or color?"

    My eyes widened, and I shifted from foot to foot, arms still crossed over my chest. They were practically mosquito bites. I was nowhere near the size of needing a bra just yet. ¡°Uh¡­¡± Was all I could say response, my brain seizing and crashing. We were all women here, yet the mere thought of me talking about this with my mother still made me shudder.

    Isa snorted and laughed loudly before covering her mouth and grabbing her water so as not to choke on her breakfast.

    Seeing my embarrassment, my mother quickly composed herself and said, "My apologies, Luna. I just¡­ you look so cute!" She wrapped her arms around me and hugged me as I squeaked into her stomach. "You''re growing up too fast! You need to slow down!"

    It took Isa to claw my mother away from me.

    Once everyone had calmed down, my feeling of self-consciousness returned to a normal state. Mother made me a plate of porridge and toast, along with a small cup of coffee. We all sat around and enjoyed our breakfast together in silence¡ªthat is until I was sipping the last of my coffee and Isa looked at me.

    "Cailynn told me you had another nightmare earlier." Her feline ears flicked and swiveled towards me.

    I stopped sipping my coffee midway and lowered the cup back down to the table. I took a deep breath and nodded. "Yeah, it was really scary."

    "Was it like the one before?" Isa asked as my mother watched me from across the table.

    I shook my head. "No, not exactly. But it felt real, like super real."

    The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.

    "Super real?" Isa repeated it softly, and I nodded.

    "Can you tell me about it?" She lightly pushed her empty bowl away and leaned forward.

    I cleared my throat and shrugged. "It''s hazy; the dream wasn''t as vivid as before."

    "Please try," Isa said, motioning with her wrist for me to speak.

    I glanced up at my mother, who nodded towards Isa, and I sighed softly.

    "I was running away from something¡­ I was me; I think. I didn''t really check. It was nighttime. I heard¡­ machine gun fire."

    "Machine gun?" Isa muttered and glanced at Mother.

    "I don''t know what a machine gun is." Mother shrugged. "Slyran would probably be more familiar with firearms."

    Ah shit, I assumed once again.

    I sipped my coffee again but whimpered when I noticed it was empty and set it down. "It was like a gun, but it shot really fast. Like ratatatatatata," I mimicked the sound out loud.

    Both Mother and Isa snorted and covered their mouths to hide their giggles. "It isn''t cute!" I protested. "It was really scary!"

    Calming themselves, Isa nodded and said, "I know, Luna. Sorry, please continue."

    I sighed and continued, "I vaguely recall hiding in a hollow log when this¡­ mechanical monster thing showed up. I think it killed some people who were running with me; it made this scary roar, and I felt this powerful heat come off of it. I was freaking out, and in my head, I could hear my own voice telling me to get to the city. Get to the city and avoid something about obstacles that will get me if we''re too slow, and then I woke up because I think the monster found me." I deflated at the last bit.

    Isa watched me with a focused gaze as I could see her stewing in the information, I provided her. After a moment, she side-eyed my mother, who was also watching me closely. The two of them shared eye contact for a second before Isa looked at me and leaned in.

    "Have you had any more dreams like this in the past?" She asked me.

    I shook my head. "Not that I know of."

    "Isa, she is a growing girl." Mother started. "With all the stress of everything going on, maybe it''s just¡­ a stress-induced dream."

    I nodded in agreement. I hope it''s just that!

    "Maybe, though it seemed oddly specific if it were true." She stroked her chin. "Back home, in my tribe. Dreams are held dear. They are important in that dreams can come from far and beyond; they can carry messages, lore, and visions."

    "What are you getting at?" I asked before my mother could.

    Isa gripped her chin with her clawed index finger and thumb. "You could be what is known as an Awakened Dreamer, Luna."

    "Hold on, a what?" Both my mother and I spoke.

    "Back in Kazora, our tribes had what are known as soulcasters." Isa explained, and my eyes widened.

    "Wait, like spirimancy?" I looked to my mother, who nodded.

    "Exactly," Isa said, "it is actually my people who were the ones who discovered and perfected it." She traced her clawed fingers over the table. "Soulcasters are oracles, those who have unlocked the inner eye within them and can live all their lives simultaneously."

    Like me, my mother''s eyes widened with interest and leaned in.

    "This is what we called the ''awakening''." Isa explained. "When we die, Luna, our souls are cast into the Current. It is here that our souls are washed clean of the memories of our prior lives before descending into the Deepest Darkest Ocean. Within this ocean of souls, we wait until the Fisherman comes and pulls us out before releasing us into the Expanse, where we travel beyond before reawakening in our next life."

    "Wait¡­" I blinked. "So, you''re telling me reincarnation is normal?"

    Mother glanced at me, and Isa smiled. "Yes. Every one of us has lived prior lives, and in my tribe, Awakened soulcasters are those who remember all of their prior lives and use that knowledge to guide us."

    Wait, wait, wait¡­ so is that what happened to me? I died back on Earth and woke up here. Is this ''Current'' something that exists in my old world?

    I sat back and rubbed my head.

    "What I''m getting at, Luna." Isa said, "You might be or could be awakened. You don''t need to be someone from my tribe to become Awakened, or, in this case, a dreamer. Dreamers are those who are partially awake but can only live old memories through their dreams."

    Mother nodded. "Before spririmancy was officially discovered," Mother chimed in. "These people were seen as defective and suffered mental illnesses. Not far from here there''s an old asylum, ''Sunshine''s Lunatic Asylum'', I think it was called."

    I gulped. "I''m not going to be sent there if this is true, right?"

    Mother snorted and shook her head. "No, sweetie, the place has been closed for over a century; I was a baby when it was shut down."

    Isa nodded. "She is correct, though; nowadays, in most countries, Awakened people are well cared for. One can only imagine what it''s like to have the memories of hundreds or thousands of lives they once lived. Many do in fact go mad, but those, like soulcasters, are trained to cope and live within the present."

    I bit my lower lip. "So, you''re telling me that if I fully awaken, I can go crazy?"

    Mother shook her head. "No, you won''t go crazy." She glanced at Isa. "While this has been interesting, Isa, I don''t fully buy that Luna is what you''re saying."

    Isa leaned forward. "I''m not fully certain of it yet either, but the likelihood is there. That dream you had on your birthday, the language you spoke. That is no tongue that is spoken in Enora. At least not in official circles."

    I shifted nervously. "You said you heard an old wizard in the past speak it, right?" I asked, and Isa nodded.

    "Who did he speak to?"

    Isa sighed. "I was young at the time, but he spoke to our elder. The soulcaster of our tribe." She stroked her chin. "Our elder spoke to him fluently in that tongue in the privacy of their room, or what they thought was private. But I couldn''t go and ask them what they were talking about. I was merely a child at the time; if I were caught listening, I would''ve been punished harshly."

    I glanced over at my mother, who seemed to be stuck in her thoughts, and looked at Isa once more. "What if we tried to contact the elder now? Or maybe track down that mage?"

    Isa smirked and shrugged. "Unfortunately, Elder Y''Nari is long gone. She has passed into the Current and is hopefully living a more peaceful life now. As for the mystery mage¡­" She trailed off and tapped her chin. "The man is a ghost."

    I blinked. "What do you mean?"

    Isa leaned forward once more and said, "Perhaps it was just my childish fears at the time. But when the man left Elder Y''Nari''s room, he drifted past me and went outside. I tried to follow him, yet when I neared the village gate, something blinded me for a second. I do not know what, but when my vision came to. He was gone; perhaps I tripped, or something got in my eye. But I swear, no human man moves that quickly."

    "What happened after?" I asked curiously and with a bit of excitement that Isa was finally telling me a story of hers.

    She deflated slightly. "Our elder conceded to the demands of the Rusivites. For so long, she was adamant that we deny their gifts and orders. Yet after that, a strange mage showed up. She folded."

    "Oh¡­" I leaned back.

    "What did this man look like?" My mother asked.

    Isa pursed her lips. I could tell she was digging deep into her mind. "He was a weird one. Wore clothes I had never seen before, at the time at least. He wore an all-black suit, had a fine hat, and carried this suitcase. His beast tongue was excellent and posh, his common even more exquisite; I think he had brown or black hair."

    "That could be anyone." My mother sighed before Isa snapped her finger.

    "Oh, wait, I remember this clearly¡­ The left side of his face had a scar, a long scratch." She nodded. "It always scared me when he smiled in my direction with it."

    Mother nodded. "Okay, that''s a nice detail to go off of. If he''s a mage, I wouldn''t be surprised if he''s still around. Very rarely does a wizard keel over from old age, especially a human at that. They''re always scrambling to find ways to live longer."

    Isa nodded. "Perhaps, though he may not look the same as I remember, But alas¡­" She waved her hand. "That is a job for another, much calmer day. For now, to end what I was going to say, is that, Luna." She turned to me. "Please let me know if you have any more dreams like that as soon as you can. If we start noticing a trend, it may be best to find a spirimancer."

    "Isn''t spirimancy, like¡­ not approved for practice?" I glanced at Mother, who nodded.

    "Only states that''re within the Magus Concordium. I could always take you to my homeland, where we could have you checked."

    "Okay, hold on." My mother leaned in. "We''re getting ahead of ourselves." At this point, I could hear the door to my parents'' room opening, followed by an obnoxious belch and chuckle from my father.

    The man of the house is awake. I smirked.

    Mother relaxed back in her seat. "How about we enjoy the rest of our breakfast and pick this conversation up another time?"

    Isa straightened up and bowed her head. "Agreed, and I do apologize if I overstepped." My mother smiled and gave her a reassuring nod.

    "Luna, when you''re finished with your breakfast, help me with the dishes and your father''s meal." Mother said as she got up from the table and went over to the range to prep a cup of coffee for my father.

    <hr>

    It was around ten in the morning when Varis woke up and came down to join the rest. I was in the middle of helping Mother finish up the kitchen and taking care of Father''s mess as he sat there sipping his coffee and reading the paper.

    "No news yet on the Kaiser''s response," Father said softly to us as Varis entered.

    "I hope that old fart waits till the last second to respond," Mother said. "More time we have, the better."

    "More time till what?" My sleepy brother asked as he sat down at the table beside our father.

    Mother motioned for me to take the last bowl of porridge over to him. Taking the bowl in hand, which was kept warm by a heat stone, I walked over to him.

    "Something that I''ll be wanting to talk to you about shortly." Father said it gruffly; he always sounded like a grump in the morning.

    Varis jerked up in his seat and glanced at me, worried. I shrugged and pulled back, though I had a feeling what Father wanted to talk to him about.

    "Isa, Cailynn, and Luna." Father glanced at us. "Once you''re finished with the kitchen, can you leave the two of us alone in private?"

    I blinked. Okay, now I was curious as to what he wanted to talk about.

    Mother and Isa both nodded as my mother gripped my shoulder. "Luna, why don''t you go to the backyard? There''s something we need to tend to. As a matter of fact, take some of the salted juni to Ruby." Juni was like a form of boar.

    I glanced up at Mother and nodded before going to grab the small wooden keg stuffed with pork-like meat. Surprisingly, it wasn''t that heavy. I had to carry it on my shoulder, though it wasn''t so bad as I went out the back door.

    We didn''t have a stable here at the Ashflow house; my parents never saw the need to have animals on this property. So to make up for it, my father hastily built a makeshift hitching post near the lone Sycora tree.

    Ruby was a beautiful strider, yet horribly intimidating. Her red scales sparkled in the sun''s light, and her purple and blue feathers looked extremely fluffy. Yet her piercing blue eyes made me shiver as the large, velociraptor-like creature glared down at me. I say velociraptor; it should be more accurate to say that this thing was more like a T-Rex compared to my short height.

    Ruby tilted her large head and shifted her massive form to look at me. She had been standing when I approached her, yet as I drew near, she shifted herself and squatted down before me, like a chicken over its nest. Despite bringing herself down to my level, she still towered over me as I nervously approached.

    "H-Hey there, R-Ruby¡­ I''m not¡­ a lawyer, so please don''t eat me." I gulped. "Instead, uh¡­ take this." I popped open the keg, and the dragon''s head lifted curiously and cocked to one side.

    I reached into the keg and pulled out a salty, purplish slab of meat. Despite looking grotesque, it smelled pretty good as I chucked the meat at Ruby, who, in a flash and vicious roar, caught the hunk of flesh midair and swallowed it.

    I yelled and fell back on the grass as the large dragon leaned in and began to nose at the keg, trying to get more.

    "Holy fuck, why would she send me out here to do this?" I panted heavily. "I could''ve gone to a world with horses and been better off." I sighed nervously, rolled over, and got to my feet. I then glanced around to make sure no one heard me. Seeing I was alone, I sighed and turned to see Ruby using her talon-like fingers to poke at the keg.

    I gulped once more and stepped forward, hands raised. "Hey girl." The strider glanced up at me. "I-I can get more meat out for you." I pointed to the barrel.

    Her eyes followed my finger, and then she glanced back at me and then back at the keg. This continued for a few seconds, and I nervously stepped forward and reached for the keg. A horrific snarl came from deep within her throat, and I immediately backed away. "I-I was just trying to get some more food for you, but hey¡­ if you don''t want it, sure." I turned around and walked away.

    Mother said she was going to come out here; what''s taking so¡ª

    "GYAAK!" I cried out as my vision was accosted by stars, and a sharp pain erupted in the back of my head as my face met earth and grass.

    Behind me, I could hear deep grunting and hissing, almost like laughter, as I lifted my head and whimpered as I rubbed the lump on the back of my head. Turning to look, I saw the keg of meat beside me and looked back to see the laying-down strider laughing¡­

    These things can laugh? I blinked and glanced at the meat beside me.

    "Why did you hit me?!" I yelled at it, and immediately Ruby stopped her laughter and looked at me with a blank face.

    I pouted and stuffed my hand in the keg, started yanking out all the meat, and kicked it towards the strider. "Jerk. I offered to help!" I huffed, tossed the keg aside, and walked away.

    "GAH!" I shrieked as a wet slap of meat clapped me right in the back. Thankfully, it wasn''t a wooden keg, but it still startled the shit out of me as I spun around to see Ruby chortling and licking the meat off the ground. "You''re a bully!"

    "Why are you yelling at Ruby?" I heard Mother ask just as the back door shut behind her.

    "She threw the keg at me!" I said as Mother looked at Ruby, who was looking around at the sky innocently.

    "Did she now?" Mother asked, and I nodded.

    "It really hurt." I rubbed the back of my head.

    My mother glanced at Ruby once more, and in a voice that shocked me, she spoke in a deep, guttural language I hadn''t heard before. At least I thought it was a language; it sounded like throat singing and trying to clear it out at the same time. The sound of it made me flinch, and I noticed that Ruby immediately shot to attention and then let off a loud whine and dove down.

    Mother then coughed and cleared her throat before rubbing it tenderly. "What was that?!" I was shocked.

    "That was draconian." She coughed once more and pounded her upper chest. "It''s killer on the throat for us elves and humans."

    "You can speak dragon?" I gawked.

    "A little bit. Isa knows more than me." She walked by me and motioned for me to follow.

    I turned and began to trail behind Mother. "What did you say?"

    "I said that if she touches another hair on your head, I''ll put her on a spit." Mother said it nonchalantly, and I blinked.

    A bit extreme, don''t you think, mother? I thought, but then stopped when I noticed where we were walking.

    The cabin.

    "Uh, why are we going to the cabin?" I asked.

    "Because we''re going to grab a few final things, and you''re going to help." Mother hummed a soft tune to herself as she reached into her pockets and pulled out a key.

    "W-Wait, I can go in there?" I asked wide-eyed.

    Mother glanced back at me and smiled. "Just this once." She winked and unlocked the door.

 Chapter 26: The Cabin

    The door to the cabin creaked and groaned as it slowly swung open. From within a stale, dusty breeze billowed out as if it had never been open in ages. "Don''t mind the mess, sweetie; it''s been a little while since I''ve been in here." My mother said this as she pocketed the key and went inside.

    With wide eyes, I poked my head in and gazed around. "But aren''t you here almost every other morning? And what about Isa?" I asked as I followed her into the cabin.

    My mother giggled softly as we entered the dark room. Something about this interior didn''t feel right as I glanced around, expecting to see walls but instead, there was only darkness.

    The cabin isn''t that big. I thought.  If I had to guess,  it was maybe only like a fifteen-by-fifteen space. Surely I should be able to see the edges.

    I rubbed my eyes and looked around once more. Nothing. Yet suddenly, with a clap of her hands, a bright blue light engulfed the room, and I gasped as I shielded my eyes. After a few seconds of adjustment, I slowly lowered my arms and gasped.

    This can''t be real.

    Yet it was. The room was magnificent. An expansive space loomed out before me, and the circular walls of the room reached up like a tower that seemed to go up thirty feet. Decorating these walls were bookshelves, paintings, and other various items I couldn''t slap a label onto, and in the center of the room was a large metallic disc with a massive emerald embedded into it.

    This is no cabin. Or, well, I think it''s not. This doesn''t make sense. How in hell could something like this be hidden?

    My mother looked over her shoulder at me. A smug smile on her face. "Amazing, isn''t it?" She said.

    "H-How?" I muttered stepping forward as my eyes soaked in the scenery around me. This was truly a wizard¡¯s tower. Like something plucked from a fantasy novel and brought to reality.

    From what I could tell this, cabin-tower, had a diameter of about thirty feet or so if my mental math was correct. Already it had proven to be much larger than Mother¡¯s cabin. The bookshelves and tables that lined the walls held a visible, but thin layer of dust. The purple carpet I stepped on puffed and kicked up debris. Nobody else has been here in ages.

    Mother chuckled and said, "With magic, dear." Her smile widened as she motioned for me to stay close to her.

    "Aren''t we in the cabin still?" I asked her.

    She shook her head and then nodded. "Yes and no." She hummed as I gawked. Mother then reached into her pocket and pulled out the key from before, a golden, decorative-looking item with fine line work etched into it. She twirled it in her fingers and said, "We¡¯re in my Vault of Arcanum, we got here with this key. When I became an Ethereal Archon, I was given one of these archeos by the Concordium. Very few of these exist, Luna." She wiggled the key at me.

    "So, like, did it teleport us?" I asked her.

    Mother shook her head. "Not entirely. It''s a bit too complicated to explain right now, but essentially, this key has the power to open doors to another world."

    Ah, okay, I think I get it now. Funny enough, in my old D&D campaigns, I gave my players an item like this.

    "So, uh," I said as I tapped my chin. "Any door you use this key on allows you to enter the tower."

    If that¡¯s the case, then we could just pack everything up in this tower and leave before war breaks out. I thought a glimmer of hope blooming within me.

    Mother¡¯s smug smile faded and she shook her head. ¡°Unfortuantely no.¡± she sighed. ¡°It¡¯s a paired archeo. Meaning that this key.¡± She wiggled the golden key again. ¡°Only works with other Vault doors made for this key. They come in pairs you see," She explained. "When I left the Concordium, I thought they''d confiscate the door and key, or one of them, but they never did for some reason." She smiled as she motioned for me to follow her to the disc.

    I thought for a moment I followed Mother into the center of the room. ¡°If that¡¯s the case,¡± I wondered, ¡°Could we take the door and key with us?¡±

    Mother cocked her head. ¡°Oh?¡± She looked at me with an arched eyebrow. ¡°Elaborate,¡± she said sounding like an instructor.

    ¡°Well, what I was thinking, is why don¡¯t we pack everything up in here then?¡± I asked. ¡°If all we had to carry was just one door in the wagon and maybe a little bit of food and stuff then we¡¯d be traveling pretty light.¡±

    My mother smiled. ¡°That¡¯s a good idea, Sweetie. You¡¯re kind of sounding like your father.¡± I beamed at the praise, though my smile was quickly forgotten when Mother frowned and said, ¡°But that wouldn¡¯t work.¡¯

    I frowned. ¡°Why not?¡± I asked.

    Mother nodded towards the door. ¡°When a Vault door is installed, there¡¯s an enchantment inscribed into it and the frame of the building. Think of it like a tether. When the door is removed, that tether is separated and the door just becomes a normal door.¡±

    I groaned. ¡°Darn it, nothing can be as simple as I¡¯d like.¡±

    Mother laughed lightly and nodded. ¡°I understand your frustration.¡± She reached out and patted me on the head. ¡°But, I like the initiative.¡± She hummed.

    I giggled as she rubbed my hair and I looked up at her. ¡°Could the door ever be fixed?¡±

    Mother grinned. ¡°Certainly. Though the bonding process that re-establishes the tether takes up to a week or more. So, in theory, Sweetie, your idea could work, though it would be woefully inefficient. We could put everything in here, but once we start traveling we wouldn¡¯t have access to the Vault until we install and bond the door to a building.¡±

    I grimaced as we stepped onto the disc on the floor. ¡°Yeah, that doesn¡¯t sound all that useful.¡± I sighed and glanced down at the large emerald embedded into the floor just as Mother glanced up at the ceiling.

    Is this like an elevator? A teleporter, maybe? I see no console, chains, or anything. What is this for¡ª

    "Up!" Mother said firmly, and I yelled as the circular disc on the floor dislodged with a heavy thud and began to levitate upwards.

    Holy shit, holy shit! I panicked internally as we began to ascend. No safety rails? No chains or pulleys? This isn''t safe! I hate this!

    Mother smiled down at me and lightly placed a hand on my shoulder. "It''s okay, don''t worry." She hummed as we began to go higher and higher towards the stone ceiling, about thirty-some feet up.

    "Uh, uh! We''re going to get squished!" I yelled, but the stonework began to ripple like water before suddenly vanishing into an open hole, which we slid through and stopped. The disc let off a loud whine as it locked itself into place, securing us on the second floor.

    Mother giggled. "Gets them every time." She winked.

    "That''s a mean joke!" I whined.

    My mother laughed and patted me on the back. "It wasn''t a joke; it''s a security measure." She winked before smirking. "And maybe a little bit of a joke," she giggled before clapping her hands together. "Alright, follow me!"

    <hr>

    This place is a maze. A non-Euclidean space that makes absolutely no sense to the point of being unnerving. I had imagined a wizard''s tower to be something like this in the old D&D campaigns I used to run. Yet to experience one in person. I can''t even begin to comprehend it, and when I try, my mind becomes assaulted with headaches.

    Don''t think about it, Luna. Just¡­ go with the flow. I kept telling myself as Mother and I walked down a straight hall that made no architectural sense.

    The tower was round, yet we were going straight. For how long? We''ve been walking for multiple minutes now¡ªstop, stop thinking about it.

    "Mother," I asked her as we meandered through the winding halls, nearing a set of stairs. "How long have you had this tower for?"

    Mother hummed and fell silent for a second as we began to climb the stairs. "About forty-four years."

    Goddamn, despite knowing their ages, hearing them casually throw out big numbers still stuns me. When looking at my mother she looked no older than her late twenties perhaps early thirties. Yet Father said she¡¯s one hundred and two years old.

    I shook my head. "And how come you never told Varis or me about this? Does Father know?"

    Mother glanced back and nodded. "Yep, your father is well aware. We used to spend many, many hours in this place in our younger years."

    Whelp, I don''t trust anything I touch here now.

    She continued, "I did plan on telling you kids at some point, possibly on your first century birthdays."

    Whoa, what? Century?! Come to think of it, yeah¡­ I am an elf now. Boy, this is going to take a while to get used to, but still, a century?!

    "That''s a long way away," I said as we reached the top of the staircase, and my mother began to pull out some more keys as we stood beside a metal door.

    "It is, but I wanted you and Varis to live a happy, healthy childhood. Many elves first centuries are usually chalk full of learning and other work; very rarely do they just get to y''know¡­ live!" She gestured outwards with her free hand and noted by her tone it felt like she was speaking from personal experience.

    Other elves? Now that I think about it, I haven''t seen too many other elves around here. I frowned. But that''s also because I don''t go outside often. One trait I still haven''t shaken yet from my past life, ugh.

    "Why would telling us about your past and this place mess up Varis and mine''s childhood?" I asked as Mother pulled out a silver key and slid it into the door.

    As she did this, she glanced at me. "Lots of hard-hitting questions, dear." She chuckled as the door unlocked and she opened it. "Truth is not much. Part of me just wanted you kids to see me as a normal, beautiful, and strong mother." She posed in a silly way, and I couldn''t help but snort at her cringiness.

    Though she did take on a somewhat serious look. "And the other half was that I wanted to move away from my old life," she said, motioning for me to follow her into the next section of this bizarre tower.

    This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

    We stepped into a vast room cluttered with tables full of tools and strange, half-constructed archeo devices which lay strewn about; machinery for twisting and shaping metal hung nearby in clearly not safe positions. Along the edges, I could see various stands holding blue-prints and chalkboards cluttered with sketches and mathematical formulae. We were in a workshop, one made perfectly for a wizard or artificer.

    Wow, this place is just screaming OSHA violations. I observed while examining many of the strange magical items that lay on the tables.

    "Careful, much of this old junk hasn''t moved in ages." Mother instructed as she began to walk to the far end of this elongated room. "Stay close to me."

    "That doesn''t make me feel any better." I laughed nervously as I tore my gaze away from a red orb that gleamed with a raging storm of light inside mounted on a silver stand. "What''re we doing here?"

    "We''re here to grab some supplies and things I think you''ll like." Mother hummed as she began to snatch random objects off the tables as she went by and stuffed them into another bag she had taken off another table. Some of the items didn''t even look capable of fitting, yet somehow, they just plopped in.

    Bag of holding? Marry Poppins? I blinked and glanced around. How many functioning archeos are around me?

    "Mother, you¡¯re not just a wizard aren¡¯t?" I asked her as she reached the back of the room, where large tables full of alchemical agents, schematics, and other blueprints lay.

    "I dabbled in a bit of artificery, though your father did most of the actual building."

    "Wait, father, builds stuff?" I blinked.

    "He did¡­" Mother hummed as she scanned over the items on the table and began to snatch up other bits I couldn''t quite make out. "Most of his firearms are hand-made. As well as his mag rounds. A bit too crude for me, but he gets a kick out of them." She smirked. ¡°Though this workshop was mostly used by your aunt Saria.¡±

    I blinked ¡°Who?¡± I asked.

    ¡°She¡¯s my sister-in-law,¡± Mother said. ¡°She¡¯s archeo-engineer; an artificer. She and I used to work on a few projects together many, many years ago. Much of what I know about archeos comes from her.¡±

    I nodded as I wandered around many of the tables. "Were you and father like adventurers and stuff?" I asked her as I poked a strange bronze bird-like thing. The mechanical beast flopped over unmoving.

    Mother didn''t respond right away, but after a moment, she said, "Sort of. Mommy doesn''t really want to talk about that, though, sweetie." Which made me glance back towards her as she held a solemn look as she gazed over the items on the table.

    Nodding my head, I chose not to press the issue and turned around. Yet as I did, my eyes widened as something caught my attention. I walked over to one schematic on a leaning table. Depicted on it was a massive cylindrical machine with cogs and pistons lining its edges. Yet what confused me was that the language written on the schematics was not one I recognized. The machine looked vast and intimidating based on the scale shown on the bottom with a small silhouette of a man no larger than my thumb beside it. While the notes I couldn¡¯t understand, there was one word I did see written at the top in the Common tongue.

    Eternity? I thought as my eyes shifted to the other unintelligible words. Is the rest of this written in Mother¡¯s cipher? Or is this another language?

    I turned back to my mother; she was standing directly behind me, and I yelped with shock and bumped into the table behind me, nearly knocking the schematic over. I quickly caught it and took a couple of deep breaths.

    Mother laughed and bent down. "Sorry, I didn''t mean to sneak up on you." She hummed as she held up a little bag, no larger than that of a coin purse. "Take this."

    I blinked and looked over the small leather bag. "It''s a little bag¡­" I took it. "Is anything in it?"

    "Not yet, and it isn''t an ordinary bag. It''s an enigma pouch." She hummed. "You saw me sticking items away in this bag, right?" She patted the leather bag tied to her waist.

    I nodded. Holy shit, receiving a bag of holding? Hell yeah, whatever God is the DM of this world, you''re amazing.

    "Anything you can fit past this opening will go into the bag. I was meaning to have this be next year''s birthday gift. But I think you can take it now." She patted my shoulder.

    Already planned next year''s gift. It makes sense. Mother does seem like the kind of woman to start planning Christmas gifts for next year on Christmas day.

    I smiled and bounced up and down happily. "That''s so cool! Thank you, Mother!" I hugged her, and instantly, my mother melted into me.

    "Oh, you''re welcome, cutie!" She beamed and kissed me on the head. "I love you!"

    I giggled and let go of her as she lightly patted me on the head and said, "We''re not done here yet. Just stay close to me while I go and grab a few more items."

    With a big grin and a firm nod of my head, the two of us continued our walk around the workshop.

    <hr>

    The trip through the cabin tower was interesting, to say the least. It wasn¡¯t what  I was expecting in the slightest. Yet seeing this place simply raised more questions than answers. If Mother was once part of this Magus Concordium, which I recall was a sort of council, why would she leave it? Why would this council be okay with her keeping this pristine tower? Most of all, why does she want to hide her adventurous life from us?

    I felt that if I were a cool, powerful wizard and adventurer, I wouldn''t shut up about it. Yet maybe something terrible had happened. Memories of Mr. Blaxen''s visit came to mind, and how Mother told me a friend of hers got killed because of that man made me bite my lower lip.

    I think I''m sort of getting it now. They must be terrible memories. Anime and books always made adventuring seem cool and fun. That look Mother had when she told me to change the subject¡­ almost reminded me of what you see in people with post-traumatic stress.

    I shook my head at those thoughts as Mother and I stepped onto the lift from earlier. "Down!" Mother ordered as she hoisted the backpack over her shoulder and helped me adjust my bundles of sacks and bags, which I had loaded up on myself.

    Half the junk¡ªor, well, things I don''t know about¡ªwe gathered were all stuffed into the bags. Most of the items Mother mentioned were to help us travel and for convenience''s sake. For other items, she just said, "Handle this very carefully."

    I don''t know why, but that scared the shit out of me.

    We left the cabin tower in silence. Stepping outside, Mother turned around and shut the door, locked it, then took out a silver key and unlocked it again. This time, when she opened it, it opened to a proper-looking cabin.

    "Okay, what?" I said it out loud. "How does that work?"

    "Don''t worry your little head, Luna." Mother giggled. "You''ll give yourself a migraine."

    I blinked multiple times before shaking my head and following my mother into the cabin.

    Inside, we were met with a bakery, large bread ovens, long countertops with pots and pans, as well as a nearby range sitting off to the side, all nice and spotless. "So, this is where you do all the baking," I muttered, and Mother smiled.

    "And see how clean it is?" Mother smiled. "As much as I adore you kids, you guys are messy; upstairs, you''ll find Madam Soza''s quarters. But please do not enter her room."

    I sighed and nodded my head as Mother went over to the little bakery. "What are we doing in here?" I asked, admittedly feeling a bit bored.

    At least the Cabin Tower was interesting. I huffed feeling mildly disappointed at this simple bakery.

    "Hold on, Miss Impatient." Mother teased. "I''m getting something for you."

    My head perked, and I looked over at her as she was bent over in some wooden bin. "For me?" I asked.

    Mother grunted as she pulled out a tray from the wooden bin, though she kept her back facing me, so I couldn''t quite see as she placed it on the counter. "Yep. For you and your brother. It was something I stayed up last night doing."

    Curious I began to shuffle towards her, and just as I got close, Mother turned around and prepared a cute vanilla cupcake with pink frosting.

    "Tadah! I was just using a little magic to warm it back up." She beamed.

    My eyes widened as she held the cupcake out to me, and my eyes blinked rapidly. "Wo-woah!" The smell of vanilla and strawberry made its way to my nose, and my mouth watered as I looked up at Mother and asked, "But why?"

    "Are you questioning a dragon''s gift?" Mother smirked before answering, "It''s because I love you, and I know that on your birthday I didn''t get to make a cake this year."

    I took the cupcake and smiled. Damn childish emotions, I''m fucking about to cry! I sniffed, and I wiped my eyes as I held the cupcake close.

    My mother blinked, her eyes widening. "Wh-what''s wrong? Do you not like it?"

    Why am I crying? Why do I feel like this, dammit? Why is it now, of all times, that I''m getting shown this place or learning about all of this? I held the cupcake and bit my lower lip. Why is everything moving and changing so fast all of a sudden? Why do we have to leave? I want to stay, learn more, and hang out with Mother in this cool tower. Or see what Father used to make! It¡¯s not fair. Why is this happening to us?

    I shook my head. "N-No! I-I love it!" I sniffed as my lip began to quiver. "I-I just¡­" I looked up at her. "I-I don''t want to leave. I want to stay and learn magic with you here." I tried to wipe my tears away, but they wouldn''t stop.

    Mother cooed softly and reached out to lightly cup my cheek and stroke my tears away. "It''s okay, sweetie. I know everything is scary right now, and so much is happening. But it''s okay. Yes, we''re leaving, but it''s not the location that matters. Just because we''re going away doesn''t mean you won''t stop learning, and that also doesn''t mean I or anyone of us is going away. When everything calms down and better days come, we''ll come back here. I promise that."

    I sniffed. "You promise?"

    Mother nodded. "I promise."

    Shifting a little, I swapped my cupcake over to my left hand and held out my pinky.

    Mother blinked and looked at my pinky, confused. "Pinky promise." I sniffed. "Isa, pinky promised me before. It''s a super promise!"

    Mother snorted and smiled widely, and I noticed her eyes were glistening a little as well. "You''re so cute." She smiled and wrapped her pinky around mine, and we shook. "Okay. Pinky promise."

    After our promise, I took a deep breath, feeling strangely relieved, and I smiled. "I''m happy now." I sniffled and grinned, and my mother snorted and laughed.

    "You''re such a goof!" She patted me on the head and stood up. "Help me take the rest of these cupcakes inside."

    As we grabbed the cupcakes and made our way back to the house, Mother opened the back door and stepped inside, and as I followed suit, we noticed no one was in the kitchen. Mother sat the tray down on the table, and I followed behind her as we went into the living room.

    In my father''s rocking chair sat Varis, and in front of him on his knees, my father gripped his hand. "Like I told your sister, I''ll do anything in my power to protect you, boy, just as much as I expect you to protect her and your mother. We men need to fight, but most importantly, we must not break. Do you understand me, young man?"

    Varis sniffed and nodded his head. "Yessir."

    "I know things are tough, and they may get tougher. But you need to stay strong." He tapped his chest. "Those men outside, those soldiers. They''re the real deal, Varis. This is no game anymore. That''s why I need you to take this seriously."

    Varis nodded. "Yessir."

    At this point, Father nodded, stood up, and turned to see us standing in the doorway.

    "Are we intruding?" Mother asked.

    My father shook his head. "No, I said all I needed to." He looked at Varis, who seemed stunned in the chair.

    Father sighed softly and looked at us. "I told him pretty much everything." He turned to Varis and opened his mouth, though Mother stepped forward and placed a hand on his shoulder.

    "Why don''t we take a break?" Mother suggested.

    Father arched an eyebrow, confused, and looked at her. "A break? Cailynn, I don''t think we have the time we have tonight, and tomorrow we don''t have¡ª"

    "A break, Slyran. We have the wagon, we have Ruby, and everything is packed. Tonight is most likely going to be our last night here. Let''s have one final meal before we go tomorrow after I return from my last run, besides Isa isn¡¯t here."

    Go tomorrow? I thought. Are we not going with the Hautchkins? And where¡¯s Isa?

    Father bit his lower lip and closed his eyes. Reaching up, he stroked his goatee before running a hand through his brown hair. "Okay, okay¡­ For now, sure, but when we''re done, we need to finish up."

    "Dear, we have everything ready," Momma reassured him. "For now, let''s try to have at least one final dinner, just a normal family meal." Mother looked at him sternly, and Father stared back. For a second, I was afraid they were going to fight. It wouldn''t be the first time; they''d bickered before, but Father looked very frustrated.

    After a brief staring contest, Father turned away and relented. "Alright. We''ll have dinner."

    "I-I¡­" I attempted to intrude. "I have cupcakes for us!" I smiled, trying to lighten the mood. Thankfully, this seemed to work as Father softened a bit and smiled at me.

    "Do you now?" He asked, and I nodded and pointed to the kitchen.

    "Momma made them."

    Coming to his senses, Varis perked up and said, "Cupcakes?" I nodded, and he gave me a shaky smile and got up.

    "Where''s Isa? We should invite her too!" I said as Mother and Father walked past me.

    Father stopped and said, "Isa is in town. She won''t be back till tomorrow morning."

    ¡°All the more reason we should take a break,¡± Mother said and I gritted my teeth, afraid they would descend into an argument.

    "O-Oh." I blinked.

    Father sighed. ¡°You¡¯re right, dear. I¡¯d feel awful leaving without her¡­¡± He grumbled.

    ¡°What¡¯s she doing?¡± I said.

    Father glanced at me. ¡°She''s out preparing for the road ahead¡­" To which I faintly heard him grumble. "As we should be doing." Which awarded him a sharp glare from Mother.

    ¡°Slyran, we¡¯re ready,¡± She hissed and the two of them shared a hard look.

    I don''t know if I''m looking forward to this last meal.

 Chapter 27: Rumbling

    Varis and I had gone outside with some of the cupcakes Mother had made for us. Inside, we could still hear the stern back and forth that Mother and Father were having as she began to set up the kitchen for tonight''s meal. Despite being away from it, I can feel the tension.

    Why are they fighting? I thought to myself as Varis and I walked over to the sycora tree at the edge of our property. The pink leaves on it are now fully in bloom as the crisp spring air gradually becomes warmer and warmer.

    We have everything ready, so I understand why Mother wants to slow things down. To keep whatever bit of normality is left. Yet Father wants to leave as soon as possible to get to safety. Which I agree. Yet I don''t want them to fight. Maybe I should''ve stepped in. Side with Papa, yet I don''t want Momma to be mad.

    I sighed softly as Varis and I sat at the base of the tree and looked out over the eastern valley. Faintly, we could see what looked to be supply lines of soldiers going to and fro from the mountains to Oren.

    "Look at that." Varis said softly as he raised his hand and pointed to a convoy of¡­

    Wait a second. I blinked and rubbed my eyes. Are those trucks? Like actual vehicles?

    Along the road, four boxy trucks with canvas tops were carrying a mix of soldiers and what looked to be supplies. They were shoddy-looking things with very angular and blocky shapes mounted on thin wagon wheels. I could see there were no shocks as the things were bouncing up and down over every crack or stone.

    This world is more advanced than I thought. I blinked as I watched the vehicles roll by. I couldn''t help but notice that I didn''t see any smoke or hear any loud combustion. I wonder if they run on something else. Perhaps magic?

    "They''re trucks." I am referring to them in the English language offhandedly. I couldn''t think of a Maurich word to use instead.

    "A what?" Varis looked at me with a raised eyebrow.

    Realizing what I said, I shook my head and said, "Sorry, I was mumbling. They''re uh¡­" I thought for a second. "Automobiles. I think I heard someone in town mention them when I was with Father." I lied.

    Not questioning it, Varis nodded. "I wonder what kind of magic makes them move. Are they alive?"

    I shrugged bit into my cupcake and sighed softly. The strawberry frosting electrified my taste buds, and I hummed happily. After a brief chew and swallow, I said, "I don''t think so."

    Seeing me indulge in my little cake, Varis joined in by biting into his. A moment of silence passed as we watched the convoy move along the dirt road.

    Varis sighed softly as he leaned back against the tree and closed his eyes. I glanced at him, and after a moment, he said, "Papa said we''re going to war."

    Slowly, I lowered my cupcake my appetite fading as I looked back out at the valley. I nodded. "Yeah. I know. But you and I are going someplace safe."

    "How do you know?" Varis asked me and sat back up, his hands resting on the grass. "How do you know we''ll be safe? Papa made it clear that the Rusivites are super scary!"

    "I don''t know," was all I said as I took another bite of my cupcake anyway.

    "You have to know; you know a lot, Luna!" My brother said, I glanced at him, and what I saw shook my little heart. The look of fear in his eyes and the way his lower lip quivered slightly. It was like he was pleading for me to make everything wrong go away.

    I swallowed my cupcake, bit my lower lip, and took a deep breath. "Varis, I wish I could say I do, but I truly don''t. But what I do know is that, as a family, we''ll protect each other. I saw Mother and Father fight; they are strong. Very strong." I turned to face him fully. "And Momma has been teaching me magic too, and Papa has taught you how to shoot. We can defend ourselves if it comes down to it."

    Varis sniffed. "But I don''t want to fight."

    I shook my head. "We''re not going to fight; at least, we''re not going to try to." I reached over and took his hand. "But this isn''t something we can control. It''s beyond us."

    Varis whimpered. "But I don''t want to leave¡­" Tears began to well up in his eyes. "Papa said we''re going far away; I don''t want to leave home."

    I gently gripped his hand and placed my cupcake down before cupping both of mine around his. "I know; I don''t want to leave either." I sniffed. Damn, emotions are coming back.

    "But Momma promised me that when things calm down and the Rusivites go home, if they attack, we''ll come back here. Things might be beaten up, but Momma said Papa is good at building things." I smiled at him as my tears began to form once more. "I know it''s scary; it''s okay to be scared. But don''t let that fear take control of you." I sniffed.

    "You sound like Papa." Varis smiled lightly, and I blushed faintly.

    "That''s because what Papa says is true." I giggled.

    Without a word, Varis leaned in, wrapped his arms around me, and hugged me tight. My eyes widened as he gripped me gently, and after a brief hesitation, I smiled and returned the hug. Patting him on the back gently, I said, "We''ll make it through this. With your brawny strength and my brains, we''ll be a good team."

    Varis giggled and sniffed. "Yeah! Like Papa said, I''ll protect you and Momma."

    I smirked, wiggled out of his arms, and looked him in the eyes. "I''m sure you will," I said as we sat back and picked our cupcakes back up.

    "Do you know anything about the place we''re going to?" Varis asked me.

    I thought for a second. Johanneson, I think it was called.

    "A big city called Johanneson. I don''t know what it''s like there." I shrugged.

    This was going to be interesting, though. Aside from the Heinland Mountains, I have never been anywhere beyond Oren; hell, I haven''t even fully explored Oren yet. Back in my old life, the biggest city I''d been to was Detroit. My hometown was classified as a city, Toledo, yet honestly, it wasn''t that dense. Not like Detroit.

    I wonder how big Johanneson is. What would a city look like in this world? If cars exist, is it going to be jam-packed with them and land striders?

    "You hear that?" Varis poked me out of my thought process, and I blinked and looked at him.

    "Hear what¡ª" He shushed me.

    From the far east, my pointy ears twitched at the sound of a low rumble, and then another, much louder one came down from the far mountains. I glanced in that direction towards the purple peaks and noticed large, dark clouds rolling in.

    Thunder?

    The rumbling continued.

    "I think there''s a storm coming," Varis said softly. "You want to go inside, Luna?" He asked as I continued looking at the clouds and listening to the rumbles.

    No lightning yet. I thought as the loud rumbles continued to echo.

    "Luna?" Varis poked me, and I turned to him.

    "Sorry what?"

    "You want to go inside? It''s kind of getting boring; maybe Mother would let us go to the Hautchkins before dinner."

    I shook my head. "Papa said the Hautckins are moving too; we''ll be traveling together, silly."

    "Well, maybe Avdol and Mila can play; you remember Mila, right?" Varis said, throwing his arms up.

    Barely. The girl and I are the same age, but maturity-wise, she''s annoying. Then again, she''s a real seven-year-old. I''m just some grungy, thirty-something-year-old geezer trapped in one''s body. Okay, framing it like that makes me sound dirty.

    I sighed. "We can ask, but I''m positive Mother and Father will say no." I got up off the grass and ate the last of my cupcake as Varis did the same. Dusting off my pants, I motioned for my brother to take the lead.

    <hr>

    "No." Father said bluntly as he lowered the newspaper, and Varis whined as he turned around from Father and stormed over to the sofa and sat down. "Don''t go whining, boy; you know exactly why you can''t."

    I rubbed the back of my neck and sighed as I glanced around the living room between Father and Varis. "This is dumb." He huffed.

    Father shrugged. "I know it is, but we have to deal with the stupidity as it comes. Unfortunately, Hautchkins kids don''t know what''s happening. They think we''re all going on a vacation. I trust you two with the real knowledge because you''re both¡­" He hesitated as he looked at me. "Equally mature." He looked at Varis. "You both have good heads, not saying the Hautchkins don''t. But it''s clear that Herbert wants his kids to not be afraid."

    "So you think I''m going to go tell them?" Varis crossed his arms and pouted.

    "Not intentionally." Father flipped to the next page of the newspaper. "But I''m concerned you may slip up and say something."

    "But I won''t¡ª"

    "Varis. Please, I said my piece; don''t question me any more. You''ll see Avdol and Mila the day after tomorrow." Papa pointed to the floor. "For now. Stay close to the house."

    "But it''s so boring." Varis huffed.

    I noticed my father''s eye twitch slightly, and before he could get mad, I stepped in. "Varis, we can play with some of the toys. Or maybe we can, uh, go down in the basement and read some books."

    "Actually." Mother chimed in behind us, and we all turned to look at her. "The two of you can come with me into town. I have some final deliveries I need to make to help with the gold we lost. As well as a few last things I want to grab."

    Father glanced up from his paper. "Olson''s shop is closed," Papa said.

    Mother stopped, and it was her turn for her eyes to twitch with annoyance. "Well¡­ that puts a damper on my plans, but I can always check the open stalls."

    Father lowered his paper and asked, "What''re you looking to get, Cailynn?"

    The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.

    "Travel rations. I was going over what we had in the wagon; while we have enough, I think I''d feel more comfortable if we had some more." Mother sighed. "Johanneson is about two weeks away on foot. About a week and a half by cart. We have enough supplies for exactly that, which doesn''t make me feel comfortable."

    Papa pursed his lips. "Well, Hautchkin and his family¡ª"

    Momma held her hand up. "I know they offered to share, but I don''t know how I feel about that. So I''m thinking of making my final deliveries and taking that payment to get some extra rations to be safe, as well as some ingredients." Mother smiled. "Besides, it''d be nice to eat some good food while traveling rather than what we used to eat, dear." She giggled.

    Father rolled his eyes and sighed. "Love, this is about getting away safely; this isn''t some camping trip, but fine," he relented and smiled. "Just don''t go spending too much." He glanced at us. "Well, you kids lucked out this time," he joked. "Stick close to your mother, and remember, don''t antagonize the soldiers and stay out of their way."

    Both Varis and I smiled and nodded our heads. "Okay!"

    Mother grinned upon seeing our reactions and motioned for us to go upstairs. "Alright, you two, go get changed into something more appropriate."

    "Can I not go out like this?" I asked Mother as I gestured to my pants and shirt.

    Mother frowned. "Sadly not," she said, shaking her head. "Our neighbors wouldn''t take too kindly seeing you like this, love. At least not out in public¡­ It¡¯s not lady like." She sighed and rolled her eyes.

    I pouted. "That''s stupid."

    "It is." My mother patted me on the back. "It''s best to just play along, though; now go on."

    <hr>

    The quest into town was rather uneventful. A new, freshly carved dirt path had been shaped by some magisters and striders with plows who worked with the army that went around the main encampment. It increased the time it took to get to Oren, but thankfully we weren''t yelled at or followed by any soldiers as we entered.

    Normally, at this time of day, sometime in the evening, the town would usually be quiet. But the heavy increase in activity the army brought to the place was livelier than ever. A couple of restaurants and pubs were bustling, and market stalls were set up on almost every street corner.

    More people means more business, I guess. I thought as I saw a line of soldiers around one food stall serving what looked like corn dogs.

    As we walked, I glanced at the insulated bread bag my mother was carrying. "Who''s the bread for?" I asked her as we traveled.

    Mother glanced over and smiled. "I''m making a delivery to the town hall, specifically the colonel." She said. "Seeing as he''s a high-profile kind of guy, I thought it best to take this myself."

    "The colonel?" Varis asked as his eyes widened upon seeing a group of dragon riders patrolling down the street. The highly decorated officers were tipping their plumed hats to passersby as well as Varis, which made him beam with excitement.

    Mother nodded. "Yep, he''s a very special person. I received this request the other night, the same night I spent making your cupcakes," she said as we made our way down Main Street toward the large building at the center of town. "They offered to pay us a ton of money."

    I hadn''t been to the structure before, which I recognized as the town hall and mayor''s residence; my family and I passed by it a few times, but that was all. However, when we approached it, I noticed that the building was not particularly impressive. If I had to guess, it was roughly three floors tall and several hundred feet broad, enclosed by a cast iron fence and hedgerow. The stonework was a simple gray, highlighted by black trim and mildew around the windows. In other words, it was quite dull.

    Around the building, we saw numerous constables and soldiers. Beyond the fence, a large army tent was pitched, where we saw citizens, mostly men, standing in line as men and women in white dresses and uniforms waved folk into the tent.

    A recruiting tent? I wondered as we approached the gate.

    As we neared the gate, we saw two guards. As we drew closer, one of them raised his hand to halt us. "Stop. State your names and purpose."

    We all stopped, and Mother bowed her head slightly towards the guards. "I am Cailynn Ashflow; these are my children, Luna and Varis Ashflow." She patted our shoulders respectively. "I am here to drop off a delivery for Colonel Hugo Bartz."

    Adjusting his steel helmet, the guard looked at each of us skeptically. Mother slowly reached into her pocket with a small sigh and said, "If you don''t believe me, one of his aides came to me the other night. I have been given a letter of approval. I was told he is having a banquet right now."

    She pulled out a sealed letter and held it out to the soldier. The man took it and glanced over it; he then glanced at his colleague, who simply nodded. Looking back at us, he returned the letter and said, "Alright. Though we''ll need to search you before entering."

    Mother nodded. "That is fine," she said, motioning for Varis and me to step off to the side.

    After a brief moment, I shuddered as the soldiers began patting down each of us before checking our mother''s purse. When opening the insulated bag, the smell of warm bread permeated it, and the two soldiers smirked and took in the scent.

    "Fantastic-smelling loaves you have there, Mrs. Ashflow," they said as they handed the bag back. "You may proceed. You are correct about the banquet being held, so please make it quick."

    Mother nodded, turned to us, and gestured for us to follow her through the open gate. As we made our way into the yard, we walked past the group of men and a few women standing in line at the recruiting tent. Most I saw appeared to be young and excited boys while others shared solemn, angry looks. The men and women in white I could now make out to be were doctors, waving those who left the main tent over to another, grey medical tent for check-ups.

    Mother gently took our hands and held us close as we walked by and entered the town hall. Immediately my senses were assaulted with an aroma of fragrances I could not pin a name to. As if a bouquet and lit incense were shoved up my nostrils. The interior room was large with beige walls and brown, ornate trimming. A large brown sofa sat in front of us and to our left was a secretary, beside her a grandfather clock and door leading deeper into the building.

    The secretary, a dark-skinned human with olive eyes greeted us and asked if we were there to attend the banquet.

    "Not exactly," my mother said as she pulled out the letter from earlier. "Colonel Bartz aid came to my home requesting some freshly baked Branorian loaves. Which I now have here."

    The secretary took the letter and skimmed it before nodding her head. "I see! I was told you would be stopping by. I''ll call for Mr. Garazzi to come pick these up for you." The woman smiled, and I watched as she lifted what looked to be a brass funnel connected to a cord.

    An old telephone? I blinked as the woman began to crank a handle a couple of times before speaking into it.

    "Mr. Garazzi, the baker, Mrs. Ashflow, is here with her delivery." Despite having nothing held up to her ear, the woman nodded a couple of times before lowering the funnel. "He''ll be down in a couple minutes. Please take a seat."

    Mother gave the secretary a soft smile before motioning for us to follow her to a nearby sofa, where we sat.

    Leaning forward, I looked up at my mother and asked her, "What was that thing she used to talk to that other person?"

    "Yeah, what was that?" Varis whispered.

    Mother thought for a second and looked at us with a small shrug. "Admittedly, I don''t exactly know, kids. I recall hearing that artificers were working on an archeo called something like a ''Echo Communicator'' that anyone could use, even atherless."

    "Atherless?" Varis cocked his head.

    "People who can''t use magic." She hummed and patted him on the head.

    So early telephones are a thing? I thought to myself. I wonder what else this world has.

    A few minutes of boring silence passed when the door beside the secretary opened, and out of it came a dark-scaled valendi, which I immediately recognized to be Mr. Blaxen. The man stepped forth, once again dressed in a finely tailored suit, though he had no hat this time.

    In a low growl, he came over to his bow and said, "Greetings, Mrs. Ashflow," before nodding to Varis and me, who shifted away.

    "What the hell are you doing here?" Mother snarled as she stood up.

    Mr. Blaxen gave her a wicked smile as he straightened up. "I could be asking you the same thing after everything I told you about. But, alas, I''m here to take your delivery to the colonel." He pulled out a separate leather bag from behind, which clinked with a coin. "Here is the rest of the payment; the colonel even added a bit extra due to your haste."

    Mother''s eyes narrowed as she took the coin and said, "Thanks¡­ But really, what are you doing here? Where is this Garazzi fellow?"

    "Mr. Garazzi is busy, and isn''t it obvious, Cailynn?" He placed a clawed hand on his chest as his swirling purple eyes softened. "I am an esteemed guest here. If you recall, my position is quite prized."

    "Right." Mother grumbled then removed her bag and said, "I hope you have a tray or something else to carry this on."

    Mr. Blaxen''s face went flat as he sighed. "I do not, but I think I''ll manage."

    Mother smirked and began to pull out carefully stacked baskets full of soft, warm bread, which was kept heated by some archeo stones that she removed. There are four baskets in total."

    Mr. Blaxen''s eyes widened a bit, his swirling orbs scanning the bread. "That is, in fact, a lot of bread."

    "Indeed, it is. Well then." Mother straightened up. "That''ll be all, Mr. Blaxen. Enjoy your banquet; I''ll be taking my leave now. Come children."

    "Cailynn, wait," Mr. Blaxen said in a hushed voice as he took my mother by her wrist. "Before you go, I must tell you this."

    Mother flinched and looked back at him, eyes narrowing. "What''s that?"

    "It''s started. At 07:00 this morning, word of the Kaiser''s decision reached the front, and already multiple clashes have been reported. So far everything is holding, but word has it that we are woefully underprepared."

    Mother''s face hardened, though not with anger. She closed her eyes and said, "Thank you. How much time do we have?"

    "Based on the information I have and my estimates, it is not long. Maybe a few more days at best if everything falls apart. Though if they hold, maybe longer."

    He then released Mother''s hand and straightened up. Raising his voice once more, he said, "Thank you for the bread. I''ll be sure to send word on our guests praises." With that, he turned around and collected baskets as best he could.

    Mother looked back at us, her face filled with conflict, and I noticed that as she gripped our hands, she was holding on tight.

    This isn''t good. This isn''t good. My stomach knotted as we began to move outside and into the town once more.

    <hr>

    We rushed through town quickly. As Momma walked at a quick pace, we stopped at multiple stalls to buy goods and supplies with the money she had just received. By the time our shopping was done, it was well into the afternoon, almost evening, as we began walking home. Mine and Varis''s backs were almost breaking with the amount of salted meat, jarred produce, and even some canned goods we carried.

    When we got to the house, Father was already pacing in the living room. When we came into the house, he immediately perked up, and judging by his face, he sensed something was up.

    "What''s wrong?" He asked.

    "Kids, go in the kitchen and start prepping it for cooking." Mother ordered Varis and me. We nodded and made our way into the kitchen, though I stopped by the entryway.

    "I ran into Lorzio when I made my delivery." Mother said softly. "He told me the Kaiser made his choice, and the war has started."

    "Excuse me?" Father blinked. "But the paper said¡ª"

    "Word hasn''t reached the public yet." Mother said quickly. "Lorzio stated that the lines are holding, but he isn''t confident things will stay this way. He predicted we have a few days at most."

    "He''s predicted a lot, and shit is happening faster," Father smacked his palm with the back of his other hand. "He''s been right, but not about the timing. This is why we shouldn''t be doing this." He gestured to the kitchen. "We need to get to the wagon. We need to go."

    "Isa is still gone, though; do you want to leave her?" Mother crossed her arms, and father stuttered.

    Finally, he shook his head and sighed. "Fuck! No¡­ no, I don''t."

    "We still have some time, Slyran. At least a couple days. The border is nearly a week from here. There¡¯s no way the Rusivite¡¯s can reach us yet." Mother assured him. "We''ll wait till Isa returns tomorrow, and we''ll go."

    "Easier said than done," Father said softly but sighed. "Alright. I''m sorry."

    Mother nodded and squeezed his shoulder before coming towards the kitchen, but stopped when she saw me. "Didn''t I say to clear the kitchen and get it ready?"

    I gulped and nodded. "Yes, Momma, sorry!" I rushed into the kitchen to help Varis.

    <hr>

    We made grok steaks with a side of taters and these green bean-like things. I couldn''t remember the name, but they tasted just like green beans. I swear my child''s tastebuds have betrayed me. Back in the old world, I loved green beans, yet these things, while edible, just left a raw aftertaste.

    While the dinner itself was good, the event was not. The tension was heavy in the air, and hardly anyone spoke. The silence was periodically broken by the sound of silverware scraping against our plates and light chewing, along with that distant rumbling of thunder that could be heard from the open windows.

    The dark clouds loomed over Oren, making it feel later than usual due to how dimly lit it was outside. I tried to ignore the sounds and focus on my food. Overall, I liked it. My mother had this fine sauce, which reminded me of steak sauce back home, though it had a slight fruity flavor when you dipped the meat into it.

    Yet, as I admired the delicate taste of the meal, a bright flash caught my attention as I and Father looked out the window. Beyond the far eastern mountains, great flashes of light could be seen briefly before being followed by a loud rumbling.

    "I don¡¯t think that¡¯s lightning," Father said softly as he returned to his meal, my mother glaring at him.

    ¡°It¡¯s lightning, dear,¡± Mother said, ¡°Like I said, the border far from here.¡±

    Father didn¡¯t say anything, though his skeptical look told me everything. I gulped and continued to look out the window nervously.

    "Luna," Mother called my attention. "It''ll be okay, dear. Finish your food."

    With an anxious nod, I ate, though the food didn''t taste as good anymore.

    Later that night, I returned to my room to sleep. I knew for sure that I wouldn''t be getting any rest tonight. I shut my window, hoping to block out the distant rumblings and booms, just as lightning flashed across the sky and rain poured.

    Climbing into bed, I nervously curled up and prayed I would fall asleep.

 Chapter 28: Turning Point

    I awoke the next morning to a still silence in the air. I couldn''t recall if I had any dreams the night before, at some point in the night, as I lay in bed. I closed my eyes, and now the sun''s rays were hitting me in the face.

    Great. I don''t even get to enjoy my rest. I sighed softly as I began to climb out of bed. Well, today is the day we leave. I thought as I stared up at the ceiling.

    Sitting up, I stretched and let off a squeaky yawn before scratching my chest and neck. Standing up, I walked to the window and saw that it was lightly drizzling outside, our front lawn was caked in mud, and the dirt highway was practically a small river.

    I took a deep breath and opened my window. The smell of fresh spring air wafted into my room as I hummed softly and spent a moment listening to the rain. My ears twitched as I saw an arc of lightning above, followed by a clap of thunder seconds later.

    I love rain. The sound, the water, and even just the feeling of reaching out and having the droplets fall onto my arms was something I enjoyed deeply for some reason. Yet, not this time. As I was getting comfortable with the ambiance while getting ready to dress myself, I noticed that mixed with the thunder were distant sounds of battle. I could distinctly make out booms of what sounded like a volley of artillery fire, and the faint cracks of small arms, along with something else. Something more, surreal. Spells?

    But mother said the border was far away. It hasn¡¯t even been a full day. How could there be fighting so close?

    My stomach sank, and I could feel my anxiety starting to settle in. Not wanting to waste time, I closed my window and proceeded to get dressed. Today I decided to go back to wearing a comfortable blue dress with a knee-length skirt and vest. I chose to go with black stockings and my usual boots today. Once I was comfortable, I spent some time brushing my hair, debating in the meantime whether I should cut it or not.

    During this time, I could hear Varis waking up and shuffling downstairs after dressing. I also noticed my parents'' room was silent, which meant they were most likely awake. Taking note of this, I finished brushing my hair and proceeded to make my way down the stairs.

    Coming down into the living room, I found it to be empty, yet past the entryway on the far end leading into the kitchen, I could see my father reading this morning''s newspaper, along with the smell of bacon and eggs wafting into my nose. My mouth watered slightly, and my stomach grumbled as I shuffled into the entryway and saw Varis sitting beside our father, listening to him as he read the paper out loud.

    "Thunder of War: Kaiser''s Rejection Ignites Rusimian Onslaught; Global Allies Convene Emergency Summit." Father sighed.

    "Well, the news is out." He muttered and continued.

    "In an unprecedented and ominous turn of events, our leader, Kaiser Brikur Lirner, defiantly rejected Rusimia''s ultimatum yesterday, unleashing a furious statement that reverberated across diplomatic corridors. In a scathing response, he declared the ultimatum an affront to Heinmarr''s sovereignty and vowed that our glorious nation would never bow to Rusimian expansionism.

    However, defiance turned to despair as, within hours, Empress Natasha Tarasovna officially declared war on Heinmarr, plunging our two nations into a conflict that threatened to reshape the geopolitical landscape. As the ink on the declaration dried, the Rusivite dogs wasted no time, pushing across the Strickland Line with relentless determination.

    What was once considered an impenetrable barrier since the Twilight War, the Strickland Line is now pounded relentlessly under the thunderous guns of the Rusivite forces. Local border towns, including Nelina, Malreen, and Brugven, bear the brunt of the onslaught, prompting immediate evacuation as refugees stream away from the encroaching combat zone.

    Reports from the front lines speak of intense and chaotic clashes as our soldiers, our brave heroes, attempt to stem the Rusimian tide. The skies are filled with the acrid scent of war, and the land quivers beneath the boots of advancing armies. The Strickland Line, a symbol of our nation''s strength, faces its most formidable test.

    Meanwhile, in the diplomatic chambers of the Global Allied Nations, an emergency summit has been called to address the rapidly unfolding crisis. Representatives from allied nations converge in Frangor to discuss a unified response against Rusimian aggression. The world watches with bated breath as the fate of our nation hangs in the balance and the clarion call of war echoes across borders.

    I, Howard Krissler, with The World Today, will be sure to keep you all¡­ Blah blah¡­"

    Father sighed, set the newspaper down, and glanced at me as I stood in the doorway. "Good morning, Luna. Take a seat; your mother is getting breakfast ready."

    "I''m almost finished up." Mother called from over her shoulder as she worked the range.

    "So people are actually fighting?" Varis asked softly, yawned, and then looked at Father with a nervous expression.

    "I''m afraid so." Papa took a deep breath. "But don''t worry. When Isa gets here, we''ll be hopping in the wagon and getting out."

    Varis nodded slowly as I glanced around. "Where''s Isa now?" I asked.

    Papa bit his lower lip. "I don''t know, and that''s what scares me. She took Ruby with her yesterday and was supposed to be back."

    Mother came over to the table and began to set our breakfast in front of us¡ªscrambled goocha eggs and juni strips¡ªthe closest you can get to an American breakfast in this world, which I immediately began to partake in.

    "Well, seeing the news here, I wouldn''t be surprised if Oren is in chaos right now." Mother sighed. "Though she is a resourceful woman, I''m sure she''d be back here shortly.

    "Let''s hope so." Father muttered as we all sat together and began to eat.

    Like the night before, nothing was said. An eerie silence intermixed with the sounds of utensils scraping our plates and soft chewing was all there was to hear. I nervously glanced up from my plate and looked at each of my family members.

    Father''s face was steeled, and he barely blinked as his eyes shifted slightly, almost as if he were imagining something in his head.

    My mother seemed calm, though I could barely see her ears twitching at the slightest bit of noise.

    Like me, Varis looked concerned as he and I shared eye contact. His blue-green eyes were shifting from our parents back to me.

    I gave him a gentle smile, hoping to reassure him, and glanced back down at my food.

    It is best to try to stay calm. I thought to myself. As much as leaving here stinks, it''s best to go. But we have to stay strong when we do. For now, let''s enjoy our breakfast.

    Nodding to myself, I stabbed one of the pieces of bacon on my plate and¡ª

    Loud banging came from our back door in rapid succession. Three heavy slams sent my father up, right along with my mother. Turning to us, Papa gestured for Varis and me to move back.

    "Open the door, please!" Isa''s voice shouted from behind. "I have a wounded man!"

    "What in the hells?" Father looked to Mother, who quickly turned and ran for the healer kit as he went to the door. "Kids, clear the table; take your food into the living room." Father instructed.

    My heart raced rapidly in my chest, and not wanting to question, I got up and grabbed my plate along with Varis, and we began to take everything into the living room.

    Over my shoulder, I watched as Father opened the door just as Isa, along with a man draped over her shoulder, spilled into the room. Collapsing onto one knee in the kitchen, the serelli woman panted as Father helped her and the mystery man up off the ground.

    "Who is that?" Varis whispered beside me and I shrugged and shook my head.

    The man mentioned was human; from what I could tell, like the soldiers we saw, he wore a drab gray and yellow uniform. Yet it was scorched and worn. I swore I could smell smoke. Parts of it were torn, like his left sleeve, which was almost entirely gone; instead, I saw his bare arm red and charred, puss-ridden, and the skin peeling away. His hair was blonde and disheveled, his skin a light tan, speckled with muck and blood.

    The sight alone made my stomach churn, and looking at my eggs, I no longer wanted to eat.

    "Help me get him on the table!" Isa said as Father nodded.

    "Varis, Luna, I said clear the table!" Father ordered us again, and we nodded and ran in to help clear off the table entirely as Isa and Papa lifted the man onto it.

    Immediately after, Mother ran over with a fresh scroll in hand and began to look over the man. Isa came up beside her and began to point.

    "His left arm is horribly burned; he has multiple lacerations on his back as well as a few bolt wounds along his right side, which thankfully look to have missed vital organs. I was able to stop most of the bleeding on the road, but it''s still bad." She looked to Mother. "Do you think you can fix this?"

    Mother glanced at her scroll and said, "I think so. Give me some time. Both of you, leave me with him, but stay close." Mother gestured for Father and Isa to step out of the room.

    Both of them nodded and came into the living room with Varis and me. "What''s happening?" Varis asked confused as I was, and I shrugged.

    "Where did you find this guy?" Father asked Isa. "I thought you were doing something in Oren?"

    "I had a change of plans," Isa said. "Something else came up that I needed to tend to, and I made a detour." She ran her hand through her red hair before stuffing both of them into the pockets of her jacket.

    "To where the front?" Papa asked sarcastically.

    Isa side-eyed him and shrugged. "Not intentionally."

    Okay, what? I thought as I came up beside Father, who simply gawked.

    "A friend of mine in town asked me to make a night run to Lichtenau, the small village a few hours from here to the east."

    Lichtenau¡ªthat''s the closest village to Oren if I recall.

    "Why were you¡ª"

    Father started, but Isa silenced him. "I was doing a job. Which I was unable to finish because I encountered this young man. I don''t know his name, but he has a patch that reads, ''Lochte''. When I found him, he had passed out and hadn''t woken up since. He was riding a strider, a dead gallop, faster than I had ever seen a man ride those things towards me. He was shouting something, and then abruptly, his dragon gave out to exhaustion, and he collapsed. Amazingly, he suffered no other injuries from the fall aside from a few scrapes and bruises. I tried to bring his dragon along, yet the thing, like him, was heavily injured and too tired to move. Yet the beast let me take him and bring him here."

    This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.

    "Did you hear what he was screaming?" I asked.

    Isa shook her head. "No, he was too far even for me to fully make out."

    "He could be a messenger." Father tapped his chin. "Though I don''t see why, most likely the brass would have magisters capable of sending long-form communication."

    Isa shrugged. "Perhaps. Old-form messengers are still viable; well-trained magisters can pick up on archaic communication."

    "If that''s the case, then this is even more concerning." Father shook his head and looked to the kitchen.

    "Cailynn, how is he?" Papa asked as a faint green flash came from the kitchen.

    "He''s healing, but many of these wounds will require some components. I''ll say though, this boy is tough; I''m shocked he''s even breathing." Mother admitted it, and both Varis and I gulped. "Give me a couple more minutes, and I can probably rouse him."

    My father sighed and stroked his goatee as he turned away. "This doesn''t make sense, though. The border of Rusimia is about five days away, a bit less on a strider. How in the hells could he make it from there to here?"

    "Because he most likely didn''t come from the border," Isa said gravely. "He''s probably from a base closer to here."

    "A command center¡­" Father sighed and then cursed under his breath. "If that''s the case, how in the hell are the Rusivites moving that fast?"

    Isa shrugged. "I don''t know."

    Varis reached over and took my hand. "Are you okay, Luna?" He asked me, and I blinked and looked at him.

    I hadn''t realized it, but my hands were shaking. I took a deep breath to calm myself and smiled at my brother. "I am now; thank you."

    Varis returned his smile, wrapped his arm around me, and pulled me in close against his side. I blushed faintly and returned his one-arm hug.

    Despite putting on a strong face, the pit in my stomach was growing deeper, and the anxiety was even worse. Though feeling my brother hold me so close was enough to make the spread of it stop, I sighed softly as we watched and listened to Isa and Father speculate.

    Yet after a few moments, my mother called to us. "He''s waking up."

    <hr>

    Upon seeing the soldier, now sat up in a chair and feverishly drinking water, I was able to confirm that this man was not a man but a boy. The kid was barely even seventeen. I learned from school that the adult age is considered to be sixteen in Heinmarr. He was handsome, if not a bit dirty due to the hell he''s been through; like our father, he had striking green eyes. His blonde hair was short and messy, and his overall stature was well-built, most likely due to the rigorous training.

    The majority of his wounds had been healed by my mother, though the scars from the burns on his arm weren''t all gone, and the way he moved and winced, I could tell he was sore all over.

    We had gathered around him at the kitchen table, with the boy across from us. "As said," my father spoke, "you''re at the Ashflow residence in the village of Oren. The Third Brigade has set up a forward operating base here for General Holser."

    "H-How long, how long was I out for?" The soldier, Lochte, sputtered and drank more water. "I-I need to warn them."

    "You rode with me for about four hours throughout the night," Isa yawned while she scratched her neck.

    Lochte immediately dropped his cup and gripped the sides of his head, and we all stood up and backed away. "No! No! I don''t think I have enough time!"

    Papa stepped forward. "Time for what? What''s happening out there?"

    The soldier trembled and looked at us, his eyes vacant. "The Rusivites, the Rusivites are coming rapidly." He bit his lower lip. "It happened so suddenly; we were caught off guard. I heard fighting was happening on the front, and rumor had it things were getting hairy. I-I was in Malreen helping with the evacuation. Wh-when the skyships arrived. And I''m not talking about your typical airships, Mr. Ashflow; I''m talking dreadnoughts in the sky."

    "Flying dreadnoughts?" Papa leaned back.

    Lochte nodded. "Aye, Sir. Massive fortresses that rained hell down upon all of us forced us to take shelter in the cellars as they flattened the entire village. When we came out, smaller ships were landing in the fields, yet there were no soldiers they were dropping off Mr. Ashflow, sir but demons."

    We all didn''t say anything and looked at one another. "Speak plainly, son," my father said as he turned to the boy again. "You don¡¯t mean fiends do you?"

    He shook his head. "Apologies, no. But they fought like demons; it was¡­ machines. Fighting machines. Yet we saw no man piloting them. They walk like arachnai are as tall as this house!"

    "What the hell are you talking about?" My mother mumbled as she listened.

    "The things came to life after the skyships dropped them in the field. They rose up on their legs and began to patrol the ruined streets. I tell you, Mister, I ain''t lying. That''s actually what happened."

    Both Isa and Mother looked at me; my stomach had dropped to my core by this point. My mouth had dried upon hearing the story.

    ¡°Some kind of autonomous archeo-machine?¡± My mother said. ¡°Like a harvester?¡± She asked and the soldier shook his head.

    "Did you and the men try and fight back?" Father asked and Lochte cringed.

    "Aye, sir, we did. We blasted the bastards with thunder spears when they got close. Kensley¡­ I hope he''s still alive; he tripped one. Scored a shot right into one of its leg joints when it came over the rubble we were hiding behind. Yet all that did was slow it down. Those things are armed to the teeth; they have rapid-firing rifles; within seconds, they fire an entire volley''s worth of forty men, I tell you. Anyone who so much as poked their head out is turned into a red mist, and those hiding in houses." Lochte trailed off. "They unleashed hell''s fire on them. Some sort of magical beam of heat that just melts and scorches everything."

    "Like a demon," Father muttered.

    Lochte nodded. "And the sounds they make¡ªa scary howl. Like the sounds of the dead. It terrified us, so we ran. We ran, Mr. Ashflow." He trembled. "I grabbed the nearest strider I could and ran. I told myself I was going to alert the superiors! Yet¡­"

    My father grabbed him by the shoulder. "You still have time, son. Cailynn. Grab Ruby and hitch her to the wagon. I''ll get¡­" He looked at the soldier. "What¡¯s your name soldier?"

    "Peter, my name is Peter Lochte," Peter said with a nod.

    Father smiled. "Well, Peter, I''m Slyran, my wife is Cailynn, and the one who saved you is Isa. These two are my children, Luna and Varis." We all gave him a small wave as Mother took Isa outside to get the wagon ready.

    "Pleasure to meet you all, and thank you for saving me." Peter bowed his head, but my Father shook his head.

    "No, no need to bow. We should be thanking you; you have gone through hell, and what you know is very valuable¡ª"

    "Slyran, Slyran!" Mother¡¯s shouts from the outside sounded terrified and she threw open the back door moments after she and Isa left.

    My heart sank with my stomach as Varis and I backed up as Mother stood in the door frame, pale and wide-eyed. "Grab what you can; load it in the wagon now! We need to go now!"

    "What''s wrong?" Father straightened up as Peter also stood up.

    "They''re here." Peter muttered. "Listen."

    My eyes widened, and my heart began to race faster.

    No, no, no, this is too fast. What does he mean? What does he mean?

    My ears twitched, and faintly, through the open door. A steady thrum could be heard, along with the sound of multiple thumpings.

    Without a word, Father turned to us. "Go outside with your mother! Get on the wagon."

    Varis gripped my hand tight as I muttered, "But I thought we''d be leaving tomorrow."

    "Come on, Luna!" Varis said as he pulled me towards Mother. We stepped out into the muddy yard as the rain gently trickled down.

    Upon stepping outside, I could hear it now¡ªa low, steady thrum that sounded like dozens of plane engines, yet when I looked to the sky, I couldn''t see anything.

    Where is it? Where are they coming from?

    "They''re above the clouds," Isa shouted as if reading my mind. She was across the yard by the cabin where the wagon was set. Pointing above at the dark clouds somewhere to the east.

    I had to squint as I focused, and barely, just barely, I could see the shadowy shapes of large vessels drifting amongst the clouds. There were dozens of them. Mother quickly ushered Varis and me over to the wagon as Isa broke off and went to grab Ruby, who was hitched to the tree.

    The dragon was frantic, squawking and pulling at the reins; even she knew something was wrong. Somewhere off in the direction of town, I could hear a loud bell chiming, followed by distant shouting as the magically enhanced voices of magisters shouted out in alarm.

    Varis and I rushed to the wagon and climbed onto it, where I saw already-packaged supplies that Mother and I had prepared the other day. I lowered my head beneath the crates and shivered as my heart continued to race.

    "Why is this happening?" I said it softly, and Varis looked at me. "This wasn''t supposed to happen till later; we were supposed to leave tomorrow!"

    Fear began to grip me. I tried my best to calm down, yet the sound of the thrumming engines and the shouting in the distance overtook whatever I tried to do. Varis clenched my hand.

    "I-I know it''s scary, Luna. But don''t panic." Varis smiled as I heard Mother shout in draconian at Ruby as she and Isa wrangled the creature over to the wagon.

    "Careful, be careful now!" I heard Isa say as they quickly fastened the beast to the wagon.

    I peeked out over the box as Father rushed out of the house with Peter behind him. The men were carrying a few extra cases of luggage as well as Papa''s lever rifle. As Papa ran towards the wagon, a loud claxon alarm began to echo from the town of Oren, which only fueled my anxiety further.

    "Shit, they''re coming down!" Isa shouted as she climbed into the driver seat of the wagon as Mother hopped in behind. Looking up at the sky, I whined with fear as I saw massive zeppelins armed with weapons and cannons gradually descend from the sky in an almost graceful fashion.

    "Alright, alright, go! Giddy up!" Father shouted as he hopped in and flicked Ruby''s reins.

    Just as the wagon began to move, Peter hopped in with assistance from my mother. Suddenly, a haunting bellow erupted from the zeppelins above.

    "What''s happening?!" I panicked as from the sides of the airships came these wing-like appendages that began to unfold from its belly and extend outwards. Attached to the wings, I saw large containers, and it was here that it clicked, and the fear settled in.

    They''re going to fire upon the town.

    "Mr. Ashflow keep moving! Do not stop!"

    "I know that already!" Father snapped from over his shoulder as he flicked the reins once more, and Ruby began to quickly sprint down the dirt road towards town.

    "What''re you doing?! They''re going to bomb the town!" Peter exclaimed.

    I began to whimper, crawled towards Mother, and clung to her.

    "I know that!" Father shouted, "But this wagon can''t go off-road!" The wagon bounced and groaned as we went over hard rocks jutting out of the mud. "Up ahead, there''s an offchute we can take to the Kenchala River!"

    "Citizens of Oren" A man''s voice boomed from the town. "Seek shelter immediately. Seek shelter immediately! This is not a test!"

    I could hardly breathe. I couldn''t breathe.

    With her arms wrapped around me tight, my mother cooed softly. "It''ll be okay, dear. I got you¡ª"

    Suddenly, the zeppelins were lit with fire. Rocketing forth from the containers on the wings, dozens of missiles, all lit with red fire, launched forth. Screeching howls deafened all as hundreds of rockets slammed into the fields, tents, and buildings.

    The earth shook, and Ruby screamed along with all of us. The world began to rain hell down upon us. Father yanked the reins to the left, forcing Ruby to take us off the road and into the mud-caked fields as a rocket struck the highway yards ahead of us, showering us with smoldering rubble and debris.

    As we screamed and covered our heads, Mother held one hand high above and began to chant. "By Merlin''s grace, a shield to weave, in his wisdom, protection I receive. Bubble, guard us in this hour from harm''s embrace and crushing power! Bubble!" Her eyes flashed white, and a glistening aura in a spherical shape wrapped around our wagon as it rolled across the soak field.

    I screamed as another rocket slammed into the earth just a few yards away. The force of the blast crashed into the side of our cart, forcing us to swerve. Yet Ruby, in all her great glory, kept herself steady and forced us forward. Yet what amazed me the most was that the spell my mother had cast had deflected all the shrapnel.

    "Good, girl!" Father laughed nervously and cheered as the wagon bounced once more upon making contact with the dirt off-chute road he mentioned. Behind us, more rockets flew over, slamming into open fields and even the nearby forest.

    "Is it me, or can the Rusivites not aim worth shit?" Father mocked.

    "It''s not that they can''t aim, Mr. Ashflow." Peter said, "It''s that they don''t have to!" He pointed back toward the town that was now behind us. Already, the small village I was reborn into was up in flames.

    The large town hall, the front half of which exploded outward, burned as more rockets continued to rain down all around us. I could see panicked people rushing towards their homes, while others risked it by running through farm fields. Striders and other farm animals ran in every direction. Yet we kept moving forward.

    "We can''t stop moving." Peter said. "If this is anything like Malreen, they''ll bomb the town, and then the smaller ships will unleash the demons to clean up the rest."

    "So we keep moving!" Father growled. "We get to the Kenchala River, and we wait for Hautchkins and Olson. It''ll be nightfall by the time we reach it."

    "No, we keep moving through the night," Peter said. "If we stop and sleep, the demons¡ªthose fighting machines I mentioned¡ªwill be on us!"

    I whimper and sniffle as I cling to my mother tightly and glance up to see Isa looking at me. "Luna, that vision you had," she said. "Does this fighting machine sound like that monster?"

    I sniffed and coughed before nodding, "Yes."

    Peter turned to me. "Have you seen these things?"

    "It''s a long story," my mother said bluntly.

    "I understand it''ll be dangerous, Corporal." Father said this from over his shoulder as he glanced at the boy''s torn uniform. "But I don''t think Ruby can make it through the night pulling this cart alone. I''d rather have a rested ride than have her collapse from exhaustion if we try to outrun these monsters you keep talking about¡ª Watch out!"

    Father screamed as we all dove down in the wagon as another rocket screamed over ahead and crashed into the road right beside us. The explosion blew my eardrums as the wagon was hoisted off the ground, and I felt weightless¡­

    Then everything went dark, and I lost consciousness.

    End of Part One

 Chapter 29: Unexpected Dream Visit

    Part Two: A World at War

    An ear-piercing ring racked my mind as my vision blurred and faded in and out. The pain was all I felt as I opened my mouth to scream, yet I was instantly choked by burning ash, which incinerated my throat and lungs. I gagged, coughed, and tried to scream as something grabbed me and yanked me back. Excruciating agony engulfed my senses as I was thrown to the ground and repeatedly beaten by something large and soft before suddenly being doused in frigid water.

    I''m in hell. This is hell. I screamed internally. I''ve died and gone to hell for real this time. Oh God, please just let me die, please, please!

    Once more, another round of frigid water was doused over me. The once-burning sensation across my body flared up, and I tried to scream. I couldn''t tell if I was or not as the ringing ceased to stop.

    Eventually, at some point, I must''ve blacked out.

    I woke up sometime later. When the worst of the pain had passed, the ringing, while still present, was faint, allowing me to hear a bit around me as I opened my eyes and saw I was somewhere dark. The ground beneath me was hard and sturdy, yet it smelled heavily of mud. It seemed I was on a bedroll, and as I reached out to my side slowly, I felt the wetness of mud.

    Is this a hole, am I buried? I wondered faintly as I tried to sit up but stopped as excruciating pain shot through me. I ceased all movement and laid back down. I panted softly, shifted a bit, and noticed something odd.

    My head felt lighter. My hair wasn''t getting in the way. I very carefully reached up with one hand to my face, and soon my head and I gasped softly. My long, dark hair was gone. Only faint bits of tufts and bald skin were all that was there.

    Wh-what happened?

    I recall my father talking and then shouting before suddenly I was burning. Now I''m here¡­

    Are they okay? Who saved me?

    I opened my mouth to speak, "Momma¡­" I faintly heard my voice as it came out in a hushed whisper. "Papa¡­ Momma¡­!"

    My voice went unheard for what seemed like minutes, and uneasiness began to build up within. Yet just before I fell into despair, something shifted out of the corner of my eye. Looking to the left, I saw what was actually a canvas tarp at the far reaches of my vision, shifting and revealing an entrance to the small burrow I was stuffed in. White sunlight sliced through the darkness and shone on my face, causing me to squint as I looked up at the pearly-white entrance.

    That was soon silhouetted by a person''s head. "Did I hear someone saying something?" An unfamiliar boy''s voice called down to me.

    "Momma¡­" I repeated it softly, my voice hoarse. "I want my Momma¡­"

    "Ah, so you''re finally awake!" The voice replied cheerfully. "Just stay down there; I''ll go see if I can find your folks."

    Yet before the voice could disappear, I sputtered out, "Wh-Who¡­"

    "Who¡ª? Oh, are you asking who I am?" The boy chuckled. "The name is Avdol, Avdol Hautchkins; now you rest up. "I''ll be right back!"

    Avdol Hautckins¡ªthat''s Varis''s friend. That also means the Hautckins made it out; at least I hope all of them did.

    I didn''t have to wait long before the flap to the burrow I was in flew open, and a familiar voice that sent relief over me said, "Oh, by the gods, I''m so happy you''re alive!"

    My mother crawled into the hole before suddenly a yellow light flashed as she said, "Shapen!" Suddenly, the earth around us began to shift and push outward, widening the space of the burrow by a couple of feet. After that, my mother''s eyes flashed a bright blue as orbs of light fluttered out from her fingertips as she cast fireflies, allowing the two of us to see each other in this confined space.

    My mother looked awful. Her short hair was disheveled and dirty, and her eyes were sunken and dark due to sleep deprivation. She wore a button-up shirt with a man''s vest, which was slightly too large, both of which were torn, scuffed, and caked in what looked like mud and what I hoped wasn''t blood. Below, I could see the khaki pants she had on was also ragged; overall, it looked like she had gone through hell and back.

    Yet despite her sleep-deprived look, her eyes glistened as she leaned over me, smiling as tears streaked down her cheeks.

    "Oh, my star, I was so worried I lost you." She sniffed. "I-I tried everything I could." She sighed and wiped her eyes. "I''m so happy it worked." She shook her head and caught her breath as she tried to compose herself. "H-How''re you feeling?"

    "Like shit¡­" I said, I was not even trying to censor myself.

    Despite my use of vulgar language, my mother simply snorted and smiled. "I-I guess I should''ve seen that coming."

    She cleared her throat and held a hand out to my chest as she closed her eyes and muttered a soft incantation before ending with, "Resilience." A green flash shot into my chest, and a soothing radiance washed over me.

    The pain I felt instantly faded, though not disappearing completely, but enough that I could start to move without breaking into tears.

    "This should help," Mother said softly.

    "Th-thank you¡­" I said it hoarsely. "D-Do you have¡­ water?"

    Momma nodded and reached to her side, where a few bags were clipped to her belt, and pulled out a canteen. She scooched a bit closer to me and helped me raise my head as she brought the cold rim to my lips after uncapping it. Carefully, she tipped the canteen, allowing the water to pour into my mouth as I hungrily gulped it down.

    The sensation was heavenly. I never knew water could taste so good, as I must''ve gulped down at least half of what she had before my mother finally pulled away. I gasped softly and sighed as she laid me back down on the bedroll.

    I closed my eyes briefly and savored the moment before asking, "Where are we?" My voice is still carrying a slight rasp.

    Mother''s face slackened a bit, and she took a deep breath. "We''re in the Rossrood Forest, four days out from Oren by foot."

    Four days? I thought and looked at my mother.

    "How long was I out for?" I asked softly.

    Which she confirmed. "Four days. We were hit by one of the rockets launched from the airships; my bubble protected us from most of the shrapnel, yet the shockwave and fire destroyed the wagon." Mother began to shake as she recalled the memory. "I was thrown away from you and watched as the burning wreckage fell over you. I-If it wasn''t for that boy Peter Isa brought to our house, I don''t know if we would''ve saved you in time."

    I smiled. "It''s okay, Momma. I''m okay." My mother sniffed and nodded as she wiped her eyes and leaned in to give me a very, very careful hug. Which I gladly returned.

    Once things settled down a bit and Momma pulled away from me, I croaked out, "I noticed my hair is all messy and gone."

    To which my mother deflated a little and nodded. "I was able to heal most of your injuries, though unfortunately, my magic can''t restore hair. Though Doctor Kegan said it should grow back, thankfully."

    Who?

    "Doctor Kegan?" I blinked.

    "A nice gentleman we found on the road. A lot has happened these past four days, Luna." Mother gripped her pants legs tight. "A lot of things. We met up with Mr. Hautckins and the Olsons; thankfully, they were able to get away like we did, though Mr. Hautckins wife is very hurt along with one of Olson''s children."

    "What about our family?" I asked.

    Mother turned to me and smiled. "All is accounted for. Most of us took a few scrapes and bumps, and your father broke his hand."

    I cringed at how casually she said that.

    "Though I was able to patch them up." Mother smiled. "Everyone is currently safe and working to get us moving."

    So I''m the only one who got horribly injured. I''m slowing them down. I sighed.

    Mother gently reached down and ran her hand across my cheek. "Don''t worry, Luna. Give it another day, and we''ll be on the road."

    "We don''t have time for another day," I said softly. "You heard, Peter. My dream¡­ those monsters will be on us." I looked her in the eye.

    We stared at each other, and I could see the conflict in Mother''s eyes. "I know, dear, but you aren''t well enough to move yet. My magic can only do so much."

    "Do we have a wagon?" I asked her. "I can be put on¡ª"

    She shook her head. "No. We lost our wagon, and the only one we have is for supplies and the elders."

    "Elders?"

    Mother sighed. "It''s an exodus, Luna. As I said, a lot has happened. Where we are, there''s a lot of people outside, people that I, your father, and soldiers are protecting."

    "But we need to reach the city, my dream."

    Mother nodded. "I''m aware, Luna, but you''re hurt. And I don''t want to risk taking you out there like this."

    But they''ll find us. It''ll be like that horrible dream I had if we don''t go!

    Mother closed her eyes and said, "Luna, just please. Trust me. Unlike that dream of yours, you''re not alone. So please, just get some rest."

    She reached into her satchel and pulled out a small leather pouch. "I brought some narcolis berries collected by the good doctor. He said these will help put you to sleep if you have trouble resting. Eat only two."

    The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.

    Great, they''re drugging me now. I huffed.

    "Please, Luna," Mother said, noticing my frustration.

    I sighed. I''d rather die being comatose than awake. So why not?

    I opened my mouth so that my mother could place two berries on my tongue. I chewed the berries and was surprised by the powerful flavor as each juicy ball popped into my mouth like a very ripe blueberry. As I swallowed and drank some water Momma gave me, I sighed.

    "Do you not believe my dreams, Momma?" I asked softly as I waited for the effects of the berries to kick in.

    My mother hesitated before saying, "I don''t entirely believe one can accurately predict the future. So in a sense, I don''t." She looked at me. "However, what I do believe in is educated guesses. Yet even then, it''s still a guess and not set in stone. What I am concerned with, however, is why you had such a dream; how did you know Rusimia would deploy mechanical monsters? Like the one''s that attacked Peter and his troop?"

    I weakly shrugged. "I don''t know." I looked up at the burrow''s ceiling. "I never chose to have weird dreams." I took a deep breath. "The gods are real, right, Momma?"

    This question sent her back a bit, and she blinked. "Y-Yes, they are! Why would you ask that?" She sounded slightly offended.

    I looked at her once more. "Could it be someone is trying to communicate with me?"

    It wouldn''t be entirely out there, I guess. It''s not every day a little villager girl just suddenly starts having visions, and thank God I''m not being strung up and called a witch in this world. Yet the question next would be, why? Why would another being of power share these visions with me?

    Mother sighed softly. "The gods have been quiet for a long time." She shifted around so that her rear was sitting on the floor, her knees pulled up to her chest.

    "What do you mean?" I mumbled, my eyes starting to feel heavy already.

    "After the Twilight War, they simply went quiet." She shrugged. "When the Dark Lord was imprisoned, we Enorans were given one final order. Keep him contained. They then left. As on the physical planet, the gods are still present and watching, and rarely miracles happen."

    "Why would they leave us alone?" I asked.

    Mother shrugged. "I don''t know, sweetie; unfortunately, Momma isn''t a cleric or priestess. As I told you once about the Intrusive War, the majority of gods don''t see a reason to interfere with us. Maybe they simply wanted to plant the seeds of life and watch us."

    "Like ants in a terrarium." I said it bluntly.

    My mother glared at me. "Well, when you put it like that, it sounds crude."

    Too tired to apologize I yawned and said, "Isn''t it, though? Imagine birthing Varis and me and simply watching us do our thing. Never stepping in when we need it just to see how things play out. If the gods truly cared, maybe they would''ve stepped in¡ª"

    "Luna, please." Mother said softly. "Get some rest." She turned and began to crawl out of the burrow, taking her fireflies with her and leaving me alone in the dank darkness.

    Before I could comprehend anything, my eyes drooped one last time, and I fell asleep.

    <hr>

    I woke up to a blinding white light and winced as I shielded my face and groaned. "What the fuck?" I hissed and sat up.

    After a few moments, I opened them once more and glanced around confusedly, as all I saw around me was not a bright white light but a white void. An endless expanse.

    Is this the matrix? I pinched my cheek and yelped, as the pain was very real.

    "Oh?" A feminine voice came from behind me.

    I froze up and slowly turned to look back. Behind me, the white void continued, yet directly in the center of my line of sight were a table and some chairs. Sitting behind this table was a pale-skinned woman in a white tuxedo with silver hair and mismatched eyes. Her right eye was deep blue, and her left eye was crimson.

    When my eyes met hers, the woman smiled like a predator seeing its prey. Her sharp canines poked slightly out as she leaned against the white marble top table and said, "Well, this is embarrassing."

    "Wh-where am I?" I stuttered out.

    The person smiled at me, yet unlike the Man in Black, she straightened up and stepped around the table¡ª

    Wait, the Man in Black? I can remember him!

    "Yes. His influence holds little sway over Father''s domain."

    My head jerked up to look at her.

    Don''t tell me she can read¡ª

    "I can, in fact, see and hear all your thoughts."

    I gulped and nodded as I looked her over as she came into view. She was tall, a little bit taller than my mother, and had a lovely hourglass shape, which enhanced the suit, not to mention her bust¡ª

    "Continue with that train of thought, little one, and I''ll surely have that filthy mind of yours wiped clean."

    Okay, I''ll stop.

    "Now I believe you asked where you were?" She thought and tapped her chin. "Well, you''re somewhere you aren''t supposed to be¡ªat least part of you."

    "What the fuck does¡ª"

    "Language dear, Father does not appreciate hearing such foul words." The sharp-toothed woman snipped as she side-eyed me.

    "Sorry, what does that mean?"

    "Exactly as I worded it. But if you want a more definitive answer, The Liminal Void. This is one of my favorite rooms. The Silent Dream. Excellent when you want to do a ton of writing in peace."

    "What the fu-heck, you telling me I''m in the goddam-darn backrooms? You''re messing with me! I''m definitely dreaming." I smacked myself in the face and instantly regretted it.

    The woman chuckled. "Your kind had the right idea, but not exactly."

    "What do you mean by that?" I said it bluntly.

    "Humanity. Who else would I be referring to?"

    My stomach dropped, and my heart went with it. "Who are you? Do you know him?"

    The woman turned to me fully, and her smile widened even further to the point of almost feeling uncanny. "By him, you mean the one you called the Man in Black?" She cocked her head back and looked down at me. "We are aware of him, yes." She lowered her head back down. "As to who I am, I am Charity."

    "How do you know about me?" I asked her.

    Charity began to step towards me, and I shifted and got to my feet to back away. "We know much about you, Luna; that''s what you like to be called now, is it? Or would you prefer, Mister¡ª?"

    "Luna is fine! I like Luna; my old name is a dead name." I said, holding my hands up.

    The woman stopped just a couple of feet from me. "Luna it is, then. As said, we know much about you¡ªwho you are, who you were, who you were before that, and who you truly are."

    "What do you¡­ mean by that?" I gulped.

    "Exactly as it sounds. We have tracked your soul through the current many times. We were going to try and introduce ourselves much later down the line, but¡­ it seems you somehow came to us instead prematurely." She chuckled.

    "You''ve been watching me?"

    "For a long time."

    "Why?"

    Charity smirked and got down on one knee before me. "This may sound silly, but it''s because you''re special."

    I held a hand up to her. "Okay, hold on. No. The last guy who said that to me is also wiping my memories for shits and giggles.''

    "Language."

    "Oh, don''t even start¡ª" I tried to retort, yet suddenly my lips clamped shut, and a zipper went across my face, silencing me. I screamed and fell to the ground, clutching at my face.

    "I warned you, Dearie, that our Father does not appreciate young girls who say such foul things in his presence." With a flick of her wrist, the zipper came undone, freeing my mouth, and I clamped my hands over my lips.

    "Sorry!" I sat up and pushed myself away from her before standing up.

    "But I was not lying, Luna. You are special to us, all of us."

    "What makes me so special?" I asked nervously and very carefully, picking my words.

    "It''s your soul." She smiled. "It''s your soul that would allow us to free the world from the evil of the one you know as the man in black. Or, as the others say, The Dark Lord."

    "I had a hunch that''s who he was," I muttered softly.

    "So he''s truly a bad guy, isn''t he?" I said it with a fake chuckle. "So why does he have an interest in me?"

    "He''s interested in you because he''s aware of your soul, which contains a significant source of energy. Energy that could be used to thwart Father''s plans."

    "Plans for what? Who''s this Father guy¡ª"

    "He''s our father."

    I don''t like the implications of that.

    "There''s nothing to fear. He''s a father who is a loving and caring individual. He wishes to help the world of Enora. Yet it''s because of the Dark Lord''s tampering that our father''s goals have been disrupted.

    "What does¡­ our father want to help us with?'' I asked nervously.

    "To bring an end to pain and suffering, to rid the world of death, and finally to cease all wanton violence."

    I nodded my head slowly as I listened to her, and after taking a deep breath, I continued nodding. "Oh, so just like, typical world peace stuff?" I clarified, and she simply smiled at me. "You know, back in my old life. I worked in IT, and in IT, we learned a lot about things like scammers and such. And well, that''s like snake oil folk, y''know? And well, they taught us in security training that, If you get an email or something from someone promising crazy stuff that seems impossible¡­ it''s probably a scam."

    "Are you calling me a snake oil salesman?"

    "Essentially. Don''t get me wrong, world peace, no death¡ªall that sounds nice. But like, if you''re gods, why haven''t you just..." I snapped my finger and said, "Done it."

    "Well, I told you, the individual you know as the Man in Black is halting us."

    "But he''s like in prison. What''s a man in prison going to do to you guys?"

    She simply stared at me as if we had completely gone off script.

    "Apologies if I''m coming off as rude, but I''ve had a crazy new year so far. A few months ago, I encountered a literal god of evil who told me we''re going to save the world and wiped away my memories anyway. I almost got eaten by wolves made of timber and leaves twice! Oh, I forgot the nightmare I had about waking up from a coma, and then my home just got blown up; I almost died again, and now I''m having premonitions of the future, I think from literally Sauron. So forgive me if I''m going to have trust issues with you."

    Charity stood there watching me with unblinking eyes, and after a moment, she closed them and nodded. "That indeed sounds like a rough time, and something we are hoping to rid the world of. Father would love to just ''do it'' as you put it so bluntly, yet unfortunately, there are roadblocks, as you''d say, preventing us."

    "How many of you guys are there? You keep saying, ''we'', do you mean just you and¡­ our father?"

    She crossed her arms. "There are many of us, for we are everything. You just haven''t seen it yet."

    "What?"

    "Within time, you''ll understand. For what was, shall be; what shall be, was."

    My eyes narrowed, and I wagged my finger at her. "It''s phrases like that that make me not want to trust you godlike beings."

    "I am no god." Charity corrected.

    "You know what I mean." I looked around. "So, like, let''s roll it back. You say I''m not supposed to be here; can I go? Or, like, can you put me in a lucid dream?"

    "I could, but let me inform you of something that''ll deeply upset you." She said it bluntly.

    I gritted my teeth and sighed. "At least you''re warning me it''s bad news."

    "While the Dark Lord''s influence is nonexistent here, once you return to the waking world, his curse will resume its control. Wiping all memory of him and this conversation."

    "Wait, what? Really?!" I groaned. "Why am I going to forget this? Can''t you dispel it?"

    She shook her head. "Unfortunately, my power does not go so far. Not at this current moment. The antimemetic curse he has on you wipes out any instance in which you recall him or he is mentioned."

    I threw my arms up and turned away from her. "So the second I remembered him and acknowledged it, I fucked myself."

    "Language."

    "Sorry." I crossed my arms.

    "But you are correct. Though if you wish to go, I''ll not keep you, Luna. I must warn you: do not listen to him. He will lie, cheat, and do anything in his power to get you to do what he wishes. You have seen how secretive he is¡ªwhat he keeps from you and refuses to answer. It''s because if you knew what he wanted you to do, you''d turn on him."

    "And what is that exactly?"

    "I told you already. He wishes to try and stop our return."

    I raised an eyebrow. "Your return?"

    "Yes." She said it quickly. "If you encounter him again, you''ll remember my words, Luna Ashflow. I apologize that this must be a lot, and I understand how you must feel like a pawn in all of this. But do not give into him, reject his offers, and ignore his threats."

    I gulped. Something doesn''t feel right about this.

    She continued, "We may meet again in the land of dreams. It is only natural for our minds to glimpse the liminal space within the void. Come then, we can discuss more on the subject."

    The sound of creaking wood and groaning hinges behind me jolted me out of my skin, and I spun around to see a door standing ominously amid the void.

    "Steping through that door, you''ll return to the realm of dreams. It has been a pleasure to meet you, Luna, even if it was preemptive."

    Cautiously, I stepped towards the door, constantly turning my head from it back to her. My throat felt awfully dry as I took a deep breath, and with a shaky hand, I reached for the door and opened it, revealing a contrastingly endless, dark expanse.

    "Wh-what the hell¡ªGYAH!" I screamed as something pushed me from behind, and I fell into darkness.

    I screamed as I rolled off of my bedroll and onto the damp, dark floor beneath me. I gasped and panted as I shifted a bit and sprawled my limbs out as I caught my breath. "Fucking hate dreams when I''m falling¡­ what was I even dreaming about again? Pretty girls in suits?" I smirked. "Seven years in, and I''m still degenerate. Those sleep berries must''ve done something to trigger that." I thudded my head against the dirt and glanced up at the tarp covering my hole. "I should go see what''s happening out there," I muttered softly and began to try and stand up. With some difficulty, I was able to push myself to my knees, and as my sore muscles loosened up, I finally began to climb my way up and out.

 Chapter 30: Coming Down the River

    My body ached and burned as I clambered my way out of the burrow. I had been resting in it for how many days? Four maybe? I thought. I did fall asleep again, so maybe five?

    As I reached the canvas tarp concealing the entrance, I pushed it out of the way and crawled onto the dew-soaked grass. It looked to be early morning; the early spring air was crisp yet not too cold. As I stood up and shivered, I glanced down and noticed I was wearing what seemed to be nothing but a white nightgown.

    I saw no clothes down there. I wish I was given something else. I shuddered as I glanced around my surroundings.

    We seem to be in the forest like Mother said. Nothing overly dense; the large Sycora trees were nicely spaced apart by a few feet, leaving room for travel and large creatures like striders to maneuver. At first, this was all I saw¡ªnature all around¡ªuntil I turned around.

    Behind me, I saw what looked to be dozens of tents and a few large wagons covered in foliage at the far end of this refugee camp I seemed to have found myself in. I didn''t see many people, save for a couple of strangers around one of the few remaining fires and a man at the very far end, on top of a fallen log, wielding a rifle. A lookout, I assumed.

    "Well, I''ll be." I heard an older woman''s voice from somewhere off to my left.

    I turned and looked to see an old halfling woman, no taller than about two feet, hunched over and waddling her way out of the tent.

    My eyes widened as I observed the woman. Due to my reclusive nature, even since coming to this world, I rarely left the house and hadn''t met a halfling before, aside from the few events my family held or went to.

    "You''re Ashflow''s daughter, aren''t you? Looking much healthier!" She gave me a wide smile, revealing a couple of missing teeth.

    I gulped and nervously nodded my head as I looked down at her. "Th-thank you Miss¡ª"

    "Miss Peabottom!" She clapped her hands together. "Though most people here have been calling me Granny, I don''t mind it; it''s what my great, great, great, great grandbabies call me. Heard so much, it''s practically my second name."

    I blinked a couple of times and nodded. "R-right. Thank you, Granny. H-have you seen my parents?"

    The older woman stroked her pointed chin, and her little knife-shaped ears twitched slightly. "If I recall, Mr. Ashflow went out with a few of the lads to Mayburry. A village that is not too far from here." She pointed in the direction, but honestly, I couldn''t tell since I never had the time to orient myself.

    "As for your mother," Granny stroked her chin some more. "I believe she went out with the serelli woman to forage for herbs with Dr. Kegan."

    I nodded slowly. "What about my brother? His name is Varis. He''s really tall and has blue and green eyes," I described, raising my hand to measure his height as Granny nodded.

    "He should be right over yonder." She pointed back toward the camp. "That man with the rifle¡ªbehind him there''s a patched tent. It should be where your brother is, along with the other youngsters,"

    I smiled. "Thank you, Granny; you sure know a lot!"

    The old woman smiled. "We halflings pick up on a lot of things. Never forget a face or name." She hummed as I bowed my head politely before turning away.

    "Now where are you getting off to?" The woman asked, and I stopped.

    "To see my brother," I said plainly.

    She shook her head. "Not looking like that, Missy; I can''t have you walking out here half naked. Especially not with all the boys around here." Granny turned around and motioned for me to follow her. "In my rush, I packed a lot of useless junk I couldn''t leave without. Though I think for a pretty girl like yourself, I''d feel okay parting with my daughter''s old dress. Don''t worry about sizing; my girl was tall, about your height, before she left with that bastard Gerald."

    I''m not even going to ask about that.

    "Ah, well, if you''re offering to share, I won''t say no." I smiled and followed behind her.

    Granny led me into her tent, which, compared to her, was large. A few bedrolls and tons and tons of bags of luggage and items lay scattered about. I noticed beside her bedroll was another empty one and glanced over to the halfling as she sat on her knees across from it, rummaging through bags.

    "Is it alright if I ask where you''re from, Granny?" I asked as I came up beside her and winced as I tried to squat down, but my thighs said no.

    Granny didn''t answer immediately, she mumbled a few words to herself as she looked over various old outfits she owned and tossed them aside. She then quickly glanced over her shoulder at me before looking back at the clothes.

    "I came from Sonnenfeld, just over the Heinland Mountains near the border¡­" She took a deep breath and perked up before saying, "Here it is!"

    Pulling out of her luggage, Granny turned to me and presented a cute dark gray dress with white sleeves and a pair of dark stockings. To top it off, she then grabbed a purple ascot and placed it on the dress as she handed it to me.

    "Why don''t you go try this on Dearie? It should be a perfect fit for you." She smiled at me.

    I blushed faintly as she handed me the free clothes, and I took them. "Thank you, Granny. This means a lot." I bowed my head, and the old woman leaned up and patted it.

    "I''m glad to help. I''ll step right outside so you can get changed; if you need help, just ask!" With that, she waddled out of the tent, leaving me alone to change.

    It took a bit of fiddling to get the dress on. The fitting wasn''t entirely perfect, but there were a few loose ends I could handle, especially around the upper chest region, which I knew I was going to need with the stage of life I''m currently in. The only portion of the dress I struggled with was the ascot. Even in my prior life, I wore clip-on ties; God forbid, I ever learned how to tie one.

    "Granny, I may need your help." I said this from over my shoulder, and after a few moments, the old woman joined me in her tent.

    "Oooh, do you look so cute! I could pinch you for days!" The old woman said this as she pinched my side, causing me to yelp and squirm away.

    She laughed and looked me up and down before asking, "What seems to be the issue, dearie?"

    I gulped and stepped back, keeping my sides out of pinching range. "It''s this ascot thing." I tugged at the purple fabric. "I don''t know how to tie it."

    The halfling woman smirked and waddled towards me and said, "Here, let me show you. Kneel down, please."

    I got onto my knees as the woman came over to me. "You remind me much of my own daughter. She was never able to tie these darn things." She said softly as she adjusted the fabric around my neck and began to loop it over itself as she began to tie the knot.

    At first, I said nothing, too afraid to say anything and sound stupid, yet the awkward silence did nothing but fuel my anxiety more. So, to fill the silence, I asked, "You said your daughter went away; can I ask where she went?"

    Granny sighed softly before smiling. "Thankfully safe in Yankston. If there''s one good thing about her running off with that rich jerk, it''s that she''s far from here."

    I smiled gently. "Nice to hear some good news." Granny nodded as she finished tying the ascot and tucked it into the collar of my dress. "There we go, all nice and cute again." She hummed.

    I glanced down at myself and smiled lightly. If only I could have my hair back, though. I sighed softly.

    "Something wrong, dearie?" Granny asked.

    I blinked. Shit, I didn''t mean to sigh out loud. I blushed and ran a hand through my sparse hair and bald head.

    "I just wish I didn''t lose all my hair," I said softly.

    Granny took a deep breath and said, "I can understand that, hon. But it''ll grow back; give it time. Though your mother told me that you''re all going to Johanneson, knowing those big cities, I''m sure there might be a pharmacy with a tonic that can help it grow faster."

    That might be true, I thought to myself. My mother may not have the special treatment, but someone else might. Hopefully, it isn''t expensive if there is such a thing. Just another thing to add to my bucket list.

    "Thank you, Granny. You''re very kind." I said, and Granny beamed at me.

    "It''s about all I have left to give in this world, Dearie! Now go on; I don''t want to keep you from your folks too long." Granny shooed me out of her tent.

    On my way out, I bowed once more before turning around to come face-to-face with a girl about the same height as me holding a covered wicker basket.

    The girl was human; her hair was short and blonde, and she had large green eyes. She was wearing a dirty black and white dress that went past her knees, where she had white stockings, or what was once white. Now they were caked in mud and dirt.

    She looked familiar as I looked into her terrified eyes. I could immediately tell she was looking at my partially bald head. I get it; I look like a monster. I sighed.

    Who the hell is she? I swear, I''ve seen her before around Oren.

    The girl gulped. "I-I''m sorry¡­ I didn''t mean to stare." Her voice was feathery, light, and timid.

    I took a deep breath. "It''s fine. I know it looks gross."

    "N-No it isn''t!" The girl sputtered, and I simply looked at her, and she deflated. "So-sorry."

    I smirked and shook my head. She''s got a kind heart for a kid; I''ll give her that.

    "Don''t be¡­ say, have I seen you before?" I asked her as I squinted. "You''re from Oren, right?"

    The girl nodded. "Y-Yes. I''m Mila, Mila Hautckins."

    I snapped my finger. Bingo!

    This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.

    "That''s right!" I smiled. I never really hung out with the Hautchkin kids; that was mostly Varis. I just stayed home and read. Though the handful of times I have been out, I recall Mila and Brother walking to school and such.

    "Mila, I''m Luna!" I held my hand out to her.

    Mila''s doe-like eyes looked at my hand, and she nervously reached out and took it. "Hello, Luna. I remember you from Varis''s birthday."

    Oh shit, they were there too. I should''ve mingled more rather than sticking around my mother and father.

    I smiled gently at her as I shook her hand gently and released it. "Well, it''s nice to properly meet you, Mila." I bowed my head gently.

    Mila blushed faintly and nodded. "Y-yeah, it''s nice to meet you too." She rubbed her hand and said, "You speak very properly, much better than all the other girls."

    I straightened up and blinked before my very own blush appeared on my cheeks. "I, uh, had a very strict teacher," I said with a chuckle.

    Mila smiled a little and said, "You too? Madam Drache was very mean at our school."

    I gulped. How do I respond to this? How do other kids talk to each other? Should I talk to her like my old nephew?

    "Y-Yeah?" I said as I tried to sound interested. "Well, I''m sure it wasn''t so bad. Heh."

    I''m terrible at this. Why is she looking at me like that?

    Mila raised an eyebrow and kept her hand on her hip as I continued, "I''m sorry, but I need to check on my brother."

    Mila''s eyes widened. "Varis? I''m actually going to him right now."

    I stopped and tilted my head. "Oh?"

    Mila nodded and gave me a soft smile. "Yep. Momma caught the boys getting all muddy and sent them to the river to get cleaned up. I got these bars of soap if you want to come with me." She looked at me, and her smile widened.

    I opened my mouth to speak but stopped when I noticed something off about her eyes. It had a slight twitch, and as I looked over her expression again, I got the idea she wanted me to come along desperately.

    Poor thing. She needs a friend. I bit my lower lip, glanced in the direction she was heading, and said, "Yeah, I can come along." I returned her smile, and almost instantly I noticed she relaxed.

    I glanced at the basket she was holding, her arms looking strained. I looked back up at her and pointed to the basket. "Would you like me to carry the basket?"

    Mila shook her head. "No, I got it. Come on, they''re this way." Mila took the lead as she walked towards the edge of the small clearing. She stepped around the foliage as I followed in her tracks.

    "So how was going to school?" I asked, trying to make conversation.

    Oh, fuck, why did I ask that? I sound like an old fart!

    Mila snorted and glanced over at me. "It was really easy! Most of the others were super nice, and there were a lot of cute boys! But Mrs. Drache didn''t like us girls talking to them." She sighed. "And a lot of the other girls were mean too."

    Oh, I could relate to that. Kids have always been nasty. I had moved a lot back in my old life. Due to my original parents'' jobs, we''ve always moved. Eighteen times in one year, to be exact. And at every school I went to, it was always the same. Except the boys were more physical than the girls.

    "Where did you go to school?" Mila asked me. "Were you homeschooled like Varis?" We both grunted as we clambered over a large fallen tree and dropped into a small mud puddle.

    I sighed and patted some of the splashed mud off of my new skirt. "Yep. We did live in the same house after all."

    Mila thought about this for a second and then smirked. "Oh yeah, I guess that makes sense." She giggled. "Did you like it?"

    I smiled upon hearing her giggle and said, "It was okay. Isa is very kind but can be strict. I also mean it if you make her mad, but that was always Varis. She never got mad at me." We continued onward, the forest becoming thicker with vegetation, and I could smell water.

    Mila turned to face me and continued walking backward as we moved. "Isa? Your teacher lets you call her by her first name?"

    I shook my head. "Not during school time. She gets mad if I don''t refer to her properly during that time. But when class is out, we go on a first-name basis¡ª"

    Distant eruptions followed by a low rumbling echoed in the far distance, and I stopped and froze. Even Mila flinched, but she seemed calm as she looked at me. Yet I wasn''t. I closed my eyes, and visions of the nightmare, followed by the horrific events at Oren, flashed before my mind. My heart began to beat heavily, and I trembled.

    Mila blinked and stepped towards me as she held a hand out and gently rested it on my arm. "It''s okay, Luna; Papa told me the fighting is still far off," she said as the distant sounds of artillery began to fade.

    I hadn''t realized it yet, but tears that leaked from my eyes ran down my cheeks. I took a few shallow breaths as Mila gently rubbed my arms, and I said, "Th-thank you. I-I know, but¡­" I sniffed. "It''s scary."

    I know this is happening; I expect this stuff to happen. Yet why? Why am I just freezing up? I hate this. I have this mind and this consciousness, yet I still freak out like a child!

    Mila nodded. "It is. It''s been happening for a while. Papa said the good guys got them stuck! And the dragons made their big sky ships go away!"

    Dragons? Like actual dragons?

    "Like flying dragons?" I asked her as I wiped my eyes.

    Mila nodded. "Yeah! We saw them on Dawn''s Day! There were so many of them flying over! Even big ones! Mr. Ashflow said it was the¡­ Something air defense!" She exclaimed the last bit in a squeaky tone as her voice cracked.

    I snorted and laughed softly. "I''m sure my papa said that." I sighed as the sound of rushing water and distant voices could be heard.

    "Mhm! The bad guys don''t have dragons, so Papa said, which means we might win!" She puffed her chest out, and I frowned.

    I wouldn''t get your hopes up, kid.

    I sighed softly as we reached a new clearing, and my eyes widened as the riverbank leading into the Kenchala River itself came into view. It was beautiful. The sun beamed down from above, causing the crystal blue water to glisten, and overhanging it were the pink branches of the scyoras all around us. Their pink leaves occasionally come loose and fall onto the rolling waves of the flowing river. Further down, we could see a shallow portion leading up to the bank, and in it were both Varis and another boy I assumed was Avdol.

    Both boys were stripped down to their underwear and quickly tried to rub what looked to be mud off their skin. As we got closer, I saw Avdol gazing down at my brother. He was a tall kid, much taller than Varis and maybe even a year older. His hair was long and blonde and flowed down to his shoulders. His intimidating green eyes looked down at my brother and said, "I''m sorry." He held his hand out.

    Varis glanced up at him, sighed, and took it, and Avdol helped him to his feet. "It''s okay," Varis said softly. "We both got heated." He turned and froze up when he saw Mila and me. "What''re you two doing here¡ªLuna?"

    I smiled faintly. "Hi, Varis." I squeaked out as my brother stepped out of the water and began walking onto the grass.

    "You''re actually okay?" He asked softly. "Your hair is also¡­"

    "It''s gone, I know¡­" I groaned with embarrassment. "But yes. I''m still sore, but Momma''s magic helped me again¡ªgyak!"

    I screeched as Varis wrapped his arms around me and pulled me into a bear hug. Immediately, my back cracked in three different places as he held me tight.

    "This needs to stop!" Varis said it in a gruff yet happy voice. "Twice now, you got super hurt! I was scared!"

    I blushed deeply and sighed as he released me. I coughed and caught my breath before saying, "I know¡­ I''m sorry! But I''m good now." I straightened up and blinked.

    Oh wow, my back feels much better now.

    Varis nodded and smiled at me. "Good, now stay that way! Also, your hair looks fine." Instinctively, I reached up to my head but only found baldness and unburnt patches of hair.

    I''ll need to ask Father if he can just shave the rest entirely.

    Varis smirked and turned away from Mila, who was already passing bars of soap to Avdol, who took them before tossing a free bar to Varis, who caught it with ease.

    "So what happened to you two? I heard you got super dirty. Were you working?" I asked Varis as he began to wade back out into the cold water.

    "Avdol and I got into a scuffle." Varis said as he stood beside him and began to wash himself properly.

    "Little twerp here kept running his mouth." Avdol said but smiled. "So I showed him what happens to those who won''t be quiet."

    "And I blew your butt away with magic! Like I said, I could do!" Varis puffed his chest. "And I''ll do it again!"

    Oh shit. He''s showing off his spells?

    "Varis, what did Mom and Dad say about using magic without them around? You know you get tired easily." I crossed my arms.

    If I can''t do spells without them around, neither can he. I''m not being a little ass; I''m just following the rules. Who''m I kidding? I''m just being a little shit.

    Varis stuttered and turned to look at me. "He didn''t believe me! He said I was lying!"

    "And I still stand by; that was just a coincidence with the wind." Avdol said with a shit-eating grin as he shrugged.

    Oh, you gaslighting piece of shit.

    "Both of you just shut up." Mila splashed some water at them. "Get cleaned up, or else you''re going to get a cold in that water!"

    "Yeah, Ashflow, get out of the water so I can have more space." Avdol lightly shoved Varis, who irritatedly kicked a wave of water out at Avdol, who sputtered and returned the favor, and soon both of them were kicking water at each other.

    "Okay! Okay!" I called out. "Break it up, love birds¡ª" Something bobbed in the water.

    I turned to look at what I just saw, but then something else came out of the corner of my eye, slightly further upstream. Something else bobbed, and another.

    The guys, not listening to me, continued to splash each other in the water. Mila was also joining in, laughing as she raised her skirt and kicked water out to them.

    "Get out of the water!" I shouted. "Get out!"

    Immediately, all fun and games dropped as the three of them looked at me before scrambling to get out of the water upon seeing my horrified face. There weren''t creatures in the water.

    It was people.

    Drifting along the water, tens of dozens of bodies. Corpses. Drifted down the stream. Soldiers. Bakers. Constables. Elderly. Children. Beaten, bloodied, and burned. All of them drifted along the river. Catching up on the bank was the corpse of a young boy. Still, in his pajamas, he washed up on the shore, his pudgy, water-soaked face in the dirt.

    Mila screamed in horror and fell back onto the rocks, kicking and screaming as her brother rushed over to her and shielded her body with his. Varis stood at the shore, his mouth hanging open and his eyes wide.

    In the distance, the explosions of artillery echoed over the trees as another bout of fighting erupted in the distance.

    "What''s wrong?! Children!" The sound of my mother''s voice caught my ear, and breaking through the underbrush rushed Momma and Isa.

    "By the divine." Isa said as she came to a stop, her voice filled with terror upon seeing the river.

    Seeing I was already in a safe spot, Mother said, "Go to Isa, now!" She then turned and rushed to Varis. "Varis, look at me, are you okay?"

    I turned away and went over to Isa, who motioned for me to stay put and went down over to Mila, who was still screaming.

    They dumped them in the river¡­ They dumped these people in the river. My eyes looked back at the corpses going downstream. Most of these aren''t even soldiers. They''re people; these are just people. Why?

    Isa assisted in getting the hysterical Mila off the ground and away from the river of the dead and brought her back over to me. Meanwhile, my mother was still kneeling before Varis as she tried to console him. After a moment, she hesitantly took his hand and turned him away from the horrific sight. As Varis turned, I saw a face I had never seen before.

    Tears streaked down his face, his jaw clenched, and his teeth bared. Yet in his eyes, I saw raw fury. His free hand balled into a tight fist, and I feared he was going to cut his hand with his nails.

    "Come on, kids. We''re going back to the camp." Mother said. "Isa, go try and find Kegan. He''s probably lost."

    Isa nodded. "Stay with Mrs. Ashflow," she said to Avdol and Mila. "I''ll be back!" Isa nodded and turned before leaping onto a nearby tree and deftly leaping to another, all within a couple of seconds.

    Far off, the artillery fire crescendo, the conflict raging and escalating in intensity. "Follow me, children," Mother said. "Stay close. Do not look back."

    She didn''t need to tell us that, and with one hand I reached out to grab Varis''s gently, and with the other, I reached out to grab onto Mila, who was still sobbing. We began to follow Mother as a horrifying silence fell over us. The distant sound of the rushing river is no longer as soothing as I once thought it to be.

    A new explosion echoed far off. A noise I hadn''t heard. If I had to put a sound to it, it sounded like reverb. Like a low electronic buzz that built up into a loud, reverberating bang! The only thing I could assume it to be was some form of large magical spell going off.

    "Sounds like things are getting intense," Avdol said gruffly as we traveled.

    "It is," my mother admitted.

    "But Papa said the dragons would help us win!" Mila sobbed.

    Mother glanced back, and I could see on her face the pity she felt for the little girl. She grimaced and looked forward. "I won''t sugarcoat it. But it''s not good. We''ll be leaving as soon as your parents and my husband get back. So start packing when we get back."

    As soon as we reached the main camp, many adults and strangers I had never seen before rushed towards us.

    "What''s happening?" A man shouted.

    "Is it the invaders? Where are the children?" A woman called out.

    "The children are safe," Mother said to them. "But we won''t be for long. The Invaders will be here soon."

    "How soon?" Granny asked as she approached.

    "My husband isn''t even back from Mayburry yet!" A Dwarven woman and her kids called out.

    "I know!" Mother held her hands out to get everyone''s attention. "We won''t leave until they''re back. But we need to start packing immediately. The river is no longer safe; the children found corpses. Hundreds, drifting down stream."

    Gasps and choked sobs filled the small crowd.

    "The Rusivites are tainting our water, and they''re nearby." Mother explained, "If you had gathered any water from the river, let me know, and I''ll try and purify it tonight."

    Everyone in the camp began nodding and rushing back to their tents. Mother turned to Varis and me as Isa led the other two back to their tents. Mother knelt and gripped both of our shoulders.

    "How are you two feeling?" She asked.

    How am I feeling? That is what you ask now.

    I took a shaky breath and said, "N-Not great."

    Varis growled. "Why, why are they doing this to us?" He whispered, and our mother looked at him and sighed.

    "I don''t know, sweetie. Now, c''mon, let''s get to our tents and pack."

    Biting my lower lip I looked back out in the direction of the river. Flashes of the bodies still fresh in my memory caused me to bite my lower lip and turn to follow my mother and Varis. Far off, the sounds of conflict continued to rage, with distant flashes visible on the horizon as the Rusivite War Machine continued its relentless march.

 Chapter 31: On the Road

    We had packed everything we could in about thirty minutes. When we arrived back at the tent, I saw that only a handful of items my mother and father had packed a couple of days before had been spared. Mainly my wand, the magic pouch, and some articles of clothing. Mostly my favorite black and blue dress and some underwear.

    At least I have another set of clothes to swap out, I guess.

    I thought as we tossed everything into one of Olson''s wagons, save for my wand and the Enigma pouch, which I strapped to my belt around my skirt. It was also around this point that I got a good look at everyone who was in this camp with us.

    If I counted correctly, there were roughly forty of us. Possibly more due to many of the others mentioning people being in Mayburry. We were a diverse group; the majority I saw were humans. Yet I noticed a few families of akumari, halflings, and even a group of orcs. The orcs were an intimidating bunch, all men; I assumed they were construction workers based on their hard hats and thick denim overalls. One even seemed to be carrying a box of tools.

    It was odd, to say the least. Most fiction in my old life depicted orcs or creatures similar to them as bloodthirsty monsters. Yet these guys, while scary-looking, seemed relaxed. If this world is anything like the fiction from my old life, I''ll just be happy to have these guys on my side in a fight.

    "They''re coming!" A man shouted from up ahead on the wagon train.

    Immediately, panic began to sweep through the crowd, and even my heart sank before instantly being alleviated when I heard a woman shout.

    "Elliot, you idiot! You can''t just go shouting that!" A red-headed woman walked up and slapped the man across the cheek.

    "Apologies! I meant our people!" Elliot rubbed his cheek. "Our people are returning!"

    We all collectively sighed, and even Mother, who was sitting on the wagon, cradled her head and sighed before looking back at Varis and me with a nervous smile.

    I glanced at Varis, who didn''t even bother looking at any of us. After the false alarm, his head drooped back down to look at the ground and kick the dirt. I went over to him and took his hand gently in mine.

    He didn''t resist. Instead, he looked up at me, and I saw the rage in his eyes as he said in a hushed whisper, "I''m going to kill them. All of them."

    I blinked and leaned back a bit before glancing in the direction of the river. The images of the corpses drifting in the water are still fresh in my mind. I shuddered and looked back at my brother.

    "I know you want it, Varis, but¡­ there''s nothing¡ª"

    "We have to do something," Varis said quickly. "W-we have magic. W-we can do something; we have to stop them."

    "Varis, we''re kids." I said softly, yet this seemed to anger him.

    "I don''t give a damn!" He said it loud enough to draw our mother''s attention. "You saw what they did, Luna. Th-those people. A-all those people¡­ Even in all my books and stories about the Dark Lord and villains, they never mentioned stuff like this."

    That''s because, in fairytales, they gloss over these things. I thought to myself.

    "This is evil, and we need to stop it!" My brother sniffed and pounded his fist.

    "Your sister is right, Varis," Mother spoke. "You''re both just kids, and children don''t belong on the front lines of a war. Unlike your stories, Varis, this is reality; unfortunately, little kids aren''t heroes."

    This seemed to anger him more. "That''s bullcrap! Momma, you''re strong! Can''t you stop them¡ª"

    "No!" Mother turned to him fully. "I can''t, Varis." Her face seemed conflicted as she closed her eyes and said, "I am not the strongest. There are other mages and sorcerers out there who are far more powerful than me. I am also not invincible. Neither is your father. We can''t do anything to stop this. The best we can do is keep moving."

    As if on queue, the sound of screeching striders caught our ears, and at the head of the wagon train, four striders carrying eight men approached us and dismounted. Among them were my father, soldier boy Peter, Mr. Hautchkins, Mr. Olson, and a handful of other men I didn''t know.

    Many of the people in camp began to swarm around the men as they began to dig through the saddle bags on the striders and toss out supplies they got from town. Through the crowd came Father as he began to walk towards us, his arms opening when he spotted me.

    "Luna!" He called and rushed towards us.

    I squeezed Varis''s hand before releasing it and going towards Father. "Papa!" I greeted him happily as I wrapped my arms around him and he lifted me off the ground.

    He twirled around with me, laughing happily, before giving me a firm kiss on the cheek, his mustache stabbing me as he placed me back on the dirt. "You look amazing, love. You look a bit more like a goblin, but you look great!" He teased me as my face burned brightly.

    "Slyran!" My mother scolded him.

    Out of nowhere, a clawed hand lashed out and slapped my father across the back of his head as Isa walked past us. "You should be ashamed." The serelli scolded as she continued by, one arm full of supplies she got from the men.

    "S-sorry, I was kidding." Father grunted and rubbed the spot on his head. "What''s going on here?" He asked, looking down the train and then back up at Mother. "I thought we weren''t leaving till tomorrow."

    Mother sighed. "Change of plans." She pointed to the air, and we listened to the sounds of distant battles. "The children¡­ found corpses coming down stream." My mother said it with hesitation. "The water is tainted here, and that also means the carnage isn''t far off."

    Father nodded. "I see." He glanced at Varis and me with a sad expression, especially when looking directly at my brother. "How''re you holding up, boy?"

    Varis said nothing and huffed as he crossed his arms.

    "He thinks we should take on the entire Rusimian Empire on our own," Mother said as she also crossed her arms.

    Father sighed. "I wish I could; I do." He looked down at my brother and got to his knees. "What did I tell you before we left home?"

    "I need to be strong." Varis grunted.

    Father nodded and placed a hand on his shoulder. "And?"

    "And that I need to protect Luna and Mother." Father nodded.

    "Yes. Which means you need to stay with them." Father poked his chest. "I understand why you''re upset, and I am too. But we shouldn''t let the anger consume us. Our actions have consequences, boy, so before you go running off and trying to fight those monsters by yourself, think about how that''ll affect the rest of us. If you go off and get yourself killed, how would we feel? And who''ll help me protect them?"

    "I-I get it." Varis angrily huffed. "I won''t go running off."

    "Promise me." Papa said it flatly.

    Varis hesitated and looked Father in the eyes. After a moment, he gulped and said, "I promise, sir."

    Father closed his eyes and nodded before standing; he then looked at me. "Same goes for you, dear. No running off." He then pointed to the two of us. "However, if anything does happen and we get separated, keep heading west."

    I noticed Isa approaching us from behind after having stored the supplies she had gathered and crossed her arms as Father continued.

    "There''s a ferry crossing that''ll take you across the Kenchala; you''d then follow the road to Johanneson. There, we''ll meet back up. If you ever see soldiers or men you don''t recognize, run and hide; do not try and fight them." Father said and shook his head.

    He hasn''t planned this talk, though his heart is in the right place.

    Isa cleared her throat. "Everyone else is pretty much ready. We should check with the Olson''s to see if they''re good to go; if so, we''ll be clear to go."

    It was at this point that Peter came over to us. "All supplies have been distributed, sir." He patted Father on the back, who turned and nodded.

    "Excellent. I''ll go let Olson and his family know. You kids stick with your mother." Both Varis and I nodded as Father moved up the line.

    I looked at Varis, who gritted his teeth, and once again I took his hand. "It''s okay," I said softly. "Everything will be fine."

    "Maybe for us," Varis grunted, and he glanced back towards the river. "But not them."

    I didn''t know what to say to that, and I glanced away as Isa placed her clawed hands on our heads. "It is best to not dwell on it; doing so will only fog our perception going forward," Isa said as she lightly patted us. "For now, it is best to focus on the present."

    "It''s not that easy, though." Varis huffed.

    "I know it isn''t, but you must try," Isa said in a gentle tone. "When we get someplace safe, then you are welcome to let it all out."

    "Alright folks!" A booming voice came from the front. We looked forward and saw a short, stout dwarf with a beard nearly as long as his body climb aboard the front wagon and face us all. "I''ve been informed we are heading out early! You have five minutes to check your belongings. After that, we march to New Gessik, which is twenty-four gilos away! It should take a day if everything goes smoothly."

    Those on the wagons, mainly the elderly and children, nodded, while the adults and teenagers who were stuck on foot with heavy packs groaned.

    "Alright! Get to it! No dallying, those wandering off; be back in five or we leave without ya!"

    <hr>

    We traveled on the road for hours. Which, for me, wasn''t so bad. Thankfully, due to my young age and injuries, I had been granted the privilege of sitting on one of the many wagons with the other children, elders, and those too hurt to travel. Yet those walking along with us did not seem to be faring as well, as many men and women dragged their feet and complained about the beating sun, which was growing warmer day by day.

    Yet we continued. I wasn''t alone in the wagon; Mila sat with me, though she was still reasonably traumatized by the river. I too was disturbed, though I took Isa''s advice to heart and tried not to think about it. Instead, I spent most of my time talking with my mother who was controlling the reins of the strider on this wagon.

    We didn''t talk about too much of anything. Mainly small talk and her trying to cheer me up by complaining about how she wanted to cuddle me so much. Which somewhat worked as it brought back memories of our camping trip¡ªthe good ones, that is.

    If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

    During those brief periods of no conversation, I distracted myself by listening to the men and women walking along with us. I had gotten lucky in that Peter walked along with us, having been one of the men who went into town and a soldier. The other refugees with us were bombarding him with questions, especially when Peter pulled out a newspaper he had gotten from Mayburry.

    "So, is it true?" A woman asked the man as they walked. "Is the rest of the alliance getting involved and coming to help us?"

    Peter adjusted his pack on his shoulder with one hand and held the paper in the other. "So says the news here!" He said it cheerfully before sighing. "There is a catch, though. Damn, the Idiots of Light are attacking everything and everyone. Word has it that Xing attacked the Yanks at the Isle of Keppeni, wiped out a naval base, and sank dreadnoughts on route to Naponi. The paper here said they did it using some form of a underwater machine."

    "Underwater?" A middle-aged man scoffed. "Do they get the Aquans involved?"

    Aquans? I cocked my head and turned to look at them. Isa never told me about sea people before. Mermaids sure, but like a whole civilization?

    Peter shrugged. "Dunno about that, Ivan. Though it wouldn''t surprise me if it was like them fighting machines on the front."

    Another patted Peter on the back and said, "You were on the front, right? You saw them fightin'' machines? What they like?"

    Peter visibly paled and swallowed hard. "Awful things they be. They aren''t even Enoran. What I mean is that nobody is driving them. Like they''re aliens or something."

    "Alien?" The woman from before asked with a tilt of her head.

    "Yeah, you know, like in weird story blocks in the papers?" Peter said, shaking the newspaper in his hand. "Little men from the moons? Sort of like that."

    "So they''re piloted by little men?" The older man, named Ivan, asked.

    Peter sighed and shook his head. "No, no. They aren''t controlled by anyone; I''m just saying¡­ they don''t seem alive. Yet they are."

    "So they''re undead?" Another said, and Peter shook his head and facepalmed.

    "No. They''re machines. Living machines." He sighed. "The paper here covers some of it for those who want to read it." He held it out, and the woman snatched it from his hands. "They''re large spider-like things with a massive headlamp. They walk on four legs and stand nearly as tall as the trees around us. You heard those rapid gunshots earlier, right? Those ones that tatatatatata!" He mimicked the sound, which admittedly made me smirk, though those around him seemed nervous. "It was fitted with many of those rapid-firing guns. Like six in total. It sounded like an entire brigade firing on a single target, complete overkill."

    "Sounds absolutely dreadful." Ivan muttered.

    The younger man, behind Peter, said, "Or a waste of ammo." He laughed.

    "Aye, maybe." Peter nodded. "But when one of those monstrosities is shooting at you and your men, you''ll be shitting bricks." He sighed. "But that isn''t even the worst of it. Those things have arms. The tentacles that snake around like lethal vines. I saw them walking over trenches, snatching men out of them and tossing them around like toys, or impaling them with bayonets. Those who tried to flee were either gunned down or¡­" He gulped. "Turned to ash."

    "Turned to ash?" Ivan asked.

    "Aye, that headlamp of theirs. Something behind it allows the machines to cast spells, one of which is a ray of fire. It showed like a spotlight, and those caught within screamed, and suddenly their forms burst to ash."

    "Sounds like disintegration." Mother said as she joined in on the conversation. I turned my head and saw she was still looking forward as we moved. "An infamous Apex spell. Usually, the strongest spells an ethereal can learn, and many Celestial Magi. If those machines are capable of performing such feats, they are not to be underestimated. Even then, it should be impossible." She muttered.

    "Momma, you said magic comes from the soul, right?" I asked her, and she nodded. "So, if a machine can do magic, that means it has a soul, right?"

    Mother smiled, looked over her shoulder, and side-eyed me. "You''re really smart." She giggled. "Because that''s exactly what''s confusing me."

    I smiled and nodded along with her. Robots with souls? I didn''t expect such a thing when coming to this world.

    "Peter, could these things do anything else?" Mother asked him.

    Peter thought for a moment. "I¡­ well, yes. I noticed that they had the ability to fire cannons. Or what I thought were cannons."

    Mother glanced at him. "You''ll need to elaborate."

    "I-I''m sorry, Mrs. Ashflow, I didn''t have the time to take a good look when running for my life." He sighed. "It was like a ball of fire. The headlamp closed on itself, I think, making a small hole, and from that small hole it shot something, like a cannon shell, and blew up one of our trenches."

    "If it''s coming from its light source," Mother thought as her lips pursed. "Sounds like a simple fireball. Not as powerful as disintegration, but still up there in terms of magic wielders." He tapped her chin with one hand.

    Great. Not only are these murder bots armed with machine guns, but they''re also wizard bots as well. I sighed. Couldn''t I have just been reborn into a typical fantasy world? One without murderous death machines.

    "Fireball sounds about right." Peter nodded. "I don''t recall anything else, really. I do know one thing for sure: They aren''t immortal. Or at least, they can be hurt. My friend Kensley disabled one with a thunder spear when it walked over us."

    "Oi, what''s a thunder spear?" The younger man behind Peter asked.

    "It''s a spear with a bomb strapped to the tip. It is supposed to be an anti-beast weapon. You stab it or throw it at a monster, and the shape charge blows out towards the creature. I haven''t seen it done, but it''s said it can take down a dorrogan."

    "Well, if I could disable a death machine, I''d believe." Ivan said it with a nod.

    "Well, disabled; it might be too fancy a word." Peter chuckled. "Kensley tripped it, but it did get back up."

    "What happened afterwards?" The woman asked after passing the newspaper off to the younger guy.

    Peter fell silent. "I''d rather not talk about it."

    An awkward silence fell over the whole conversation then. Though Ivan stroked a thick mustache on his upper lip and said, "Well, soldier, man, what''s your goal now? Are you planning on going back to the front?"

    Peter paled again and said, "I-I''m going to report back to Johanneson and check in at the headquarters there."

    I smell a lie. I looked closely at Peter and noticed the shift in his eyes. Honestly, I couldn''t blame him. I never experienced a war until now or even served in the armed forces. Yet back in my old life, I watched a lot of raw footage of real-world conflicts. I could understand wanting to get away from those, and I definitely could understand if War of the Worlds machines were prowling the battlefields.

    Ivan clapped Peter on the back. "Well, we have a long way to go until then. So get comfy with us." The man chuckled, and Peter side-eyed him and smiled with a nod.

    There is indeed a long way to go. I thought.

    <hr>

    We arrived at New Gessik around nightfall. By this point in our journey, we were nearing the southwestern peaks of the Dushland Mountains; at least that''s what my mother told me. The village itself was situated at the edge of a large Kefner forest, which loomed over their heads as they went up the mountainside. It wasn''t a big village from what I could see; there were a handful of sparsely spread-out homes along the river and what seemed to be a lopsided tavern that rested on the highway. I noticed nearby was a small attachment of soldiers, possibly guards who were stationed here, as well as some fortified positions with field cannons.

    I overheard Peter explaining that this was most likely going to be an artillery station, judging by the installation and the empty spaces left for more guns. That would make sense seeing as we''re on a higher elevation now overlooking the valley.

    When we arrived at the village, Olson had us stop the train right outside the tavern, which I saw as aptly named "The Tilted Tavern" due to its lopsided appearance. It was clear we weren''t the only refugees here either. Outside the tavern, we saw beggars, along with folks standing alongside the road. Dirtied and disheveled families, lost like us, wandered about the streets.

    Mother turned to me as the wagon parked along the side of the tavern and said, "Come with me. We''re going to go find your brother and father."

    I nodded and began to disembark from the wagon along with a handful of others.

    "Take your time; no rush!" The dwarf, Olson, shouted as many people began to quickly rush into the tavern. "Those of you wanting to travel with us, we leave tomorrow at sunrise! Be ready then, or else you''re playing catch-up!"

    As I hopped onto the muddy road, my mother came around and took my hand. She wasted no time in pulling forward through the crowd of people that streamed into the tavern. After a few moments, I could faintly hear my father''s voice alongside Isa, and as we came around to the back of the tavern, I saw him with Peter, Varis, Isa, and Herbert Hautckins.

    "Kossatan also began a thrust up into Saxsonia." Father sighed.

    "You''re kidding me," Isa muttered softly. "Why?"

    "Because they''re in league with Xing and Rusimia. Saxonia is near us and part of the alliance; get them tangled up, and our closest ally can''t help us," Father explained as he shook his head and looked to Mother, and smiled. "There you are, love."

    "Back here discussing politics, I see," Mother said as she placed a hand on her hip.

    "Well, it''s pretty much the only thing we have to talk about now," Father said with a shrug.

    "And hello, Herbert." Mother looked at him. "Where is your family?"

    The older gentleman straightened up and smiled. "Already inside. I told them I''d be in a bit. Though I heard rooms might be strained in there."

    "Packing folks like kettle fish," Isa said as she turned to me. "How are you faring, little one?"

    I looked up at Isa and the others and shifted from foot to foot. "I''m okay. Admittedly bored, but much better than this morning."

    The rest of the adults smiled, and Varis came over to me and said, "Well, at least you weren''t walking all day; my feet are sore!"

    I blushed faintly and said, "I can walk tomorrow if you want me to!"

    "No, you aren''t," Mother said. "You''re so small. I''d lose you amongst everyone." She patted my head.

    "Just look out for my bald, shiny head!" I joked, and to my surprise, everyone began to laugh except for Mother.

    "Your head isn''t shiny; it''s cute!" She tried to compliment me and then sighed. "Nevermind. Everyone, c''mon, let''s get inside. Hopefully they have beds for all of us."

    <hr>

    The tavern was bustling with activity. Despite its bizarre appearance outside, the interior felt massive. Maybe a trick on the eyes or perhaps magical air to this place, but the interior sported a visible second-floor balcony with stairs leading up to more tables and chairs, while the ground floor was home to a stage where jazz musicians stood playing and a large area full of tables and booths. On the far end was the bar, and behind it was a massive, bald, and burly human with a mustache and eyebrows so thick I could not see his eyes or mouth beyond the brown fuzz.

    I followed in behind my parents, Varis beside me and holding my hand, with Isa and Herbert trailing not too far behind. As we approached the bar, the large, burly human lifted his cannon-like arms and slapped both palms onto the table.

    "By the gods! Cailynn Sartosi, Lady Moonweaver!" The man exclaimed in a heavy foreign accent. "You''re alive!"

    Father side-eyed Mother, and she glanced at him and said it just loud enough over the jazz-like music. "It''s a long story." She turned to the big man. "Hello again, Moris." She bowed. "However, I no longer go by those names." She slapped Father on the ass and pushed him forward as he yelped. "As you can see, I am married, and I have forgone that previous title."

    "Ho ho!" Morris laughed and shifted his heavy belly around as he went over to a massive keg behind him, grabbed a few tankards, and began to fill them with alcohol. "Is that so? To think such a beautiful lady herself would finally settle down, I never thought Moris would see the day; he should notify Boris of this." He laughed and placed three tankards down. "What shall Moris and Boris refer to you as?"

    Mother sighed as she looked at the tankards the large man was offering her. "Cailynn is fine, though my full name is now Cailynn Ashflow." She hesitantly reached out, took a tankard, and motioned for Father to do the same.

    "Aye, Ashflow?" Moris lifted his tankard, the foamy liquid sloshing and spilling over the side. "Moris believes he heard of that name. " He turned to his father. "Alinar Ashflow?" His brown unibrow arched, yet no eye was visible.

    Father visibly tensed, and I felt Isa place a hand on my shoulder as well as Varis''s as I turned to see her looking down at me. She motioned with her head for us to follow her, yet before I could move, I heard Father.

    "That is my father''s name. I''m his son."

    Moris pulled back, and finally, as his eyebrow rose, I saw two charcoal dots for eyes. "Alinar had a son? The scandal!"

    My father raised a hand. "Let''s change the subject, please. We''d just like some rooms."

    "Yes. Yes. But first, a toast to a happy belated marriage!" Moris straightened up and lifted the mug. "To Cailynn and her beloved!" Suddenly, a handful of patrons around the tavern hoisted their mugs into the air and cheered before downing their drinks.

    This feels weird. I don''t like this. It''s like a hivemind.

    Father and Mother hesitated, but they tipped their heads back and downed their drinks before grimacing and slamming the tankards down with a deep sigh and cough.

    Moris laughed as they drank and said, "Moris believes he has two rooms left. Give him a second to contact his brother, Boris." He turned around grabbed a bottle and smashed it across the table, and I shrieked along with a few other patrons as silence fell over the room.

    "BORIS! GET YOUR TREMBLING CHEEKS UP HERE!"

    Aside from a handful of other patrons, the only person who seemed unbothered was Mother. She looked at our father and said, "Don''t worry, this is normal."

    "What the fuck was that?!" Father exclaimed.

    "Boris can be hard of hearing, yet he respond well to broken glass." Moris said nonchalantly and shrugged.

    The sound of creaking wood, followed by heavy panting, and finally a door being thrown open behind the bar. A second, equally massive human man and an exact carbon copy of Moris waddled into view.

    What the actual fuck? It''s just the same guy; is this a bit? I looked at Isa and Varis, yet they seemed equally as confused as I was.

    "What is the issue, brother Moris? Why is the glass broken on the floor?" The second, Moris, no Boris said, his voice also the same.

    "You see, brother Boris, we are busy. Many guests today. Can you get keys A24 and A25 for these fine guests?" He hummed and gestured to us.

    Boris turned, and his eyebrows were raised. "Ah! Is this the lovely, Cailynn? Boris never thought they''d see you again!"

    Mother nodded and said, "Yes, and my name¡ª"

    "You go by Ashflow now, correct?" Boris''s mustache twisted upwards like a smirk.

    Mother blinked and looked confused before saying, "How''d you know?"

    For a second the two twins? Clones? They looked at her with blank expressions before suddenly laughing in unison and fist-bumping each other.

    "Boris has heard everything already! That is why." He chuckled and then slapped his hand on the table and removed it, yet in its place were two silver keys.

    Mother and father shared a confused look.

    Yeah, no, same. What the fuck is happening?

    "Thanks," Father said as he reached out and grabbed the keys.

    Mother then took out a gold coin and placed it on the bar. "Here. We''ll only be staying one night."

    Moris? Boris? I had no idea who was who now. One of them reached out, took the coin, and nodded to Mother. "Enjoy your stay at Tilted Tavern. You will find rooms upstairs at the far end of the hall."

    Mother nodded. "Thank you, you two." She turned around and quickly ushered us to the stairs.

    I wasted no time in moving now, allowing Mother to guide us where we needed to go in this most bizarre tavern.

 Chapter 32: The Retreat

    Varis and I got our room on the second floor of the Tilted Tavern with Isa. The room was nice¡ªtwo large beds with a nightstand between them on a large skin rug of a creature I wasn''t familiar with. There was even a small study and mirror above the desk, and of course, I couldn''t forget the small chests to store our items.

    It was cozy. The only thing missing was a small private restroom. Instead of being out in the hall at the very far end, there was a small public restroom. After taking some time to rate it: three and a half stars out of five. The place was clean, yet despite that, it still had an odd smell I couldn''t pin down.

    Overall, the place was a nice break from traveling on the road and being cooped up in a small hole in the ground. Yet it wasn''t enough to fully distract me from why we''re here. The tavern was crowded with refugees, some of whom were much worse off. Injured and confused people roamed the upper floors and crowded the main floor beneath. I could hear the sounds of wailing mothers and their children, and outside, I could hear the sounds of constables trying to keep the peace as they blew into their whistles what seemed like every few minutes.

    Our room was at the front of the building, with a window facing the direction we had come from on the wagon train. With New Gessik being on the incline up the mountains, I could easily see over much of the valley¡ªnot enough to see Oren, though¡ªand even then, looking out over the valley pained me.

    As I looked out over the dusk-lit landscape, I could see distant fires raging in the east. The horizon flashed occasionally due to distant spells and explosions igniting, and if I trained my ears, I could hear the constant rumblings of battle. Smoke stacks could be seen wafting high up above the treetops and mountains like massive pillars. And coming from all of this, a stream of refugees continued to flood into the village. Many of them were people like my family who had chosen to leave at the last minute.

    Why did they take so long? I wondered. If they''d just told us sooner, we could''ve avoided much of this. I sighed softly to myself as Varis joined me at the window.

    His face was stern as he glared at the scene before us. "I hate them," Varis huffed.

    I glanced at him and sighed. "I¡­" I went to respond but stopped.

    I haven''t thought about whether I hated the invaders or not, honestly. I don''t know what to think. I thought. I just want to get out of here and go back to how things were.

    "I understand," I said softly as we watched what seemed to be a new stream of fleeing people arrive at the village.

    Behind us, we heard the door to our room open, and Isa stepped inside. "Why are you two still awake?" She asked softly. "Your parents specifically said you were to rest."

    Varis didn''t move or even acknowledge Isa, as he kept staring out the window while I turned to face her.

    "I-I can''t sleep," I mumbled. "I try to, but I feel too anxious."

    Isa took a deep breath, came over to us, and knelt. "I understand, but you need to try."

    Varis finally turned to face us. "We shouldn''t even be here," he said with a huff. "We should keep moving in case those monsters show up."

    Isa sighed. "Unfortunately, little soldiers like yourself get tired," she said with a gentle smile. "And tired soldiers don''t march fast. Now please, let us get some rest."

    I glanced at the bed Varis and I were going to share. How in the hell does she expect us to sleep after all this? Maybe if I had one of those special berries Mother gave me, I could knock myself out, but¡­ every time I close my eyes, I still see that damn river.

    I bit my lower lip, and Isa sighed once more as she looked at our expressions and said, "Come. Sit with me on my bed; I''ll tell you a story." She smiled.

    My head and ears perked up, and I looked at her. "A story might be nice," I said with a small smile, looking at Varis. "You want to come listen?" I asked.

    My brother hesitated but then sighed and said, "Sure, why not?" He shrugged.

    Isa nodded and stood before placing her clawed hands on each of our shoulders and guiding us over to her bed. She climbed up onto it and patted the spots beside her for us to crawl up into and snuggle up. I felt her fuzzy, red tail wrap around my leg.

    I shivered a little as it tickled, and Isa giggled lightly as she wrapped her arms around the two of us and said, "Have I ever told you both about the time I traveled through the Wylde East?"

    Both Varis and I shook our heads. "I don''t even know what or where that is," I said softly.

    Isa took a deep breath and said, "It is on the western continent under the United Provinces of Yankston. A beautiful land it once was, it is now unfortunately plagued by Yankie settlers because of what they call the Great Migration." She inhaled. "Yet, thankfully, long ago, back when I was fifteen cycles old, I traveled there with my closest friend, Pomni. The journey itself is a story of its own, but for now, I''ll focus on the Wylde. The Wylde is much like the Heinland Forest in that the land is tied closely to the Fae Wylde, but much more so than anywhere in the world."

    I blinked. "So, you went into the Fae?" I asked her.

    Isa smiled and nodded. "Yes. We were on a quest for our elder. In Serelli culture, it is common for those who come of age to become what are called "seekers" and are tasked with finding the elder''s dreams."

    "How do you find something someone dreams about?" Varis asked.

    Isa chuckled. "Well, we thankfully aren''t dream-hopping. But, as I told Luna before, elders are awakened dreamers. We all have lived past lives that we don''t recall, yet elders, as the name implies, become awakened and can remember every past life they once had. Namely, from dreams." She briefly explained. "And it''s here that our elders dreamt of something they once saw in the Fae Wylde long ago. Pomni and I had come of age in our village, and together, we were tasked to go find it."

    "What were you tasked to find?" I asked with a small, squeaky yawn escaping my lips.

    Isa looked on aimlessly for a second, and I could see on her face that she was most likely reliving the moment. She then closed her eyes and said, "We were sent to a seed of Urd. A seed of life-bringing. Ever since the Rusivites came to our land, they erected great industries and cities, and my once beloved home was becoming snuffed out. Our elder told us that if we could find the seed and bring it back, planting it would revitalize our home."

    "Did you ever find the seed?" I asked, and my eyes began to droop.

    Is it just me, or are Isa''s arms very comfortable? I thought to myself as I rested my head on her as she held me with her arm.

    "Well, that would ruin the story if I told you the end," Isa whispered with a chuckle. "Pomni and I arrived in Yankston some time in late spring. As much as I don''t like the Yanks, I''ll give them credit in that their cities are quite fascinating in their scope. We arrived in the city of Iona, where we stocked up on supplies and hired a guide by the name of John King. An interesting fellow with a tall, wide frame and a round belly is not the typical person you''d expect to be a guide. Yet he did his job well, if not a bit slowly." She chuckled. "Though I never liked his attitude towards the natives of the Fae."

    My eyes drooped, and I continued to listen, yet as Isa began to talk about the intricacies of their preparation for going into the unknown, I felt myself drifting off somewhere else, eventually. Everything went dark, and I fell asleep.

    <hr>

    I woke up the next morning to the sound of muffled shouting, and I jerked awake as my heart practically leaped into my throat. I rose into a sitting position and looked around the room. I saw Varis already awake and at the window, along with Isa, who was at the study brushing her hair quickly.

    "Wh-what''s happening?" I muttered as Varis glanced at me from the window.

    This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

    "Something''s happening outside. There''s a bunch of soldiers going the wrong way!"

    Isa came over to us and said, "Children. Start gathering your things. We''ll be heading out soon."

    "But why are those soldiers going away from the fighting?" Varis asked.

    Isa sighed. "I don''t know Varis; now, c''mon. Get ready."

    I shifted off of my bed, slipped into my boots, and was about to go over to the desk and mirror to fix my hair, but stopped when I recalled that I no longer had hair.

    Well, I guess that makes things faster.

    Having slept in my dress, I simply patted out the wrinkles and went over to the window to see what Varis was talking about.

    It was early dawn, and the sun had yet to crest over the mountains. On the road leading into New Gessik from the direction we came, a massive convoy of wagons, trucks, striders, and stumbling soldiers on foot were quickly passing through the city. I saw men and women of all races covered in blood-stained bandages, many more hobbling by on crutches. The trucks and wagons held even more bloodied and beaten men and women.

    Refugees outside shouted to the soldiers.

    "Cowards!"

    "You can''t just run away! Stop them!"

    "Don''t abandon us!"

    Isa grabbed me by my left hand and said, "Come. We''re going to meet up with your parents." She pulled me along with Varis, who growled and grumbled.

    As we stepped out into the hallway, we immediately ran into my mother and father, who were already good to go.

    "If you hadn''t seen it, there''s a commotion outside," Father said as we grouped up and started to head towards the stairs as more sleepy people began to file out of their rooms confused.

    "Aye," Isa said, "it looks like the army is pulling back even more."

    We reached the stairs and began to quickly go down the steps and into the main hall, just as the front door to the tavern opened. An angry crowd along with a group of armed soldiers came pouring in, the soldiers pushing the angry people back and shouting as, in the center of this group, a well-dressed and groomed human officer marched in, a fine-sheathed saber at his side.

    "Let''s go around them." Father said to us, and we nodded and began to move around the far edges of the room towards the door.

    "Citizens of New Gessik," the high-ranking officer said over the angry shouts from outside. "Under the orders of General Hossler, you are to join my company and evacuate with us immediately. There will be no discussion. For yours and your family''s safety."

    Pulling me along, my family and I shimmied our way around the soldiers as we inched our way to the door.

    "What do you mean evacuate?" An akumari woman shouted from the bar. "Aren''t you supposed to be fighting?"

    "Yeah! Why are you all running?" A gnome said as he climbed on a table.

    "I-If you''re running too, does that mean they''re coming?" A half-elven woman asked nervously, her eyes wide like a deer in headlights.

    The high-ranking officer in the center of the room took a deep breath, yet I could see the nervousness he was trying to hide on his face. "General Hossler has decided to fall back to the right bank of the Alter River. As of now, we''re prioritizing everything on defense and the safety of your lives. The Rusivites are pushing into our lands harder than we anticipated, and they are taking no prisoners. Man, woman, child, or elderly, it doesn''t matter if you''re a soldier or not¡­" He didn''t finish the sentence as the entirety of the tavern fell silent.

    We shifted past the soldiers just then. One of them reached out to stop us, though Father held a hand up and said, "We have wagons out back; we''re leaving now." The soldier nodded and allowed us to continue.

    The streets were chaotic. Soldiers rushed door to door, pounding their fists and guns against them and shouting, "The invaders are coming! You need to evacuate immediately!"

    Coming down the road towards us, a column of trucks roared past us as Father guided us quickly to the side of the road. The trucks then veered off the road and into a dirt clearing beside the tavern. The doors flung open as men and women hopped off. A woman in all-white robes, with dark hair and pointed ears, hopped onto the ground and cupped her hands around her mouth.

    "Quickly! Anyone who can hear this, make your way to the tavern for immediate evacuation!"

    We continued around the side of the Tilted Tavern and towards the back, where the Olson''s wagon train was parked, and we saw the Hautchkins and Olson families already climbing into the wagons.

    Yet as we came around the corner, we spotted Peter quickly lacing his shoes. He got up and said, "Lieutenant, I see you''re awake; I almost thought you were all going to sleep in!"

    "I told you, corporal, I''m a former lieutenant," Father said as we rushed past Peter, who followed behind us.

    We quickly rushed past the rest of the wagons and went up to the Hautchkins just as Herbert turned and said, "Oh, by the divine, you''re here; it''ll be cramped, but you can hop in. We''re leaving right now."

    Yet as we went to climb into the back of the wagon, I felt a deep, hot breath on the back of my neck, and something sharp hooked into the back of my dress and yanked me back.

    I screamed as Isa and my mother whipped around as a large strider loomed over my head. I kicked and tried to unhook myself, but the thing held onto me. Mother spun around and said something angrily in draconian at the creature, and for a second it hesitated, then released me.

    Stumbling forward, I turned to see a large, red, and scarred "Ruby." I said it with a blink.

    The mischievous strider who had thrown a keg at me days before stood hitched to a mostly empty wagon. The strider squawked and groaned as it watched Varis and Isa climb into the wagon.

    "Luna, leave it. We need to go." My mother grabbed my hand. "We have plenty of room on Olson''s wagons."

    "But we can''t just leave her here alone." I said it hesitantly.

    "Ruby can be someone else''s strider now," Mother said as she picked me up and placed me on the wagon. "She can help another family."

    "Bu-but we just got her!" I whined.

    "I know sweetie, but we don''t have time to lug around three wagons. Now get in." Mother said, and I blinked and looked at Ruby, who groaned and shook her head before hanging disappointedly. Goddammit, we just got her. I pouted but didn''t resist as my mother climbed into the wagon.

    "Alright, we aren''t waiting!" Olson shouted from the front wagon. "We''re moving now!"

    As I crawled within the wagon over to Varis, who sat across from Avdol and beside Mila, I wiggled myself in beside him and looked back at Ruby as our wagon lurched forward and began to move.

    Yet I didn''t get to see her for long due to the wagon turning and rounding the corner of the tavern. We hit the main road and soon were on the highway, moving alongside the military convoy.

    <hr>

    Yet the ride did not go so smoothly.

    "Stay off to the side! Make way!" A halfling shouted as he leaned out of a truck. "Civilians are to make way!" Our wagons lurched and moved partially off the road as we went up the mountain; the highway was not large enough to fit us all as the military convoy continued steaming along.

    I could hear Olson and his family cursing as we were forced to stop. "There''s no fucking way our wagon can move; the trees are too dense, Mr. Hautchkins!" He shouted back to Herbert, who was controlling the wagon we were in.

    "We can walk," my father said. "We have no idea how long it''ll take the soldiers to finish filing through."

    "With all due respect, Mr. Ashflow, but are you insane? Khannatore is over a month away on foot." Olson said with a sigh.

    "My family and I aren''t going to Khannatore; Johanneson is only about a week or so away on foot." Father said as he shifted his legs in the wagon, we were all so crammed into here, like a pack of sardines.

    "About twelve days," Herbert said from over his shoulder.

    "Even then," Mother added, "if the soldiers are rushing out of here like this, that only means the enemy isn''t far."

    "Aye, I agree with Mrs. Ashflow." Peter said. "We could wait these guys out and keep moving, but it might be best to rush along on foot. There is no way we can share these mountain paths with these guys. And even then, if there''s a hold-up ahead, we''re stuck anyway."

    "If we''re careful," Isa added. "We could even climb down the Duskland mountains. I know a few paths, but the¡­" She looked at me and Varis and Herbert''s children. "The children may have difficulty, but it would cut much of our time down."

    "But what about the striders?" Olson gestured to his animals. "Can''t we take Darlene and Newo?"

    "You can if you want," Father said. "But how are we going to lug around their feed and water without the wagons? It''d be best if we let them off on their own. The girls can survive better off without us, and who knows they might follow us."

    There was a brief silence before suddenly Olson threw his arms up in the air. "Blasted all!" Olson cursed and shouted before falling quiet as the sound of a distant, yet scarily close explosion echoed from the direction of New Gessik. An eruption of gunfire soon followed the cracks of rifles, and the swooshing sounds of magic made me shiver as goosebumps began to form along my arms and I gulped.

    "How in the hell are they chasing so fast?" Father muttered under his breath. "This is about to turn into a fighting retreat; we need to go." Father got up and gestured for us. "C''mon kids, off; we''re moving on foot."

    "Mr. Ashflow, what''re you doing?" Olson blurted, the dwarf seemingly confused and afraid.

    "I appreciate you letting us come along, Mr. Olson, but it seems things have changed." Father said as he helped Varis, and I hopped off along with my mother and Isa. Even Peter chose to come along with us. "My family and I will go on foot, and I implore you to do the same."

    I followed behind my father and turned to see Isa loading what looked to be a few bags, which she passed to Peter. I looked back up and saw Mr. Hautchkins look at his wife, who nodded, and soon he, along with his family, began to disembark as well.

    Olson looked more confused. "Herbert, what''re you doing? Aren''t you coming with us still?"

    "Fozek," Herbert said, referring to Olson by his first name. "You should come with us. Leave the wagon behind. You can hear them, can''t you?" He gestured to the sound of battle. "They''ll be on us in hours, probably sooner if we keep waiting."

    The stubborn dwarf looked to his wife and two boys, along with the goods packed in his wagon. With a sigh, he cursed once more. "Blasted¡­ Alright, you string beans, grab what you can, and let''s go!"

    Father took my right hand in his and began to tug me along the road as the military convoy rolled by. I looked back and watched as Isa and Herbert unhitched the striders, letting the creatures go free as they then began to follow behind us.

    I felt my father squeeze my hand tighter, and I looked up and saw a grimace on his face.

    I can''t imagine how he feels. With the fear and anxiety etched on his face, I could see him trying to stay strong.

    "It''ll be okay, Papa," I said to him, and immediately his face hardened as he pulled on his strong look again, and he smiled down at me.

    "I know," he said. He was acting tough.

    Trying to act strong myself, I smiled and said, "We can think of this as like a nature walk!"

    Father laughed softly and said, "Yeah. Nature walk."

    So we left the wagons and excess goods behind. Having taken what we could, we began our ascent up the Duskland mountains, hoping to widen the ever-shortening berth between us and the invading force.

 Chapter 33: On the Run

    We continued on our way up the Duskland Mountains. The military convoy took up the majority of the road beside us as I trailed behind Father, his hand still holding mine, while Mother walked beside me, and Isa, Varis, and the rest of our group traveled behind.

    The sounds of the raging conflict continued behind us, yet the unnerving realization that it was only getting louder and louder etched into my mind as we hurriedly made our way. I could hear Mila sobbing uncontrollably as Mrs. Hautchkins carried her, doing her best to console the young girl. I, admittedly, felt like breaking down as well. The inner child within me just wanted to give up; everything around us was happening so quickly that I''d yet to even process what was going on.

    Though I held on, I had to stay strong. So, I pressed onward. As we went, the mountain incline became steeper and steeper, and eventually the last of the convoy drifted past us. A scorched and heavily damaged truck carrying what seemed to be a dozen wounded men and women¡ªthe sounds of their groaning and crying audible as they rolled past us¡ªdid nothing but dampen my spirit as we finally moved onto the center of the road.

    It was around midday when I looked back over my shoulder and back towards the valley and New Gessik that I saw nothing but black smoke, and my heart sank. Even the sounds of gunfire were fading, and all I could do was hope that perhaps this was a victory and not the worst to come.

    "This makes no sense." Father said as we walked. "After the attack on Oren, it was said they were pushed back."

    To which Mother chimed in, "And not only that, but the majority of the combat was also still happening beyond the eastern peaks. The invaders would''ve had to scale the peaks to get into the valley, which should''ve taken a week or more."

    "They probably used the airships," I said softly. "Peter did say in his story that the airships carried those fighting machines he called demons." I gulped as the realization hit me. "Maybe they''re airdropping them behind us?"

    "Air dropping behind?" Father blinked. "Flanking¡­" he muttered and glanced at me. "When did you become a little strategist?" He smiled faintly.

    I blushed and shrugged. "It just seemed obvious. If I had a bunch of flying ships that could carry soldiers, why not just have them go behind my enemy''s lines?" I suggested.

    Based on the history of the Twilight War that Isa taught Varis and me, conflicts in Enora have always been similar to those of the old fantasy stories and games I used to play back in the day. In typical pitched battles, two armies clashed. Yet unlike medieval history back on Earth, Enora was home to various beasts and monsters that allowed for aerial combat, like griffins, dragons, and rocs. Enora isn''t unfamiliar with fighting wars in the sky; it just hasn''t experienced it in a long while.

    What this world, as far as I can tell, hasn''t experienced, however, is mechanized warfare. At least not in the sense that I''ve experienced over the past week. Massive zeppelins, armed to the teeth, magical fighting machines. The most I''ve seen the Hein''s Guard possess were trucks. If this were a game of Sid Meir''s Civilization, I''d say they were in the early industrial era, while Rusimia is far into the atomic age, based on what I''ve seen.

    And from a lot of Civ games I played in the past, the industrial kids don''t tend to win. So, if I had to guess, that''s what''s happening. The Rusivites are blitzing us with those zeppelins that attacked Oren, and based on what Peter told me, they are probably dropping those fighting machines off behind the lines and wreaking havoc. That''s how they''re moving so fast if I had to guess.

    Yet this is all speculation. I thought. The best thing we can do right now is to just keep moving.

    Father gripped my hand tighter as we continued up the side of the mountain. We walked for another few hours as the sun moved across the sky, like a beacon guiding us westward. I watched as it descended beneath the Duskland mountain before us. In the deep shadow of the behemoth dousing us in darkness, a cool breeze wafted down from below, rushing over us all as Father called out.

    "We need to make camp." We stopped as we turned to face everyone behind us.

    Everyone looked exhausted. Mother hunched forward, hands on knees, as Varis leaned against her, clinging to her for support. Herbert dropped to his knees, the older man coughing as his children came over to him. The only people who seemed unfazed were Peter, Isa, and the Olsons.

    I couldn''t understand how they weren''t tired. Or at least did a good enough job at hiding it. My little legs burned despite Father helping me along by pulling me.

    "I think we should keep going, Mr. Ashflow." Peter said it calmly. He pointed in the direction of New Gessik, which was burning as I saw the orange light of fire contrasting with the darkness that slowly engulfed the land. The entire horizon was lit in a faint, orange haze. "If we keep pushing for a few more hours, we''ll reach the mountain trail; that''ll at least put a wider berth between us and them. Come morning, we could start our descent."

    Father looked to Herbert and his family as he contemplated this. "Herbert, do you think you can go a little longer?"

    The older man coughed and nodded. "Yeah. Just give me some water, and I should be good."

    Isa pulled out a canteen and passed it over to Herbert, who took it and drank from it deeply. After a few moments, he coughed, wiped his mouth, and thanked Isa as he handed it back.

    "Alright, then we''ll keep moving. Just until we make it to the mountain pass," Father said as Varis and the Hautchkin kids groaned, but aside from that, there was no further protest.

    The two moons of Enora hung high in the sky above us, their light guiding our way. It had to have been around midnight when we reached the mountain trail. Essentially, it was a ravine that sliced the Duskland mountains in half, allowing a safe passage through it rather than going completely over it.

    To say I had a fear of heights now would be too late, as Father and Isa began to make a small camp near a grassy clearing close to the edge of the ravine. Not so close that you''d fall off accidentally, but close enough that it still made me uncomfortable. The gorge below went down far. It was beautiful, and at the bottom was the Kenchala River that swept through the mountain.

    Honestly, if we had a boat, I wonder how far we could sail down this river. I wondered as I looked around the site where we were setting camp¡ªthe space large enough to house all of us as we pitched our small tents. Father made it clear that no fire of any form or light was to be used. Instead, Isa passed out pieces of dried meat and cheese for us all to snack on that was gathered from Mayburry.

    It wasn''t good. The meat was tough and salty, and the cheese tasted like no cheese I had ever had before. Yet it did its job of filling me up. There weren''t enough tents for everyone to go around. The Olsons had their own, along with the Hautchkins. Yet our family, along with Peter, only had one.

    Mother and Father offered the tent to Isa, Varis, and me while they chose to sleep outside on bedrolls along with Peter. Isa warned them that up here in the mountains, even in the spring, it''d be getting cold, yet my parents insisted they would be fine. I could only assume that Mother may have had a spell or two. Or they''ll cuddle.

    Yet I didn''t question it further. I was exhausted. The hike up here had taken it out of me. So, when the tent was pitched and my bedroll was laid out, I wasted no time crawling into it and passing out.

    <hr>

    I lay on my side, sleeping soundly. I enjoyed the little bit of rest I had that night. Yet something felt odd as I rested. I felt as if a presence was looming over me. Not Varis or Isa, yet something larger, taller, and much darker. My eyes opened groggily as the sensation began to take hold, and my eyes widened in fear as my heart raced rapidly in my chest as something began to lower itself over my small body. A cool breath blew over my skin, sending goosebumps up and down my frame as the low, monotonous voice of a man whispered into my ear.

    "Northeast, ten miles, there are three of them, and they''re coming rapidly."

    Everything went black.

    Suddenly, I flew up out of my bedroll, panting heavily. My chest was heaving up and down as sweat poured down the sides of my face. Varis, who was beside me, also gasped and rolled over as Isa, who was asleep on the far end, shot awake and looked at me.

    This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.

    "Luna, what''s wrong?" She whispered, her face filled with worry, as she grabbed a small lantern and went to turn it on.

    "Don''t!" I squeaked out. "Don''t light that." I gulped. "Th-they''re coming. They''re coming."

    Varis shifted and said, "Luna. It was just a nightmare¡ª"

    "N-No!" I moaned. "It was one of those dreams."

    Isa''s eyes widened. "How much time?" She asked.

    "Th-they''re¡­" I paused.

    The dream figure said 10 miles¡­ not the same measurements in this world¡­ Which I think roughly translates to gilos.

    "About 10 gilos, three¡­ things are heading this way. They''re moving swiftly; we don''t have much time!"

    Isa nodded and said, "Gather your things. I''ll tell your parents."

    Isa quickly crawled out of the tent as I immediately began to grab my items and pull my boots back on.

    Within a minute, I had gathered my bedroll and was helping Varis get the tent. It was still night, from what I could tell. Probably a handful of hours of sleep. By my rough estimate, dawn wouldn''t be for another few hours.

    "Everyone, get up!" I heard my father call out. "We need to grab our gear and start moving!" I felt my heart lurch in my chest as I glanced over and saw my father going to the others'' tents and waking them.

    "Wh-what in the hell is going on?" I heard Olson ask with a yawn as he began to crawl from his tent.

    "We have company on its way to us!" Father said as I could hear Mila from the Hautchkins tent choke a sob as Herbert and his wife came out.

    Silence immediately followed as, in the distant east, a howl similar to that of a train echoed towards us. A soul-crushing sound was soon followed by another, and then a red light shot upwards from the far-off canopy down below the mountain. It was a flare that exploded in the air and, like a second sun, cast a red glow upon the world.

    "It''s them!" I heard Peter shout from further down the path whence we came.

    I hadn''t even noticed he wasn''t in the camp. I thought. Was he keeping watch?

    "The demons are coming! We need to go now, right now! They''ll be on us in minutes!"

    Minutes? But my vision said they were miles out! I felt my heart kick up a few notches as panic began to settle in.

    A second distant howl came from below as the flare drifted across the night sky towards us.

    "We know!" Father said, "Grab your items; we''re moving."

    "We don''t have time, Mr. Ashflow!" Peter said as he panted. "These creatures are fast. We need to go now."

    "We can''t just abandon our necessities."

    Peter shook his head. "Mr. Ashflow. I''ve seen these things; trust me. We need to run now."

    Father blinked and hesitated as he glanced at Varis and me, who, thankfully for having a head start, at least had our tent packed up.

    "Fuck!" He cursed. "Alright people! We go now!"

    Abandoning our camp, we quickly began to make our way through the mountain trail, with the distant, lifeless screams of the invaders following behind us.

    <hr>

    By dawn, Mr. Olson informed us that we were about halfway through the pass as the road began to narrow out. Just wide enough to fit maybe a single truck or wagon. Too narrow for my personal preference. Glancing to my left, I felt my stomach churn at the sight of nothing but a massive drop leading to a river some hundreds of feet below.

    The sounds of the Rusivite "demons" could still be heard, yet Peter was confident that such monsters couldn''t fit on the path we were on and would need to climb the mountains. Yet I''m not sure. The sounds¡ªthe train-like howl these things created¡ªseemed like they were getting louder. Yet I hoped this was simply due to the mountains amplifying the noise.

    We traveled in darkness for some time. Our feet were dragging as exhaustion due to our lack of sleep began to creep in; even Mila had stopped crying due to her being too tired as Herbert carried her on his back.

    Eventually, even Father lifted my tiny legs off the ground and carried me in his arms, which I thanked him for. Yet immediately regretted it.

    As he held me to his chest, my vision looking back, I noticed down below in the chasm along the Kenchala River, there was movement.

    "Pa-papa! Down! Down in the river!" I squealed out in fear as I pointed.

    Everyone came to a stop and glanced in the direction I was pointing. Down below, towards the river, were three massive beasts. Hulking machines made of clockwork and metal stood upon four legs, their heads boxy-like, housing a massive, single glass-like eye on their front.

    The glass eye projected forth a blue light, similar to that of a massive flashlight, as the three of them waded through the deep river waters with their spider-like limbs. The lead-fighting machine unleashed a daunting, soul-less howl as blue fire followed by black smoke erupted from the exhaust pipes on its head.

    Holy fucking shit. They''re actual death machines, and they''re massive. How deep is that river? They have to be, like, 7 or 8 yards tall.

    Yet despite moving through the difficult terrain, these monsters moved dangerously fast. If I had to guess, probably fifteen or twenty miles per hour. Faster than anyone could run. You would need at least a lone strider, or one pulling a wagon to even try and outrun these things.

    "By the divine." Father muttered. "Look how fast they''re moving." He gulped.

    "It looks like we know how they''re maneuvering so fast," Herbert said softly, and everyone else nodded.

    Father glanced back and said, "Keep it quiet. Let them move on ahead; let''s go." Father tightened his grip on me, and we continued moving on.

    <hr>

    Sometime in the afternoon, we reached the other side of the mountain pass, and what I could see was breathtaking, to say the least. A vast rolling plain, interspersed with woodland and farms, and far off we could see the Kenchala River leading into a large lake. Yet beyond that, on the far-off horizon, What I saw was a gargantuan tree. A massive, sprawling organism reached high up into the clouds, its branches extending far out.

    An Urd tree. I thought as my mouth fell open and I glanced at Varis and the Hautckins kids and saw them looking equally stunned. Yet Olson and his family, along with the rest of the adults, seemed uncaring or used to such a sight as we continued.

    Yet the peacefulness of the far-off mega-tree was soon shattered by the sounds of conflict down below the mountain. Rapid-firing machine guns tore away the silence along with the loud booms of cannon fire. Far off, I could see flashes of explosions followed by plumes of black smoke.

    It seems those three fighting machines that went by finally made contact. I thought as we began our descent down the winding path. Let''s pray that the military can kill them before we get there.

    As we made our way down the mountain, we came across another group of refugees from New Gessik. Strangers who had thankfully fled hours before the attack. There were about ten of them in total: a family of akumari, about three of them, and seven humans of varying ages. Most of them have also been strangers to each other.

    They had made camp about halfway down the mountain and were kind enough to let us rest with them as the sun began to set. The distant fighting we heard down the mountain had ceased; hopefully, this meant the fighting machines were destroyed.

    The "leader" of the new group we found was a man by the name of Paul. The strong-looking blonde human was armed with a broadsword that was strapped to his right side, yet on his left, I saw he carried a holster with a loaded cycler.

    The group had made what I knew back in my old life to be called a "Hobo fire." As in digging a pit in the ground and building a fire within the hole to hide the light of the flame. It was pleasant to sit around as we warmed ourselves up in the late evening.

    Father and Paul seemed to hit it off with each other as we ate our rations that night, and I couldn''t help but listen in.

    "We actually came from Tristem. One of the border towns when everything went to shit," Paul explained. "Like everyone else, we were naive in expecting a peaceful resolution and left too late."

    "Well, I''m glad to hear your family made it out as well." Father said, "What did you see being so close to the front?"

    "Hell," Paul said bluntly. "It was an awful shit show. Those fighting machines they have are not the only ones. There''s even bigger ones."

    "Bigger ones?" My father said he was shocked.

    Even my head perked up as I glanced at them.

    "Aye. Towering behemoths. I''m talking fifty or sixty garos tall. They towered over the Tristem clock towers, tore through buildings with every step, and cut through bridges like they were paper."

    "You''re kidding me?" Father said softly.

    Yet the other strangers shook their heads.

    "I''m not, Mr. Ashflow; they were carrying the little ones, like the ones you saw in the gorge. They unleashed them upon the town and began firing magical bolts from their heads down into the town as they strutted right in, and don''t get me started on their roar."

    "What''s up with the roar?" Varis asked, chiming into the conversation.

    Paul gulped. "It''s a sound that''ll put the fear of the gods into you."

    I took a shaky breath and shifted nervously, but stopped when I felt my mother wrap her arms around me.

    "It''ll be okay." She whispered.

    Father scratched his neck and said, "We haven''t seen any of those yet."

    "Aye, that''s because they''re too big and slow to enter the Heinland Valley. That''s why we went through it to avoid them. But if the army doesn''t stop them here, surely you''ll see them in the coming weeks." Paul sighed.

    My father took a deep breath. "What else? Did you see anything else?"

    Paul nodded. "Yes. Those little ones, they''re taking people."

    "Taking people?" Father asked. "Where?"

    "Dunno. Some of them have these baskets they''re carrying; people who can''t get away and aren''t slain are snatched by their tendrils and thrown into the baskets. I saw it when going through Knucktin the day after we fled Tristem. The machines tore through the Hein''s Guard as if they were a sheet of paper, slaughtered the soldiers, and before they could get off a second volly, when the machines entered the town, they began scooping up men, women, and children."

    I felt my heart drop, and I saw that even Varis looked horrified. I glanced over at the Hautchkins and Olsons, and everyone''s faces held a grim look.

    "This isn''t just an invasion; this is an extermination," Paul said, "just like the ultimatum said in the papers. Surrender, or risk annihilation."

    It''s a genocide. I thought.

    My father turned away from Paul and rubbed his face as he looked back down at the rolling fields and river. Far off on the horizon, I could see lights. City lights. The Metropolis of Johanneson. Still days away. Yet it was close.

    "Is there any good news?" He turned back to Paul.

    Paul nodded. "There''s one slim hope. They''re not invincible."

    "That is true," Peter said. "I never saw one die, but they can be damaged."

    "Well, I have¡ªwe have," Paul gestured to his group. "In Knucktin, we saw a magister send an ice spear through the eye of one of those monstrosities. Killing it instantly, and it detonated the magrite within, which made it blow up. Yet unfortunately, that mage was gunned down seconds later by the others. Yet his sacrifice showed these things can be killed."

    Father glanced towards Mother, who gripped me tighter and nodded. "Then at least, we stand some semblance of a chance if we encounter one of them." Father muttered and took a deep breath. "Everyone, let''s try and get some rest. Tomorrow we''ll make our way to the ferry."

    It took ages for sleep to come to me.

 Chapter 34: Down the Mountain

    "More are coming. We should be moving now."

    I jerked awake as the voice startled me. I sat up and looked around, and I saw that it was still dark and everyone was still asleep. Save for Father and Paul, who were standing near the ledge. I glanced around to see who had whispered in my ear, but I saw no one. Everyone else was sound asleep.

    I gulped nervously. "Hello?" I whispered, yet I received no response.

    Whatever that dream voice is, they weren''t wrong before. I thought as I nervously got up off my bed roll and approached my father and Paul.

    The two men silently stood there as they ate their morning rations. As I approached, Father''s left ear twitched, and he turned to look at me.

    "What is it, Luna?" He asked, "You still have a couple more hours before we get moving."

    I gulped and said, "I-I had one of those dreams again. The one Isa told you about, more are coming, it said, and we need to move now."

    "Excuse me?" Paul asked with a confused look. "Dreams?"

    Father''s face hardened, and he muttered a curse as he bit down on the last remaining piece of jerky and wiped his hands clean. "It''s a long story. Yet my little seer here has a knack for telling us when bad stuff is coming." He smiled and patted me on the head. "And I say that in a good way."

    Paul still looked immensely confused. "Okay then. What is coming?"

    I shrugged. "Most likely those machines," I muttered. "I don''t know why I know when they''re coming, but they just are."

    Father turned to Paul and said, "I''ll leave the choice of your people up to you. Though I''m going to get my folks out." Father looked at me and said, "Go wake your brother and mother; I''ll go around and get the others."

    I nodded and ran towards Varis. I got down and shook him lightly. "Varis, it''s time to get moving."

    He groaned and shifted as he reached up to rub the crust from his eyes. He opened them and said, "I-It''s still dark."

    "I know, but we need to get moving fast," I said, and his eyes widened.

    "I-Is there more of them coming?" He looked at me, and I bit my lower lip. I wanted to say no to not make him worry, but I didn''t, and I nodded.

    Without a word, he got out of his bedroll and began to roll it up. I then sneakily stepped around the others and went to Mother, who was sleeping on a spare bedroll one of the strangers provided. I bent over and gently shook her awake.

    Her face contorted a little in protest, yet after a moment, her eyes slowly began to open, and upon seeing me, a goofy smile appeared on her face: "Hello, Sweet pea." She muttered softly and went to hug me, though I stopped her.

    "I-I''m sorry, but we need to move. M-More of those things are coming," I said softly, and my mother''s face shifted to one of surprise before scowling.

    She then sighed and nodded. "Okay. Where''s your father?"

    I pointed to Papa, who was already gathering Isa and Peter, who were branching off to get the others. Mother nodded and smiled at me. "Thank you, Sweetie." She leaned up and kissed my cheek. "Go get your stuff."

    I nodded, turned around, and went back over to Varis, who was kind enough to roll up my bedroll. He handed me my bag and items, and I made sure everything was there.

    It seemed that Paul decided to heed my warning as he went around gathering his people as well. Thank God, he''s going with his gut feeling. I thought to myself but stopped as my ears twitched.

    The sound of something rippling through the air turned my attention upwards as, falling from the sky with a stream of mist trailing behind it, a large, cylinder-like object flew overhead and collided with the earth in a dense woodland at the base of the mountain. I saw the plume of smoke and debris first before the sound of the roaring impact reached us.

    For those who were asleep, they are now awake. As folk gasped and muttered to one another before finally someone said what was all on our minds, "What the fuck was that?!"

    "Some form of Rusivite artillery?" Paul muttered.

    Peter stepped past me and went towards the ledge, hands over his eyes, as he squinted towards the forest fire that was brewing in the distance around the impact site. "Bloody massive shell if that was from artillery. Gods can only dream how big the gun is that fired it."

    "How in the hell could they have gotten their artillery to the front so quickly?" Paul said it with disbelief as my father raised his voice.

    "If the Rusivites are starting their morning shelling, most likely that means they''re about to push! Everyone, we''re moving out now! Grab what you can and lets go!"

    <hr>

    As dawn''s light began to grace the world, we continued down the mountain path. Sometime after sunrise, the sound of one of those cylindrical shells flew over our heads again and pounded into the earth many, many miles ahead. Yet the shockwave of the impact was still felt as the earth trembled beneath our feet.

    Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

    It must be some massive railway gun, I thought to myself, like the Germans used in World War II, just even bigger. I bit my lower lip. It had to be something like that, right? Even in a fantasy world, there''s got to be limits to the absurdity of it all!

    "What did you see in your dream?" Isa asked, her voice snapping me out of my thoughts, and I turned to look at her as we made our way down the road.

    I thought back and tried to recall what I saw, but nothing came to mind. Only the voice.

    I shook my head. "Nothing. At least that I can remember, but I heard a voice. Like someone hovering just above my right ear," I said as I tapped my long, pointy ear.

    Isa''s face scrunched a bit as she thought and pursed her lips. "What about the night before? Anything then?"

    I thought again. "I felt like I was watching myself sleep. Then someone appeared before me, but I couldn''t see them. It was the same voice as yesterday morning." I tried to mimic the voice, forcibly lowering my voice to sound like a mountain and speaking monotonously, "Northeast, ten miles; there are three of them, and they''re coming rapidly."

    Isa''s eyes widened a bit. "Ten miles?" She thought. "I have never heard of that unit of measurement. Do you know?"

    Ah shit, I did it again. Maybe I can play it off as something from the dream? Yet even then, how would the dream know too? Do I just have an uncanny ability to sense danger? Or is someone, or something, out there guiding me? Even then, how would it know what measurements to use to guide me? Can they see my memories?

    I shrugged. "I think it''s like gilos or something. It''s just what this dream guy said."

    "Have you seen the being?" Isa asked, and I shook my head.

    "Perhaps there''s something more to your dreams than simply being awakened," Isa muttered. "Cailynn, can you slow down for a second?" Isa called my mother, who was up ahead. She stopped, looked back at us, and allowed us to catch up.

    After briefly explaining what I had told Isa, my mother stroked her chin. "It is possible to project one''s ethereal self into another''s dream. The spell alone is called Halicaster''s Dream Visit. At least he''s the first documented person to use this spell. Such a spell is very powerful; even for my tier as an Ethereal Arcon, it would take a lot out of me to even attempt to cast such a spell. Most likely meaning that whoever cast such a spell to speak to Luna would have to be a Celestial Magus."

    Isa pursed her lips once more and said, "Very few of those exist, and those that do are all within the Magus Concordium."

    I raised my hand like a child in school, and both Momma and Isa glanced at me. "If that''s the case," I said, "How would they even know about me?"

    Mother thought and sighed. "Possibly through me. Ever since I left the Concordium, I wouldn''t be surprised if the Sovereign Right or the Concodrium have been spying on me."

    Isa shook her head. "That would raise the question then as to how they would even know about Rusivite movements." She stroked her chin. "Something doesn''t seem quite right."

    Mother took a deep breath and placed both hands behind her head as she arched her back and cracked it with a small grunt. "Whatever or whoever this is," she said, stretching. "They''re helping Luna and, in turn, us. To which I owe them my thanks." She smirked and looked at me.

    I smiled and nodded happily.

    Isa took a breath. "Well, still, I would like to know who they are. Luna," she said, looking at me. "If you learn anything else, please let me know right away."

    I nodded. "Okay, I''ll try my best."

    <hr>

    As morning drifted into noon, we were starting to reach the base of the Duskland mountains. I learned from my mother that we were entering the aptly named "Duskwood," which looked just as creepy as it sounded. The trees here, I learned, were called Cadances due to the noise the trees make in the breeze. They were covered in small, little holes, like woodpecker homes, which, when the wind blew, made a sound like that of blowing over the lip of a bottle. It was quite soothing, to be honest. As the mountain breeze came from above and over the trees, the woods came to life like a symphony.

    Yet this symphony would soon be interrupted as, over our heads, the sound of rippling air, followed by the screeching impact of another cylinder striking the earth just miles away from us, now sent us all diving to the ground as the shockwave and trembling earth slammed into us.

    "By the gods!" I heard Father and Mr. Olson shout as we all slowly got to our feet and looked to the north. We could see a mushroom cloud peaking over the tree line.

    "That one landed nearby," Herbert muttered as he grabbed Mila, who was sobbing once again.

    "Aye," Mr. Olson said as he checked over his kids and wife. "I have no idea what they''re aiming for, but we should keep moving."

    "Agreed," Father said. "We should be able to reach the ferry crossing come nightfall." He pushed himself to his feet.

    I took a deep breath, stood up, and checked on Varis, who was already pushing himself up.

    Mr. Olson reached into his bag and pulled out his map. "If memory serves me right, the path we were taking should take us near one of the impact sites we saw up on the mountain."

    "It might be best we avoid it then," Father said. "I have no idea what could''ve been in those large shells."

    "Aye." Olson nodded in agreement.

    I felt my mother pat me on the back. "How are you? Did you hurt yourself?" I shook my head. "No, I''m okay. I just scraped my knee a little when diving down."

    Mother nodded and straightened up. After we finished checking on each other, Father checked in on Paul''s people, and everyone was all set.

    We traveled for a few more hours, with the afternoon bleeding into the evening. Another one of those cylindrical pods came crashing down, though this one was much to the northwest. We were able to reach the edge of the Duskwoods and have now made it to the wide rolling fields and farmland.

    Father instructed that we make a detour once we reached this point, as up ahead, we saw a crater. From where we stood at the edge of the forest, I could faintly see what looked to be a large cylinder jutting from the earth. It''s black and silver, and on it, the red paint of a bear partially sticks out from the dirt.

    What the fuck is that, some kind of bomb? I wondered as I squinted at the distant object. From where we were, I knew whatever that thing was¡ªit was massive. The amount of energy an object would need to get propelled here must''ve been immense.

    "We''re going to cut through the fields. The trek will be rough, so keep an eye out for any holes or covered rocks. I''d hate for someone to trip and break their leg." Father said to us, and word was passed down the line.

    The trip was going to take a little bit longer due to our detour. As we continued off-road, I spotted military convoys blocking much of the road as soldiers began to arrive at the impact site we were maneuvering around.

    I bit my lower lip as we continued moving and tried not to pay too much attention to the large object that now sat ominously on the horizon of my vision. Gradually, as time went on, the sun began to set as we clambered over a large hill, and upon reaching its peak, a new town came into view on the coast of Kenchala Lake. The town was packed and brimming with people, and the distant sound of a foghorn perked my attention as we could hear distant shouting and constable whistles.

    People are rushing to get the hell out of here, like us. I thought to myself.

    "We made it to Kassel," Father said softly as we reached the top. He pointed down to a grove between us and the town. "Once we get through those trees, we should be clear." He pointed to the edge of town. "The military has much of this place cordoned off and fortified. Hopefully, that should stop anything that gets near us."

    "One can hope," Isa said softly.

    With a deep breath and sore legs, we made our way down the slope of the hill and towards the grove, hoping we could reach the ferry to get out of there.

 Chapter 35: The Battle of Kassel Part One

    It was nightfall by the time we arrived at the borders of Kassel, a town on the shore of the Kenchala Lake. As we approached the edges of town, I could hear what sounded like a large concert beyond the buildings. The sound of distant jazz, along with a chorus of voices and shouting children, as we drew nearer, we were stopped by a group of soldiers who had dug a deep trench line between the tree line and the town''s edge. With their weapons drawn on us as they approached, we all halted and raised our hands.

    "We''re armed but friendly!" Father gave them a heads-up as the soldiers rushed towards us.

    The men and women came between us, their hands patting us all down, and I heard my mother and a few of the other women in our group shout at the men.

    "Watch where you''re touching me!"

    Even I had some hands clamping down along my sides and chest as the soldiers made sure we possessed nothing overtly dangerous aside from a few of the men''s firearms.

    "Apologies for the rough greeting." An officer said that as the soldier patting me down moved onto another, I looked up and saw the one who was speaking. She was a well-decorated and well-dressed woman with a fancy peak cap. She held her gloved hands behind her back as she looked over at us. "We''ve had a handful of Rusivite collaborators sneaking into town through the grove lately, so we can''t be too careful."

    As the soldiers finished searching through everyone, I heard a light scuffle as Peter cursed as one of the soldiers pushed him up front towards the woman.

    "I''m moving; no need to shove me." Peter grumbled and looked at the officer.

    "Corporal Peter Lochte, ma''am. I was with the Fifth Brigade at the front." He saluted her.

    She saluted him back. "At ease, you must''ve been through a lot if you came this far." Her eyes scanned him from head to toe. "Judging by your appearance, I take it you saw your fair share."

    Peter nodded. "Aye, I have. It was hell." He said it gruffly.

    The woman nodded. "I won''t deny that. Corporal, follow me. As for the rest of you," she glanced at the rest of us. "You all also look like you''ve been through hell." She motioned for the group to follow her. "Welcome to Kassel. We may be able to get you beds set up in the refugee quarters if you plan on waiting for the ferry to get across the lake."

    "Waiting?" Father blinked as we all followed her and a few of the soldiers. "Don''t you have any boats ready to take more across?"

    The woman laughed. "We do. We have six ferries running. Two are en route between destinations, while two pick up and two drop off. We''ve been making a few dozen trips a day, but I don''t know if you can hear the commotion, but we have what I last heard to be over a thousand people wanting to get out of the province."

    "How many people can a ship carry?" Father asked the woman as we stepped over the wooden walkways placed over the trenches, which were filled with dozens of men and women keeping watch. All of them looked tired and filthy, and further down, I could see a few more cleaning large field cannons surrounded by sandbags and barrels. Yet as we went by, I turned my attention back forward.

    "Comfortably, a hundred. Though we''ve been filling them up to about a hundred and fifty, each hour and a half we send off about three hundred people. Yet more keep arriving by the hour." The woman explained as she led us through the trench lines and into the edges of town. "If things continue to go smoothly come morning, we should have a majority of the current people out." She said it positively.

    The pessimist in me tells me she''s saying that to make us feel better. I thought.

    As we entered the town, we saw how packed the place was. Shops and churches were gutted and refitted as living quarters; tents were pitched up around every corner, along with soup kitchens. Down the main street leading to the docks, there was a massive line of people waiting for what I saw to be a large steamboat pulling into port and docking.

    The ship''s horn bellowed loudly as it came to a stop. Crew members lowered the gangplanks, and a woman''s voice echoed from the ship.

    "To anyone seeking to evacuate, please report to the HSS Fellowship for immediate evacuation. We currently have room for one hundred and fifty souls."

    The officer leading us stopped and turned as she gestured to the mass of people waiting in line to board. "This is where we part." She nodded to my father. "I hope from here your journey is safe; may the Seven bless you."

    "Wait, before you go." Papa stopped her. "How long does it take for the boat to cross the lake?"

    The woman thought for a second. "About an hour and a half, maybe a little under."

    Father nodded to her and said, "Thanks."

    She then held up a hand. "If you need a place to rest, The Tilted Tavern is just down the road." She pointed. "They should be able to accommodate you; like most taverns, they''re still open even during these times." She chuckled. "Though I heard the owners are letting people stay for free."

    Father blinked, and even I said, "Excuse me?"

    Tilted Tavern? Like the one in New Gessik? Is this a bit? A Franchise?

    The woman glanced at me and said, "The Tilted Tavern." She pointed again.

    Mother placed a hand on my and Father''s shoulders. "Don''t question it," she said suspiciously.

    That doesn''t sound ominous. Maybe it''s just another tavern with a similar name?

    Papa shook his head. "Thank you, but I think we''ll wait."

    With that, the woman nodded her head and began to walk away, but stopped upon seeing Peter behind Isa. "Corporal, come with me; the Colonel will want to speak with you."

    Peter glanced at the rest of us and sighed as he looked at the woman. "Please hold for a second, ma''am." Peter said this to her and turned back to us. "It looks like this is where we part ways for now. Hopefully, I''ll see you all on the other side." He turned toward Isa and bowed. "Thank you for saving me that day." He then turned to my parents and also bowed, "And thank you, Mr. and Mrs. Ashflow, for taking me in." He then glanced at me and Varis and gave us a simple wave before turning to follow the officer back towards the trench lines.

    "Good kid," Father muttered. "I hope they give him an easy position somewhere away from the front."

    I nodded as well and noticed that Paul and his group were walking up to us. Paul came over to my father and shook his hand. "Pleasure meeting you, Mr. Ashflow." He said this as their hands gripped tightly and they patted each other on the shoulder. "My friends and I are going to be heading off. We''ll be continuing a bit south of here once we cross the lake."

    My father smiled and gripped the man on the shoulder. "It was nice meeting you too. Best of luck, and I hope you find what you''re looking for."

    Paul nodded, and soon, our group dwindled back down to its original size as Paul and his group disappeared into the bustling crowd.

    Father turned back to the rest of us and said, "Well. Let''s go find a spot to wait before it''s taken."

    <hr>

    We slowly made our way down Main Street, our shoulders bumping and bouncing off of the waddling sea of refugees.

    "Please come forward calmly." A soldier shouted as he made his way down an open walkway alongside the crowd. "The boats can make more than one trip!" He waved us along.

    "Soup! Fill your bellies!" A woman shouted from a nearby stand. "We have plenty of soup to go around!" She called out as we walked by the stand.

    As we continued down the road, I saw a large bulletin board covered in photographs and portraits of smiling people of all races. On top of the board is written, "Have you seen me?" And I felt my heart sink as I saw dozens of elderly men, women, and children listed on it.

    "If you have a missing loved one or relative, come forth!" A purple-skinned Akumari shouted beside the board. "Place a photograph and any information on how to contact you. If you don''t have a photo, our character artist can help you sketch a description."

    I stood beside my mother and Isa as we all stood close together, gripping each other gently as the massive crowd of people gradually moved toward the steamboats. The sound of calming jazz music echoed across the town, and out of curiosity, I glanced around to see where the music was coming from. It wasn''t until my eyes landed on what I thought was a light post. A tall cast iron pole with a blue sphere on top of it glowed brightly, its brightness adjusting with the sound of the music that came from it.

    I smiled upon seeing it and noted how interesting it was as my attention turned back to my parents and Isa, who were muttering to each other. I could hardly hear them over the crowd, which shuffled and bumped us occasionally. I turned to see that behind us, men and women of all races and classes marched together. I saw men dressed in fancy garb, the rich bumping shoulders with farmers and peasants. Like me, I saw young children who were confused and oblivious to everything happening around them. Clutching the hands and fingers of their parents. Nearby, I saw a man arguing with soldiers about bringing his strider aboard the ship.

    "Please move forward calmly; the boats can make more than one trip." I heard the soldier shout to the crowd.

    I felt Varis grab my hand gently, and he said, "I don''t like how crowded it is," into my ear.

    I glanced at him and nodded. "It''s only temporary. Once we get on the boats, we''ll be out of here in no time."

    He nodded. "I wonder what the city is going to be like." He said.

    Avdol, who was right behind him, spoke up and said, "Most likely crowded as well. Father and I have been to Johanneson once; there''re so many people there."

    Varis and I glanced at him. "Have you been there?" I asked.

    He nodded. "The place is massive. Super tall buildings and hundreds of people in the streets." Avdol gestured around us. "Not this bad, but it can get hectic. There''s even those ''automobile'' things there too."

    "Automobiles?" Varis said with a tilt of his head. "Like those box things the soldiers use?"

    Avdol nodded. "Sort of. Though they''re smaller, Father said they''re called ''taxis''. They take you around the town."

    Seeing Varis''s shocked face at the idea of a taxi made me smirk. Some days I wonder what it''d be like if I could take my family to my old world. I chuckled to myself.

    The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

    Avdol chuckled. "Father and I never rode in one, though; we used the trains instead."

    "You''ve been on a train?!" Varis gasped and smiled. "What was it like?"

    Avdol smirked and said, "It was super cool. It rattled a lot inside, but it was super fast!"

    Seeing the two boys chat relieved me. It was nice to see them act more normal since things started. With a content sigh, I glanced away from them and noticed something a bit strange.

    "Please move forward calmly; the boats can make more than one trip!" The soldier''s voice echoed in my mind.

    I saw a large flock of birds flying over, heading to the west over the lake. It was a massive flock, so much so that I could hear them alongside the bustling crowd around me. I felt my chest tighten as I partly had a hunch as to what this was. Many years ago, in my old nature science class in my old life, I recall learning how animals fled from danger and when such a large group moved at once. Something bad was coming.

    "Keep it moving, people; don''t rush, but don''t stop either!" The soldier shouted. "Please move forward calm¡ª"

    As if on cue, a distant boom echoed, followed by another, and another, and another. Lit up the horizon line behind us to the east. The entire crowd fell silent as my stomach jumped into my throat, and I turned back to see the grove on the edge of town lit with flames. Another bang, followed by another, echoed as the sounds of cannons fired were followed by distant shouts and rifle fire.

    "Make way! Make way!" A group of a dozen soldiers shouted as they pushed their way through the crowd and they made their way towards the explosions.

    I felt Mother''s hand aggressively take hold of me and yank me to her side as the soldiers pushed past my family, separating us from Varis, Father, and the rest of our group.

    "Hey!" Mother shouted as the soldiers pushed past us.

    "Cailynn!" Father shouted over the soldier''s head. "Get to the boat! We''ll meet you there!"

    "Stay calm!" Another soldier shouted as a second wave of cannon fire deafened the town. "Do not panic!"

    "Get on the boat." I heard a man''s voice in my head.

    I gripped my mother''s hand. "Momma, we should get moving," I said, looking up at her as she.

    "Start moving now." The voice snarled.

    I gripped my mother''s hand and began to move forward, pulling her along.

    "Luna, what''re you doing?" My mother gasped.

    "We need to run!" I said as I pulled her, yet Mother resisted.

    "We can''t; your father and Varis are¡ª"

    The ground suddenly heaved, and the hundreds of people around us screamed in terror as the windows of nearby shops rattled and shattered. I stumbled forward, my face slamming into the back of a stranger as my mother tumbled behind me. A loud explosion deafened our ears.

    Panic swept through the crowd like wildfire as people began to scream and stampede towards the boats. I tried to straighten myself, yet the sea of terrified people pushed and shoved me before slamming me into the ground. I tried to scream for help as I felt the heavy weight of feet slamming down onto my legs and back, crushing my ribs and spine. I gasped and cried as I shielded my head and face with my arms.

    Suddenly, amongst the stampede, I felt someone''s hands grab onto me and yank me off the ground.

    "Get up! Get up!" A familiar yet panicked voice shouted as the person began to carry me among the ocean of screaming refugees.

    My vision swung and blurred as I frantically looked among the sea of people, trying to find the face of my mother or anyone from my family. Finally, my eyes landed on the face of the one who saved me.

    "P-Peter?!" I gasped as the young soldier carried me through the crowd. When did he get here?! I thought as he pushed and forced his way through the crowd with me as we moved with the flow toward the boats.

    "Hang on! For the love of the gods, do not let go!" Peter shouted to me over the roaring of the fear-stricken crowd.

    Over the screams, the sounds of machine gun and rifle fire echoed, along with more cannons. Among the cacophony of noise, a haunting howl rippled through the air, like a chorus of lifeless voices that sent fear directly into our hearts. The crowd went into an absolute frenzy upon hearing the roar. Men and women shoved, kicked, and cried as the crowd stampeded towards the boats.

    "Cover your ears!" Peter screamed, and I did just that. I blocked out the sound of the haunting cry as I sobbed upon seeing the fear-stricken faces of everyone around me.

    Looking back in the direction of the fighting, at the end of the street, a blinding flash of light ripped across the road. Like a massive searchlight, it panned upwards, and I watched in horror as those caught within the light screamed with agony as their bodies erupted into flame before bursting into ash.

    The buildings on either side of the road were quick to suddenly catch fire. The brick foundations buckled under the immense pressure and heat before bursting outwards as this spotlight of death swept across them. I watched as people cried and ducked out of the way of the ash and rubble as buildings left and right began to crumple and be set ablaze.

    My heart slammed against my ribs and echoed in my ears. I slapped Peter on the back as I screamed, "Momma! Papa! Varis!" I cried as my eyes scanned over the panicked faces of the crowd.

    "We are casting off!" A voice boomed up ahead, and the loud fog horn of the steamboats bellowed loudly. "Cast off now! We need to leave!"

    "Just hold on!" Peter shouted. "Stop squirming!"

    "My family!" I screamed. "Momma! Pappa!" I shifted in Peter''s arm.

    I don''t want to be alone in this; please, please, God, don''t let this happen!

    "Get to the boat." The voice said angrily.

    Not without my family!

    At the edge of Main Street, amongst the burning rubble, massive metallic feet thumped against the burning cobblestone. Through the thick smoke, a bright white light shone on us, and I cried and shielded my eyes as the Rusivite fighting machine unleashed another deathly howl. A few soldiers within the crowd opened fire upon the machine, the energy bolts cast from their rifles plinking off the machine''s hull harmlessly.

    "We''re halfway there!" Peter shouted to me as I looked through the cracks in my fingers and saw the towering metal monster''s head open on the sides.

    Protruding out of the openings, six massive guns unfurled, and I cried, "Get down!"

    Gripping my legs and back, I felt weightless as Peter dove forward, and I screamed as he covered my head as we hit the cobblestone, just as a massive torrent of gunfire unleashed upon the screaming crowd and soldiers.

    As we struck the hard ground, I felt the wind get knocked from my lungs as Peter grunted and began to roll out of the way of incoming people. His back slammed against the curb of the road, and he briefly released me before taking my hand and yanking me up onto the sidewalk.

    Hundreds of red bolts of energy ripped the air over our heads, slamming into windows, walls, and people. It was as if the world had gone into slow motion as I watched helpless people get struck in the back by the hot red rounds of magrite. I watched as their backs, torsos, and heads erupted in a red mist. Faces and heads blossomed out as bullets pierced the flesh and shattered brains, smattering the cobblestones and those around them with sickly gore as their bodies folded over each other.

    My eyes widened in fear, and I screamed with abject horror as Peter yanked me onto the sidewalk and said, "Don''t look at it! Run! Run!" He pulled me towards a nearby alley, out of the direct line of fire.

    "Wh-why is this happening?!" I screamed. "I want to go home!"

    "I know you do, but we can''t!" Peter and I began to move down the alley, yet suddenly, back where we were, a stream of searing heat illuminated the alley, and we glanced back to see a ray of fire shoot toward the fighting machine.

    A loud explosion, followed by a blinding flash of blue light, caused the ground to heave suddenly as the gunfire stopped.

    "Get to the boats!" I heard my mother scream. "Rally the men, protect the refugees!"

    "Th-that''s my mother," I said to Peter as he held on to me. "Sh-she killed it! She killed it!"

    I tried to yank myself free, yet Peter gripped me tightly. "She may have killed that one, but there''s more! I saw them! It''s too dangerous out there for kids!"

    I yanked harder to get away, yet his grip was too tight. "I''m not a kid! Let me go!"

    "No!" Peter shouted. "I''m not letting another child die!" Peter said as he pulled me back. "We need to get to the boats before they leave!"

    Peter shouted as we heard soldiers and people cheering in the streets.

    "We have a magister at our side!"

    "We might actually win this!"

    Yet more deathly howls came from the direction of the burning grove; metallic thumping and the sound of snapping trees could be heard as more of those metal monsters approached the town.

    Peter yanked me back once more, and I screamed with fury as I shot my hand down to my belt. I gripped my wand and yanked it out. In a swift motion, I turned back to him and shouted without a second thought.

    "Gust!"

    Suddenly, a whirl of wind blasts forth from my wand, striking the young soldier in the chest, sending him careening back and slamming into the brick wall. His head cracked against the wall, and his eyes widened before he lolled as he slumped down the wall.

    My heart raced, and my eyes widened. "S-Sorry!" I squeaked.

    I stumbled towards him and checked, and thankfully, his head wasn''t bleeding, and he was still breathing. He was simply knocked out cold. I took a deep breath and said, "Sorry. Sorry. Sorry."

    I stumbled back and ran out into the street, gasping as I saw the entire main road littered with the bodies of the dead. Hundreds of corpses upon bloodied corpses piled over each other, leading to the steamboats, which were quickly raising the gangplanks as others on the docks fought to get on.

    I wanted to vomit. To puke my guts out right there in the field and run back into the alley. Yet I needed to find my mother, father, or anyone else. I panted heavily as I looked back towards the boats and columns of soldiers taking up defensive positions as four orcish men pushed what looked to be field cannons into position.

    "Form a firing line!" Mother''s voice came from above. I glanced up to see she was on top of a nearby general store. "Don''t let them near the boats."

    "Listen to the Moonweaver!" A burly dwarf in an officer''s uniform shouted. "You heard her; aim for the eye!"

    "Aim for the eye!" The soldiers repeated down the line.

    "Momma!" I screamed as I ran out onto the open road.

    Yet that was a mistake.

    Right as I ran into the clearing, a fighting machine tore through the central building at the end of Main Street. Ripping through the structure as if it weren''t even there, throwing debris everywhere, the machine howled as if enraged.

    "Fire!" The dwarf shouted, and in response, the two field cannons opened up. Merely inches from my head, two blue bolts of arcane shells screamed over me.

    I cried and dropped onto the corpse pile as the shells slammed into the Rusivite death machine. As if howling in pain, the monstrosity roared as the first shell impacted its front left leg, the second striking it right into the center of its glassy eye. The machine howled with what seemed like agony as it stumbled back into the rubble.

    "Small arms! Open fire!"

    Suddenly, the street was once again filled with the sound of gunfire as the line of infantrymen opened fire with their rifles, and I screamed and kept my head down as the bullets whizzed over my head.

    "You''re wasting time. Get to the boat."

    "Not without Mother!" I cried at whatever was speaking to me.

    Yet something grabbed my leg, and I screamed, yanked my leg forward, and glanced back. Behind me, they were lying on the ground in their blood. A human woman sputtered. Her eyes were glossy and hazy, and she reached out to me, mouthing something.

    "He-helkp myee¡­" She sputtered, reaching out with her bloodied fingers. "Am-Amelia¡­"

    Tears poured down my cheeks as I sobbed and shook my head. "I-I''m sorry¡­ I''m sorry!" I turned away from her and began to crawl over the bodies as the soldiers continued to suppress the massive monster.

    The machine roared once more as it regained its footing. The massive hole in its glassy eye shot sparks of blue energy as it began to limp toward the soldiers. Their bullets ricocheted off of the monster''s metallic hide as they continued shooting.

    Yet just as it straightened up, the cannons spoke again. Two massive booms deafened me as both shells struck true, slamming the creature in its glassy face, and spectacular fashion, the creature exploded in a blue and yellow fireball!

    "Huzzah!" The dwarf shouted, and the soldiers cheered. "They can be killed; they can be beaten!"

    The refugees aboard the boats also began to cheer victoriously as the steamboats blew their horns in celebration.

    "Momma!" I screamed as I stood up out of the corpse pile. "Momma!"

    "Luna!" Mother shouted from the top of the building and leaped off of it. I gasped as she fell, but before hitting the ground, she held her arms out, and a massive gust of wind hit the ground, slowing her descent and allowing her to land safely.

    "By the divine, you''re alive!" She ran over to me and wrapped her arms around me. "I-I was so caught up with what was going on; I missed you when we fell. Are you okay? Are you hurt?"

    "Yes, I''m okay." I sniffed and gripped her tightly. "Wh-where''s everyone else?"

    "I don''t know; I lost them too. Your father, he said, he was¡ª"

    Before Mother could finish the sentence, more howls alerted us to even more fighting machines that were fast approaching. The sky suddenly lit up with the light from a blue and green flare that shot up from the grove, and in the distance, we heard more howls in response.

    They''re calling for reinforcements. I thought.

    "Indeed. The soldiers have bought you more time. Get aboard the ship."

    Who are you?

    "You know who I am. Or at least you will again. Just move."

    Mother grabbed me by the hands. "Come, we need to get you aboard the ship. Isa should be aboard the one there." Momma pointed to the HSS Fellowship. "I saw her get to it safely. "

    "What about you?" I asked softly as the soldiers began to quickly get into position and fortify. More cannons were brought forth, and I saw the dwarf shout towards a few men setting up a very, very large rifle.

    "I''m going to do my best to buy us some time and search for your brother and father." Mother explained as we walked briskly to the boat, where only one gangplank was left. "The soldiers won''t be able to hold them off without magical assistance. If anything happens, you and Isa are to go to Johanneson and find Aenorin Sartosi; he is your uncle, my brother. You will find him at 18th Star Lane. He and his family will take care of you."

    "I-I don''t want anything to happen to you." I said as we stopped beside the gangplank.

    Mother turned and knelt. "I know, sweetie, but please. Do this for me."

    I sniffed and cried softly as I wiped my eyes. Hesitantly, I nodded.

    "We''re raising the plank! Last call!" A man aboard the ship shouted to us.

    Mother stood and gently pushed me towards the bridge and said, "I love you. I will find you!"

    I stumbled onto the bridge and cried as I began to slowly go up it. "Come on, little lady, please hurry. You''ll be safe here." A soldier rushed me, and I began to quicken my pace as I boarded the vessel.

    The soldier raised the plank, and one of them went to a strange funnel-like device on the wall. He grabbed a wheel and began cranking it rapidly before speaking into the funnel.

    "Planks are up! We''re clear for cast off!"

    "Roger that." A muffled voice replied, and soon the boat''s horn sounded, and the entire ship lurched as it began to move¡­

 Chapter 36: Battle of Kassel Part Two

    As the ship lurched forward and began to move away from shore, I turned to look overboard and saw my mother standing on the dock before turning away as an explosion rocked the town, followed by another, and another!

    "Blimey, they''re firing rockets into the town!" I heard someone shout as I saw bright streaks of light shooting upwards along the horizon on the other end of town before arcing down and slamming into already burning buildings.

    I whined and turned away as the sound of fighting began to build up again, and I pushed my way through the densely packed ship.

    "Isa! Isa!" I shouted and grabbed a stranger''s hand. "Mister, have you seen a serelli lady? Her name is Isa."

    The older human glanced down at me and shook his head. "N-No, dear. I have not seen anyone like that." He grabbed his hat and pulled it down over his face.

    I next approached a woman clutching a sobbing baby. "I''m sorry, I don''t know who you speak of." She told me as she gripped her baby tighter.

    Then an elderly lady who was tightly holding her cane. "Oh, you poor thing, where are your parents?" She raised her head toward me.

    I moaned and kept moving, pushing my way past more people as I searched for her. I moved to the front end of the ship, where I found a set of white stairs leading to what I assumed to be the helm and began to climb them to get a clear overhead view.

    Yet as I neared the top of the stairs, I heard a familiar voice. "Luna?" I turned to see at the bottom of the steps a battered and beaten Isa, her face and alabaster polo caked in blood, mud, and dust.

    I nearly tripped down the steps as I turned to run towards her. I practically leaped into her arms, and she caught me and held me close. She pressed my face tightly into her bosom as she audibly purred and nuzzled the top of my head.

    "I thought I lost all of you," she said with a shaky breath.

    "I thought so too!" I cried.

    "Where''s your mother?" She asked me.

    I pulled my face off her chest and wiped my eyes. "She stayed back; she''s helping the soldiers buy more time for us while searching for Papa and Varis."

    Isa bit her lip and smiled sadly. "Always was a hero that Cailynn."

    "How did this happen?" I choked a little. "We were ahead¡­ How did they get here so fast?" I sniffed and wiped my eyes some more.

    Isa swallowed hard. "I don''t exactly know, but I think it was those cylinders. That''s the only way I can think of." Isa shuddered. "Those weren''t bombs. At least, I think."

    I sniffed and whimpered. "Do you think Momma will survive?" I asked.

    "Of course she will," Isa said calmly. "Your mother and father used to be wonderful adventurers. Almost heroes in some areas of the world. Both of them have been through a lot; they know how to take care of themselves and others." She smiled. "Your mother will be okay; as of right now, we need to focus on the now."

    I nodded. "So what do we do now?" I asked softly.

    "Well, we wait and cross the lake." Isa smirked and poked me gently. "Everything will be okay. I promise¡ª"

    "WATCH OUT!"

    Some near the end of the ship shouted, and I heard screams as suddenly something rammed into the rear of the boat, which sent a shockwave of heat and energy forward, which knocked Isa and me over as the vessel lurched upwards.

    Screams filled the air as people began to clamber to their feet the boat let off a loud groan like a beast in pain and began to turn.

    "What happened!" Was a phrase I heard people shouting, yet I think the answer was clear: another rocket that illuminated the sky above arched downwards. I gasped as the missile slammed into the water beside the boat before detonating. The shockwave rammed the boat once more, this time rocking it heavily to the side! Spraying the deck with steaming water and debris.

    "Fire on the top deck! Fire on the top deck!" I heard a booming voice echo out from one of the many funnel-like intercoms, and a claxon horn began to sound.

    Isa gripped onto me tightly as we got up and ran to the edge of the boat, and looking back, we saw further down, towards the rear of the ship, a massive inferno blaze. I could hear screaming coming from within, and my heart sank as I watched a few people who were on fire leap off the side of the boat and into the murky black water below.

    "Why?! Why?! We''re not fighting them!" I cried. We''re noncombatants; we''re fleeing! Why are they trying to kill us?!

    "The engine''s on fire! Get the lifeboats! Lifeboats!" I heard one of the sailors shout as he began smacking his colleagues back into focus. "The boat is going to blow; we need to get these people out¡ª"

    A loud eruption of red and blue fire rocketed into the air as the entire boat lurched upward, blasting us with another heated shockwave! Isa gripped me tightly, and we screamed as the boat lifted before coming down as the engine of the ship detonated.

    Men and women dove from the boat as the ship began to capsize. "I-I can''t swim!" I screamed as Isa held me.

    "You''ll have to try and learn now!" She said to me, "Just hold onto me!"

    "The ship is tipping; we won''t be able to get the lifeboats ready in time!" I heard someone shout, and more and more people began to dive from the vessel into the black depths. Another man screamed with agony as he fell onto the deck of the ship, his clothes engulfed in red and blue fire as others began to smack him with loose cloth, attempting to beat out the flames. A woman nearby clutched her screaming baby; she too was sobbing uncontrollably.

    "It doesn''t matter!" I heard a sailor shout. "We''ll hail the Tatiana! Till then, we abandon ship! Abandon ship!"

    As the ship began to slowly list, Isa had to lightly smack me back into focus as I stood there, stunned. She then turned and motioned for me to climb onto her back.

    "That bag you have, is that the one Cailynn gave you?" She asked me and nodded slowly, unable to speak as I watched people around us panicking or diving overboard. "Excellent. We may need it here."

    Hesitantly, I clung to Isa''s back as the ship continued to lurch to its side. I did my best to block out the sounds of the screaming and sobbing people around me, yet it was impossible. Not too far off, I saw the other steamboat chugging along, and for a second, I despised it as envy filled me as I watched the others safely onboard watching us. Yet as quickly as that feeling came, it vanished when I noticed lights in the water.

    Three blue and white lights shimmered beneath the water, rapidly moving towards the ship. With fear gripping me, I patted Isa on the shoulder and pointed to them, and I saw her eyes fill with dread.

    "By the gods¡­" was all she muttered when suddenly three fighting machines jettisoned themselves out of the water, their metallic tendrils shooting outward like grappling hooks and latching onto the vessel as they yanked themselves from the water. Like a robotic Kraken, the machines entangled the ship as they forced themselves on board, their glass-like eyes opening, and from them came the dreaded incinerating light.

    This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source.

    Within seconds, the boat was engulfed in fire and screams as the few soldiers on board attempted to fight back with their rifles, but as soon as the light shone upon them, the guns fell silent and were instead replaced with screams of agony.

    "They''re in the water; they''re in the fucking water!" I began to panic as Isa gripped me tightly.

    By this point, the boat was nearly vertical, and Isa said, "Take a deep breath."

    And so, we did. Swallowing as much air as we could, Isa pushed off the boat, and we dove into the frigid water. It was pitch black beneath the waves. The cold felt like thousands of needles were piercing my flesh as Isa began to make a break for the surface.

    I held onto her as tightly as I could, and I tried not to open my eyes, yet fear took hold, and I did. And immediately regretted it. Beneath us, two more blue and white lights pierced the darkness, and I began to panic and nudge Isa just as we broke the surface of the water.

    I gasped and cried. "They''re beneath us! Beneath us!"

    As Isa trod the water, she glanced around at the other people who had dove into the water around us. A man who was treading in the water next to us gasped and shrieked.

    "S-something touched my leg¡ª" Before he could finish, we watched as he was abruptly yanked beneath.

    "Shit!" Isa cursed and quickly began to swim ahead as people began to scream and panic all around us. "Luna, that bag."

    "Y-yeah?" I asked, looking back and gasping as I watched another woman and a man be yanked beneath the waves, and I cried.

    "If we get grabbed, I need you to turn it inside out under water, facing that monster!" She shouted that she continued to swim not towards Kassel but towards the shores along its edges.

    "They''re in the water! In the water!" A woman screamed, which caused more people around us to panic in the water.

    "I can''t swim! I can''t swim!" A young boy screamed.

    "Help us! Somebody help us¡ª" A man nearby was silenced as he was yanked beneath the water.

    Isa cursed and continued to swim harder as she began to pant and huff. I began to think I needed to help. I needed to do something. This entire journey, I''ve been useless.

    What can I do?! I''m just a fucking kid. How can I do anything? All I know is simple little spells, and I¡­

    That''s it.

    "I-Isa!" I said, "I-I know what I can do."

    The woman grunted as she tiredly continued to swim as quickly as she could. Her face was focused yet also fearful. She blinked, glanced back at me, and said, "What?"

    I grabbed my wand. "I can launch us." I gulped nervously.

    In front of us, a tendril shot up out of the water over a helpless elven woman who screamed as it crashed back down onto her, forcibly dragging her beneath the waves, causing Isa to curse loudly and backpedal away from the monster.

    Just then, its tendrils pierced the surface of the waves again and spun towards us. "Whatever it is, do it now!" Isa shouted fearfully, without a second thought. I focused on the spell I wanted to cast, and like in the alley, I aimed to our side and shouted the words.

    "Gust!"

    A surge of tingling energy shot throughout my body, up my arm, and into my wand as the ruby tip burned brightly as I imagined a surge of wind blowing towards us, and in a flash, a cold and powerful wind rammed into us, throwing us out of the path of the tendril!

    I gripped Isa tightly as the wind lifted us out of the water, carrying us about ten feet off the ground as it threw us in the air, and before I knew it, we crashed into the water! I clung to her for dear life as we spiraled beneath the waves, yet after a second, Isa regained her bearings and swam for the surface.

    Piercing the water, we both gulped down as much air as we could and gasped. "Oh, you''re such a little genius!" Isa said as she spat water from her mouth and tread, yet as she turned around to figure out where we were, a second tendril shot up from the water.

    Before Isa could even tell me, I was already casting the spell once again, and I shouted, "Gust!"

    A second gust, even more powerful than the first, threw us back and out of the water towards land! Yet I had overcalculated. The gust threw us so hard that we slammed into the water with a wet clap, and both mine and Isa''s backs hit the ground as we landed in the shallow waters!

    Stars flashed before my eyes, and all the air was knocked from my lungs, and I instinctively breathed in, swallowing water down into my lungs. In a panic, I kicked and tried to swim, but I felt someone grab my hand and yank me onto the shore. I gasped and sputtered as I felt someone clapping me on the back, and I vomited the water back onto the rocky shore.

    I coughed and groaned as I inhaled as much air as I could, and I looked up to see a soaked Isa holding me tight. "Are you okay? That was brilliant!" She praised me, and I nodded.

    "Y-Yeah¡­ I just put too much effort into it." I coughed.

    A distant claxon alarm echoed from both the ships and the town as far-off screams and gunfire continued to echo from the town. The two of us turned to see much of Kassel in flames as a few explosions¡ªsome blue, others red¡ªfired upwards in the sky as the battle raged on. A distant howl of more fighting machines reached us as I saw from the tree line, seven of them coming into view on the distant parallel shore. Four of them marched into the water of the lake, the others converging on the town.

    However, a few more people lucky enough to get out of the water met up with us on shore. Yet many of them did not stay; they clambered on all fours, faces vacant of any emotion as they quickly got to their feet and stumbled into the woodland, running for their lives. Men and women of all races and classes quickly scrambled to safety. A lone girl walked on shore, a teenager, her expression shocked as she simply stumbled towards the trees.

    "H-How are we going to get across the river?" I asked as I shuddered. The cool spring combined with my soaked clothes made me shiver.

    Isa opened her waterlogged bag and cursed softly as she checked her gear and zipped it back shut. "If memory serves me right, further west there''s a bridge. Yet with how fast the Rusivites are going, they''ll be right on our heels."

    I whimpered softly as Isa continued. "Another route would be to find a boat. There are plenty of fishing villages. Yet with them in the water like that¡­ I don''t know how safe that''ll be."

    So, we''re fucked.

    "No. Not yet." The voice said.

    You have a lot of explaining to do. I thought angrily.

    "Within time. I had warned you days ago to move fast; if you had only listened to me, this wouldn''t be happening."

    Shut up.

    I gripped the side of my head and groaned. Isa looked at me. "Luna, what is wrong?"

    I gulped. "Something is wrong with me¡­" I spoke.

    Isa grabbed my hand, and we began to walk into the tree line with the few other survivors away from the shore. "Tell me as we move."

    We pushed our way through the underbrush, and I said, "Th-that voice I told you about. The one in my dreams¡­ ever since the start of this mess. It''s been talking to me."

    Isa didn''t stop; however, she glanced over her shoulder as we moved. "How so?"

    "I-I don''t know, but it''s like a second thing in my head. I-It warned me to get on the boat, and just now. It spoke to me¡­ like someone is in my head watching my every move."

    "Is it talking now?" She asked as we began to climb up a ridge, which provided an overview of another nearby beach. Isa held a hand up and stopped me as we saw dozens of people who had successfully gotten out of the water resting on the shoreline. We saw families hugging and sobbing, children screaming for their parents, and couples consoling each other. Though some were not so lucky, people were screaming out for loved ones, calling out for help, and simply begging the gods for help and forgiveness.

    I shook my head. "N-not now¡­"

    "Get to cover. You''re too exposed; they''ll see you." The voice hissed.

    I gasped. "We need to hide now."

    Isa blinked. "What do you¡ª" she cut herself off and nodded as we both got down.

    Out in the water near the beach where all the people rested, three fighting machines rose out of the water and sounded their dreadful horns. Immediately, the dozens of people on shore screamed in horror and began to run for the tree line. Yet a few of them rushed towards the water. One of them looked to be a soldier wielding a stick, and around it was a white T-shirt that he waved.

    "We surrender! We surrender!" He screamed as a few men and women got to their knees, hands up, and sobbed.

    Yet as the fighting machines marched onto shore, their eyes began to open, and their searchlights began to incinerate anyone in their path. The soldier and surrendering men in front screamed as their bodies burst into steam and fire. The few who had gotten to their knees scrambled and tried to run, yet the light leaped from man to woman to man again. All turning to fire. I covered my mouth and muffled a cry as the entire shoreline became lit with flames, and soon, the screaming faded as the machines began to patrol the burning canopy, chasing those who had fled into the forest.

    One of them, however, turned in our direction, its spotlight shining over us as it began to approach. The ground trembled as its tendrils shot out like grappling hooks, gripping the ridgeline as it began to climb up. Isa grabbed me and yanked me close to her as the massive metallic feet, still dripping with lake water, slammed into the ground around us and walked right over, breaking through trees and uprooting them as its heavy feet tore right through as it went past us.

    I tried not to make a sound, yet a muffled cry escaped my lips, and Isa clamped her clawed hand over my mouth. After a minute, the machine was gone. We both let off a collective sigh of relief, and Isa stood up.

    "I take it; the voice told you they were coming." She said that, and I nodded my head. "Whoever it is, they seem to be on our side, or at least yours." Isa took my hand. "Let us move. We need to find someplace safe to rest."

    We quickly got to our feet, and I turned towards the burning beach that was now covered in glass and ash. I sobbed softly as we ran into the tree line. My wet dress pulled over my mouth as I tried not to inhale the smoke as the sounds of horrified screams of victims and warfare followed behind us.

 Chapter 37: Woods Walk

    My waterlogged feet stumbled their way through the underbrush as I followed behind Isa. The distant sounds of screams and gunfire were always present, along with the wailing of what sounded like a claxon alarm. My mind was empty, like a fog had crept over me; my legs were heavy; and I could barely keep my eyes open. The night was late.

    Yet we couldn''t stop. We could still hear them. The heavy metallic thumping, the machine gun fire, and that daunting howl. They were everywhere. Like ants, these fighting machines roamed in every direction and, from what we could see, killed anything and everyone.

    We found a group of corpses in the woods. A family, a father, a mother, and three children. The mother looked to have been shielding the youngest, while the father and what I assumed to be the eldest held a stick with a white shirt wrapped around it.

    Like the soldier and people on the beach, they tried to surrender.

    "Surrendering is a guaranteed way to get yourself killed or taken. These monsters have no empathy for your kind."

    The voice, which had been with me since the start of the battle, persisted. No longer present in merely my dreams. I had tried to reason with it ever since we left the beach. Yet the mysterious being in my head made it simply clear that I was to get to Johanneson.

    "They''re monsters," I said out loud, looking at the corpses as I gritted my teeth.

    Part of me had hoped that perhaps these were soldiers following orders, mere men and women forced to do the work of their superiors. I wanted to humanize them in the hopes that maybe not all of them are terrible. Yet now I knew what Varis felt. The hatred towards these monsters, or demons, as Peter called them.

    Peter¡­

    I killed him. I thought. He was trying to help me, and I knocked him out¡­ There''s no way he could''ve made it out alive after that.

    I sniffed.

    I murdered him.

    "Perhaps, but you are alive now, and that''s all that matters." The voice said it coldly.

    You''re a heartless bastard.

    "Perhaps, but it is my heartlessness that has allowed me to make it this far."

    Oh, shut the fuck up with that.

    The voice did not respond.

    Isa turned around and saw me looking over the corpses. "Luna," she said softly as she walked towards me.

    She knelt down and gripped my shoulders. "Don''t look at them; look at me."

    I sniffed and glanced at her. "I-I''m afraid for my family." I whispered. "P-Papa might''ve been on the boat. Or that beach."

    "I know, hon, but I told you. I''m sure they got away." Isa smiled. "Slyran, your father, is very resourceful, and Cailynn is a powerful wizard. I''m sure they''re okay." She pulled me into a hug.

    I gripped her gently and sniffed. I closed my eyes and held her. Yet as we hugged, I felt something graze the back of my neck. Then my nose. I opened my eyes and noticed snow.

    It was snowing.

    "Sn-snow?" I muttered softly, and Isa opened her eyes and looked up.

    Around us, flakes of snow began to come down from above all around us. Sticking to the ground and trees, Isa sniffed, and her eyes widened.

    "N-no¡­ it''s ash."

    My eyes widened as visions of the ray of fire in the streets, the boat, and then the beach flashed before my eyes. "Th-these are people¡­" I said it shakily. "This is the ashes of people."

    Isa''s eyes widened, and she shook her head quickly. "We don''t know that, Luna. This could be from the trees or the town. Don''t think about it."

    How the fuck am I supposed to not think about it?! My heart began to race, and Isa pulled me in close and shushed softly as we began to walk once more.

    We took shelter in a small crevice in the earth, covered by an overhanging log. Isa''s bag had been soaked and ruined much of her rations, save for the dried jerky, which wasn''t so dry anymore.

    It was awful, yet it put something in my stomach. It continued to rain ash for much of the night, covering the trees and earth in a faint gray sheen. I don''t know when I fell asleep. I don''t know if I even did.

    I had blinked once, and then it was sunrise. I hardly felt rested. My clothes were crusty, and my boots and socks were uncomfortable, yet Isa helped me up and out of our hiding place as we continued on our journey west.

    The screams and sirens had stopped at some point, though we still heard the sounds of distant cannon fire and the roars of fighting machines. Though it was coming from somewhere else, after that catastrophe, I was surprised to still hear the sound of fighting.

    How do we fight something like this? I thought pessimistically as I walked behind Isa. They come from nowhere, they move so fast, and they''re so powerful¡­ How are we going to survive?

    "Follow my instructions." The voice returned. "Listen to me, and we can stop this. You just need to do as I say."

    I stopped when the voice returned, and I stomped my foot on the ground. Isa halted as well and turned to look at me.

    I don''t even know who you are.

    "You do, but not right now. Once we meet, things will be clear again. For now, I can merely offer bouts of advice."

    I frowned, placed a hand on my hip, and looked up at the cloudy sky.

    Isa cocked her head, her fuzzy ears flicking with confusion, and she asked, "Luna, is everything alright?"

    Wouldn''t it just be better if I knew who I was talking to?

    "No, because you''ve already told your feline friend about me, and I do not trust that you''ll conceal much of this information. It is for this very reason that I made it clear that I would keep myself distant from you before. Secrecy is key."

    I rolled my eyes frustratedly and sighed as Isa began to approach me with a somewhat concerned look.

    She''s a serelli, and I don''t get it. Am I not supposed to be talking to you? Why couldn''t you have said before that you don''t want me talking about you?

    The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

    "In a sense, yes, we shouldn''t be talking." He didn''t bother answering my second question. "But already, I am revealing too much. Instead, all you need to do is listen. On your journey, you''ll encounter a forked path in a forest. Make your way down the left path towards the river; at the end of that path is a cabin. In that cabin, you''ll find the keys to a boathouse that''ll lead you to a boat. Take them."

    I frowned and ran a hand over my mostly bald head.

    What if I don''t want to follow your little story?

    "Then you will die, and the fate of everything you hold dear will be put into jeopardy."

    I frowned upon hearing that. It almost seemed like a threat.

    What if I tell Isa about this? What if I want to make my own choices and do what I want?

    "You can do whatever you want, but I advise you don''t. The more people who are aware of this and the more you don''t follow my explicit instructions, the more you''ll be putting everything I''ve worked for at risk."

    I bit my lower lip. Everything you worked for? What are you working towards?

    "I told you already. To put a stop to this, and that''s all I''ll tell you for now." He sounded almost bitter.

    I''m telling Isa. I thought.

    "As said, do as you wish. If you believe she can be trusted."

    I blink with surprise. Of course, I can trust her!

    Isa took a few steps towards me. "Luna, you''re making me concerned. Is everything alright? You look spaced out."

    Voice man. Can I ask you one last question? I thought.

    "Questions will only bring more questions, which will waste more of our precious time. Yet if it''ll humor you into moving, go ahead."

    God, you''re kind of an asshole.

    "It comes with the trade."

    You seem to know a lot about where these monsters are and such. That means you can see things, right? Do you know if my family is okay?

    "That is two questions, but again, I''ll humor you. First off, no. I cannot see; unfortunately, I am not omniscient. But I can feel. I am able to sense powerful souls and their whereabouts. However, I can see through you, but I am limited to merely your vision. For your second question¡­" The voice fell silent for a moment, and I glanced at Isa and tapped on the side of my head, and she looked at me confused. The voice returned, "I am unaware. However, that doesn''t mean they are dead and gone. I simply do not sense a trace of them."

    I felt my blood run cold, yet I sighed and took a deep breath. Okay, thank you. How come you haven''t started speaking to me until recently?

    "And this is why I said questions bring more questions. You''re burning time. Find the cabin, get the key, and make your way to the city."

    Can you not just avoid my questions?

    The voice didn''t respond.

    "I don''t like that guy." I muttered under my breath.

    Isa took a nervous breath and said, "The voice in your head?"

    I nodded slowly. "He gave us a task. A place to go."

    "Where?" She asked me softly, her expression still one of concern.

    "He said to find a forked path in the forest along our journey, so I''m assuming he means we continue with our current goal until we find this path."

    "Where would that path take us?" Isa rubbed the back of her neck.

    "He said to take the left path to the river, where we''ll find a cabin with keys to a boat we can use to cross the Kenchala."

    Isa nodded slowly and sighed. "If it''s to the river, then that means he''s referring to the far west past the lake to where it transitions into a river again. That''s not too far from here."

    I shrugged. "You''re more familiar with the area than me." I took a deep breath.

    Isa smiled. "Well then, we have an idea of what to look out for." She reached out and patted me on the shoulder. "I don''t know if the mystery man can hear me, but thank you." She chuckled.

    I smiled faintly and chuckled as well as we continued our walk through the woods.

    <hr>

    We progressed onward as the sun drifted across the sky into the evening. The distant sounds of battle began to fade away as a calm silence fell over the forest we traversed through, and the sounds of birds and bugs made themselves known. Eventually, as the sun began to set, my stomach growled audibly.

    Isa''s ear twitched upon hearing my screaming stomach, and she turned to look at me and nodded. "We should settle down for some rest," she said as I nodded in agreement.

    We spent some time looking around the area for a comfortable space to hunker down, and eventually we stumbled upon a structure. A cabin in the woods in a partial clearing. Not the one mentioned by the dream man, yet something different.

    A small, lone structure that was overgrown with moss, the wood that made up the cabin appeared faded and possibly infested with termites, and the glass panes on the windows were covered in a thick grime. The place appeared abandoned. Cautiously, we approached the building, sticking behind Isa. I let her take the lead as we neared the small, run-down building.

    "Hello?" Isa called out to anyone and knocked on the door to the cabin.

    Yet there was no response. Timidly, I glanced around the side of the building and over our shoulders. There didn''t seem to be anyone around here.

    I hate abandoned buildings. What if there''s a ghost here? Momma had some old books that talked about the undead and necromancers. What if they''re real?

    Isa''s ears twitched as she continued to listen, and finally, she took a deep breath and glanced at me. "It looks like we''re in the clear. I don''t hear or smell anything off," she said as the chirping of crickets began to rise like a chorus.

    The sun was setting over the horizon, and night was coming. I took a deep breath and nodded before nearly jumping out of my dress when the distant howl of a fighting machine could be heard.

    "Y-yeah! Let''s get inside." I said it with a quick nod.

    Isa grabbed the handle on the door, and surprisingly, it was unlocked. We stepped into the cool, stuffy interior. The grime-covered windows blocking the majority of the light created an eerie feeling as we stepped into the dimly lit interior. A thick layer of dust covered everything we could see.

    The living room was made up of an old fireplace on the far wall with two cushioned chairs in front of it and what looked to be a dining table, which still held old glasses and rusty tins. I covered my nose as we made our way into the center of the room, every step of ours kicking up clouds of dust.

    "Won''t be comfortable," Isa muttered softly. "But it should protect us from the elements. I''ll take a look around and see if I can find anything useful; hopefully there''ll be some canned goods here that''re still good."

    I nodded as my eyes scanned over the table and saw plates still covered in rotted goods and rusty silverware. It''s like the family here just vanished without a trace. I thought there were no signs of struggle or anything, as if they just got up and left.

    My eyes drifted up along the wall behind the table, and I saw something that looked a bit weird. A dusty plaque hung on the wall, and on it was etched a strange image. As Isa moved towards the back of the kitchen, I made my way over to the table and squinted at the plaque as I tried to make out the details.

    It was an image of an androgynous face gazing down upon a group of twelve loosely silhouetted figures; behind the head was a multitude of sparkling stars. I tilted my head and glanced in the direction of the kitchen.

    "Isa, do you know what this is?" I asked, pointing to the plaque.

    After a moment, Isa stepped back into the room and glanced at the plaque. She pursed her lips as she came over to me and leaned in to get a closer look. Due to her tall nature, she had a much better vantage point than I as she examined it.

    I watched as she reached up and wiped away some of the grime off it, then rubbed her chin. Finally, her eyes widened a bit, and she snapped her fingers.

    "I do, in fact, recognize this," she said, glancing towards me. "It''s a religious plaque dedicated to the Church of the All Father."

    The All Father? Like Odin? I thought. Vinland is a place in this world, so probably. Yet, from everything I''ve seen in my old life, this doesn''t look like Odin.

    "The All Father?" I said questioningly as I glanced up at Isa.

    She nodded and said, "Yes. It''s a newer religion that sprung up many years ago. Once regarded as a cult in the times of the Twilight War, they had grown greatly in number in nations like Branoria and Yankston. Eventually, in the past sixty or so years, I recall that they were officially recognized in Yankston as their own religion."

    I nodded and glanced at the plaque. "Do you know what they believe in?"

    Isa shrugged. "Admittedly, not much. The Church of the All Father isn''t overly open due to harsh criticisms they''ve received in the past. I''ve heard, however, that they believe that there''s only one true god, the one they call father, and that he is the one who created the twelve apostles." She gestured at the androgynous being and the twelve figures. "And it was they who created the known universe."

    In a world that''s proven to have multiple gods, I can understand why a religion like this would be frowned upon. Yet, one god, twelve apostles? In my old life, I was born into a Roman Catholic family. Perhaps it''s just a coincidence, but that seems to be drawing very close to Christ''s followers.

    "Interesting," I said. "I''m surprised I never heard about them till now." I glanced at Isa.

    "That is because the church isn''t as popular here in Heinmarr. Go to Branoria or Yankston and you''ll see much more of them." She chuckled. "But let''s find something to eat first, and we can chat and rest."

    I nodded and followed her into the run-down kitchen in order to find some food and rest for the evening. Yet as we scrounged around the kitchen, to say we found much would be a lie.

 Chapter 38: My Teacher and the Voice in my Head

    My stomach grumbled as we dug around the abandoned cabin, hoping for good food. Yet, alas, nothing edible was found. Isa did find a jar of "pickled" goods, yet the seal on it wasn''t secured, and upon popping open the top, the rancid smell made for a great baseball-style pitch as Isa chucked the jar out of a broken window.

    She looked at me sadly and said, "I''m sorry. Tomorrow we can do some foraging; there should be plenty of edible mushrooms and wild kanoroots." My stomach growled along with hers, and I grimaced and nodded.

    "Alright." I took a deep breath and coughed a little after inhaling some dust.

    Isa reached to her side, pulled out her canteen, and opened it. After taking a small sip, she handed it to me.

    "There''s not much left, but you can have the rest." I took the water and gulped it down greedily with a small sigh, whining when it was empty.

    "Thank you," I said with a frown as I capped it. "Do you know if there may be water around here?" I asked her.

    "There''s the lake," she said softly. "Though we can always look for any small streams." I nodded once more as we walked back into the living room.

    There was one door we hadn''t checked yet, and it was what I assumed to be the bedroom. We both shared a glance and nodded as we approached the door.

    Yet when Isa took the handle, she jimmied it, and the door didn''t budge. It was locked.

    "Locked the bedroom door but not the front?" She muttered curiously and glanced back at me. "I can force this open; stand back."

    I nodded and stepped back as Isa gripped the handle on the old door and pressed her shoulder into it. Pulling herself back, she began to ram the door with her body once, then twice, and by the third time the frame around the latch splintered, she stumbled into the room as the door gave way.

    I gasped upon seeing this and went to follow Isa, but in a slightly panicked voice, she held her hand out to stop me and said, "Luna, stay back!"

    I halted and felt my heart sink as Isa turned to me with a somewhat dreadful look. She closed her eyes and shook her head. "I think I see why this place is abandoned."

    <hr>

    The corpse was old. The body is mostly skeletal, save for the rotten skin that still clings to its shape. The figure, which I think was a man, lay in bed with a pistol in one hand. The gun reminded me of a French Mauser, c96, I think it was called.

    The man looked to have committed suicide; the blood, now black and brown, stained the wall behind him, and the top of his head revealed a ghastly hole. Isa and I stepped into the room after she had calmed, and I couldn''t take my eyes off the corpse.

    In less than twenty-four hours, I''ve seen so much death. So many people die within a flash, yet something about the lone man on the bed disturbed me greatly. I watched as Isa peeled the gun from his dead fingers and swiftly checked its ammunition.

    "Still loaded," she muttered softly before switching the safety on the gun and placing it on the nightstand, where we both noticed a scrawled note.

    She grabbed the note, held it up, and began to read it. I nervously came to her side and watched as her eyes scanned from left to right over the paper. Her brow knit tightly as she looked more and more perplexed.

    "Bloody nut he was¡­" She said it softly as she glanced back at the corpse.

    "What does it say?" I asked her, and Isa glanced at me.

    "I-I don''t know if you should read this," Isa muttered.

    I gulped. "I can handle it. Please let me read it."

    Isa opened her mouth to protest for a second, but closed it, looked to the ground, and sighed before handing me the paper.

    I took the paper from her hand and began to read.

    "I saw her again. Her radiant beauty, Charity. She whispered to me the truth. His coming; their coming. With the coming of a new dawn, she called to me; called to us to join them. My brothers and sisters, I''ve seen the light; I''ve seen paradise. True eternity. Heaven. It is beautiful. He welcomes us with open arms to rejoin our lost family.

    I''m scared. I fear my end here will be filled with pain, yet I know it''ll only be temporary. She told me she would catch me. Guide me to him. Forgive me if my methods seem crude or if you do not understand. But in time, all will understand, and soon we''ll leave the garden together.

    See you all soon.

    - Reiner Fitz."

    "What the fuck?" I muttered softly as I read the letter again and again.

    Charity. I feel like I''ve heard this name before, yet I can''t quite recall it. I glanced up at Isa, who was rummaging through the drawers in the small study desk on the other side of the room. She found a small, faded box and placed it on the desk, and as I came over to her, I saw it was a small box of ammunition for the handgun.

    "Yes." She muttered softly. "These will be useful."

    "Isa, does this letter make any sense to you?" I asked her.

    Isa looked over her shoulder before glancing back at the ammunition and shaking her head. "No. It reads like a man who became too delusional with his own faith."

    I nodded. "The name Charity sounds familiar to me, though."

    Isa glanced over her shoulder again. "Anything related to the voice in your head?"

    Is it? I asked the voice in my head.

    I received no response.

    "I think he''s taking a nap," I muttered softly.

    Isa snorted and said, "A voice in your head taking a nap?" She chuckled. "Do you think they can hear me?"

    I shrugged. "He told me he can see what I see, and he feels the souls of those around us."

    Isa placed the box of ammo in her bag and turned to look at me. "If he only sees what you see and can feel the essence of the soul, how does he sense the machines?"

    "That is because the machines emit a powerful essence." The voice answered in my head, and I jolted and gripped the side of my head.

    "Holy shit, you startled me." I said it out loud, and Isa blinked.

    "Is he speaking?" She asked.

    "Yeah, he is." I scratched my pointy ear.

    "What did he say?" Isa asked.

    "Well, he can clearly hear you because he answered the question." I sighed. "He said the machines emit a powerful essence."

    Isa frowned, and her eyes widened. "That would mean¡­ they''re alive."

    "In a sense." The voice muttered. "Ten miles east of here, there is one approaching your very cabin. It''ll be here within a half hour."

    "Are you fucking kidding me?" I groaned and face-palmed.

    Isa cocked her head; I could tell by her face that she was a bit surprised to hear me curse. "What is wrong? Is there more coming?"

    "Yes¡­" I whined as my anxiety began to kick in.

    I was just finally starting to calm down somewhat. I''m so sick of this shit.

    "He said there''s one en route to this area; we have about a half hour."

    Isa cursed and glanced out the bedroom window. She wiped away much of the grime and said, "That''s about how much sunlight we have left."

    "What do we do? Could we hunker down here and hide?" I suggested.

    "That is ill advised." The voice in my head grumbled.

    "Never mind," I said. "The voice man said that''s not a good idea."

    "No offense, Luna, but I think I''d listen to him," Isa said.

    "Oh, perhaps your friend is smart after all."

    Fuck you.

    "Well, this trip wasn''t an entire waste. We at least got a gun out of this," Isa said as she and I went back out into the living room. Yet before leaving, I took the note left by Reiner Fitz and stuffed it into the magic pouch my mother had given me.

    "I don''t know how much that''ll help us against those walkers," I whimpered as we made our way back into the living room.

    The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there.

    "Perhaps not useful against those, but we could always hunt some smaller critters and get some food." Isa hummed; I could tell she was trying to sound cheerful so as not to worry me. Yet I could see her fuzzy tail flicking back and forth like an irritated cat.

    Once we made sure we had all of our items in check, we left the cabin, and I thought, Okay, voice guy. Or, whoever you are, what can I call you?

    "You can refer to me as the Master." He said it in a monotonous tone as we ran towards the tree line.

    Well, that doesn''t sound evil at all.

    "It was never my intention to not sound evil either."

    Well, at least you''re honest. Though I''m not calling you Master, it just sounds creepy.

    "You''re the one who''s making it out to be that way."

    Anyway, where should we go? You know where all these things are; can you help guide us?

    "I''ve already given you my instructions. As of now, I''ll only step in to make sure you don''t get yourself killed over something idiotic."

    Well, what if we go the wrong way? Or stumble into these things.

    "I''ll make sure to tell you if that happens, but as of now, follow what I already told you. Find the cabin down the forked path, obtain the key, and sail across the river."

    Where''s the forked path?

    "In the forest, as I told you."

    What forest?

    "Questions upon questions. You mortals never cease to stop."

    Mortals? Are you not a mortal yourself?

    "Ah," he sighed. "You''ve gone and made me speak too much. Proceed on the path you originally sought, and you''ll find it. Our discussion ends here."

    Oh, so I caught you on one thing, and you''re going to walk off?

    I received no response.

    Such an asshole.

    <hr>

    We continued through much of the night. Sure enough, the "Master" was right about the fighting machine. Isa and I were probably a little under a mile away when we heard the horrific train-like howl of one of the creatures in the direction of the cabin.

    As we continued away from the creature, I told Isa about what I had learned.

    "So I ended up making him trip up and reveal something," I said as we climbed over a fallen tree. "Apparently, he called us mortals. So I said, Aren''t you a mortal yourself?" To which I took on a mocking tone of his voice by trying to mimic his, "Ah, so I said too much; blah blah, I''m going to walk away."

    Isa snorted and giggled. "Is that what he sounds like? A very posh-sounding individual."

    "He sounds like a guy who would do a presentation on something like animal life," I said with a giggle as I imagined this voice being someone akin to David Attenborough.

    Isa had to cover her mouth to not laugh so loud. "That''s oddly specific, isn''t it? But still, that''s good to know. If he isn''t a mortal, then that could mean he''s something else. Perhaps, a fae maybe?" She thought.

    I giggled and nodded as we neared a large kefner tree with a partially hollowed base, and I felt a sense of fatigue hit me as I let off a squeaky yawn and rubbed my eyes.

    As if catching my fatigue, Isa yawned herself and said, "This could be a good resting spot for tonight." Looking at the hole in the tree. "It doesn''t look like any critters are using it." She got down and crawled into the hole. "No bugs either. Not that I can see, at least. Luna, can you assist me by getting some branches and large leaves to cover this up?" She gestured to the hole. "We''ll sleep here tonight."

    If I had a gold piece for every time I slept in a hole this week, I''d have two gold pieces. Not a lot, but it''s weird that it''s happened twice.

    I nodded and went a little bit off, but not too far from Isa, to grab some fallen branches and large bits of foliage. I dragged them over to her and piled them up outside the hole. I shivered as a cool breeze blew through the forest.

    "Why don''t you go in while I work?" Isa said as she gestured to the entrance to the hole. "It''s a little warmer in there than out here."

    I wanted to protest, but when the second gust of wind blew past us, I immediately backed down and nodded. Crawling into the hole beneath the tree, I watched as Isa lashed together some basic camouflage around the base of the tree, essentially making a fake bush before crawling into the hole with me.

    Neither of us had any bedrolls or any form of covering as we lay on the hard dirt and roots that made up the base of this small tree cave. At first, neither of us said anything as we lay there.

    I positioned myself on my side and closed my eyes, yet after a few moments, sleep wouldn''t come to me despite feeling so exhausted. My mind began to wander, and soon I found myself thinking about my family.

    "Isa," I said softly.

    "Hmm?" Isa purred, and I glanced over to see the woman practically curled in on herself, her fuzzy, soft tail wrapped around her knees, the tip of it flicking her face gently. Her feline eyes opened, and she looked at me adorably.

    "Do you think my parents and Varis are okay?" I asked her once again.

    Isa uncurled from herself, scooched towards me, and pressed herself upon me as a big spoon as she then pulled me into a very warm hug. The woman was practically a space heater, as I could hear and feel the purring coming from her chest.

    "Of course I do, Luna," she said softly as her clawed hand lightly patted my head. "As I said before, your parents are wonderful people, strong too, and Varis. While young. He''s very brave and a good shot too." She chuckled.

    I felt my muscles relax and my body grow heavy as Isa shared her warmth with me as she held me close. Her embrace was comforting, like Momma''s, yet slightly different.

    I never really thought about it, but Isa does kind of feel like a cool aunt to me, I thought with a smile.

    "Can you tell me about them?" I asked softly. "You worked with them, right? What were Momma and Papa like as adventurers?"

    Isa thought about it for a second, and as I looked at her face, I could see that she was contemplating if she should say anything or not. Yet after a moment, she took a deep breath and said, "I''ll tell you what I personally know about them. If anything else, you''ll have to ask them."

    I nodded, and her purring grew a little louder as her clawed hands stroked the top of my head, which made me squirm due to the ticklishness.

    "I met your parents about fifteen cycles ago, back in my adolescent years, or as the humans and elves refer to it, teenage years. I was sixteen. I met your parents when I was exploring Yankston with Pomni, if you recall from my story the other day."

    "I fell asleep during that." I blushed.

    "How dare you?" Isa teased, and we both giggled.

    "Sorry," I said as she booped my nose, and I smiled. "Mother and Father have been to Yankston?"

    "They''ve been all over," Isa said with a nod. "They were the ones who helped Pomni and me in our search for the life-bringing seed. You see, back then, your mother and father were traveling adventurers, one of the last remaining."

    "What do you mean?" I asked her.

    "Well, the world is changing, Luna. Adventurers aren''t really a thing anymore. It''s a bit of a history lesson in itself, but traveling adventurers and mercenaries. Most of which are illegal now as nations are taking most matters into their own hands."

    I nodded slowly as Isa continued, "Though not all places have them outlawed, like Yankston. With the Great Migration happening, the Yanks are more than happy to hire out mercenaries and adventurers, and when Pomni and I were having trouble with our task, we decided to pool our money and hire the best of the best. The Spellbound Rangers."

    I snorted and covered my mouth as I giggled, and I heard Isa''s purring get even louder as the woman sounded like a motorboat. "Such a goofy-sounding name," I laughed, and even Isa couldn''t help but giggle along with me.

    "Don''t go telling your parents that! They both seemed to really like it." She snickered and held me close. "Madam Moonweaver and Deadeye."

    "De-Deadeye?!" I gawked and fell into a fit of giggles.

    Oh my god, the cringe is real. Really? Dad called himself Deadeye?!

    Isa laughed with me and said, "Oh, Slyran is going to die of embarrassment once he finds out you know this. Whatever you do, don''t call him that anymore. He''ll surely keel over."

    I giggled and said, "I''ll make sure to call him it next time I see him." I snickered.

    Isa smiled. "I forgot to mention that they had another friend, a cleric by the name of Cyrus, who was referred to as Luminary. Cyrus was a kind girl, a cleric of Slyondra. She was a beautifully stunning woman, and the magic she could perform was divine, both figuratively and literally."

    I blinked. "You said she was. Did something happen to her?" I asked.

    Isa hesitated, and her face fell. "Unfortunately, her soul has passed into the Current. She is no longer with us."

    I frowned and cast my gaze downward. "O-Oh¡­ sorry."

    Isa sighed. "It is okay. I knew her for only a short period, but her passing devastated your parents." I nodded. "But at the time, meeting the three of them was truly an interesting time. If you think their names were silly, you should''ve seen how they used to dress." She snickered. "Your father used to always wear this very form-fitting leather armor with a green cape, which admittedly didn''t look too bad, yet your mother." Isa whistled. "Let''s just say her choice of garb turned many heads."

    "Oh gods, please don''t tell me she was like half naked or something¡­" I looked at her, horrified.

    When I first came to this world in the early days, I would''ve been snapping at the bit for that information. Yet now, seeing her as my actual mother just makes things weird.

    Isa snorted. "I wouldn''t say that far, but she did like to show off her skin. Yet now, you wouldn''t find her getting anywhere near such outfits. Despite it not being that long ago, your parents have changed quite a lot. They''ve matured ever since they passed their first century."

    "Well, Momma told me that elves aren''t considered officially adults until their hundredth year." I looked up at Isa.

    "In Elven culture, that is true." She nodded. "Elves mature at the same rate as all other races, but in the eyes of the elders and society, you aren''t truly an adult till then. Many years ago, you wouldn''t receive your true name till you turned a hundred," she explained. "Though much of this is changing now, as many of the elder elves are either dying off or changing their ways."

    "You know a lot about elves," I said softly as I yawned.

    "Well, I traveled a lot with your parents, and I''ve been to many places and cultures." Isa hummed. "It''s how you learn, and the best way is to go in and experience it. Though what I think really made your parents mature was having Varis, that''s when I noticed they really got their act together. Your father got a proper job; Cailynn started dressing and acting more properly." She chuckled. "I was shocked to hear they were having you."

    I cocked my head. "What do you mean?" I asked.

    Isa blushed and said, "Uh, well. If you recall on the trip to the Heinland Mountains that talk you had with your mother." I nodded. "Well, elven women don''t get pregnant often. Usually once a decade or so."

    Oh, the menstrual cycle. I nodded.

    "However, certain¡­ shops. Do sell ways to circumvent this. Your mother was so excited about getting another kid. She decided to buy something to have you."

    I snorted. "I guess I''m special then."

    Isa gasped and laughed before nodding. "Yes! Yes, you are!" She giggled.

    Well, that''s an interesting way to find out how I was born. A sex drug brought me into this world.

    "I guess that''s one way to put it." I jolted in Isa''s arms as the voice came back.

    Oh God, don''t tell me a monster is coming.

    "No. I just couldn''t help but notice what you two were discussing and decided to listen in."

    "Is something wrong, Luna?" Isa asked after noticing I had stiffened and gone quiet.

    Do you not know what privacy is? I thought you were only going to intrude when something dangerous was coming.

    I received no response.

    Oh, alright, goodbye then.

    "I am doing as you asked, giving you privacy."

    This time, I was the one who didn''t respond.

    "N-Nothing. I just got distracted by a thought." I yawned.

    Isa nodded. "But to bring things back, your parents were wonderful people during their adventuring days. A bit wild and a bit noisy¡­ a lot."

    "What do you mean by that?" I asked as I looked up at Isa.

    "Wrestling. Lots of wrestling."

    I frowned. "I know what you mean by that."

    Isa blushed. "I guess you do; if I recall, you did assist me in calling them out on the Heinland trip." She giggled. "You''re a very smart girl, Luna. I admit that you are a bit too mature for your age. Has anyone ever said that talking to you doesn''t feel like talking to a child?"

    Well, I know the answer to that.

    I blushed. "Uh¡­ I think Papa has brought that up a couple times. But I think it''s because the best people around me rub off on me." I smiled and winked.

    Isa chuckled and patted me on the head. "You''re adorable. But yes, your parents were very rowdy but also very lovable." She yawned. "But it''s getting late, kitten."

    Oi, what did she call me?

    "We should get some sleep," Isa said as her purring quieted a little. She pulled me in close and leaned down to kiss me lightly on the cheek. "Good night, Luna; I love you."

    I froze. Excuse me? I blinked. Did she¡­ just¡­ she did¡­ didn''t she?

    I felt my heart swell in my chest, and I don''t know why, but I felt tears welling in my eyes. I sniffed and smiled as the tears streamed down my cheek. I had no idea why they were flowing, but I felt happy. I was very happy to hear that.

    "G-Good night, Isa; I love you too." I squeaked out and closed my eyes.

    And for the first night in ages, I slept peacefully in the warm embrace of Isa''s arms, with the soothing sound and gentle sensations of her purring.

 Chapter 39: Shrapnel

    The sound of chirping birds and crickets roused me from my pleasant slumber. Isa''s faint purring and the sensation of her fuzzy tail coiled around my leg forced a smile onto my face as I nestled into her and relaxed for a few more minutes as she was still asleep. After a moment, I felt the serelli behind me begin to stir as she let off a cute meow-like yawn before nuzzling me gently.

    "It is time to wake up, kitten." Isa said groggily.

    I giggled softly and said, "I know, I''m already awake."

    Isa sighed, and I could feel her smiling as she said, "Then why didn''t you wake me up?"

    "You seemed peaceful; I wanted you to sleep in a bit more," I said with a smirk.

    "You''re too kind." Isa hummed as her tail unwound from around my leg, and she scooched away from me as she got to her knees.

    Both of our stomachs growled audibly, and we winced. "Best we try and find some food," I said with a grumble as I clutched my stomach.

    "Aye," Isa agreed, sighed once more, and rubbed her stomach. "C''mon, best we go do our business and get moving."

    We ventured out of the hollow tree, and I shielded my eyes from the sun''s bright rays. The sky was beautiful this morning, mostly clear and blue, save for a few sparse, fluffy clouds. It was quiet too, save for the birds and crickets. The scenery was almost dream-like.

    "Stay close by; I''ll be right back," Isa said.

    I blinked. "Where are you¡ª" I stopped when I noticed her trotting behind a tree. "Ah yeah," I said with a playful snort and shook my head. "Nature calls." I rubbed my stomach as it grumbled again. "I sure hope I don''t need to eat bugs or anything¡­" I mumbled.

    After a minute, Isa returned, looking refreshed. She pulled out the handgun we found the day before and checked it. "Alright, are you ready to do some hunting?" She asked.

    I pursed my lips as I eyed the weapon. "Should we be using that? What if one of those things hears us?"

    Isa raised an eyebrow. "Wouldn''t the voice in your head tell you if one was nearby?"

    I guess that''s true. Master man, are any of those things nearby?

    "I would''ve told you if there were." The voice said it in a deadpan tone.

    "Nope, he says we''re good." I said, gesturing my hands out around us.

    Isa smiled and nodded. "Excellent, voice man is quite useful."

    I shrugged. "He is a bit of a dick, but he''s been helpful."

    Isa''s eyes widened at my choice of language, but she then sighed and rubbed the back of her neck. "You have a foul mouth, little lady," she said with a smirk.

    I blushed. "Sorry."

    "It''s okay; I''ll let it slide for now," Isa said with a wink and chuckle. "Well, follow me and stay quiet; I''ll show you the ropes."

    I nodded and followed behind Isa as we ventured into the underbrush.

    <hr>

    I watched as this adorable, purple and white, under-bellied, rabbit-like creature, known as a jabber, hopped out into the open around a small, murky pond. Its four eyes flicked and swiveled like those of a chameleon as it drank from the water. Its massive, floppy ears swung about as its head turned from left to right. Bringing its tiny paws to its face, it wiped its mouth after drinking from the pond before dipping its little paws in the water as if washing them.

    Suddenly, a sharp pop echoed in the air, and the jabber''s body recoiled as the blue energy bolt pierced its neck and exited the other side, killing the adorable creature almost instantly.

    "Waaah!" I covered my mouth. "It was so cuuute!" I cried out.

    "And it''ll be delicious." Isa smiled and patted me on the back. "I''m sorry, Luna, but it had to be done." I whimpered and pouted.

    Isa switched the safety back on the handgun before stowing it away. Isa stepped out of the underbrush, and I followed behind her, still moping about the death of the little creature. She went over and picked up the hefty animal by its floppy ears. The jabber was plump and about the size of a small dog. The thing was big enough to feed both of us and then some if we went at it sparingly.

    Isa was practically watering at the mouth as she held it up and smiled. "It passed clean through too." She pointed to the exit wound on the neck as she spun the jabber around, and I winced.

    "N-Nice." I smiled. "Hopefully you''re going to be the one preparing it, right?" I asked, and Isa chuckled and shook her head.

    "You''ll be helping me, miss." She smirked. "Someone is going to have to teach you how to prepare a meal in the field," she said as she slung the dead creature on her shoulder. "But first, let''s get away from here. Just to be safe."

    We traveled for about an hour or so away from our hunting grounds. Continuing westward, finally, our stomachs were too much to bear, and we decided to make camp in a small clearing. Conveniently laid-out logs made for perfect natural benches were laid out before us as Isa and I used sticks to carve out a hole in the earth.

    It was times like this that I was glad I watched a lot of those primitive survival channels online. I didn''t remember much of them, but a few bits of information helped me when it came to digging the small hole for our fire. Yet thankfully, we didn''t have to worry about making a fire by rubbing sticks together because I had my fancy little wand, which my mother gave me, and the magic she taught me.

    After the hole was dug and the kindling and wood piled in, Isa smiled and gave me a nod to perform the spell. We both stepped back as I held out my wand, closed my eyes, and began the incantation.

    "By Margon''s breath, flames ignite. From forge divine, bring forth light. Mote of fire, in darkness stark. A spark to guide, in Margon''s mark. Spark!" I shouted, and deep within me I felt a swell of pleasurable energy. I shuddered as the magic radiated through my body, channeling towards my wand.

    The ruby tip glowed a bright red, and above the tip, the air swirled and cracked as I focused on creating a tiny spark. I bit my lower lip as I tried to quell the energy, and finally, releasing forth, I gasped as a small spark of fire shot into the hole and ignited the tinder!

    I squeaked and bounced excitedly as the fire grew and began to crackle with life, and I clapped my hands together. "I did it!" I said it excitedly.

    Isa smiled happily and nodded. "You did, kitten! Excellent!" She smiled and tussled my hair as she then began to build the small rack that would hold the jabber''s corpse. Isa then reached into her bag, pulled out a gnarly-looking knife, and said, "Now it''s time I show you how to butcher this little thing."

    I stopped clapping and dancing and looked at her and gulped nervously.

    <hr>

    It was bloody, gross, and smelled awful. I did not enjoy skinning the creature and ripping out its intestines. I mostly watched, though Isa did have me slice a few pieces myself and she had me empty out its intestinal track, which made me want to vomit. Isa seemed to take some sadistic joy in watching my reactions, though when things seemed to take too much of a toll, she did step in and take over and simply have me watch.

    I knew it was important to learn this, though. I tried not to think about it, but in this environment, if one of those Rusivite machines caught us off guard and Isa¡­

    I don''t even want to think about that.

    Isa showed me how to properly slice a jabber into pieces that more closely resembled the food I was used to seeing. By this point, I was comfortable watching as she discarded all the inedible pieces, and soon we were sliding the chunks of flesh onto sticks to make some kebabs.

    After that, she placed the pieces on the fire, and we watched as they began to cook. The aroma made my stomach growl loudly as we sat and chatted around the fire.

    "Isa, you have been to the metropolises. What are they like?" I asked her.

    She sighed and said, "My opinion is admittedly biased, as I prefer the small and quiet towns like Oren. The metropolises are massive, sprawling cities, home to hundreds of thousands of people, or even a million."

    "Million?" I blinked and looked at her with wide eyes.

    Isa nodded. "Iona, in Yankston, is one of the few metropolises that are home to one and a half million people of all races." She said, "They are nice places to visit, but the gods forbid I ever live in one." She chuckled. "They are noisy, cramped, and smell. Roads are lined with strider manure, and automobiles and trains are constantly sounding off their horns. And with my sensitive ears," she playfully reached up and flicked her fuzzy red ears, "makes the place a nightmare to be in for long periods."

    This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

    Oh, I didn''t consider that. I thought, looking at her fluffy ears.

    "Johanneson is nowhere near as big as Iona, but it doesn''t really matter. Five hundred thousand people are all cramped up in tall skyscrapers, apartments, and offices. It''s just too much for me." She said it with a sigh. "Though I promised your parents, I would take you there to find your extended family." She said it with a smile. "So, I''m willing to set aside my bias for that."

    "Well, I appreciate it," I said with a soft smile. "I don''t think I would be alive if you weren''t here." I shivered at the thought.

    "Oh, don''t say that," Isa said as she checked the food. "You''re a smart girl, Luna. You''re very smart. I would go so far as to say you''re the smartest."

    "No, I''m not," I said softly as my cheeks began to burn red.

    It''s true. I''m not smart at all; I''m just¡­ some guy who got a head start.

    "Yes, you are." Isa said it a bit more firmly. "It''s because of you that both of us are alive."

    I looked back up at her but didn''t say anything.

    "Your quick thinking out on the lake with that wind spell. You made it so that we could easily get away from those monsters. I was terrified, thinking we were going to both be taken and drowned. Yet you." She pointed at me. "Got us away. And for that, I thank you." She smiled, and before I could say anything, she took the meat off the fire and said, "Food is done."

    I blushed, shifted a little on my log, and looked down at the ground as Isa handed me my jabber kebab.

    As we devoured our food, I couldn''t help but think it was delicious.

    <hr>

    It''s been a day since our first successful hunt. Isa and I had since successfully bagged at least two more jabbers. One of which we''ve already butchered and eaten half of; the rest of the meat, along with the second corpse, we experimented with shoving into my enigma bag. The pieces were easy to get in, but the corpse well¡­ we had to break a few bones. It was gross, yet what I discovered was that wherever the bag leads, it''s cold.

    Not like freezing cold, but I think more like refrigerator temperature. Which is fantastic because it''ll help keep the meat from going bad too fast. I just hope that sticking the cooked meat in with the raw corpse will not get us sick.

    Gordon Ramsey would be really upset if he saw this. I gulped and hoped that we''d eat it all by tonight before anything would make us ill.

    We continued heading west. Traversing through much of the forest, and the gods know where. Even Isa didn''t know exactly where we were, aside from being close to the Kenchala River. Neither of us had a map, but she was positive that going west would take us to a bridge.

    We didn''t see any forest paths, at least not yet. The forest continued to be a peaceful route; we hadn''t heard any sounds of combat, though we did hear at least a few of the fighting machines howling in the distance. Still, the man in my head never woke up to tell me one was coming our way.

    Though that''s not to say all things were good, during bouts of silence, my mind continued to wander back to the events in Kassel. The thought of whether or not my family was alive or safe made my already high anxiety skyrocket. Then Peter would come to me. The knowledge that I potentially, no, I did kill him. Not directly, yet I''m positive that knocking him into unconsciousness ruined his chances of survival.

    Isa noticed my solemn state and would do her best to cheer me up or distract me, yet my mind would eventually find its way crawling back into that dark pit. I tried to tell myself that everything was okay, that Isa was right, and that Momma and Papa were excellent survivalists. Yet that did little to quell my fear.

    Yet eventually, by late evening, we reached the edge of the forest and made our way back out into the rolling plains of Heinmarr. In the far off, we could see another forest along the river coast, yet between us, there was a small fishing and farming village along the river.

    Isa glanced back at me and then towards the village. "I wonder if they''ll have a boat there?" She said this as she glanced at the sky. "I reckon we can get there by nightfall."

    I nodded. "I hope so. Maybe they''ll have an inn." I said this as I hoped to finally sleep in bed again.

    Isa smiled and patted me on the head. "I hope so too." She chuckled as we trekked across the field. "Even then, we could maybe see about getting some supplies. More ammo for the gun, other food even."

    "Oh, I would love it if they had spices." I sighed with a smile. "Some salt or pepper with this jabber would go a long way." Isa laughed.

    As the sun dipped near the horizon and we neared the town, Isa began to slow as her eyes narrowed. I nearly walked right into the back of her as I stopped and glanced up to see her squinting towards the houses.

    "Something up?" I asked her softly as I let off a squeaky yawn.

    "Something''s not right. I see no lights and no smoke coming from the chimneys." Her ears swiveled and twitched. "I hear nothing."

    I glanced at the town. "Maybe it''s evacuated?" I guessed. "Free beds and food for us!" I joked nervously and chuckled.

    Isa didn''t laugh; she reached down and grabbed me by the hand, and I jolted as my heart began to race and my anxiety kicked in. "We''re going around the town," she said bluntly.

    "Wh-what why?" I gasped as she pulled me away, and that''s when I heard it.

    A sharp whistling sound came from above, along with another and another as a dozen massive blue bolts of energy arced across the sky from the west before coming down and slamming into the village in front of us!

    A massive eruption of energy exploded outwards as dust and debris shot upwards, and the ground heaved as the artillery shells slammed into the earth and buildings. The distant rumbling of cannon fire coming from the right bank of the river echoed across the land as the village was pounded into rubble.

    Isa yanked me to the ground, and I screamed as debris rained down upon us. Even though we were so far away from the town¡ªprobably hundreds of feet¡ªshrapnel still peppered the land around us.

    "Wh-what the fuck?! What the fuck?!" I screamed and panicked over and over.

    After about a full minute of shelling, the guns across the river fell silent, and I sobbed as Isa pulled me up and said, "Luna, Luna, it''s over. It''s done." She cooed as I sobbed heavily. Visions of the fighting machines in Kassel slaughtering everyone around me flashed on repeat in my mind.

    It''s happening again! It''s happening again! I don''t want this anymore!

    "Oh, how peculiar." The man''s voice echoed in my head, and my eyes widened with fear. "Now this is something I hadn''t expected¡­" The voice hummed. "Two hundred feet in front of you, three of them are in that ruined village. Yet how did they get there?"

    No, no. You''re fucking with us. You lured us here, didn''t you?

    "No. That is not something I''d do. Yet it seemed as if they had a way to conceal their souls. And now they''re waking up."

    A distant whistle caused Isa''s and mine''s heads to swivel towards the direction of the river, and in the sun''s dimming light, we could see dozens of motorboats moving across the river, all filled with armed soldiers of the Heins Guard. The boats drove up onto the beaches, and with the sharp tweet of a whistle, all of them unleashed a heroic cry as the armed men and women stormed the beach.

    "HOoo-raah!"

    We heard them shout as Isa grabbed me and yanked me off the ground.

    "Th-there''s monsters in the ruins!" I told her. "Th-they''re going to kill everyone when they wake up!"

    Isa scooped me off the ground and began to run to the north. "That''s why we''re going around!" She shouted as the horrific howl of the sleeping fighting machines came from the town.

    I clung to Isa as the screaming soldiers continued as we made a wide berth around the town. Looking over her shoulder, I watched as, out of the smoking rubble, three Rusivite war machines towered out of the rubble. Their large, glass-like eyes illuminated the nightly landscape with a pale blue glow. Like a large spotlight, the machines turned in the direction of the advancing soldiers.

    I buried my face in Isa''s shoulder as the sounds of gunfire ripped through the air. Dozens of rifles were unloading onto the rising machines, and yet, as Isa and I ran, in only seconds, the demons howled, and the burning light from their eyes silenced the guns.

    Yet it wasn''t the end. Across the river, I heard the booming of cannons.

    "Have your friend turn directions now!" The voice snapped. "Move west!"

    "Isa! The voice says, run west!" I cried as I opened my eyes and gasped as I saw the sky filled with the dozens of glowing artillery shells arcing downwards towards us and the towering demons within the inferno.

    Without responding, Isa turned her heels and slid across the grass and dirt before pivoting directions to the west, just as the raining shells made an impact! The ground trembled as the artillery shells rained down upon the former town. Stray shells zipped over our heads and screamed into the earth ahead of us and back in the direction we just were.

    Isa shrieked with agony as one artillery shell landed a handful of yards behind us and exploded, causing her to stumble forward before tripping as we both slammed into the dirt, and I rolled ahead of her. As my back struck the earth, I felt the air being knocked from my lungs, and I gasped and wheezed.

    I coughed and sobbed as I got to my knees and crawled towards Isa. To my right, towards the town, I could hear the howls of the machines. As if crying out in agony, I glanced over and saw one of them stumbling into a pile of rubble, two of its legs having been blown off as it continued to roar.

    I turned back to Isa and saw her clutching her left shoulder, and I gasped as I saw her alabaster shirt soaked with blood. A piece of shrapnel lodged into her upper back. I cursed, grabbed her, and began to try and pull her up.

    "Isa, we need to run!" I cried.

    "I know! I know!" She gasped and cursed as she pushed herself up with her one good arm.

    "In the name of our families!" An amplified voice boomed from the direction of the river. "Our lives and freedom! We face our enemy head-on! Charge!"

    Another wave of soldiers unleashed their chorus of battle cries as Isa got to her feet, and we proceeded to sprint towards the far-off trees. I panted and cried as I pumped my little legs as hard as I could as a third bout of artillery fire began to hammer the town relentlessly.

    Gunfire and screams reverberated through the air as the soldiers clashed with the two remaining fighting machines. I didn''t bother watching who was winning.

    "To the north. One mile out, five of them are coming. Wait. East. Another seven are coming. You need to keep moving."

    We are! We are running! I screamed in my head.

    Suddenly a bright green flash illuminated the night, and I risked a glance over my shoulder and watched as one of the two remaining fighting machines was engulfed in a green ray of energy before erupting into a blinding flash of blue light as it exploded!

    My eyes widened as silhouetted against the blast, I saw a robed figure wielding a staff flying across the sky. Seven sparkling orbs of light illuminated the being''s head as the last remaining fighting machine turned to face them, yet just as the light was about to make contact with the flying magister, the seven lights turned into lethal darts of energy that shot forth, spearing the demon''s glassy eye.

    The machine roared with agony as it stumbled back, tripping over the rubble of a former house and slamming into the earth. Its body was twitching sporadically before sparks of blue energy exploded out of its shattered eye, and it fell still.

    Isa and I continued to run as the ruined town erupted into victorious cheers and hollers as the soldiers climbed upon the rubble and ruins of the monsters. Yet as we neared the tree line, those cheers were soon silenced as ten reinforcing fighting machines charged over the north and eastern horizon.

    My vision blurred and my legs burned as Isa and I stumbled through the tree line as the cannons reported once again as the two armies clashed. We broke through bushes and branches before eventually we both stumbled and rolled into a small ditch.

    We lay there, panting and groaning, as the sounds of battle raged fiercely. I closed my eyes and tried to catch my breath, and when I opened them again, I glanced at Isa and saw she had passed out.

    "N-No¡­ no!" I sat up and moved over to her. "Oh, thank you, God." I said when I saw she was still breathing.

    The wound on her back was still bleeding profusely, and the shrapnel was lodged in deeply. I wasn''t a doctor or had any medical experience, for that matter. Yet I knew this wasn''t good.

    "Fuck¡­ Fuck!'' I cursed as panic began to take hold.

    I need to figure out what to do. I don''t want to lose her¡­

 Chapter 40: How to Save a Life

    As I leaned over Isa, my mind raced as I examined the wound on her back. My heart slammed against my ribs as I tried to think of a way to help her. Yet as I searched through my mind, my thoughts were interrupted by the ground trembling and the loud, horrific roar of a fighting machine as it tore through trees and shrubbery. With nowhere to run and only the small ditch, I and Isa fell into, I grabbed my unconscious mentor and friend and dragged her as best as my tiny arms could muster against the wall of the ditch, and I began to panic.

    I clung tightly to Isa as I buried my face in her throat, covered my mouth, and tried not to scream or cry as the ground shook like an earthquake. Overhead, a massive metallic foot landed near the small ditch we lay in as one of the Rusivite fighting machines howled and walked over us as it made its way towards the battle at the small finishing village we had just fled from.

    Why didn''t you warn me of that one?! I panicked in my mind as I remained still.

    "I don''t know." The voice responded curiously.

    The fuck, you mean you don''t know?! I almost said it out loud as my head perked up with a furious expression.

    "What I mean is that for some reason I have been having issues sensing a few of them." The voice explained. "Like the ones in the village. I didn''t notice them until they''d woken up. Same for the one that just went past you. It''s almost as if when these things sleep, they can somehow mask their presence from me."

    Right. Sure, that doesn''t ease my fears at all.

    "I wasn''t trying to ease them to begin with." The voice said it in a deadpan tone.

    As the sounds of the monster grew more and more distant, I released my breath and moaned pathetically as I sniffed and wiped my eyes. Fresh tears were beginning to form as I looked over Isa''s pale complexion. A sticky pool of blood was forming in the dirt beneath her as the wound on her back continued to leak large amounts of gore.

    She''s dying. She''s dying, and I don''t know what to do. H-How can I save her?

    "You can''t. It is best you leave her; she''s served her purpose. Taking her now will only slow you down." The voice said it emotionlessly.

    A deep fury welled up within me, and out loud, I snapped, "The fuck do you mean?! I can''t leave her!"

    "Shouting will only draw them to you, and thus both of you will die."

    I opened my mouth to protest but closed it. I couldn''t argue with that logic, and it infuriated me. I sulked back onto the dirt and pounded my fist. Listen here, whoever the fuck you are. But my friend is not some tool; we aren''t some pawns in your game!

    "No matter what I say, it will not quell your emotions, so I will not bother arguing with you. I am merely stating facts. She is a burden to us now."

    She is my friend! I sobbed, tears pouring down my cheeks. A friend. Do you not know what friends are? Have you not had someone you cared for?!

    The voice didn''t respond immediately.

    Hello?! So, you''re just going to fucking leave me? I sniffed and sat back in the dirt and began to cry, my voice hiccupping as I moaned and gripped my knees. My family is gone. My teacher is dying. My home is destroyed. Monsters are roaming everywhere. I felt alone¡ªso alone. No matter what I do now, I''m fucked. I''m fucked.

    "I hate this life!" I cried. "I fucking hate this life! This is a nightmare!" I sniffled and buried my face in my knees. "I''d rather have my old life back." I sobbed.

    I''m not a doctor. I don''t know how to save her. Momma hadn''t gotten around to teaching me healing magic yet, and now she never will¡­ I choked another sob and fell quiet.

    Yet, after a moment, the voice returned. Though sounding much softer. "Perhaps if you check her bag, you may find something."

    My head perked up, and my heart skipped a beat. Her bag! You''re right; I''m a fucking idiot. I never thought to check her bag!

    I shifted my body away from Isa to give myself space, then I carefully grabbed her and rolled her onto her back as her bag was strapped to her right half. I could see her face grimacing with agony, and I muttered my apologies as I then reached for it.

    I carefully pulled the bag away from her and opened it. Revealing the pistol hidden within, a few random trinkets of hers that I couldn''t tell if they were useful or not, and a scroll!

    "A scroll!" I gasped and reached for it; the parchment was visibly damaged by water. Most likely during the ferry incident. Yet maybe the ink on it was spared. I pulled it out of her bag and began to unroll the crinkly paper. The whole time, I begged internally that it was one of those healing spells my mother used.

    Yet as the scroll came undone, my heart began to sink as I saw signs of smeared, ruined ink. "No, no, no, nooooo¡­" I began to moan as I held the unwound scroll out before me, my arms shaking as tears streamed down my face. "Noooo, no!" I sobbed as I tried to read the illegible text.

    In a fit of rage, I tossed the scroll aside and cried as I threw myself onto Isa and hugged her unconscious body. I gripped her tightly as I cried. "I''m sorry! I''m so sorry!"

    "Pick up the scroll again." The voice spoke gently.

    "Wa-waah?" I moaned pathetically. "I-it''s ruined, though," I whimpered. "I-I can''t re-read it¡­"

    "Perhaps not. But I know the words." The voice spoke softly, like that of a caring father. "The written text on a scroll does not in itself carry power. Instead, it is the words that are spoken. I believe I know what spell is locked within that parchment. I can teach you those words, and with them, that spell."

    With no other choice or idea, I sniffed and crawled towards the muddy parchment and picked it up. Yet while I did so, I angrily spat, "I thought she was a burden¡­ Why do you want to help now?"

    The voice didn''t respond right away, yet when it did, it was soft, almost like he was muttering, "Because you reminded me of someone, that is why. Now do not ask any more questions. Your friend is running out of time."

    I blinked, rubbed my eyes with my free hand, and nodded. I sniffed, crawled back over to Isa, and held the open scroll out before my eyes. The ink was smeared and splotchy, and I could only make out every other word. Though I wasn''t the one trying to read it, instead I held it out for him.

    Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel.

    "I''ll want you to concentrate on my words. Focus on mending the wounds in your friend''s form and restoring her to proper health. The better you focus your attention, the stronger the power."

    Like any other spell I did. Sometimes I put too much power into them, though. What if I do too much here?

    "Thankfully, there isn''t really any harm you can do when curing someone. Are you ready?"

    I gulped nervously and nodded, though I remembered he couldn''t see me, and said, "Yes." Out loud.

    There was a brief moment of silence, and within, I felt my anxiety rising. Yet before I could prod him and ask what was taking so long, he spoke.

    "Slyondra, goddess of life''s gentle flow, grant us your healing in our time of woe. From your realm of birth, where the Current sways, send forth your blessings to light our way. With your touch, let the wounds dissolve and fade. In your embrace, let pain be gently swayed. Heal this one with your loving grace and restore their body and spirit in your sacred space. Rejuvenate!"

    As the man in my head spoke, I shakily closed my eyes and repeated his words out loud. I recalled the memories of my mother healing myself and Varis long ago as I mimicked her actions. Deep within, I felt a surge of magical energy bubbling forth from my gut. The pleasurable warmth radiated throughout my body as the arcane energy came forth.

    As I opened my eyes, I nearly gasped when I saw the glowing aura emanating from my body. The green particles of light sparkled around me like small, dancing pixies. The scroll before me burned within my hands, yet the heat didn''t hurt me. Instead, it was welcoming. It was comforting, and as I neared the end of the incantation, I reached out with my right hand and placed it on Isa''s shoulder, near the wound on her back. Upon uttering the final word, a surge of blissful magic came through me, and I gasped and trembled as the power shot through my entire core before funneling through my arm, up to my hand, and into Isa.

    Her body radiated with green energy. I shivered and groaned as I watched in awe as the minor injuries covering her body began to switch themselves closed and fade away entirely. I shook as the aftershocks of magic coursed through me, and as I shifted to see the wound on her back, I was amazed as I saw the metallic piece of shrapnel being shoved out of her back and dropping onto the bloody mud below. As if being stitched by an invisible hand, the large wound on her back began to regenerate flesh and skin, pulling itself together like a spider''s web, until eventually, it was back to looking like smooth skin.

    My eyes widened as her skin gradually began to restore itself to its original tan color and the grimace on her face relaxed. A soft sigh escaped her lips as the green magic faded and the scroll disintegrated in my hands. As the pieces of dust drifted off, I fell back onto my rear, panting softly as I closed my eyes. My body was riddled with goosebumps as the aftershocks of magic ran through my system before they too faded. I took a deep breath and smiled gently as I reached up to wipe the tears from my face.

    "Thank you¡­ Thank you for helping me."

    Yet the voice did not respond.

    <hr>

    Isa was still unconscious by the time night had fully enveloped us. I knew our location wasn''t the safest, yet unfortunately, my weak little girl''s body wasn''t strong enough to drag the tall and strong-muscled serelli woman.

    Moments like this make me wish I was still a man. I whined to myself as I tried to drag Isa, only moving her a couple of inches before falling back and feeling like I had just run a marathon. The fighting at the beachside village had faded, and I didn''t know if it was a victory for us or not, honestly. I didn''t want to find out.

    I recalled the other day at the hollow tree how Isa camouflaged the entrance, and I decided to take a page from her book and do something for us. In the cover of the night, I crawled out of our little ditch and scurried, not too far off, towards the foliage to grab some large, fallen branches and leaves to hide us.

    Having taken Isa''s large knife from her bag, the thing felt like a short sword compared to my size. I used it to cut the branches to suitable sizes and slice large leaves. As I dragged them back to our little hiding spot, I shivered as the cold air rolled off the river and blew towards us. The forest did great at blocking much of the breeze, yet the chill still made my teeth chatter slightly.

    Neither of us was dressed for this kind of weather, and Heinmarr was notorious for having warm days yet freezing nights in the spring. I debated whether I should start a fire. The ditch did provide natural slopes, as ditches do, that would block the light. Which would make it harder for anything peering into the woods to see us.

    So, I decided I would do just that, though as an extra precaution. I would do the hobo fire method we''ve been doing throughout the week. As I got the foliage over to the hiding spot, I did my best to prop up the large sticks to make a frame, as I learned by watching Isa. Using the small vines, I recall from the old primitive videos and observing Isa herself, I lashed the large leaves and foliage together to make a pseudo-bush. It wasn''t perfect.

    Though I doubt the giant machines were smart enough to know the difference, at least I hoped. When we were nice and covered, I took a sharp stick and began to stab at the earth, digging a small hole, which I then piled in a small pile of dried leaves and sticks. I then took out my trusted wand, uttered the incantation for the spark spell, sent a tiny bolt of fire into the hole, and ignited it. The hobo fire wasn''t the best at providing a wide array of warmth. Yet it made our little primitive camp a teensy bit more comfortable.

    Finally. I sat back, reached into my magic pouch, and pulled out the cooked bits of jabber. I stabbed the little meat chunks onto a tiny stick to make a little kebab, and I held them over the fire to warm them. After a minute or so, when the meat was sizzling and steamy, I pulled them off and began to quietly munch away as I watched over Isa.

    Perhaps it was the fire, or the smell of roasting meat, or a combination of the two. As Isa began to stir a little and slowly, her eyes began to open, and she groaned as she rolled onto her back.

    I shifted to my knees and came over to her as I whispered, "Whoa, whoa, don''t move. You might still have some sore bits."

    Isa grunted and said, "I''m sore, that''s for sure." She sighed as she stopped moving and side-eyed me.

    For a brief moment, I was nervous as she looked pissed, but then I saw her lips shift into a smile. "You saved me?" She asked.

    I gulped and felt my heart flare up as I nodded, and my emotions started to whirl within me. I sniffed and wiped my eyes once again as I felt happy tears beginning to form.

    "Mhm!" I grunted and took a deep breath. "You had a scroll in your bag. It-it was all messy, y-yet the man in my head taught me how to read it and told me about the incantation for the spell."

    "The man in your head?" Isa looked up at the makeshift shelter I had strung over the ditch. "Did he teach you this too?" She pointed at my shoddy work.

    I shook my head. "N-No. I whipped it up after remembering how you did it."

    Isa''s weak smile widened as she said, "You''re really smart, Luna. Too smart."

    I shook my head. "W-well it''s my smarts that saved your butt." I said as I puffed my cheeks before letting off a small chuckle.

    Isa grunted as she tried to sit up as she planted her hands behind her, and then gasped when her hand bumped the bloodied piece of shrapnel beside her. She glanced down at it, and I pointed to it.

    "That''s what was in your back." I smiled proudly. "The spell pushed it out of you and sealed up your wound."

    Isa picked up the triangular chunk and observed it. "I''m surprised this didn''t kill me outright."

    I shivered and said nervously, "I-I''m no doctor, but it looked really bad. Bu-but you''re good now! Right?" I shifted anxiously.

    Isa looked at me and smiled before nodding. "Yes. I feel a little sore, but I feel much better." She crawled around the fire and came over to me before pulling me into a hug. She buried my face deep into her bosom as she held me close. "Thank you, Luna." Isa audibly sniffed.

    I could feel her shaking lightly as she held me, and I placed my food down and wrapped my arms around her as best I could as we hugged.

    "Thank you for saving me," Isa choked out and rubbed the top of my head and back.

    I sniffed as well, and my emotions flooded out of me. "I was afraid of being alone¡­" I said softly as hot tears streaked down my cheeks and onto her breasts. "I didn''t want to be alone."

    "I know you don''t," Isa whispered huskily, "and I''m not going anywhere." She took a deep breath, regaining her composure. She pulled back and placed her hands on my shoulder. "We''re a team." She smiled. "We stick together; we work together. If we do this, we''ll both make it out of this alive."

    I took a deep breath as Isa wiped my tears off my cheek with her thumb. I nodded and said, "Y-yeah! Like an adventuring party." I beamed.

    Isa laughed at this and smiled widely. "Yes! Like an adventuring party. We''re adventurers now." She patted the top of my head before leaning in and kissing me on the forehead, causing me to blush and my smile to widen as my heart swelled with joy.

    I saved her. I thought. I actually did something¡­ Maybe we can get through this.

 Chapter 41: New Companions

    The distant rumbling of battle echoed throughout the next three days as we traveled through the wilderness. Like a distant storm that was always present, its power and intensity grew stronger with each passing moment before slowly fading into nothing, leaving us in an eerie silence. Isa had quickly recovered from her injuries; the Rejuvenate spell that the voice had taught me had done wonders on her body. So much so, that she mentioned that she no longer even felt the pain in her knees and back she had experienced over the past couple of years.

    I couldn''t tell if she was joking or not. Yet judging by her movements and acrobatics she''d perform at night to entertain me, I guess she wasn''t. I guess I made her feel ten years younger¡ªwhat an interesting spell. I thought as I watched Isa run up a tree and kick-off of it before doing a flip mid-air and landing gracefully on her feet.

    She sighed happily as she bowed, and I clapped. She straightened up and came over to me, where I sat around a fire while rolling her shoulders.

    "I hadn''t felt this loose in ages." She smiled at me as she took a seat.

    "I can tell you''re bouncing all over the place whenever you get the chance," I said with a giggle as I checked our roasting Ganari Isa had hunted this morning. The large duck-looking bird smelt delicious as I prodded it with a stick and said, "Looks like our food is done. Ready to eat?"

    Isa nodded and rubbed her stomach as she sat down, her fluffy tail wrapping around her waist like a belt. "Hell yes, I''ve worked up quite the appetite," she said, and I smiled widely.

    I noticed that ever since I saved Isa''s life a few days ago, she had loosened up quite a bit around me. No longer was she speaking to me like the child she once knew; instead, she''d been acting more like a big sister, an equal. It was a bit odd at first, but seeing her be so casual around me has been nice. She helped me take the large creature off of the fire, and with her knife, we carved it up into edible chunks.

    The evening sun was setting in the distance, casting a warm golden glow over our makeshift campsite as we quietly ate our food. I enjoyed the peaceful tranquility of the moment, savoring every bite under the fading light as the sounds of crickets and other nighttime critters woke up. Now and again, a distant boom of a cannon was heard, yet thankfully, nothing escalated beyond that.

    Yet as we finished our meal and tossed the bones aside for some scavengers to take, I wiped my mouth and asked, "How long do you think it''ll be till we find this path?" I began to stow our leftovers away in the enigma bag.

    Isa took a deep breath. "The path the voice mentioned is probably not far. Any further, and we''ll be hitting the Alter River in a few more days. So, I guess we''ll be seeing it soon. Have you heard from him again?"

    I shook my head. "No. He''s been silent ever since I helped you." I closed the enigma bag and looked at her. "I think I might''ve upset him."

    "Why do you think that?" Isa asked before stifling a belch, which made her giggle and pat her stomach.

    I sighed and smirked as I shook my head and shrugged. "I dunno. He originally wanted me to leave you for dead." Isa''s eyes widened. "But I convinced him not to, and well¡­ he said I reminded him of someone."

    Isa frowned at first but then took a deep breath and shrugged. "I guess if he thought there was no way of saving me, I probably would''ve left myself as well." Isa paused for a moment, lost in thought. "Did he say who you reminded him of?"

    I slowly shook my head, and she nodded. "Well, hopefully he isn''t going to mope around too much. We may be further away from the monsters, but his early alert system has been very useful."

    I nodded in agreement. "That is true, but there''s another issue." Isa''s ears swiveled in my direction. "He said he''s been having issues finding some of the monsters. Apparently, when they''re asleep, their souls go dormant, and he can''t see them anymore."

    Isa pursed her lips and laid back on the grass with her hands laced behind her head. "Well, that is a problem. So, we can''t rely on him entirely." Isa took another deep breath. "I''m sure we''ll manage, though. We''ve made it this far." She smiled at me.

    Seeing Isa''s smile, I couldn''t help but return it and nod. "You''re right; we got this." I said, getting to my knees, crawling over beside Isa, and lying down in the grass beside her. Together, we gazed up at the purple and blue sky; already, we could see stars appearing in the twilight, and for the remainder of that night, we watched the stars until, at some point, we both fell asleep.

    <hr>

    A loud explosion followed by trembling earth shocked us both awake as the sound of a single, massive cannon echoed across the river. This was not the first time this had happened, so we quickly got to our feet and kicked out the fire before grabbing our bags. Yet, despite almost becoming routine, my heart still raced as another explosion sounded off someplace to the northeast. Overhead, the sound of whistling air caught my attention as artillery shells screamed past us before being followed by another distant boom.

    The army is shelling the enemy again from over the river. I thought as Isa, and I grabbed our gear and began to move. Voice guy, are you there? Are there any monsters nearby?

    No response. Dammit, please don''t be asleep or something!

    Still no response.

    "He''s still gone," I said to Isa as we quickly marched through the foliage and continued westward.

    "It''s okay. As of now, I don''t think we need him," she said, just as a distant howl of a fighting machine alerted us to their proximity.

    I cursed under my breath as more artillery shells zipped overhead, each one causing me to flinch slightly as we continued moving. I bit my lower lip as Isa helped me over a log, and as we turned to rush through a large set of bushes, we gasped as an older gentleman broke through the thicket beside us and crashed into us.

    Isa and I yelled as the man accidentally rammed into her, and the two of them went tumbling down. I screamed out for Isa and reached for her as the two of them landed in the mud and dirt. Isa got to her knees; her face was covered in mud, but thankfully she seemed to be okay. She looked at the man on the ground, whom we both saw was carrying a child.

    The man, who I saw was an elf due to his long, pointed ears like mine, gripped the silent child with trembling hands, his eyes filled with a mixture of fear and shock as he looked at us. The kid he held was motionless; I could see by her pale face that she was still breathing, yet shallowly.

    "S-sorry¡­ sorry¡­. Sorry¡­" The man repeated this as he got to his feet and flinched as more artillery screeched overhead.

    Isa held her hands up. "It''s okay; you''re okay." She wiped the mud off her face and tried to smile reassuringly.

    The sounds of distant screams caused my ears to twitch, and I glanced northward. Machinegun fire echoed as more cries of fear came our way, along with the sounds of roaring fighting machines.

    "They''re taking people¡­ taking¡­ taking away¡­ making¡­ more¡­ at factory!" The man spoke, his voice heavily accented. He trembled as he gripped the unconscious girl in his arms. "Run. I must run¡­ away. Get away!"

    I looked at the man and saw that the girl looked to be my age and was wrapped in a white and red blanket. Or what was supposed to only be white? She''s bleeding. I thought. The girl is injured.

    "She''s hurt," I said, pointing to the kid in his arms. "We need to get her somewhere safe. I-I can maybe help her."

    Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.

    Isa glanced at me and back towards the man who was already turning to leave, and she reached out to him. "Mister, wait, we can help you." Another howl from a fighting machine, one much closer this time, startled us as more screams from victims made my blood run cold.

    "No time!" The man shouted over the sounds of chaos, his voice filled with urgency and fear. "Must run, get away!"

    We heard sounds of movement through the trees around us as other refugees began to appear. I turned around to see a man in a dark suit dragging a woman in a white dress along. The woman was sobbing uncontrollably, and the man''s face was pale with fear as his bowl hat fell from his head.

    I felt my stomach drop as I looked back at the older gentleman as he gripped the young girl tightly and began to run through the trees. Isa turned and grabbed my hand tightly as the distant thumping of a fighting machine began to move toward us. The sound of falling trees and snapping wood made my heart hammer against my ribs as we followed behind the man.

    Around us, more people fleeing from the carnage up north began to come into view. A vast number of individuals running from the invaders rushed through trees; among them, I saw soldiers. Men who had dropped their guns and were also running for their lives along with us.

    "Get to the river!" I heard a distant man shouting desperately. "To the river!"

    "Wh-what''s happening? I thought we were ahead of them?!" I cried as I ran alongside Isa, confused and scared.

    "I don''t know!" She huffed as we continued behind the man carrying the child.

    A loud crash and boom caused the ground to shudder as a massive tree fell behind us. A deathly howl caused my heart to leap with fear and my mind to fill with panic as the roar of a fighting machine came right behind us. With a hard yank, I felt Isa nearly rip my arm from its socket as the two of us tumbled to the ground off to the side behind a fallen log. I screamed though I was silenced as Isa pulled me close and clamped her clawed hand over my mouth.

    "Shhh!" She hushed me as two more people ran past us, then came a middle-aged man who sprinted past, yet suddenly, in a flash, a massive, clawed tendril shot forth and clamped around him. The man let off a shrill scream as he was yanked upwards into the air.

    I couldn''t control myself as I screamed into Isa''s hand and tried to pull away as I watched the man be whipped around the air a few dozen or so feet off the ground like a ragdoll as a massive crab-like machine came stomping into view. Unlike the other fighting machines, this one was wider and held two massive cages on its rounded back. Cages filled with screaming, helpless people.

    Men, women, children, and the elderly. Farmers, soldiers, and even wealthy individuals of all races screamed and frantically pulled at the iron bars as the massive monster brought the dangling man over one of the cages and dropped him inside after it opened.

    "Somebody help us!" A woman screamed at the top of her lungs. I could see her gripping the bars and shaking them, her face red and tear-stained. "Gods help us! Please¡ª" Her voice was drowned out by the machine''s horrific roar as it continued to stomp past us as it continued to knock over trees and crushed bushes. Thankfully, it did not notice Isa or me cowering beneath the log as it pursued the others who fled ahead of us towards the south.

    My heart raced frantically, my body quivering as tears ran down my face. The picture of the woman burned forever in my mind as Isa released me, yet I could hardly breathe. I was sucking in the air, but I felt like I couldn''t let it out.

    "Luna, breathe. Luna¡­" Isa whispered.

    We could still hear them¡ªthe dozens of people screaming for help. I covered my ears.

    Shut up. Shut up!

    Isa wrapped her arms around me and picked me up off the ground. I closed my eyes as I felt her carrying me somewhere, hopefully away from the nightmare I had just witnessed.

    Yet eventually, after several minutes, the sounds faded, and I felt myself calming down, and Isa placed me back on my feet.

    "They''re really taking people," I muttered softly. "Why are they taking them? Where are they taking them?"

    Isa took my hand gently and continued to walk briskly. "I don''t know," she said softly. "I know just as much as you do, Luna."

    Once again, we heard rustling through the bushes, and this time Isa drew the pistol and spun around, aiming it at whoever was following us, we heard a sharp gasp as I turned to see the older elven man and child from before.

    "Don''t shoot!" He hissed. "Friendly. I friendly."

    The man was still carrying the wounded girl as he cautiously stepped towards us. Isa sighed with relief and raised the gun.

    "You could''ve called out to us," she said sternly. "I could''ve killed you accidentally."

    "Sorry." The man said it huskily. "Machine too fast. I hid, like you. Saw you run, I chose to follow."

    I had never heard an accent like his before. I noted. Where is he from?

    Isa nodded, and the man stepped forward. "You said you help me? Little Anne, she hurt. Badly," the man said pleadingly. "Shot she was. Mag bullet hit her."

    Isa looked at me, and I gulped. "We should try and find a place to hunker down. Away from here." I suggested it shakily, and I took a few breaths to calm my nerves. "I can see about looking at her."

    The man shook his head. "No time. She bleed lots," he said desperately. "Medicine. I need medicine." He looked toward Isa''s bag. "You offered. You have medicine?"

    Isa took a deep breath and looked at me. "Do you think you can focus for a short time? The thing went south while we went west; unless it turns this way, we should be good."

    I took a deep breath and nodded. "I-I think I can." I turned to the man. "We have something better than medicine. We have magic."

    The man''s face lit up with relief. "Magic? Oh, thank gods. Haha¡­" He laughed as his eyes teared up. "Please, come, come. I set her down." He moved past us and towards the base of a large kefner tree and gently laid the pale elven girl down. It was here that I got a good look at her.

    She was about my age; judging by her ears, she was a pureblood elf and had long, beautiful red hair. Her skin was pale, though most likely from blood loss, and she had partially open and pretty green eyes. Her blood-soaked hand was covering a cloth around her lower abdomen, which I guessed was a bandage around the gunshot wound.

    I gulped nervously as I approached her, my mind trying to remember the words of the spell I used on Isa. As I drew nearer, the girl, Anne, as the man called her, slowly shifted her eyes to look at me. Showing she was somewhat conscious right now.

    "Hello," I said to her shakily.

    "I thought you do magic?" The older man said this to Isa, who shook her head.

    "Nope. Luna, here is the little wizard." She pointed to me.

    I kneeled beside the girl. "I hope you don''t mind, but I''m going to place my hands on your wound, okay?" I said, and Anne simply blinked slowly and let off a shallow breath.

    I reached down and moved her bloodied hand off the stained bandage and grimaced. I didn''t even need to peel the bandage away to see how bad it was; my stomach churned at the gory sight, and I wanted to puke right then and now.

    Yet I kept it down. Taking a deep breath, I closed my eyes and tried my hardest to focus. I reached out with both hands, hovered them over the injury, and began to imagine the wound healing itself. I took a few deep breaths, focusing on each inhale and exhale as I cleared my mind. Deep within my belly, I felt the surge of energy come forth. The pleasurable sensations of power radiated through me gradually as goosebumps began to form up and down my body.

    I heard faint gasps behind me from the man and Isa as I began to utter the words of the spell, Rejuvenate. Doing my best to recall each word, I stammered a little bit, yet thankfully the spell held as I finally ended and called upon the power, "Rejuvenate!" The green swirling pixies around me burst forth! Ascending upwards before coalescing into a tight ball and descending back down towards the injured girl.

    The ball of energy pressed itself through the bandages and into the wound, and Anne let off a squeaky gasp as I heard the sounds of her flesh stitching itself back together. Yet not just around the gunshot wound. The scrapes, bruises, and other cuts on her body also began to mend themselves back together, and after a few moments, the girl was panting and groaning softly as the color began to return to her flesh.

    Suddenly, the man cheered something in a language I didn''t understand. It was familiar yet different like English mixed with something else. He then swapped back over to Maurich and said, "Amazing! I never saw magic before. I see magic, but not done like this, let alone from someone young." He clapped his hand, though Isa turned to him and brought a clawed finger to her lips.

    "I know you''re happy, but not so loud. We''re not in the clear yet." She hissed, and the man raised his hands and apologized.

    I shuddered as the pleasurable aftershocks of the spell casting caused me to quiver, and I smiled and said, "It''s done. I did it!" I quietly cheered.

    I saved another person!

    I heard the man come up behind me and get down beside me. I suddenly felt him take both of my hands, and I turned to face him. I saw him smiling widely at me as he shook them. "Thank you! Thank you! You saved my niece! Thank you! I, Oscar. Forever in debt."

    I blushed deeply as Oscar shook my hands over and over. "Y-You''re welcome." I smiled faintly. "I-I''m always here to help."

    Oscar nodded as he turned to his niece, Anne, who was roused back to conscience and looked around confused.

    "Wh-where are we?" The girl asked in fluent Maurich. "Un-uncle?" She looked at me and then at Oscar.

    The man laughed happily and quietly as he scooched towards the little girl and grabbed her hands gently. "I am here, Anne. Right here." He giggled gleefully. "Kind people, they help us!" He gestured to myself and Isa.

    Anne looked confused but smiled gently upon seeing her happy uncle and shifted with a grunt as she leaned in and hugged him. The man returned her embrace and held her tightly.

    Yet this touching moment was short-lived, as the distant howl of a fighting machine brought us back to the present. Isa stepped forward and said, "We know a way across the river back behind friendly lines. You can come with us."

    Oscar looked over his shoulder and said, "We have no direction. We follow you anywhere."

    Well, that was easy. I shifted nervously as I stood up alongside Oscar, who picked Anne up.

    "Lead way! I follow!" He nodded as Isa began to jog ahead with me behind her, and soon our new foreign companion and niece joined in as the fighting machine''s thumping grew louder and louder.

 Chapter 42: Fork in the Road

    We quickly made our way through the overgrowth, away from the sounds of battle and the encroaching machines. I don''t know how long we ran for, only that my little legs felt like they were going to break off and that my heart was going to explode. At some point, Isa scooped me off the ground, and eventually, all sounds faded.

    We stumbled into a rocky clearing; large boulders lay strewn about as Isa and Oscar panted heavily as they both set Anne and me down. The foreigner, Oscar, bent over with his hands on his knees as he muttered words in his native tongue before wiping his brow of sweat.

    It was at this point that, as Isa raised her arms above her head and extended out her chest to expand her lungs, she said something that I assumed to be in Oscar''s native tongue. The man''s eyes widened as he straightened up and said something questioningly, and Isa nodded.

    The man smiled and continued to speak, and I asked, "Isa, what are you guys saying?" I was somewhat frustrated that I felt out of the loop.

    Yet before Isa could respond, Anne said tiredly, "Uncle is surprised that Isa can speak in Yanky."

    "Yanky?" I turned to look at the redhead, surprised.

    She can speak American? I thought jokingly and smirked a little before thinking seriously. Well, Isa did say she spent time in Yankston many years ago.

    Anne nodded her head slowly, her hand still clutching where her old wound was. "Uncle Oscar is a Yanky," she said monotonously as she yawned. "He''s not good at speaking, Maurich."

    I looked back at the two as they chatted briefly. "Well, he wasn''t doing so badly earlier," I said, muttering as Isa took out her canteen and passed it to Oscar, who took it and drank from it happily.

    After a moment, he came over to Anne and me and said, "Anne. Drink. Try to feel better." He passed her the canteen.

    "Uncle, you can speak to me normally if you want." She muttered as she drank from the canteen.

    "No." He shook his head. "Best I learn. You, good practice." He smiled widely.

    I couldn''t help but smirk a little as Isa came over to me and knelt. "How are you feeling, Luna? Are you okay?"

    I looked at her and bit my lower lip. "Scared," I admitted. "But a bit better than earlier."

    Isa nodded. "I understand. We''re going to go a bit further into the night now to get as far away from Dredsten as we can."

    "Dredsten?" I asked and tilted my head.

    Isa nodded. "Oscar said that''s where all that chaos was happening. Apparently, we were near its outskirts when the invaders began to sack the town."

    "Aye!" Oscar nodded. "Invaders come from the big bullet that fell from the sky! Landed many gilos from Dredsten. Open it did. Monsters come out!" He gestured with his arms out wide. "Took people they did." He then put a hand on his chest. "Barely made it out alive; we did."

    Isa sighed. "So my theory was right."

    "That doesn''t make sense, though," I muttered, and she glanced at me. "How the hell can something so large travel like that? Let alone survive the impact? Can you imagine how big of a gun they''d need to shoot those things?"

    Isa shrugged. "I don''t know, Luna. The Rusivites have walking, soul-filled machines. Honestly, they could throw anything at us, and I won''t be surprised now."

    She has a point there. I thought. This world is bizarre. Everything I knew from my old high school physics classes goes out the window when magic is involved. Dammit.

    "So, they got massive airships, drop pods, and fighting machines that run as fast as striders¡­ How''re we going to outrun these things?" I asked softly as my pessimistic side began to show. "Aside from magic and big cannons, how do we fight these things?"

    Isa''s expression faltered a bit as she looked at me with pity, an expression that only made me feel worse. She shook her head, steeled herself, and said, "Luna, listen to me. We''ll make it out. We got away just now; we can keep doing so. We just need to play smart. Yes, they''re fast, but they''re big and dumb. We can avoid them by hiding and moving in the shadows." She patted my shoulder and smiled at me. "We''ll move like the rogues in your mother''s old adventuring books."

    I appreciate you trying to cheer me up. I thought. Maybe if I was more like Anne, who seemed to be intrigued by your words and had that childish innocence, I would play along. Yet I just can''t. I took a deep breath. The woman screaming in the cage¡ªher face is still in my mind. I can''t help but picture Mother in her position, or Varis, or anyone. What if they were taken? Wouldn''t that be better than being outright killed? Or Worse?

    I began to tremble slightly, and Isa took my hands and gripped them tightly. "Luna, look at me." My eyes hesitantly flicked to meet hers. "We''ll be okay." She smiled gently. "We''re a team, remember? Adventurers. We''ll get through this. You just need to try to stay strong and focus on the here and now. Thoughts are not truths. Do not let them consume you."

    Thoughts aren''t truths? I blinked, and my eyes widened a bit. She''s right. They aren''t. I shook my head, clearing my mind of the horrific imagery.

    "Y-You''re right!" I said it out loud, but more so for my sake than hers. "They aren''t. I-I just¡­ We should get moving." I gulped as Anne handed me the canteen. Isa smiled, sighed with relief, and released my hands, allowing me to take the canteen and drink from it greedily.

    "Well, then, if you''re ready, let''s go moving." Isa smiled down at Anne and me.

    If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.

    <hr>

    It''s been a day since we fled from the nightmare in the forest. Dark clouds had begun to roll in, and a drizzle poured down on us as we continued deeper into the forest. We continued to hunt what few critters we could, but without the voice in my head to alert us of any fighting machines. Every time we fired the gun, it was a risk. Not only that, but Isa also made it clear she only had about ten rounds of ammunition left. So, to make things last, we began to ration what meat we had left, and Isa began to teach me more about foraging throughout the day as we walked by pointing out various edible plants and roots.

    Despite the dreary rain, today was quiet¡ªno fighting machines, guns, or screams. It was honestly refreshing, and the pessimism from the day before began to ease a bit as we moved. We told Oscar and Anne about our escape plan¡ªfinding the cabin in the woods with the boat to get across the river. How we came to that knowledge, we didn''t disclose. Isa simply said we heard it from a passerby and were hedging our bets.

    Oscar didn''t seem to care or press on the issue; honestly, he just seemed happy to have capable company.

    Anne, however, seemed a bit off. Or should I say she reminded me of Varis? She seemed very upset about our situation, reasonably so, of course, yet I could see the anger and hatred behind her eyes every time we encountered remnants of our invaders. Whether it be the massive footprints left by the machines or the occasional corpse we stumble upon, again, her reaction is one hundred percent reasonable. Yet maybe I was just hoping to see another cheerful child again.

    It wasn''t until some point in the mid-afternoon that we came across a dirt path in the forest, cutting down from the north to the south. Isa stopped upon seeing this, held her hand up, and glanced at me. I looked at the path and pursed my lips.

    Voice man, are you awake? We found a path. Is this it?

    No response.

    Dammit. How long are you going to be ghosting us?

    No response.

    I took a deep breath. "I think we should follow it." I said to Isa. "If it leads to nowhere, we can just come back here and continue on."

    Isa nodded. "It might waste time, but¡­ I have no other idea." She admitted this, and she relayed this to Oscar, who simply nodded.

    "You go, we follow." He smiled.

    Making a left down the straight path, we began walking south toward the river. We continued like this for about an hour, until finally we came across a T junction as, from the west, another path met the one we were on. Isa stopped and glanced at me, and I frowned.

    There is not a fork in the road. Yet the right path leads into the woods again. I thought. Hello, voice dude. Master, are you awake?

    No response.

    God dammit. I sighed and made my decision.

    "I think we should go west again." I pointed to the path. "Let''s follow this path and see where it goes."

    Isa didn''t question my choice and nodded before motioning for Oscar and Anne to trail behind us as we turned and went down the westward path. The forest thicket became thicker around us as we made our way further down the path. The overgrowth gradually began to eat up the road around us as the canopy thickened and blocked much of the rain. Around us, the sounds of birds and bugs grew louder as nature here seemed to be mostly untouched by the ongoing conflict, further soothing my fears of any Rusivite fighting machines lurking about.

    Eventually, we finally encountered what I assumed to be a fork in the road. Split down the center, the path broke off into two separate directions, one continuing off to the right and the other left towards the river.

    I think he said to head left. I recalled as I motioned for the others to follow me down the path. As we walked, the smell of the river''s water as well as the faint roar of the waves lapping against the bank caught my ears, and I felt my heart beating with excitement.

    The thought of finally getting away from this hell hole made me almost want to skip with joy down the path. Yet I kept myself reserved. So far, every chance at escape has ended in tragedy. I best keep myself in check. I mentally prepared myself.

    As the afternoon sun drifted into the evening, we could now see the river clearly through the trees on our left. Its wide and blue expanse was inviting to the eyes as the trees became sparser, to the point where we stepped into a large clearing.

    A big hill stood tall before us, and on it was a quaint cabin. Not like the one Isa and I encountered previously, no. For one, this one had lights, and down by the river was a jetty and building that I assumed housed the boat.

    I felt my stomach sink upon seeing this. Does the voice want us to steal the boat?

    Perhaps Isa could read my mind, or maybe it was obvious by the look on my face, but she placed a hand on my shoulder and said, "Perhaps we can ask, Luna." She glanced down at me.

    I gulped and nodded. "Yeah, it''s¡­ not like we''re keeping it. Maybe they can ferry us across?" Isa smiled lightly.

    With a deep breath, I did my best to hype myself up and began to walk towards the cabin.

    <hr>

    Isa was the one who lightly knocked on the cabin door. Inside, we had heard what sounded like a family of people speaking and laughing, and upon the sudden wrapping at their door, an eerie silence fell over them.

    At first, there was no response, and Isa raised her hand to knock again when suddenly the door opened partially. A chain lock kept it from opening entirely.

    Yellow light spilled out onto the slab path leading to the cabin, and the silhouette of a tall, rotund man peered down at us, in a low, gravelly voice, he said, "Can I help you?"

    Isa nodded. "Apologies for the intrusion, but yes." She gestured to us as she took on a very kind and pleading voice¡ªa light tone I''d yet to hear from her. "My friends and I are refugees from Kassel. The invaders sacked the town and destroyed the ferries. We desperately need help crossing the river, and we see you have a boat house." She gestured to the shack by the jetty.

    The smell of a delicious meal wafted out of the man''s house and into my nose, and immediately my stomach growled loudly along with Oscar''s and Anne''s.

    "If you could help us, Mister, we have two children." Isa clasped her hands together and shook them as she pleaded.

    A low voice from a woman called from inside. "Gortak, who''s at the door?"

    "Kreshnakor!" The man barked back in a tongue I''d never heard. "Refugees. They say that the invaders destroyed Kassel."

    We heard gasps and murmurs coming from inside, and soon another man''s voice called from within, one sounding light and a bit pompous.

    "More refugees? I do say, are they injured? I can take a look at them." I saw Isa''s ears perk up, and she glanced up at the man.

    "Dr. Kegan, is that you?" Isa called past the large man at the door.

    "Oh ho! Is that one of my many patients?" The man beyond the door replied smugly.

    The rotund individual, known as Gortak, gazed down at Isa. "Are you familiar with the good doctor?"

    Isa nodded. "Yes. He helped the little one here, Luna." She gestured down at me. "We found him along the road when leaving the Heinland Valley."

    "OOoh, you''re the Ashflow family?" The good doctor chuckled from beyond the door. "Please, Gortak, let them in; they''re good people. I can vouch for them!"

    The grumbling voice of the woman beyond the door added, "The good doctor seems genuine, dear. Let them in. I made enough for everyone, and then some."

    Gortak took a deep breath. "We can''t be taking everyone in, Kannore. But fine, I''ll make an exception this once." His massive hand reached up and unlatched the door, and he opened it fully. It was here that I gasped softly when I saw that the large man was a massive orc. He had large, thick tusks protruding out of his lower jaw and massive, broad shoulders to put any football player to shame, though as a nice contrast, he wore a fine white shirt and brown vest with matching pants.

    Gortak ran a hand through his long, black hair and gestured for us to come in. "Welcome to House Tenorahn. Make yourself comfortable, and we can discuss what you need."

 Chapter 43: River Boat

    The interior of the cabin was warm and inviting; the space was open and filled with high-reaching furniture as the large orc, Gortak invited us inside. The cabin consisted of a large living space with a fireplace off to the far right and two cozy, cushioned chairs in front of it. Behind them, at a large dining table, was a tall, curvaceous, orc woman dressed in a plain yet cute gray and white dress that came down to her calves. The dress was slightly stained with what looked like food and wine, yet despite this, she smiled at us with pleasure as we came in, her small tusks jutting upwards as she brushed her braided bangs back behind her head.

    "Pardon my husband," she said gruffly as she stood up and walked to the open kitchen connected to their living room. "Please make yourselves at home. I''ll get you tea. Grotz, Menort!" She barked at the two young orcs around the dining table. "Go to the shed and grab the extra chairs out back!"

    The two teenagers nodded, scrambled out of their chairs, and ran to the back door, leaving the only person at the table to be a human man. A very posh-looking individual in a white dress shirt and a black vest and blazer over top. I watched as he stood and dusted off his dress pants and came over to us, hand outstretched towards Isa, while his mother brushed his blonde hair back before fixing his thick circle-rimmed glasses.

    "My, my, it is pleasant to see you again, Madam Soza!" He beamed as Isa smiled faintly and took his hand, which the man excitedly shook though slowed as he peered over her shoulder towards Oscar, Anne, and me. "Oh, where are the rest of the Ashflows?"

    Isa released his hand and sighed quietly. "We got separated, Doctor."

    The doctor gasped and covered his mouth. "Oh, oh¡­ my. Apologies." He cleared his throat as the orc woman returned to the table with a wooden platter of teacups and a kettle.

    She poured each of us a cup as Isa said, "You''re alright. We tried to escape on the ferries in Kassel when the invaders came. How did you end up here? Last I saw you were with us in New Gessik?"

    The doctor nodded as he pulled a handkerchief out of his pocket, dabbed his forehead, and wiped his hands. "Yes. I was. I hitched a ride with the military convoy. I saw your lot on the road while we drove past. I waved, though I don''t think any of you saw me. Yet when we reached the base of the Duskland, those horrid machines came crawling out of the river and attacked us. There were three of them. I barely made it out with my bags and the like. I do believe the soldiers fought them off, but I didn''t plan to stick around." He sighed as our host began handing each of us some tea. The doctor thanked her as he took him, sipped it, and smiled. "Oh, my. Is this krennish?" He raised the cup, and the woman smiled and nodded. "My, never had I thought orcish tea would taste so vibrant!" He praised, and the woman snorted and waved a hand at him, though the Gortak huffed and glared at him.

    I pursed my lips as I mulled over the doctor''s story. He might be referring to those walkers I saw in the river. That would''ve put him about a day ahead of us. Why didn''t he take a ferry out?

    So, I decided to ask just that: "Doctor. Why didn''t you take a ferry out from Kassel?"

    The man sipped his tea and looked down at me, his blue eyes analyzing me from head to toe as he smirked. "Good question, Luna? That is your name, right?" I nodded, and he smiled. "Glad to see you''re doing much better! But to answer your question, I intended to, but then those ghastly cylinders fell from the sky and squandered my plans. One landed so close to me on my travels that I nearly flew into the sky, and I''m talking about hundreds of gotts from me. I thought I was a dead man; I figured it was an undetonated bomb ready to blow at any moment, yet then the top began to unscrew. That''s when I realized it was a capsule, and it contained something I did not want to see. So, I fled further west, and judging by your tales, my gut was correct."

    Isa nodded. "It most likely contained more of those machines."

    The doctor stuck his nose in the air. "How foul. How could such a thing survive an impact like that?"

    "That''s what I''m saying!" I blurted out.

    Finally, another person of reason! I thought as I sipped the tea that was handed to me, and my eyes widened at the rich, earthy taste. Oh, this isn''t half bad.

    The doctor glanced at me and nodded as I said, "Those things hit the ground super hard, not to mention they''re huge. I can''t imagine how big the gun is that shot them or the energy that would have thrown it!"

    "Ah, so you''re a thinker as well." The man smirked and tapped his forehead. "Yet, of course, whenever magic is involved, our line of thinking always goes out the window." He lamented.

    At this point, the two teenagers came back into the house carrying a stack of wooden chairs and set them around the already-crowded table.

    "Thank you, children." Gortak said, "Rest of you. Have a seat."

    "Yes," the wife said with a smile as she retook her seat. "There is plenty of Kaborsh to go around."

    "Kaborsh?" I muttered, and the doctor turned to me and nodded.

    "An orcish delicacy, it may look crude. But trust me, it is amazing. Kannore here is a wonderful cook," he explained as I glanced at the woman, her grayish green skin darkening around her cheek as she blushed, though Gortak looked like he didn''t know if he should be insulted or not, thankfully who chose the latter.

    We gathered around the table. I sat between Isa and Oscar, who sat Anne beside him on the right side, while the Tenorahn family sat across from us along with Dr. Kegan. The meal presented before us looked something akin to a beef stew. A large pot filled with rice, pasta, and some sort of black and red sauce with chunks of meat I did not know.

    Yet, judging by Kegan happily tying his handkerchief around his neck before digging into his already-prepared plate, it seemed good. Kannore leaned forward, took the ladle, and provided each of us with a serving along with a side of mashed potatoes. My stomach growled heavily as the smell struck me. My mouth watered as I hesitantly reached for my spoon, though Isa stopped me.

    "Thank them first," she whispered, and I blushed deeply with embarrassment.

    "Uh¡­ Th-thank you," I said softly. "Mr. and Mrs. Tenorahn."

    "Yes. Thank you!" Anne squeaked out as well.

    Gortak''s face finally softened a little, and he nodded his large head and said, "No need to thank us. You all look like you''ve been through a lot."

    Isa nodded. "We have; things are getting very bad out there."

    Gortak held a large hand up, and seeing him so close now, I gulped. His hand is nearly as big as my torso. He could probably crush my head without even thinking about it!

    "Please enjoy your meal first. Then we can talk about the news."

    Isa nodded, looked at Oscar, Anne, and me, and gestured towards the food.

    <hr>

    I don''t think I''ve ever eaten so much so fast. Dr. Kegan was right; the food looked a bit off visually, but holy shit, it tasted so good. It was so rich and savory, it was a party in your mouth. Compared to the roasted jabber and plants we''ve been eating during our trek in the woods, this was fantastic. I almost wanted to cry with joy.

    I laid back, wishing I could undo my corset and dress and let my tummy hang. I felt so bloated as I patted it. The Tenorahns smiled at me, and Kannore chuckled lightly as she got up and looked at her children. "Grotz, Menor, help me clear the table." The two teenagers nodded obediently and stood as they began to take our dishes away.

    It was at this moment that Gortak placed his massive arms on the table and laced his fingers as he leaned forward. "So, the invaders are almost here?" He grumbled.

    Isa took a deep breath and nodded. "Yes. Just recently," she gestured to Oscar. "They''ve reached Dredsten."

    This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.

    Gortak''s brow furrowed. "Less than a few days from here."

    Isa nodded. "Yes. They''ve destroyed the military''s evacuation route and slaughtered everyone."

    "Slaughtered?" Gortak glanced at the doctor. "Isn''t that what you said happened at the mountain''s base?"

    The doctor nodded and fixed his glasses on his nose. "Yes," he said in a serious tone. "From what I observed, these machines. Automatons. They don''t differentiate between non-combatants and combatants. They kill anything in their way. Hence, I have been telling you all that it would be best if we left here in the morning."

    "We should leave now," I said abruptly. "As soon as we can, we need to leave."

    Gortak''s eyebrow cocked as he glanced at me and shook his head. "I will happily let your kind people use my boat, but I don''t think I or my family will be going."

    Isa nearly spit her tea as she drank and set it down. "Excuse me? I don''t mean to be rude, Mr. Tenorahn, but we''re not exaggerating. These monsters aren''t fighting like soldiers. There is no frontline; they''re prowling through the forests, fields, and towns hunting."

    "They''re exterminating us!" I added as I sat up. "The Rusivites aren''t trying to occupy us; they''re trying to wipe us off the face of Enora!" I bit my lower lip.

    Don''t you dare put your family in the position mine were in!

    Gortak glanced at me. His eyebrows raised in surprise at seeing my reaction. "You sound like a very smart girl." He leaned forward. "But you can see that this little cabin I built with my wife is all we have. We have no money and no place to go if we leave. I spend my days fishing and hunting to support my family. No metropolis is going to want to take in my family. We''re better off here in the forest, away from anyone."

    "That''s bullshit!" I snapped, and my heart dropped instantly as I immediately regretted it.

    Isa glared at me, and even Oscar shot a look at me.

    Yet, thankfully, Gortak didn''t seem to get angry. He was shocked, yes, but he looked at me a bit more seriously. I took a deep breath. "I''m sorry for my language. B-but it''s true." I swallowed. "My parents thought the same way at first." I sniffed. "We tried to prepare, but it was too late. My father put money down for a wagon that the owner ended up just stealing from us, and the stable owner sold all the striders, and we got extorted; because of that, we had to just keep waiting and waiting, hoping that maybe things would end peacefully or that we had enough time. But we didn''t, Mr. Tenorahn. We didn''t. And because of that, they''re gone now!" I cried softly as tears began to roll down my cheeks. "Please don''t make the mistake many of us made by waiting. Believe us when we say this is bad; this is very bad. We need to go soon; there''s no time to fully prepare. Johanneson is where the soldiers were taking people; that''s where my momma told me to go, and you can come with us." I proposed.

    Before Gortak could open his mouth and respond, Oscar leaned in and said, "Girl is right. Rusivites are demons. They try and kill us all; shot my niece; they did. Girl here," he pointed to me. "Saved my niece." He nodded.

    Not entirely helpful. I smiled at him as I wiped my eyes. But I appreciate your support, Oscar. He nodded happily as if he had made a compelling argument.

    In the kitchen, I noticed Kannore and her kids watching us with wide eyes as Gortak pressed his forehead into his folded hands and sighed.

    "If you want to stay, please at least send your kids away," Isa said as Gortak glared at her. "There is no fighting these things, Mr. Tenorahn. We mean no disrespect, but it''s true. Staying here would be suicide."

    "I let you into my home," he growled. "I let you eat our food, and now you''re telling me to uproot my family''s life?"

    Before anyone could respond, I sat up. "Yes! Because, like Isa said, staying here is suicide. It''s selfish, even. Sure, they might not find you tonight or tomorrow, but eventually those machines will come marching through those woods and will burn this cabin to the ground if you''re here." I glared at him.

    Once again, the orc seemed surprised. "For such a little one, you have such ferocity." He sighed. "You would do well if you were an orkani yourself." He stood up from the table and towered over all of us.

    His wife came over and placed a hand on his arm as he looked at every one of us. "But you make a good point; choosing to stay here would put my own family at risk¡­" He took a deep breath, and I blinked with surprise.

    Oh? Well¡­ that was easy. I gulped. I thought he was going to be more stubborn.

    "I''ll need to let my family get ready, though, so unfortunately we won''t be leaving as soon as you''d like, Little One."

    "Y-you can call me Luna," I said quietly, sinking into my chair as the large man looked down at me.

    "Luna¡­ like the old sorceress?" He smiled at me, and I shifted nervously but nodded. "Ha, well. Continue to make yourselves comfortable while my family and I prepare."

    As the large man turned away with his wife, he gestured for his sons to follow him into one of the few sealed-off rooms and closed the door behind them. We could hear muffled voices coming from the other side, as they appeared to be having a family meeting.

    "Luna," Isa hissed. "You must do better with how you speak to people." She frowned at me.

    I gulped. "S-Sorry, I got a little angry. But it worked! H-he''s willing to come," I said as I rubbed the back of my head.

    "Indeed," Dr. Kegan said, "he is coming, but that''s only because Mr. Tenorahn is one of the few orcs who are capable of reasoning."

    "You watch your tongue, doctor." Isa snarled at him as her pupils turned to slits. "I may see you as an ally, but I do not tolerate bigotry."

    Kegan fixed his glasses and raised his hands reassuringly. "My apologies; I meant what I said as a compliment. I''ll refrain from making such remarks."

    Isa''s eyes slowly began to dilate again. She leaned back. "You better," she growled and sighed as she glanced at me. "Though you as well must control your temper, Luna. In the future, other individuals may not align with our thinking."

    I nodded. "Okay. I''ll try."

    About a half hour passed as we sat around the table, idly chatting away as our patrons gathered what they could. Not much interest was discussed, as it was mostly Kegan learning of Oscar''s heritage and embarrassing himself when trying to speak Yanky as well. Which in itself was humorous, as Oscar looked perplexed when Kegan opened his mouth, and nothing, but garbled gibberish shot forth.

    "Is this what I sound like to you?" Oscar turned to Isa and me.

    "Can you understand him?" Isa asked, and Oscar shook his head. "Then no, he''s worse."

    Kegan gasped. "I do say, I practiced at Regent Academy for years; sure, I never properly tested it till now, but I aced my exam." He huffed.

    "How long ago was that?" I asked him. "About ten years ago." He adjusted the collar of his blazer.

    "Right." Both Isa and I spoke.

    "You make for a good physician, but not a linguist. Your pronunciation and choice of words were all over the place,'' Isa said as she then swapped to Yanky and began to speak fluently, at which point I was lost.

    Though Kegan''s eyes widened, Oscar said, "Speak well; she does. Accent is very pretty too!"

    Isa blushed lightly and said, "Thank you." She smiled at Oscar.

    "Well, what do I sound like?" Kegan asked as he crossed his arms.

    "Howling grok." Oscar replied quickly, and both Isa and I snorted along with Anne, who giggled softly.

    Kegan crossed his arms and stuck his nose up. "How dare you compare me to such a crude beast?" He huffed, yet after a few seconds, he glanced back down and smirked.

    At this point, the Tenorahns returned to the table with bags and items prepared. "Alright, we''re set. Follow us down to the boat house. We should be across the river within the next hour."

    "Excellent." Kegan said jovially as he got up along with the rest of us. "How big is your boat exactly, Mr. Tenorahn? There are quite a few of us."

    "Big enough!" Gortak grumbled as he and his family began to walk towards the door, motioning us along. "It''s a Kensley motor. It''ll be cramped, but it''ll fit us."

    "A Kensley?!" Kegan placed a hand on his chest as he gasped. "How in the heavens did you get one of those?"

    "What is it?" I asked, confused, as we stepped outside into the cool night air, hearing the sounds of crickets greeting as well as the bright light from Enora''s two moons that hung beautifully above us.

    "It''s a motorboat!" Kegan said excitedly, "One of the few of their kind. Most cost a fortune to obtain. Such a device will get us across this river in a jiffy!"

    Gortak snorted. "It''s useful, but it isn''t perfect. The thing breaks down half the time, but I got it a few years ago from a man named William Backston. Some rich fellow who was throwing it out after it broke on him." He explained as we came near the boat house. Gortak took out a large silver key and began to unlock the heavy chain that barred the door. "I was originally going to just convert it to a big rowboat or install a sail, but I decided to tinker with the engine. Turns out, the thing just needed a new belt." He chuckled as the large chain came loose, dropped to the ground, and pushed the door open.

    We stepped into the boat house, and the smell of river water caused me to shiver as visions of the incident at Kassel caused me to shudder. Isa took my hand gently as we walked out onto the wooden platform and gazed at the decently sized motorboat. The thing was big, about fifteen feet long and maybe five feet wide. With all of us in it, it''d be cramped, but it most definitely could fit us.

    As for all the supplies the Tenorahns are bringing, they are probably really cramped.

    "Get on in; I''ll untie her." Gortak said as he gestured to the boat, and we all started to hop in one at a time.

    I nervously climbed in as Isa helped me, and I bit my lower lip as I started to think about the machines in the water.

    Don''t think about it. Don''t think about it. This is a fast boat, or at least I hope it is. We''ll be safe.

    One by one, the rest of the others went in, and the bags were tossed into the boat. When Gortak stepped in, the boat groaned and shook a little, and for a second, I thought we were exceeding its weight. Yet after a moment of displacement, as water sloshed around, we gasped. It settled, and we all sighed with relief.

    "Alright. Hold on tight. The girl likes to kick a bit when I start her up." He grunted as he grabbed the pulley and yanked the cord a few times.

    What shocked me next was how the boat sounded when it came to life. I was expecting loud banging and roaring like a diesel or gas engine. Yet no. It sounded electric. A soft purr and whine came from the engine as Gortak grabbed the handle and pulled the gas lever to get us going. It purred a little louder as the boat jerked forward once, then twice, before growling forward like a small but fast cat.

    We zoomed out from under the boat house opening and out into the river, moving at a pretty quick pace as we bounced over the small waves. The Kenchala River was wide, and I mean very wide, and as Gortak said, it''ll take us maybe just under an hour to get to the other side.

    I held onto Isa as the water misted us gently as we zoomed across and slightly down the river as Gortak moved partially with the current. Looking up at her, I saw her smiling widely as she pointed ahead, and as I followed her finger, I saw she was pointing to the distant city lights that illuminated the nighttime horizon, and I felt my heartbeat with excitement.

    Finally, we may make it to the other side of this fucking river.

 Chapter 44: Safety and Intelligence

    I clung onto Isa tightly as the motorboat skipped across the small waves of the river as it grew closer and closer to the shoreline. My little heart was beating rapidly against my chest as I repeatedly glanced behind us, expecting a monster to surface or break through the tree line at any moment. Yet nothing. Nothing came for us from behind as we neared the right bank.

    Instead. Bright lights along the coast suddenly blinded us all as multiple, massive lamps came on all at once. A klaxon alarm echoed loudly as the silhouettes of dozens of soldiers appeared in front of the blinding lights, weapons raised and indecipherably screaming at us in unison.

    My heart nearly leaped into my throat as Isa turned to Gortak and shouted, "Shut off the engine! Raise your hands!"

    All at once, we raised our hands with open palms. "Friendly!" I shouted. "Don''t shoot, please don''t shoot!" I waved my arms as our boat continued to coast toward shore.

    More and more spotlights trained on us, the bright blue and white lights causing me to squint as a dozen soldiers ran down to the bank.

    "Refugees!" I heard one of them shout. "We have refugees!"

    More and more soldiers began shouting down the line as a handful more came rushing towards us, a few wading out in the water to catch our boat. I felt my heart slow as I relaxed and sighed with relief as the soldiers grabbed onto our boat and helped guide us to shore.

    "Get some blankets and help these folk out!" What I presumed to be a superior officer shouted to a few men, who nodded and ran back up the bank.

    "Let me help you out." A younger man said this to me and Isa as he took my hand and helped lift me out of the boat.

    "Th-thank you," I squeaked and then shrieked as we all ducked when the sound of cannons boomed beyond the riverbank, and I saw bright streaks of blue arc across the sky towards the other side of the river.

    "It''s okay!" The soldiers said to us, "That''s ours!"

    "We''re kicking those bastards back when they get close!" Another I couldn''t see shouted.

    "Alright now, c''mon, let''s get you beyond the trenches." The commanding officer motioned for us all to group up. "Corporal, lead them back!"

    "Aye, will do, sir!" The soldier saluted and motioned for us to follow.

    A few more cannons boomed as more shells flew overhead as the soldiers guided us towards a small dirt path leading up the side of the bank towards the foliage that lined the edge of the river, and beyond that, we saw vast lines of trenches. Like a child who had dug squiggly lines in the dirt, I saw a vast network of trenches and dugout bunkers zigzagging across the surface of the field before me that seemed to stretch for miles along the edge of the river.

    "C''mon now, keep moving." The soldier leading us said this as they guided us into one of the first trenches.

    Taking my hand Isa helped me hop down into the deep hole in the earth, and my boots plopped into the bit of mud and wood planking that was laid out over the mucky terrain to help the soldiers move about. The trench itself wasn''t bad, at least compared to all the World War I imagery I had seen in the past. The walls of the trench were lined with wooden supports, and the floor was partially covered in planks. It felt like a rustic cabin.

    Then again, this war has only been going on for a little over a week. I thought to myself. Give it time, and this cozy hole is probably going to turn into hell.

    The trench was packed with dozens of soldiers¡ªmen and women of all races and ages. Many of them seemed to be resting in small dugouts in the wall that acted as beds, chatting and laughing as they ate their evening tin rations. Others, who seemed to be on guard duty, leaned against the trench wall overlooking the river with large spotlights.

    Many of them turned to see us as the group that led into the trench guided us towards a branching path that continued southward. A few eating men and women cheered us on as one shouted,

    "You made it! Welcome to the back lines!"

    "Safety at last!"

    "We''ll protect you!"

    And the group cheered once more, just as another round of cannon fire ignited. How did they dig all these trenches so fast? I wondered as we made our way down one of the various trench lines. We continued to follow the soldiers, guiding us deeper and deeper into the fortifications, and up ahead, I spotted something large peeking up into the air.

    A barrel connected to a gargantuan cannon slowly began to rise. "Further! Further!" I heard a voice shout. "Hold! Hold! Perfect!"

    Then suddenly, a chorus of voices boomed in unison. "One! Two! Three! Push!" Suddenly, the scraping of metal could be heard, and as we drew nearer, I noticed what it was. It was indeed a massive gun. It was so large that I was stunned to see that it was being operated by at least two dozen men and women. A large group stood behind it, and I watched as they all ran forward with what looked to be a ramrod as they shoved a massive artillery shell into the breach loader. Once the bullet was put in, a large door closed around it, securing it in place.

    It''s like a fucking railway cannon¡­ yet with no railway¡­ I blinked.

    "The Godhammer is primed and ready, Cap''n!" A woman shouted from the scaffolding along the massive gun.

    "Excellent!" A large, burly man replied from down below. "Let''s smite these autonomous bastards! Unleash the Godhammer!"

    "Cover your ears!" Our soldier guides shouted to us, and immediately my hands shot to my pointy ears and yanked them down the side of my head as the soldiers around the gun began to run to their trenches. After a few seconds of grace, the ground suddenly heaved as the gigantic gun fired its payload. Even with my ears covered, a sudden pain wracked my mind as the boom of the gun raddled my ears.

    "By the divine!" Isa squealed as she cupped her fuzzy ears, and I felt bad as I knew her sensitive hearing took the brunt of that noise. "Never have I seen such a weapon!" She whined.

    "Impressive, isn''t it?" One of the leading soldiers said, "That hammer alone has killed at least a dozen of those rampaging machines." He boasted.

    "Aye!" Another responded. "Word has it, the brass is sending us at least two more to bolster the front."

    I blinked as I stuck my finger in my ears and tried to clean them out as the ringing remained consistent as we walked past. "H-How long does it take to load it?" I asked them out of curiosity.

    "Uh¡­" The soldier in front, a human man with ginger hair, removed his helmet temporarily as we neared a T junction. "Depends. On average, about twenty-five minutes. Though I have seen the beast-kin, specifically the mencorans, those tough bastards can lift a shell with only seven guys, and they can load it much faster than we can. I saw them cut it down to only fifteen minutes."

    Mencorans? I thought, and then the memory flashed before me. Isa taught me about them. They''re like minotaurs. Large bullish-like creatures. I''ve never seen one in Heinmarr before.

    "That is impressive, yet the speed alone is nowhere near capable of competing with the fighting machines," Isa grumbled as she looked back at me and then at Gortak and his family.

    The Tenorahns were eyeing the large gun with great interest, and Gortak reached up to stroke his chin. "Fascinating piece of work; I wonder how it''s made."

    "Aye!" Oscar blurted it out. "Big guns are very common in Yankston. Worked on many. Requires lots of magic!" He explained.

    I blinked. "You worked on guns?" I asked as we walked.

    He nodded as he tugged Anne along beside him. "Yes!" He smiled.

    "Uncle Oscar is an artificer engineer," Anne mumbled, yet I was just able to hear her.

    If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.

    Oscar nodded and smiled so wide that I thought his cheeks would split. "Yep! Engineer I am. Work on many inventions and weapons!"

    Dr. Kegan smirked. "Ah, another scholarly gentleman. It''s a different field of study, but it''ll be nice to speak with someone else who is of class." He chuckled as he fixed his suit.

    Anne looked at the doctor with lifeless eyes and said, "I''m afraid you''ll be disappointed. Uncle Oscar is smart, but he has no class."

    The older elf scoffed. "Class I have! I am¡­ cool. That''s what kids say, right?"

    How do you do, fellow kids? I thought to myself, laughed, and shook my head.

    Kegan sighed. "Alas, I must continue to dumb down my speech." He said this, and I glanced back to see that he was smiling as he said it.

    "You''re just joking around, right?" I asked him, and he blinked and looked at me before chuckling and nodding.

    "I am. I personally see no issue being around you, common folk. The past week alone showed me clearly as I stumbled around with a lot of you." He gestured with his arms out wide.

    I nodded as we turned down more and more trench lines before, eventually, after a handful of minutes, we made our way up a small incline before stepping out into an open field littered with tents and wooden fortifications.

    It looks like we have reached the forward operating base. I thought as I looked around to see a scattering of campfires and soldiers in their fatigues wandering about, either performing maintenance or relaxing.

    "Corporal Straus, who are these people?" A commanding voice called out, and up ahead, I saw a tall, intimidating woman approaching us. She wore a dark gray trench coat decorated with medals and a matching peaked cap. On her left arm, I saw she had a golden armband with the symbol Heinmarr, the roaring dragon. She had beautiful red hair that peeked slightly out of her hat, similar to that of Anne''s, as she approached us, flanked by two armed soldiers, her striking blue eyes piercing each of us as she examined us from head to toe.

    The soldiers around us immediately stood to attention, their heels clicking as they saluted the woman. "Colonel Hass, we found these refugees attempting to cross the river!"

    "Refugees?" Her eyes narrowed. She folded her white-gloved hands behind her back and began to walk down our line, examining us. "Did you search them?"

    "Yes, sir." He spoke.

    Sir? I blinked, confused.

    The woman stopped. "What was that, Corporal?" She turned to face him, her eyes emotionless, and even I felt the fear of God strike me as the man sputtered. With her hands still folded behind her back, she took a few powerful strides towards him, her face leaning in close to his. "Corporal, do I sound like a man?"

    "No, ma''am."

    "Do I look like a man, Corporal?" She growled.

    He shook his head. "No, ma''am."

    "Do I go to the restroom like a man?" She glared, and I noticed behind her that one of her guards was smirking and trying not to laugh.

    The corporal blinked for a second, caught off guard by her question, his face red with humiliation. "N-No, ma''am¡­" He said it with a slightly confused tone.

    Her eyes narrowed, and she raised her voice. "Then why are you referring to me as a man?" Both I and Anne shrank back a bit as the second-hand embarrassment was getting to me.

    "Ap-apologies, Ma''am. It was an honest mistake!"

    She brought one hand up to his face and held a gloved finger right in front of his eyes. "I will forgive you this once, corporal. Though if I hear those words, leave your lips even once. I''ll make sure all the boys and girls here refer to you as ma''am going forth. Got that?"

    He nodded. "Yes, ma''am." He gulped.

    She nodded as well and smiled as she leaned away from him and folded her hands back behind her. "Excellent. Now, for you lot." She turned to us. "Follow me and my troop. If you do not mind, I would like to hear personally from you all what it is like beyond enemy lines."

    <hr>

    We were led towards a nearby farmhouse that was about a hundred yards or so deeper into the military camp. The home I could see had been taken over by the army and turned into some sort of center of operations. I also assumed this was where the colonel was staying.

    The house was nice¡ªtwo stories, made of red brick, with a balcony facing towards the river. A perfect vantage point to oversee everything. As the colonel and soldiers led us to the building, I noticed as well that many of the soldiers here appeared to be different. Their clothes are more finely tailored, along with overall just appearing cleaner.

    Officers. I thought to myself. Probably all the rich kids who went to some training school.

    "My apologies, you had to witness that," Colonel Hass said to us as a soldier guarding the front door opened it and allowed us inside the quaint home.

    "Is it common for your soldiers to offend you like that?" Dr. Kegan asked, and I bit my lower lip as well as Isa.

    Hass glanced over her shoulder as she removed her hat and hung it on a nearby rack. To my surprise, two serelli women wearing outfits similar to that of a maid''s uniform came over and assisted her in removing her trench coat.

    Wait what? I watched as silver and red-haired maids hung the heavy coat, their fluffy tails flicking pleasantly as they turned to us and bowed.

    "Recently, yes." Hass sighed and quietly thanked the two maids before shooing them off. "I had been sent here to replace Colonel Shire after his failure at Kassel. Many of the men here do not take kindly to a woman assuming the role of their commanding officer. Many of which are too stubborn to refer to me as such. But that''ll change soon; I''ll see to it."

    "Oh, well, my apologies to hear that." Kegan said as another serelli maid with beautiful auburn hair and ears came in from the kitchen that was off to our right.

    "Madam Hass, is there anything I can bring you and your guests?" The woman spoke pleasantly, her voice carrying a gentle purr. I glanced up at Isa and noticed she had a very perplexed look as her eyes flicked between the three maids.

    Hass glanced at the maid and said, "Shilia, you can get us some tea and biscuits."

    Shilia purred happily as her auburn ears flicked, and she turned around and went into the kitchen. Hass then looked at us and noticed Isa''s expression. "Those are my servants; I brought them with me from home. Shilia, Liro, and Iru." She pointed to the red-haired and silver-haired serelli who appeared to be cleaning off a table covered in maps and tokens.

    Isa scowled. "They''re your servants?" Isa glared at the woman.

    Hass held her hands up and said, "Paid, servants. They''re willingly working for me and my family." To which the two girls cleaning the table both nodded.

    Isa lightened up a little bit upon hearing this but still seemed a bit bothered. "Come, sit with me around the table. I would like to hear everything."

    So, we told her everything.

    The story was long, despite having only been about a week since the war broke out. As we recounted the events, it felt like years. During this team meeting, tea and biscuits were laid out before us, and each of us sipped our drinks. As I gazed around the table, the only ones I saw not partaking were the Tenorahn family, though I somewhat expected this as they had stayed safely in their home since the outbreak of the war. Yet their eyes were glued to us as we recounted the tale.

    Colonel Hass, meanwhile, looked over the table and map as Isa pointed to where each event took place, and she stroked her chin and nodded.

    "I had heard reports of these transport cylinders. They were used at the start of the conflict here in Hoesslin." She pointed to a small village along the border of Heinmarr and Rusimia. "Yet I hadn''t expected they were being launched out this far to that extent." She took a deep breath and glanced at me. "And you''re really the daughter of the Moonweaver?"

    I nodded. "Yes, Ma''am¡­ Have you heard of her? Or have you seen her? As said, she was in Kassel helping your men."

    She nodded slightly before clarifying, "I have heard that she was in Kassel. Colonel Shire informed me that if it wasn''t for her, many of his men would''ve been slaughtered. She saved many lives that night. Yet since then, she has vanished. I can round up the men and women who were there that night and ask them if they saw where she went."

    My eyes lit up along with Isa''s. "Please do! We need to find her!" I said, my heart fluttering with hope.

    She nodded. "Liro, please make a note for me as a reminder." The silver-haired maid nodded, pulled a pen out of her bosom, and began to write a small note.

    Hass turned back to Isa, looked to Oscar, and began to speak in fluent Yankston, which Isa translated for me in real-time. "And you, sir, mentioned that the town of Dredsten was attacked by what you called harvesters?"

    Oscar cleared his throat and nodded. "Aye. The autonomous attackers came out of the transportation device. Yet not only that, but I had also witnessed them dismantling the device and recycling it to construct those harvesters I mentioned previously. I had seen those machines that were snatching people and sticking them into these baskets."

    Hass''s eyes widened. "So, they''re able to replicate themselves."

    Oscar nodded. "Only from those transportation machines I''ve seen. They seem to work like the base we''re at now¡ªa headquarters. It''s ingenious, really. From what I guess, they launch their pods far behind enemy lines with enough supplies and guards to build a base, a factory of sorts, which then starts to produce more of these machines."

    How the hell does he know all of this? Why hasn''t he told us? I thought with wide eyes as Isa translated.

    Oscar continued. "I theorize, Colonel, that those pods might be what are controlling those machines, or at the very least we know they''re producing them. I don''t know why they''re taking people. But those harvesters appear around them, and they seem to be taking people back to it."

    Hass''s eyes narrowed on Oscar, and she smiled widely, and in Maurich, she said, "This is the best intelligence I''ve received in a while." Swapping back to Yanky, she said, "Do you know where the location of the Dredsten pod is?"

    Without a word, Oscar got up, bent over the map, and pointed directly to an open field a few miles away from the village.

    "I don''t mean to make assumptions, Colonel," Oscar said, looking at the woman as he tapped the location on the map. "But if you plan on bombarding this place, I highly advise you don''t. Almost the entire population of Dredsten and some of your own soldiers may be held captive here. You would be bombing your own people."

    Hass laughed. "What do you take me for? A Rusivite warlord?" She shook her head. "No, I''m thinking we spring a jailbreak." She smiled deviously.

    Oscar blinked. "But that might be a suicide mission."

    Hass shook her head and stood up. "I don''t think so. I already have a plan in mind." She then cleared her throat and began to speak in Maurich again. "Thank you. All of you. You''ve provided me with everything that I could''ve wanted. Which pleases me greatly. I''ll have my men escort you all to the refugee camp further south from the camp; it should only be a thirty-minute walk, and with how late it is, I can only assume you''re dying to get some rest. I''ll have my men provide you with suitable lodging."

    Isa, Oscar, and the others bowed their heads in thanks while I and Anne shared a glance as Isa gripped my head and forced me to bow as Oscar did the same to Anne. I squeaked and muttered thanks as I then took my warm tea and finished it with a heavy gulp.

    A jailbreak? I thought. I wonder if Mother was captured. I hope not¡­ and I hope that whatever this colonel is planning, she can save those people.

 Chapter 45: A New Friend

    After we had finished our tea and talked with Colonel Hass, she had ordered her soldiers to guide us to the nearby refugee camp some thirty minutes or so south of where we were. As I stepped out onto the dirt path beside Isa and Oscar, I shuddered lightly as the cool breeze blew over us. Seeing this, Isa wrapped her arm around me and pulled me close to her side. Looking up at her, I smiled faintly as, the moon, Radiance, shone brightly behind her, accenting her with its beautiful blue oceans. Isa returned my smile and patted me on the head as the Tenorahn family and Dr. Kegan stepped outside beside us.

    Shortly after, the soldiers took the lead and motioned for us to follow as I yawned tiredly. It was far past midnight, and my eyes felt heavy as we began our walk. At some point, Isa gazed down at me and asked, "Would you like me to carry you?"

    A strong part of me was tempted to say yes. Though my ego got the better of me, I chose not to. So, I shook my head, said nothing, and simply grumbled incoherently as I waddled beside her.

    Maybe it was because we were across the river and surrounded by hundreds if not a thousand, armed soldiers and magisters that I felt like I could allow my guard to drop. The fear that, at any moment, the man in my head could alert me to a coming monster seemed to have faded. Now all I wanted to do was find the nearest cot and drop into a dead sleep.

    Yet, despite my ego resisting the urge to be picked up, I did settle for a compromise. That being my hand reaching out to grab Isa''s, an action that seemed to please the feline woman as she glanced down at me and smiled as her fluffy tail lightly swatted me playfully as we walked.

    After about thirty minutes, we had cleared the military encampment and arrived at a separate campsite. One composed entirely of an assortment of different kinds of tents and makeshift structures that had no rhyme or reason to them compared to the soldiers'' orderly, almost uniform site. Campfires lay strewn about the campsite, providing a faint, red glow to the scenery as huddled around them, were men and women of all ages and races.

    As we approached the refugee site, the soldiers pointed us in the direction of one large tent resembling the drab green that had the insignia of the roaring dragon. "There you''ll find the quartermaster and steward." The soldier said, "There you''ll be issued your own tents, rations, and supplies you may need to set yourself up. One tent per three people as well as a single ration per person. It''s not a lot, but it should at least keep you going."

    We all tiredly nodded as the soldiers returned the gesture before turning to walk back to their posts. However, one stopped and turned to Isa and me. "One last thing, the Colonel wanted me to tell you all she''d like to see you come morning. By then, she''ll have the survivors of Kassel rounded up so you can ask them about the Moonweaver."

    This caused my ears to twitch and my head to perk up as I smiled faintly and yawned before saying, "Thank you."

    Isa nodded. "We''ll be there; did she say an exact time?"

    "Morning for her would be at sunrise, but she also understands that you''ll be going to sleep so late. I''m sure she can make an exception if you''re not one hundred percent on time." Said the soldier.

    Isa nodded. "We''ll be there on time. I''ll make sure this squirt wakes up." Isa playfully patted my back, and I squeaked.

    "I''m not a squirt!" I huffed. "I''m going to go get my tent." I turned to shuffle away, though Isa took my hand.

    "Not by yourself, you aren''t." She said this as the soldiers began to head off.

    "C''mon¡­" I whined as I noticed the rest of our group was already shambling towards the big tent. "Everyone else is already going."

    Isa chuckled. "Alright but stay by me."

    "I''m not some kid." I said it with a yawn.

    "You''re right, you''re¡­ well¡­" Isa started to say but then trailed off.

    "I''m not your kid." I said as I smirked at her. "I''m your buddy." I lightly slapped her side.

    Isa yawned and giggled. "I was going to say you''re my student, but buddy works too."

    "Butt buddy." I snorted, and she scoffed and bopped my bald head playfully.

    "I see your father''s crude humor has rubbed off on you." She grumbled but smiled at the same time.

    I squawked and scurried away. "I''m just tired." I puffed my cheeks as we dipped through the tent flap into the nicely lit interior of what was a large storage area.

    The tent was practically a warehouse, save for a large fold-out table in the front, with a few equally tired men and women filling out forms and handing items out to people waiting in line.

    I returned to Isa''s side as we patiently waited as Dr. Kegan, Oscar, and Anne stood in front of us, while the Tenorahn family was off to the side. It wouldn''t take too long for us to step up after Oscar, Kegan, and Anne received their items and told us they''d meet us outside.

    After a handful of minutes of filling out some forms¡ªor, well, Isa did most of the paperwork¡ªI just signed my name. We had to wait a few minutes as a man went back and retrieved a tent as well as two rations. We took the items and thanked them before stepping outside, where I noticed Anne was specifically looking at me out of the corner of her eyes.

    Too tired to care. I simply yawned once more and waved as Isa began to discuss with the other two adults where it''d be best to pitch our tents. I just began to zone out as my eyes started to droop, and I felt like I was about to fall asleep standing up. As my eyes briefly closed, they opened, and after a second, I realized Anne was right beside me.

    I yelped and stumbled back. "Jesus, why are you so close?" I said my heart was beating heavily from being startled.

    "Jesus?" The girl tilted her head, confused. "That''s not my name."

    I coughed and said, "Sorry. A figure of speech. Wh-what do you need?"

    The girl shifted nervously from foot to foot, it seemed, her eyes casting to the dirt below as she twiddled her thumbs and said, "I, uh, never¡­ Properly said, thank you earlier." She gulped. "For saving me." She blushed faintly and looked at me, her green eyes looking like saucers as she looked at me.

    If I wasn''t so sleepy, I think she''s adorable. Yet honestly, the only adorable thing I can think of is curling up. I held a hand to my mouth and let off yet another squeaky yawn.

    "Yeah, don''t mention it¡­"

    Anne blinked with surprise and looked away. "Oh, uh, what you did¡­ was that magic?" She mumbled softly.

    "Huh?" I looked at her. "Can you say that a little louder?" I said as I moved out of the way of the tent flap as the Tenorahns came out.

    "Oh, uh, sorry." Her blush darkened. "Was that magic you used on me?" She spoke up as I moved over beside her.

    I nodded. "Uhuh. Pretty cool, right?" I grumbled as well, and Isa turned to us both.

    "Kids, we''ll be setting up our tents further south." She waved for us to follow. "Come along."

    I began to drag my feet behind Isa as Anne, who still seemed pretty wide awake, began to walk along with me. Her hands were still fiddling with each other as she twiddled her thumbs. Her eyes were shifting to look at me and back at the ground.

    "May I, uh, ask another question?" She asked me.

    Questions only bring more questions. I could imagine what the voice was saying in my head. But I''m not an asshole like him. I smirked.

    "Yeah, sure, go ahead." I mumbled as we moved along.

    "What happened to your hair?" She asked me, and I coughed and sputtered like I had just been gut-punched.

    Anne''s eyes widened as I sighed and shook my head. "An unfortunate circumstance¡­" I mumbled defeatedly.

    I miss my hair. In my old life, I didn''t mind being bald, but I liked my long hair. Now I look like some crackhead with bits of tufts and baldness.

    The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

    Anne shifted nervously and looked away as she clasped her hands together and said, "S-sorry, I didn''t mean to bring up a bad memory."

    I took a deep breath, shook my head, and waved my hand aside. "It''s okay. I lost it in a fire."

    Anne looked back at me with wide eyes. "A fire?"

    I nodded. "Yeah," I said, looking forward. I could vaguely recall the agony of burning alive beneath the wreckage of the wagon. I still don''t know who was the one to pull me out. I could feel the skin on my body aching as the memories of the pain caused me to shudder. "My family and I got¡­ caught off guard when the Rusivite''s attacked. We had everything prepared and were waiting for Isa to return home from a trip she was on. We were going to leave then, yet what we didn''t expect was for the Rusitives to arrive just as we were going to go," I explained. "We were almost out of town when one of their rockets hit our wagon."

    Anne''s eyes became saucers once more as her mouth hung open a little. "H-how did you make it? I-If you don''t mind me asking¡­ y-you don''t have to answer."

    I took a deep breath and gave her a reassuring smile. "It''s alright. My family survived because of my mother."

    "The one called Moonweaver?" She asked. "She''s really your momma?"

    I nodded. "Yeah. Do you know her?" I asked.

    "Mhm!" Anne said her eyes shining as a cute smile appeared on her face. "I have a lot of books about her!"

    Oi, what? Books?

    I blinked. "Books?"

    "Yep! Madam Cailynn, "Moonweaver'''' Sartosi, Enora''s Last Hero!" Anne said it animatedly, seeing her act so energized surprised me. "At least that''s my favorite. It''s a book that talks about a lot of her adventures with Dead Eye, her childhood beloved, and their quest through the badlands!"

    What the fuck, why haven''t I heard about this?!

    "I¡­ never knew my mother had books about her," I said softly.

    Anne blinked. "You didn''t?" She tilted her head.

    I shook my head. "No. Momma never told me much about her old life. Neither did Papa."

    "Wait¡­" Anne blinked as she looked me up and down. "That also means you''re Dead Eye''s daughter too?!" She gasped.

    And I couldn''t help but snort as I brought my hand up to my mouth and began giggling.

    Fucking Dead Eye, holy shit, that''ll not be funny to me.

    "Yes. I guess. Though Isa said he doesn''t like being called that," I said it with a smile.

    Anne tilted her head. "Why not?"

    I shrugged. "Probably because it has to do with them being retired now. You''ll want to talk with Isa about that." I pointed to her; she was currently speaking to Dr. Kegan about something as we walked. "She used to travel with them," I said to her. "Back when they still went by those names."

    Anne''s eyes nearly bulged as I watched her practically fangirling. "Re-really?"

    I nodded. "Yep. Though I would suggest doing that tomorrow, I don''t want to keep her up all night." I said, smiling.

    Anne deflated a bit but nodded understandingly, looking back at me. "So, that means I was really saved by Moonweavers daughter. That''s kind of cool." She giggled.

    Oh god, please don''t look at me like that. I don''t want or need fans.

    I smiled gently and said, "Yep. I guess so. I''m glad I was there to help. I was really scared because that was my second time ever doing that spell."

    "Do you know any other magic?" Anne asked quickly.

    "Uh¡­" I blinked. "I know a handful of motes, but that''s about it. Oh, well, I know how to combine some spells too. At least before everything went to¡­" I stopped myself from cursing. "Before the war started, I was practicing combining spells to make cool effects."

    Our group gradually began to slow as we neared a clearing at the edge of the tent city. Both Anne and I stopped behind the adults as she bounced excitedly. "Can you show me?" She asked. "I always dreamed of seeing or learning magic when reading the books about the Spellbound Rangers."

    I blushed faintly and rubbed the side of my head. "I, uh, maybe? I don''t know." I gulped.

    Oh god, why is my heart beating fast? I feel put on the spot, and my hand is getting sweaty.

    "I''d have to ask, Isa." I made up an excuse. "She can be strict about me using my magic. Y''know, spell fatigue is a thing; I don''t want to get too tired."

    Anne nodded understandingly but still puffed her cheeks in disappointment. "Okay. Well, I''d love to see you cast a spell again. I think you''d look really cool, and I''d love to learn if you can teach me!"

    I felt my heart skip a beat, and I bit my lower lip as I watched her look away, her long red bangs shielding much of her face as if she were hiding behind it.

    Fuck. What is wrong with me? What the hell is this?! I should''ve practiced talking to other kids back home instead of Varis.

    I gulped and shifted a bit before finally saying, "Tomorrow morning¡ªer¡­after the meeting with the Colonel. Y''know, you heard that soldier earlier, right? Hahaha¡­" I laughed nervously. "I gotta go and, er, talk to them about, uh¡­ finding Momma. So, I don''t want you to think I''m lying, so yeah. Tomorrow, like when Isa and I get back. Heh¡­"

    Why am I so bad at this?

    "Perhaps because you''ve always had inexperience talking with the opposite sex, let alone people your age in both this life and the last." The voice finally returned, and I nearly flew out of my dress.

    What the fuck?! Where the fuck have you been?!

    "I have my reasons for being away. Though I''ve returned now, I can explain later."

    Okay, whatever. And fuck you, this has nothing to do with talking to girls. I just don''t have experience talking with other kids, and I''m only 7, and I¡­ I don''t know how old Anne is. But I''m way too young for that shit you freak.

    "You call me a freak, yet I can sense your body is reacting to her. Perhaps you should reflect on that."

    ¡­ Don''t make me think about that.

    "It is perfectly normal; your body is experiencing hormonal shifts while going through puberty. It is common for the Elven race to experience such feelings¡ª"

    Yeah, but I also was, or am, no, was, a man, and I still have those memories. It''s gross. Yucky, ew.

    "So be it." The voice chuckled.

    "Luna, are you okay?" Anne waved her hand in front of my face.

    I shook my head and blinked a few times, my heart beating rapidly in my chest. "Y-Yeah, why?" I asked.

    "I said sure, and you looked like you were going to fall over. Your face is all red, and your ears look like they''re flapping like a bird."

    My hands immediately shot up to my long, pointy ears and gripped them tightly. "No, they aren''t!" I gulped.

    Isa turned to look at the two of us and said, "Luna, I don''t mean to interrupt you from making a new friend, but can you come help me with the tent?"

    I nodded. "Yep! Sure thing, Madam Soza! Haa, I''ll be there in a second!" I nervously laughed and marched on over to her as Isa blinked and looked at me confusedly before glancing at Anne, who shrugged.

    God, I''m a fucking loser.

    "Just a little."

    Shut up.

    <hr>

    "Luna, is everything alright?" Isa asked me as she crawled into the tent behind me after we finished putting it up. "I couldn''t help but overhear some of your conversation with Anne, and you seemed¡­ flustered."

    Curse this feline and her excellent eavesdropping powers. I sighed as I laid down on the right side of the tent; unfortunately, we had no bedrolls.

    "I-It wasn''t anything sp-special. An-Anne wanted to thank me for saving her, a-and she apparently read the books about Mom and Dad."

    Isa sighed heavily and groaned. "Those books, eh?" She pinched her nose. "The Spellbound Saga. I''m familiar with those. A friend of your parents got permission to dramatize a few of their adventures."

    I blinked. "Is that so?"

    Isa nodded. "Most of it is overdone for story purposes, though much of the tales are inspired by actual events. Though I doubt that''s what made you all flustered, did something happen after that?"

    I gulped. "I, uh¡­ well, Anne got excited knowing who I was and, uh¡­ wanted to see me cast more spells."

    Isa nodded slowly. "So, you felt like you were put on the spot?" She asked.

    I gulped and nodded. "Y-yeah I think so¡­"

    In my prior life, I rarely ever got asked to show off something cool or be complimented for certain skills or abilities I had. Nor did I ever have someone fangirl over me for being a relative to someone popular. It was all just new sensations, and Anne was adorable-looking, I guess. All in all, I guess it is just being thrown on the spot.

    "Are you going to show her?" Isa asked me.

    I blinked. "Sh-should I?" I asked nervously.

    Isa shrugged. "Why not? You are pretty skilled from what I can see, Luna, and you''ve grown a lot since the camping trip when you blew away Slyran and Cailynn''s tent." She giggled.

    I''m surprised she''s okay with me doing it. I don''t know why, but I thought Isa would be strict about me using my spells.

    "There''s no reason to feel shy about doing it either," Isa said. "You can show her something small, like your wind spell or maybe that one that lets you pick up rocks. I''m sure she''d get really excited about it, and I know Oscar would appreciate it."

    I slowly nodded and smiled gently before remembering something. "Speaking of Oscar¡­ How did he know about all that information in regard to the cylinders?"

    Isa took a deep breath. "Oscar was there when the cylinder landed outside of Dredsten," Isa said simply. "For being an artificer engineer, the man is quite stupid. Yet it was his stupidity that allowed him to learn as much."

    "What''d he do?" I asked.

    "He sat and watched it," Isa said simply. "Instead of taking Anne and running off, his curiosity got the better of him, and he inspected the machine when it opened and began the attack. That''s all."

    I nodded. Well, maybe his stupidity is going to help the military decide what to attack and where.

    "Perhaps," the voice said, and I jolted. "If the automatons are taking people back to those bases, then this, Oscar, may be correct."

    "Correct on what?" I asked out loud, and Isa turned to look at me.

    "Excuse me?" She asked.

    "They may be using the people to create more of their kind." The voice said it coldly. "Based on the information we have currently, that''s what it appears to be. Though I would like to see it for myself."

    I''m not going to one of those places. I gulped.

    "I''m not asking you to. I''m simply thinking out loud."

    You sure are more talkative lately. I sighed.

    "Am I?" The voice asked genuinely.

    A little, but honestly, I think talking more is better.

    "Is he back?" Isa asked softly, pulling me back to the present.

    I glanced over at her and said, "Yeah, voice man woke up finally."

    "As said, I have my reasons. Though you should rest, I can sense your body is exhausted."

    I will, once you shut up.

    "Well, I hope you like nightmares, then."

    You better not. I huffed, and to my surprise again, the voice chuckled. Oh, so you do have a sense of humor.

    He did not respond.

    I rolled my eyes. "Well, he just gave me some unnerving news." I sighed and looked at Isa.

    "What would that be?" She asked as she rested her hands on her tummy.

    "He said that Oscar''s theory might be on the money. They''re harvesting people to make more machines." I shuddered.

    How would that even work? Spirimancy? I thought. Momma said spirimancy is magic that is tied to souls, so like¡­ soul binding? Must be horrific.

    Isa took a deep breath. "Well, all the more reason for the military to start striking them and saving those people."

    "He said he wanted to see it for himself," I added.

    "No." Isa said it bluntly. "I know I said before we should listen to him, but that''s going too far." She looked at me.

    "I know." I nodded. "I said pretty much the same thing, and he backed down."

    Isa smiled. "Good. Well, get some rest. We need to wake up early."

    I nodded my head and closed my eyes.

    Sleep came to me instantly.

 Chapter 46: A Lead

    "Can you do anything right, ¨€¨€¨€?" Matthew said it with a sigh as he shook his head. "I gave you one task, one simple as fuck task, and you didn''t do it. What were you doing?"

    I stood there, stone-faced, as I looked him in the eyes. "I was preoccupied."

    "For fuck''s sake, ¨€¨€¨€." He pinched the bridge of his nose. "I asked you to do the goddamn dishes. What were you doing that had you so preoccupied?"

    I bit my lower lip and sighed. He''s going to get pissed if I tell him I was doing fuck all. Honestly, I just forgot.

    "I¡­ forgot," I admitted.

    Matthew looked at me dumbfounded; his mouth slack-jawed for a second. "You forgot?" He asked again.

    I gulped and gave him a curt nod. "Yeah," I said huskily.

    My brother''s brow knitted as he scowled. "Jesus Fucking Christ, ¨€¨€¨€." He sighed and turned away from me. "It was one job! One job!"

    My heart twinged, and I frowned as I stepped forward. "You act like I do this all¡ª"

    "Because you do, ¨€¨€¨€! You do!" Matthew snapped at me. "How many times have I asked you to do something around this trailer? How many times have I asked you to go to the fucking dollar store to get us something. The dollar store, ¨€¨€¨€, it''s literally a minute drive from here."

    "I get busy, Matt." I said it softly.

    "Busy doing what, ¨€¨€¨€? Jerking off? Playing games? Writing?" He listed things off. "We''re roommates, goddammit, not your fucking caretakers. Sure, you help with rent, but you need to start helping with groceries, chores, and everything else."

    I bit my lower lip and took a deep breath.

    Matthew shook his head and walked away from me as he took a few deep breaths. An awkward silence fell over us as he regained his composure and finally turned back to me. "Look, man," my brother said. "I love you. I do. Though you''re getting on my fucking nerves." He growled and fell silent for a moment before shaking his head and taking a deep breath. "I''m sorry; I don''t know what shit you got going on."

    Damn right, you don''t.

    "But you need to start getting your shit together. We need to work together; you can talk to me. Come out of your room every once in a while."

    "I''ll think about it," I said softly.

    Matthew shook his head. "That''s what you always say. I''ll think about it. Well, you''ve been thinking long and hard, ¨€¨€¨€, you don''t need to do this alone. Okay?"

    "Sure." I turned away from him and began to walk back to my room.

    "¨€¨€¨€." I heard him call out to me, and I stopped. "Mom said she misses you; she wanted to know if you ever want to go and see her and Dad again."

    I glanced over my shoulder back at him and said, "I''ll think about it." Before shuffling back into my room.

    <hr>

    The sound of trumpets stirred me from my rest. I whined and shifted around on the hard ground, whining as I rolled to my side and curled up.

    What was that? I thought to myself groggily. Why, of all times, am I having dreams about them?

    I groaned as the trumpet continued to sound off, and I finally opened my eyes. The sun''s golden rays streamed through the canvas fabric and beamed directly into my face. With a small sigh, I sat up and glanced over to see that Isa was surprisingly still asleep.

    Well, I''m still in this life. I took a deep breath and debated if I should let Isa sleep in. I recalled the meeting we had with the Colonel this morning and decided it''d be best to wake her.

    So, I crawled over to her, placed my hand gently on her shoulder, and gave her a little shake. "Isa, it''s time to wake up." I said as the feline woman groaned softly, her fuzzy ears twitching as her tail unwound from her leg and swatted my side.

    "Give me more time¡­" She grumbled, and I giggled.

    "Were you the one saying you''d be waking me up?" I reminded her as I gently shook her again, and she meowed softly in protest before rolling onto her back.

    Her green eyes opened halfway as she glared at me before yawning or really yowling, as she rubbed the crustiness from them and sat up.

    "Unfortunately." She replied sleepily. "I feel like I slept on a rock."

    I glanced down at where she had laid and pointed to the notable large rock. "I think that''s because you did." I snickered.

    She glanced back at it and blinked. "Uhuh¡­"

    I smirked. "Well, I think we should get ready and stop back at the Colonel''s house." I said it with a smile. I could feel the butterflies in my tummy forming at the prospect of possibly gaining a lead as to where Mother, or anyone else in my family, could be.

    I just hoped it would be a good lead.

    After taking the time to find the latrine area to tend to my personal matters along with Isa and clean up, I found a large barrel of water to splash my face with and rinse it down, and as the ripples of the water calmed, I saw my reflection. I blinked as I gazed down at myself.

    Holy cow, I look¡­ different.

    The once innocent blue eyes and the girl in the cute dress I remember admiring all those weeks ago back home were gone. Instead, those blue eyes were lifeless, sunken, and carried large rings around them. The once flowing, dark hair was gone, save for the few sparse patches like islands amongst the skin of my head, yet I do see some coloring in my skin along my scalp, signifying that my hair does appear to be gradually returning. My eyes drifted downward to my dress, which was stained with blood, mud, and other things I was unaware of, not to mention riddled with holes and tears.

    It''s only been a little over a week. Just a week ago, I was at home, wondering what I''d look like when I grew up and what life would be like in this new world in this fresh body. Yet here I was, in some refugee camp, surrounded by people whose lives were uprooted like mine. I wonder how many of them are missing loved ones as well. I wonder if things will ever go back to being how they were¡­ I frowned.

    "Within time, if we continue to work together, we can right the wrongs brought on by the Rusimians and those who wish to set this world ablaze." I heard the voice in my head.

    "Why me, though?" I asked the voice as I watched Isa come out of the latrine and wash her face and hands off in a similar barrel.

    "I had answered this once before when we met." The voice replied.

    So, we met before? I thought to him.

    "Yes. I have made sure to wipe your memories away due to my inability to fully trust you."

    Oh wow, you''re being very forthcoming all of a sudden. I thought.

    "That is because I''ve done some reconsidering. There are bits I still believe are best left unsaid, yet I''ve started to think that you might be more useful if we started to establish a bridge of trust between us."

    It took you this long to consider this. I thought as Isa scrubbed herself down with the cold water and sighed.

    "I''ll be honest and say that I have always had a hard time trusting people. Even those I deem close." The voice admitted it in a monotonous tone.

    For once, I can kind of relate to that. I replied.

    "When you get to the city, seek me out. I''ll guide you to where you need to go and there. I''ll be more open to what needs to happen," said the Master.

    Are you just going to wipe my memories again, like you said you had done once before? I thought as I began to walk towards Isa.

    "It depends. If you are willing to accept my offer of trust, then perhaps not," he said as I stopped beside Isa and smiled at her.

    Isa turned to me and smiled back before patting me on the head. "Ready to go speak to Hass?" She asked me, and I nodded as Isa kept her hand on my head and said, "Oh, it looks like your hair is coming back." Her smile widened.

    I blushed a little. "Y-Yeah! Though, honestly, I want to shave off all the non-burnt bits, just so it comes back evenly."

    Isa nodded. "Well, maybe if the soldiers have some clippers here, I can do your hair before we set off to the city." She took my hand in hers as we began to walk towards the soldier''s camp.

    "That would be nice," I said with a hum as we went.

    <hr>

    We arrived at the farmhouse headquarters partway through the morning. The smell of roasting food and the sound of soldiers laughing as they ate their breakfast permeated the site, along with another group nearby doing their morning workouts. The camp was bustling with activity.

    The farmhouse itself was filled with well-dressed officers and older individuals streaming in and out of the building with folders and paperwork, and nearby on the front lawn were about twelve or so men and women. Normal soldiers in fatigue are idly sitting on some benches.

    As we neared the front door, we noticed one of Hass''s maids step forward. A beautiful serelli woman with long, silvery hair with bangs that covered the left side of her face. Her matching silver eye that I could see scanned us up and down as I wracked my mind for her name.

    Liro I think? I thought.

    "He-Hello, Liro!" I waved at the feline woman, whose single eye widened, and a tiny smile appeared on her lips as she nodded.

    "Hello, my lady, and lady Isa." She greeted us with a curtsey. "Madam Elin is currently having breakfast; would you like me to notify her of your arrival?" She asked as she straightened up and crossed her arms beneath her bountiful bosom.

    A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

    Isa nodded. "If you could, please."

    Liro smiled, and her fluffy silver tail flicked gently as she nodded, spun around, and stepped inside. It wouldn''t take long before the beautiful girl returned and gestured for us to come inside.

    "Madam Elin would like for you both to join her for breakfast," she purred eloquently.

    Upon hearing this, my stomach audibly growled along with Isa''s, and the two of us blushed faintly as the maid smirked slightly, and we nodded. Without a word, we both entered the farmhouse, where inside we saw more high-ranking officers and officials, along with their aids, moving about.

    The place was a tad crowded, yet as we were led to the dining room, which was sealed off and guarded from the rest of the house, the soldiers greeted us with a curt nod, opened the door, and allowed us inside. The dining room was beautifully decorated with its white plaster walls and beautiful, contrasting embellishments painted on them that resembled vines. Three large windows facing the rolling fields of Heinmarr and the distant Urd tree allowed for bright natural light to fill the room, as in the center of it beneath the chandelier was a long family table where Colonel Hass and a few of her colleagues sat, partaking in what resembled a large breakfast-style feast.

    Flanking Colonel Hass at the edge of the table were her other two servants, Shilia and Iru, which I think were their names. On Hass''s right-hand side were two gentlemen, an older-looking human who was balding and sported a fancy pencil mustache and monocle, along with a race I had never seen before. Beside him was a wolf-like man, his fur coat was a thick gray and white, his eyes a bright blue, and I could see a gnarly scar going along his snout. Both men wore similar high-ranking uniforms to Colonel Hass, who at this point smiled at us and gestured for us to take a seat at the chairs on her left-hand side.

    "Thank you for coming here as per my request," she said softly. "Please take a seat and help yourself to the numerous dishes on display. My personal chef always seems to overdo it."

    I gulped as my mouth watered as I looked over the various scores of bacon, some sort of ham, grok steaks, eggs, fruits, and veggies. Without waiting on Isa, I quickly moved over to my chosen seat and sat down.

    "Thank you," I said quickly as I hesitantly reached over to grab a plate of bacon and eggs.

    "Yes, thank you, Colonel," Isa said softly, and she glanced at the two men across from us who were quietly eating as well.

    "Oh." Hass said as she made a small O with her mouth. "Allow me to introduce you to my deputy commanders." She gestured to the older human. "This is Colonel Pitz, and here," she gestured to the wolfman. "This is Lieutenant Colonel Brenner."

    Both Isa and I bowed our heads towards the two men. "I am Isa Soza." Isa introduced herself and then glanced at me.

    I licked my lips nervously and bowed again. "I am Luna Ashflow. Pleasure to meet you."

    "Ashflow?" The older human muttered. "That name sounds awfully familiar." He said it gruffly as he brought his hand up to his chin.

    I nodded. "My father once served many years ago. He was a lieutenant, if I recall; Slyran Ashflow was his name."

    The human''s eyes lit up as if a light bulb went off in his head, and he smiled widely. "Slyran Asfhflow!" He chuckled. "A name I hadn''t heard in years. I worked on a base with him in Branoria back when I was just a captain. How is he doing?"

    My mouth dropped open for a second as I let out a sigh and shook my head. Though before I could say anything, Isa answered for me, "He''s currently missing in action."

    The old colonel''s eyes widened a bit before he closed them and nodded. "I see, my apologies."

    Colonel Hass nodded and said, "That''s partly why I brought these two here." She gestured to us. "If you hadn''t noticed, I rounded up a number of men who were there during the attack on Kassel and witnessed the Moonweaver in action. They''re currently out front, once we finish here. You can speak to them directly, though for the sake of time I have already questioned a number of them."

    My eyes widened, and I looked at her and asked, "What did they see? Did they see what happened to my mother?"

    Hass grabbed her glass of water and took a sip from it before setting it down and lacing her fingers together. She closed her eyes and thought for a second, as I could see she was preparing her words carefully.

    My heart began to ram against my ribs as I twitched anxiously, and the few seconds it took her to answer felt like an eternity. Slowly, she opened her eyes and glanced at me. "I''ve received a few conflicting reports. Though none of which I can assure you are good."

    My eyes widened as my thumping heart tripped and plummeted along with my stomach. "What do you mean?" I asked softly as Isa reached over and gripped my shoulder tightly.

    "The majority of my men state that the Moonweaver during the retreat had been flanked by numerous Rusivite fighting machines while falling back with a few unknown refugees. A few who claim to have witnessed this say they saw her get gunned down, while a handful of others state that while she was shot, she did not fall. Instead, they told me she was taken."

    Then there''s a chance! She might still be alive. I bit my lower lip and gripped the tablecloth tightly as Isa squeezed my shoulder.

    "I-If she was taken, and those people with her¡­" Those might''ve been Dad and Varis. "They were probably taken to one of those bases, as Oscar mentioned yesterday!" I said this through gritted teeth as my anger and fear began to stir within.

    Colonel Hass slowly nodded her head. "Most likely, and the closest one to here is the one in Dredsten. If she was taken, that''s where they most likely are."

    I bit my lip once more, hard enough that I began to taste blood as my hand gripped the cloth tighter. "We need to go save them," I said softly.

    "Luna," Isa started, and I glared back at her and scowled, yet my eyes met her look of pity. "I told you we can''t¡ª"

    "That''s bullshit!" I snapped. "If they''re alive, that''s where they''d be; we have to save them!"

    "Luna, I know, but look at us¡ª"

    "We have to try!" I said, my voice cracking as tears began to form. "We have to at least try!"

    "And we will," Colonel Hass said calmly, yet as I looked back, I saw her eyes were stern and filled with her rage. "For the sake of the Heinmaran people, I will not stand by while these butchers roam my country."

    At this point, the wolfman leaned forward. "With all due respect, Colonel, before we act, we must seek approval from General¡ª"

    "Damn the General." She quipped, and the two men''s eyes widened. "Hossler is stuck in the days of old; his tactics are unable to keep up with our enemy, and it''s cost us greatly. Yet since I''ve taken command, we''ve already had three successful probes. Speed and magic are what we need, not lines of infantry. I do not have the time nor patience for a telegram or magical message."

    Fuck yeah. I smiled upon hearing this. This is someone I can get behind. Then she looked at me.

    "However, I will also not have a civilian, let alone a child, on the frontlines." She stared down at me.

    I felt my heart lurch, and I gritted my teeth. "I-I''m not a child," I squeaked out. "I know magic. I have spells; I-I can help! I can help save my family and others!"

    "Luna." Isa said it more firmly. "You heard her, and I agree. War is no place for children."

    "But I need to help them." I sniffed. "I want to fight. I need to do something!"

    "No, you don''t," Isa said. "This is no place for children. I promised Cailynn, I''d get you somewhere safe. Think about how she''ll react if you run out onto the battlefield. Please, do this for her, for us."

    I pounded the table with my small fist and choked back a sob. I clenched my eyes shut. Dammit! God fucking dammit! Why am I so fucking useless?!

    Then an idea came to me. I quickly wiped my eyes and looked at Hass, who still looked at me sternly, her face unchanged as I said, "I know healing magics. I can cast rejuvenation without a scroll. I''ve healed Isa; I saved Oscar''s niece. I-I can be useful. Maybe not on the frontlines, bu-but I can heal your men."

    "Luna, no," Isa muttered, though it seemed my offer piqued the interest of the colonel and her subordinates.

    Her eyebrow arched up a bit, and she unlaced her fingers and stroked her chin. "You can cast rejuvenation without a scroll?" She asked me, and I nodded my head rapidly as I wiped my eyes with my arm.

    Reaching down, Hass gripped the bottom of her right glove and slid it off, revealing her beautiful, dainty hand.

    "Colonel, what are you doing?" Colonel Pitz asked as she grabbed a sharp knife off the table with her left hand.

    What''re you doing? I thought as I brought my arm back to my side and watched her bring the knife to her palm, my eyes widened. Oh, you''re actually going to do it, I thought as I sniffed, and a huge smirk appeared on my face. I can respect this. I''ll show you what I can do.

    Suddenly, in a flash, she slashed the palm of her hand with a slight wince as hot blood began to drip down her palm and onto the table.

    Immediately, her advisors gasped, and her maids yelled as I and Isa watched her. Hass grimaced a little, but then gave me a devious smirk as she held her gashed hand out to me.

    "Prove it."

    "By the gods, Luna," Isa muttered as I yanked my shoulder from her hand and looked back at her before turning back to Hass.

    I shifted my chair around and got up as I came over to her. As badass as the woman looked right now, I could see the pain in her face from slashing herself. With a deep breath, I smiled at her gently and closed my eyes as I gently reached out and took her hand.

    Taking a couple of deep breaths, I began to concentrate on her wounded hand. Stilling my mind, I felt the well within me swell as magic began to pour out of me. I sighed softly as the pleasurable sensations sent tingles throughout my body as I began to recall and speak the incantation.

    "Slyondra, goddess of life''s gentle flow, grant us your healing in our time of woe. From your realm of birth, where the Current sways, send forth your blessings to light our way. With your touch, let the wounds dissolve and fade. In your embrace, let pain be gently swayed. Heal this one with your loving grace and restore their body and spirit in your sacred space. Rejuvenate!"

    Around me, the men and maids gasped as even Hass''s eyes widened as the green pixies began to form around me the magical aura radiated out from me as my eyes flashed a bright green glow as my hands gripped onto Hass''s as I muttered the last word. The surge of magic shot out from my core, through my arms, and directly into Hass''s hand and body.

    She and I both gasped and sighed as my power surged through her, and I opened my eyes and watched while her wound began to magically stitch itself back together as my energy radiated through her.

    After a few seconds, the magic faded and the flying green particles dissipated as everyone, even Isa, watched with awe. I released Hass''s hand and she smiled at me as she opened and closed it. Not only that, but she also got up, stretched shifted her body around, and looked at me with astonishment.

    "You have not only healed my hand, yet¡­ The rest of me feels livelier." She chuckled. "I don''t feel any small aches in my back or knees." She smirked. "That''s impressive." She was almost speechless. "You truly did it with no scroll."

    "Is that not common?" I asked her.

    Colonel Pitz leaned forward and said, "Are you kidding me? Such magic is normally reserved for powerful clerics, of which few exist. Where did you learn this?"

    I gulped. "I uh¡­"

    Suddenly, the voice returned to me. "This is one of those moments. I demand you do not speak of me. People of power cannot be trusted with the knowledge of my existence."

    I gulped. "I-I learned it from my mother," I lied. "She taught me with the scroll, but afterwards, I just picked up on it without needing one."

    Isa looked at me confused for a second but thankfully decided to play along and nodded.

    The older man''s eyes widened. "May I¡­ ask that you use it on me?"

    Hass held a hand up to Pitz. "Colonel, we can tend to such matters once we''re done here." She smiled as she continued to roll her shoulders and shake her legs.

    What exactly does this spell heal other than wounds? I thought.

    "A number of things," the voice said. "It quite literally rejuvenates the body. Restoring cells and tissue back to their prime. A sort of anti-aging in a sense, but with restrictions, depending on the caster. The spell cannot keep you living indefinitely, as that is not its purpose, but it can perform a variety of miracles."

    Fascinating. I thought.

    "Indeed. For instance, you''ve cured Hass''s chronic back pain and knees. Essentially restoring her to her prime. Very much like you did to your friend Isa."

    How strong is this spell? I thought it was like a mote or a whisper.

    The voice laughed briefly to my surprise. "No. Luna, Rejuvenate is a radiant-tier spell."

    My eyes widened briefly. Mother had briefly gone over the tiers of magic in this world with me during our handful of training days, and radiant spells, if I recall, landed on the fifth tier of magic out of a total of ten. Which would classify it as an adept spell that most astral sorcerers, clerics, and above can only cast.

    The older man sat back, a bit bummed but still amazed, as Hass sat back down and smiled widely. "This is truly incredible." She leaned in towards me. "Are there any more healing magics, you know? Perhaps a mass rejuvenation, or maybe even a restoration? Or better yet, resilience."

    I gulped. Voice man, Master, are you able to teach me those spells like you did the last?

    "I could, but not exactly on a whim. Part of the reason I disappeared before was due to my reaching beyond my limit to teach you. If I overstretched my bounds, I could vanish once more."

    I gulped. "Not currently, but I''m a fast learner," I said with a shake of my head. "If you have any magisters or clerics around, I can maybe learn from them."

    "How fast of a learner?" Hass asked, and I gulped.

    "I-I don''t know." I mumbled.

    Isa stood up and placed both palms on the table. "I object to this, Colonel Hass; please, you must understand that while Luna is very strong and reliable, she''s merely a child. Not only that, but she also isn''t even a soldier."

    Hass looked at Isa and nodded. "Indeed, she isn''t a soldier. Though the girl is volunteering her services, she''s shown to have talent that already almost surpasses some of my best medics."

    "This is absurd." Isa gasped.

    Even Brenner leaned forward and said, "I agree with Miss Soza, as useful as Luna is. Morally, it doesn''t justify it." The wolfman stroked his chin as I glared at him. "I do not foresee the response from the top brass taking too kindly to this either."

    "She will not serve directly on the front. She''ll hang back at the field hospital."

    "That''s still too close!" Isa said her expression was one of pleading.

    "Isa!" I said, looking at her. "Please. Let me do this."

    "It isn''t worth it, Luna! You''ve seen those monsters. If they break the line, you''ll be in mortal danger."

    "They won''t," Hass said firmly as she planted both hands on the table. "I''ve made it very clear that the Rusivite''s will not break through my wall."

    Isa glared at her. "You speak tough, Colonel, but how strong of a bite does your bark carry?"

    Hass frowned and growled, "Strong enough."

 Chapter 47: My Choice

    In the end, the decision was left up to me. Isa and I left the farmhouse shortly after the discussion. On our way out, I stopped to speak with the soldiers who witnessed my mother''s bravery and were sitting on the benches out front. Aside from a few extra details, they told me pretty much what Colonel Hass had already mentioned.

    Mother had assisted the soldiers in fleeing the town to another evacuation point in the west. Along the way, fighting machines swarmed their positions and bombarded them with rockets. A few men mentioned that she had specifically been helping a few refugees¡ªa man and maybe a child.

    Which sounds a lot like my father and Varis.

    While running through the woods, machines came from the water and north in a pincer attack, and as a final act, my mother unleashed a fiery spell and flew at the machines to slow them before taking serious fire. One man said he saw her cut down two of them with a flaming sword before being shot. Then, finally, a man said she was taken.

    I hope that''s the case. Please don''t be a dead mother.

    I asked them about the two refugees she was protecting, though the group I spoke to said they hadn''t seen where they went. However, if they weren''t taken, they probably fled across the river with the last remaining motorboats or continued further west.

    If they weren''t taken with Mom, they may have crossed the river with the soldiers, and they may be at this camp. I thought as I glanced around as if I hoped to see them.

    Instead, all I saw was Isa behind me, her arms crossed and frustrated as her tail flicked back and forth behind her.

    She''s not happy at all. I sighed as my stomach sank partially.

    "If you do not mind." The Master spoke in my mind. "I would like to add my opinion and say that this is a foolish idea."

    I rolled my eyes as I turned away from the soldiers and began to walk towards Isa.

    I know it''s not the smartest. Yet, if it works out, I can save my mother.

    "And if you die, everything¡ª"

    Gets thrown into jeopardy I know, but what if your family were the ones trapped and being processed? You can''t expect me to go to some city, cross my fingers, and wait. Sure, I''m a kid. Though mentally, I''m not. I can think clearly; I know this is stupid, but sometimes we just have to take the risk.

    "Some risks just aren''t worth taking," the Master mumbled.

    Thanks for the input. But I''m not changing my stance; I need to help her. I need to help them. They saved me once, and well, now I feel like I have a chance to return the favor.

    "Is that really what this is about?" He asked me.

    I stopped beside Isa and bit my lower lip.

    I don''t know. All I know is that I don''t want to lose my family.

    "I think you''re making a mistake," Isa said, and I sighed.

    Oh boy, it''s like I''m playing this on repeat.

    "I know," I told her. "Say what you want, but I hope you understand me."

    "I do." Isa sighed. "And that''s what pisses me off." She looked down at me. "If I were your age and, in this position, I''d do the same thing."

    "You still can," I said to her. "You can help me, Isa." I offered. "We can both go and save my mother."

    Isa glanced down at me and said, "Luna, you''re asking me to fight in a war. I''m not a mercenary, not anymore. Besides, I made a promise¡ªa promise I will uphold."

    "So, you''re going to stop me." I said it in a low voice as I stared up at her.

    Isa stared back down at me. "I always uphold my promises, Luna. And I won''t let you throw your life away. We have an idea of where they''re at, and the Colonel and the soldiers are planning on saving those people; let us let the professionals handle this."

    I balled my fists and shook my head. "No! I want to help!"

    "Stop acting stubborn!" Isa barked at me, and my eyes widened. "Think about it, Luna! You have seen what those things can do. You are young and small; yes, you can do magic, but not enough. Gusts of wind and healing spells can only get you so far. Right now, you are weak."

    I gasped as if I had been stabbed through the heart, and I stammered for a second, yet no words came out. Around us, soldiers and officers turned to look in our direction.

    Isa continued to stare down at me. "It is harsh, but it''s true, Luna. Your spells cannot save you if those things get you. You have great potential; some day you can be as strong, maybe stronger than Cailynn, but right now. You are a small, weak, and angry child."

    I gritted my teeth and scowled. "I''m not a kid! I know what I''m¡ª"

    "You do not!" She snapped at me, her voice rising. "There is no more discussion to be had! I refuse to let you go; no matter what the colonel says, she has no control over you or me."

    I scowled. "Why don''t you want to do what''s right?" I asked her. "You used to travel with momma and papa, you used to be a hero with them! Why do you want to not help them and do what''s right?!" I shouted back at her, and Isa''s eyes widened briefly before she stepped forward.

    "Because I''m scared, Luna!" She admitted it as she glared at me. "I''m scared for my own life, yours, and everyone else''s. I almost died; we almost died; yes, I was an adventurer once. Adventurers aren''t fearless heroes, Luna. We have fears, we get scared, and we cry. Do you think I enjoyed running into danger with your mother and father? Do you know why Cailynn and Slyran stopped? Not only because they had Varis and you, but because their friend died. They saw what true horror can do, and so did I. It stopped being fun and games."

    I clenched my fists tightly as my teeth ground together, and I turned away and kicked the dirt in front of me. "Dammit!" I cried out as my temper flared. I won''t lie, I threw a temper tantrum. As embarrassing as it was in hindsight, I couldn''t help but feel utterly useless.

    Isa was right. I am a child¡ªan angry, little, weak kid. My family was taken from me, and I have no idea how to save them. All I could do was rely on the hope that some soldiers would find them, or maybe they''d escape. Yet I knew where they were, or at least, I had a lead. They''re right there. Yet I couldn''t save them.

    I dropped to my knees as Isa came over to me and knelt. She hesitantly reached out and gripped me by the shoulders. "Luna," she said in a hushed tone. "I''m sorry for yelling at you."

    I stared at the dirt in front of me, my expression defeated. "I''m useless," I said softly. "I had so many years to try learning, to get stronger, yet I never bothered." I sniffed. I could''ve asked my mother to start teaching me magic sooner; I could''ve tried reading up on it myself. I could''ve practiced shooting more with Father and Varis; I could''ve done so much to prepare more if only I knew what was coming.

    Yet instead, I focused on trying to have fun. To have a childhood again.

    I could''ve done so much, yet I squandered it all. Just like in my old life.

    "Luna," Isa cooed softly, "you''re not useless. Like I said, you have talent; you have potential. You just need to cultivate it."

    "I don''t have time, though," I said softly as Isa helped me up. She took my hand gently and began to lead me away from the audience that was watching us.

    "You have plenty of time," Isa said gently. "Your Mother, Father, and Varis, they''ll be okay."

    "We don''t know that," I said as I sniffed and gripped Isa''s hand as she looked down at me sadly.

    She took a deep breath as we continued our walk in silence. Along the road towards the refugee camp, we came across Dr. Kegan, who seemed to be quite cheerful. Upon seeing us, he waved happily before adjusting his suit and jogging towards us.

    I saw as he smiled at Isa and fixed his glasses before bowing to her and saying, "Salutations, Madam Soza, and Luna, fine morning we''re having." He grinned.

    Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit.

    Isa took a deep breath and smiled gently at the good doctor. "Hello, Kegan, why are you coming this way?"

    He adjusted his glasses once again and said, "I was actually looking for the two of you." His smile widened. "You see, I have a shop in Johanneson, and well, seeing as we''re nearing the city, I was wondering if either two of you would be interested in working with me." He turned to me. "More specifically, Dr. Reynolds, Oscar as you know him, was telling me how you cured his niece, and well, I feel that having someone with your talents could benefit my clinic." He straightened up.

    Isa blinked. "Uh, Doctor, now isn''t the time for making job offers. Though, perhaps when we''re on our way out?" Isa glanced down at me.

    I took a deep breath and said, "I''ll think about it."

    Isa nodded as Kegan rubbed the back of his head and blushed faintly. "Ah well, it was worth a shot. Please let me know when you''re going to be heading out. I''d be more than happy to tag along."

    Isa nodded. "I plan on heading out with Luna here shortly. Possibly within the day."

    I scowled and looked up at her. I can''t believe it¡­ We''re so close to getting to Mother.

    I sighed as Kegan nodded. "Sounds good to me¡­" he glanced at me. "Is she okay¡ª"

    "Luna is alright." Isa cut him off. "Now if you''ll let us be, Doctor, I need to take Luna back to our tent."

    Kegan nodded and said, "Certainly. Apologies for intruding. If you need me, I''ll be volunteering at the hospital today."

    Isa nodded, placed her hand on my back, and gently pushed me forward as we made our way back to our tent.

    <hr>

    There''s no way I''m going to let my family suffer out there while I just run away. I thought as I grabbed what little gear I had and quietly stepped out of my tent in the cover of the night.

    "Why not?" The voice disapproved of my actions. "You''ve done so once already. Do you have any idea how much peril you''re going to be putting yourself in, and what about those who care? Weren''t you so concerned about that in the past? What has changed?"

    What''s changed is that it''s my family; Isa might be right; I am small; I am weak. But I''ll think of something! Maybe I can''t do it directly, but I have healing magic thanks to you. I can keep the soldiers alive long enough to help them!

    "Perhaps," the voice said, "but the odds of victory only increase by a minuscule amount."

    I quietly made sure Isa was still asleep as I closed the flap and began to move through the camp toward the military headquarters.

    Well, then, what are our odds of winning this? I asked the voice.

    "I would need to get an accurate look at this army''s forces. Yet, judging by the amount of essence I feel coming from the location Oscar alluded to on the map, the force there is higher than even what I felt at Kassel."

    So what? We''re talking about a couple dozen?

    "Possibly a couple dozen linked to the central magrite pillar."

    Magi-what? I asked, straightened up, and began to walk quickly once I was away from our tent.

    "The cylinder you saw fell from the sky. Not only was it a transportation pod, but it also contained a large pillar of magrite that is now acting as a siphon."

    My eyes widened, and I frowned. Out loud, I said, "Now you''re telling me this?"

    "Yes, because it''s becoming relevant. The magrite is acting as a power source and a containment of souls; its essence is immense. If you wish to stop the fighting machines, destroying them will eliminate their source of power. It won''t stop them outright, but in theory, it should stop them from refueling."

    "I never really intended on stopping them; I just wanted to save those people and my family." I gulped as I passed by a few adults who eyed me as I went by.

    "Saving the people without destroying this facility will only make things harder." He explained.

    Well, I don''t think I have the capability, I thought, and the colonel said she wouldn''t put me on the front. Should I tell them?

    "No. While it would be logical to explain this, it would bring into question how you got this information. Which will only draw suspicion on you and me. This is for you, and you only."

    I hate it, but you''re right. I sighed. If the military learns about you, they may take me away to some secret facility or something like ET.

    "Possibly."

    <hr>

    "Halt!" Two soldiers standing guard shouted to me as I approached the farmhouse.

    "What''re you doing out here, little one?" One of the soldiers asked me curiously as he approached me. "Are you lost?" He asked in a calm voice.

    I simply stared up at him. "I''m here to speak to Colonel Hass."

    The man squatted down in front of me, his eyebrows raised. "Oh? You want to speak to the big lady inside?" He jutted his thumb back and shook his head. "Unfortunately, she isn''t taking visitors right now, especially not from any children."

    I narrowed my gaze and said bluntly, "It has to do with the counterattack she''s planning and my involvement in it."

    The soldier blinked, glanced over at his buddy, who looked confused, and shrugged before the man snorted and said, "Sure thing, kid. Come back in the morning."

    I shook my head. "I can''t wait that long. Please let me speak to her; tell her I''m Luna Ashflow, daughter of Cailynn Ashflow, the Moonweaver."

    The soldiers both blinked and shared another glance. "Moonweaver?"

    "Yes." I patted my wand. "The Moonweaver; famous wizard. She taught me spells, one of which was rejuvenation. Which the Colonel has taken an interest in. So please, let her know I''m here."

    The guards crossed their arms as the door to the farmhouse opened behind them. As the blue light cut through the shadows, a silhouette of a feline figure stepped out onto the porch with a tray in one hand while the other patted her skirt. Taking the tray in both hands, she then came out over to the guards, and I could see her auburn hair and ears flicking gently in the breeze.

    Shilia, I think, is her name. I thought as she came over with two teacups.

    "This is to warm you two up." She purred softly as the two soldiers smiled happily.

    "Oh, thank you, Miss Shilia." They both said this as they took their warm cups.

    The feline then glanced at me and tilted her head, confused. "If I had known Madam Asfhlow was coming, I would have prepared you a cup as well."

    "You know her?" The guard, who had been questioning me, asked.

    The serelli nodded. "Yes. Madam Hass has taken an interest in her last time they spoke this morning."

    The guard looked dumbfounded for a second as I gave him a shit-eating grin.

    I told you, dumbass. I giggled.

    Shilia then looked back at me. "Do you wish for me to pass on a message to her?" She asked me.

    "Well, uh¡­" I shifted my weight from foot to foot. "I was hoping to speak to her directly."

    Shilia nodded. "Well, I''ll go see if she has the time to spare." She promptly turned and made her way back inside, her tail flicking pleasantly back and forth in tandem with her swagger, and I noticed both guards watching from behind as she went in.

    Both of them took big gulps of their tea and glanced at me. "So, you really know magic, huh?"

    <hr>

    The wait didn''t take long. After a couple of minutes of shooting the shit with the soldiers, I was invited inside by Shilia. The farmhouse was mostly empty this evening, save for the other two maids cleaning up the place as I was guided to the living room, where Hass was relaxing. I gulped upon seeing her dressed in only a buttoned-up polo, save for the top two buttons being undone, and a pair of form-fitting cotton pants. Her short red hair was a little unkempt, and her bright blue eyes flicked up to look at me from the book she was reading, which I saw was titled "The Articles of War, Strategies Employed in the Twilight Years."

    I think my mother owned that book, I thought.

    Hass closed the book and set it down on the table. "Have you considered my offer to join my medical corps?" She asked me.

    She gestured for me to sit across from her on the sofa. "Sort of," I said as I moved over to the couch and sat down, my hands nervously fidgeting with each other.

    "What do you mean?" Hass asked me calmly, though her fierce eyes gave me the impression I was interrupting something.

    "I only want to join if my family is found," I said. "If my mother is really being held captive, I want to help free her and find the others. Then that''s it."

    "We have a deal," Hass said as she reached for her teacup on the coffee table and sipped from it.

    My eyes widened. Oi, what? That''s it?

    "You look surprised." Hass smirked at me as she took another sip.

    "I-I thought you would push harder for me to stick around¡­" I laughed nervously.

    She shook her head. "No. My advisors make a point that you are merely a child, and I mean no offense by that; having you under my wing in an active war zone is, well¡­ immoral. However, I''m willing to look past morality if it involves helping you get what you want, and you help me get what I want."

    "What do you want?" I asked her.

    She smirked. "Power and status." She placed the cup back down. "General Hossler, the one running this theater, is old. His tactics, way of thinking, and reactions are not capable of competing with the Rusivite''s. Yet the brass has been too stubborn to have him step down. I wish to change that. I like to think I''m young and more reliable than the old geezer. Yet for me to make this happen, I need to have a big win."

    "How am I able to help with that?" I asked softly.

    "Well, you need to help keep my boys alive. Secondly, we need to have you brush up on some spells. I have a few magisters who might be willing to teach you a thing or two; if you can cast rejuvenate, I''m sure the next spells won''t be too hard." I gulped. "Thirdly, I also want to know how you and your friend Isa avoided the machines so easily."

    "What do you mean?" I asked her.

    Hass smirked and leaned forward in her seat. "I was going over the story you told me the other day, and something didn''t seem right with me." She hummed. "I have men and women in recon balloons all across the river, and my forward scouts patrolling the lands. The land is rife with those monsters, many of which require magical camouflage and invisibility for my men to remain unseen. Yet, you and your band of refugees mostly came out unscathed. How have you been able to avoid them for days on end? Because, judging by your story, you always left right before things got bad."

    "Do not tell her a thing about me." The voice hissed.

    But if I do tell her, this could prove to be an advantage. I thought.

    "Yes, but remember what you thought earlier? Being taken away."

    Fuck, you''re right.

    "Is everything alright?" Hass brought me back to reality. "Should I have one of my maids get you some tea or water?"

    "Tea would be nice." I answered with a nod and took a deep breath. "We just got lucky, really lucky," I partially lied. Luck was involved much of the time.

    Yet immediately, I could tell by Hass''s gaze that she did not buy what I was selling. Yet, strangely enough, she didn''t press it. "Right." She nodded. "Luck." She sipped her tea and waved Shilia over to us. "Please refill my cup and get Madam Ashflow here one as well, Love." She smiled pleasantly as Shilia, who purred happily, returned the smile as she took her teacup.

    Yet as quickly as Hass''s warm expression came, it faded as she looked back at me. "Luck is quite fickle, isn''t it? It comes and goes, like the waves on the shore. For over a week now, we''ve been having poor luck, and well, let''s hope that the luck you possess will allow us to turn this around." She smiled at me. "If we can save Moonweaver and shut down this factory that Oscar calls it, then perhaps all of Heinmarr will stand a chance. You will get what you want, and I will get what I want. I see this as a win-win."

    I don''t know why this thought came to mind, but as Shilia returned moments later with our tea, I looked to Hass and asked, "And if we fail?"

    "Then Heinmarr doesn''t stand a chance, and it''ll be up to the rest of the world."

 Chapter 48: Igniting the Sky

    I returned to my tent sometime in the middle of the night. Isa was still sound asleep. Crawling into my tent, I took a deep breath and laid down.

    "You''re really going to go through with this, aren''t you?" The voice of the Master asked me.

    I feel like I have to. I replied as I yawned. My mother and potentially the others are trapped; I can''t rely solely on these soldiers to help them.

    "And you really believe you have what it takes?" He asked me. "A single day''s worth of training on a couple of new spells is not enough to turn someone like yourself into a battle-hardened soldier."

    You trained me in like five minutes on the rejuvenation spell. I thought as I closed my eyes. Maybe I can learn how to use whatever else they give me just as fast.

    "Going off of one instance of picking up on a spell doesn''t mean you will master everything that is thrown your way, Luna." The voice said it sternly. "What you''re doing is foolish."

    Maybe I am just an idiot. An idiot who loves and wishes to help their family. What is wrong with that? I yawned softly.

    "What''s wrong is that you''re going to get yourself killed."

    And what? Put everything you worked for into jeopardy? I swear you''re like an NPC looping dialogue.

    "I don''t know what that means, but I sense the derogatory nature." The voice mumbled. "But yes. You''re putting my plans and goals at risk."

    What about my goals? I sighed.

    "Excuse me?"

    You''re fucking kidding¡­ My goals, my wants, and my needs. I''m not some pawn, Mr. Master. I don''t have to play by your rules. I rolled over and curled in on myself.

    "Perhaps not, but you should. As mentioned before, the soldiers are aware of what they need to do. There is a chance they can save them without you being there."

    But I want to be there.

    "Why?" He said it flatly. "Why must you be there?"

    Because they''re my family! Haven''t you had a family? A mother, a father, maybe a sibling? Or, fuck, even a wife? If you were in my position, wouldn''t you want to do anything in your power to save them?

    There was no response.

    Hello? Are you going off to pout again?

    "No." The voice replied softly. "I¡­ miss spoke. Fine. I concede to you, Luna." He sighed. "Get some rest. The next couple of days are most likely going to be hell for you."

    <hr>

    I awoke the next morning to Isa shaking me gently. I groaned heavily as I rolled onto my back to see her staring down at me with big eyes.

    "Luna," she said, "it is time to get up. We''ll be getting ready to head out soon."

    I blinked the blurriness out of my eyes and looked up at her, confused for half a second, until the talk from last night with Hass resurfaced and I sighed. This was the moment I was dreading.

    I shook my head and sat up as Isa leaned back and frowned. "What do you mean, no?" She huffed.

    "I told you, Isa¡­" I say softly. "I am going to go save, Momma." I turned to look her right in the eyes. "I spoke to the Colonel last night. She paired me with a magister who''ll be teaching me in a couple hours."

    "Excuse me?" Isa scowled. "When did this happen?"

    "Last night while you were asleep." I admitted.

    Isa lunged out to grab me by the wrist, though I instinctively yanked my hand away. "What the hell are you doing?" I hissed at her.

    Isa crawled over to me as I moved back towards the tent flap. "I''m not letting you throw your life away. I made a promise to your mother!"

    "I don''t care if you did!" I snapped at her. "I''m not going to run away and let my family die!"

    Isa pounced towards me I gasped and dove back out of the tent flap. The two of us landed outside on the dirt and grass in the light of the early morning, and I went to get on my feet, yet Isa was too fast. She was already diving towards me, and just as she grabbed me, I panicked, and I thrust both hands out.

    Catching on to what was about to happen, Isa lunged to grab my hands, yet it was too late. "Gust!"

    A magical torrent of wind blasts forth through the small window of my index finger and thumb. Slamming Isa in her chest and gut, the serelli''s eyes widened as if she had been punched, and she was lifted off the ground and tossed back at least five or so feet. She landed on her back, bounced, and flipped over herself and onto her gut.

    Instant regret washed over me, and I scrambled to check on the wheezing woman as one hand gripped her stomach and the other tried to push herself off the ground. "Isa! Isa! By God, I''m so sorry; I''m so sorry I got scared!" I got down beside her as she glared at me out of the side of her eye, but after a moment, the expression softened and turned to defeat.

    A look that made me wish she''d rather be angry.

    Around us, other refugees came out of their tents to see what was going on as I kneeled beside Isa and reached out with my hands. She didn''t stop me as I muttered the words to rejuvenation as the swirling green magic radiated from my body and into hers. Her shallow breaths soon filled out as the pain eased and she relaxed.

    Yet her expression remained the same: defeated. "Why¡­?" She asked me softly and sniffed as she brought a hand to one eye. "Why don''t you listen to me? Why must you feel like you need to go back? It is dangerous. I don''t want to lose you."

    "Because I want to save, Momma." I spoke. "I feel like I need to go help them. I owe it to them."

    "But you don''t," Isa said, her voice cracking as she allowed her emotions to pour out. "Luna, you don''t need to save them. Cailynn and Slyran are¡ª"

    "They''re strong, but they aren''t invincible, Isa." I cut her off. "The soldiers say they saw Momma be taken, and I need to try and help her. The voice says he will help me, and the magisters here will teach me magic. Or at least as much as they can. I know it''s stupid; I know it''s dumb. But¡­ I can''t stand running away."

    A couple of tears ran down Isa''s cheek as she sat back on her knees and looked at me. "There really is no way I can convince you otherwise?"

    I shook my head. "Unless Momma and the others come walking down the road right now, no." Isa stared at me blankly as the crowd around us began to disperse.

    Yet amongst the group of people that began to return to their tents, Anne revealed herself as she began to come over to us, her uncle Oscar just a few paces behind her. The young red-headed elf happily skipped over to us, seemingly excited to see me, yet stopped when she saw mine and Isa''s expression.

    Ah shit¡­ I sighed as I turned to face Anne. I forgot I promised to show her some magic this morning.

    "Wh-what''s wrong?" Anne asked. "Why does Isa look sad?

    Isa sniffed and wiped her eyes as she steeled herself and sighed. "I-it''s nothing." She lied. "I just had a bad memory."

    I nodded, deciding to play along. "Yeah. We were just talking about stuff."

    "Shouting we heard," Oscar said bluntly. "Came over with Anne."

    I bit my lower lip. "A nightmare," I lied, though neither seemed convinced.

    Isa took a deep breath. "Oscar, come with me." She motioned for him to follow her into the tent. "I''ll tell you in here. Luna¡­" She glanced at me. "If you''re staying, then so am I."

    I blinked. Wait what? No, no. I chose to stay, not you! I wanted to say, but Anne ran up to me and took me by my left hand.

    "So, you ready to show me some cool spells?" She beamed, and I turned to look at her, my eyes still wide with shock.

    <hr>

    "I don''t have long," I said to Anne as we made our way towards the military camp, though halfway through we branched off into the open field. "I have a meeting with some wizards in the camp in about an hour. So, I can show you a little bit."

    Anne nodded her head excitedly. "Okay! I''m ready when you are!" She said this as she was moving over to a large boulder and sitting on it. Her big eyes watched my every move, and her expression was that of a tiny, cute smile.

    I blushed faintly as I felt thrown on the spot, and I nodded. "Uh well, first spell here¡­" I glanced around the field; amongst the grass and shrubs, I saw plenty of rocks everywhere. "This spell I haven''t used too much; it''s a mote called Pebble."

    "Pebble?" Anne cocked her head like a dog. "Sounds really cute!"

    I smirked and said, "It does! Watch this." I parted my legs to strengthen my stance, grabbed my wand, and held both hands far out on my side. I closed my eyes and began to concentrate. This was a spell I hadn''t used too often; the last time I did was when I splattered both Mother and me with mud when I tried to combine two separate spells. Taking a deep breath, I began to focus.

    Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.

    "Enora''s whispers heed my call." I began the incantation as I held my wand out in front of me. "Stones in motion, big and small. With words of power and control unfurled, pebbles dance in the earthly swirl. Pebble!" The surge of magic bubbled in my stomach before erupting outwards as the pleasurable sensations caused me to gasp and shudder as I flicked my wand upwards. With a satisfying crack and snap, I watched as a chunk of earth, no larger than my small fist, broke from the ground covered in roots and grass and began to levitate in front of me.

    Anne gasped and cheered as she clapped her hands. "So cool! Can you throw it?" She asked me.

    I panted and smiled as the swirl of magical tingles continued to radiate through my body as I concentrated on the floating earthy mass. I nodded at her as my excitement became prevalent, and I looked out towards the field and flicked my wand in that direction as I imagined the dirty rock flying like a bullet in that direction!

    Suddenly, the stone vibrated in place before suddenly rocketing in the direction I had gestured so fast that I gasped as I saw it strike the side of a far-off rolling hill and explode with cloudy debris!

    "Holy shit!" I gasped.

    It was like a mini cannonball!

    Anne squealed and clapped her hands. "That was so cool! I read something like this in my books! Moonweaver once lifted a massive boulder and threw it at a castle gate!" She gestured out with wide hands as she explained.

    I blushed and nodded. I hope she doesn''t keep comparing me to my mother. Though I''d admit I should''ve been using this spell from the start, back home, the rocks were always tossed, not shot like a cannon.

    "That is because you''re excited. That girl, Anne, makes your emotions lose control."

    I blushed deeply. Okay, no, don''t go trying to play matchmaker again!

    "I''m not. What I say is the truth. Magic is controlled by focus and emotions. It is why it''s always best to keep your mind still and remain in control. How come you think your spells always react so powerfully whenever you cast them? Most times you''re in distress, like this morning with Isa."

    That was an accident. I huffed as Anne looked at me, confused.

    "Indeed, it was, but you saw how the spell came out? It was because your emotions were on high." He explained.

    I took a deep breath. It explains why my mother always told me meditation was important during our few practices.

    "Indeed. But yes, the spell used like this could be useful. Especially with where you plan on going."

    "Luna?" Anne called out to me, and I blinked and looked back at her. "Are you okay?" She asked.

    I nodded. "Ye-yeah," I stuttered. "I''m okay; I just got a little lost in thought. Ready for the next one?"

    Anne beamed once more and nodded her head rapidly. "Yes!"

    "This one I''m going to show you is simple," I said, smiling. "I can control the wind! I''ve done it so much now that I don''t really need to chant. As long as I say the name of the spell, it goes off!"

    "Oh, what is it?" Anne asked me.

    A flash came across my mind as a memory of Mother leaping off the building in Kassel gave me an idea. I smiled at Anne and said, "It''s called Gust!" I jumped up in the air, pointed my wand beneath me, and shouted, "Gust!"

    A surge of powerful air shot up beneath me, the wind throwing my skirt upwards as the air lifted me off the ground, about a dozen feet in the air, and I gasped.

    Fuck! Instant regret: why did I do this?! I began to fall back down, though this time I closed my eyes and shouted once again right before hitting the ground. "Gust!" This time, I did my best to focus on a strong wind that would catch me rather than propel me upwards.

    Just before hitting the earth, the cool gust caught me and buffeted me upwards as I began to bounce mid-air, my free hand doing its best to hold my skirt downwards as I was essentially levitating in front of Anne for a few seconds before the spell ceased and I dropped a couple of feet safely back onto my feet.

    Anne''s eyes were wide, and her cheeks flushed as she slowly clapped. "Y-You can fly?!"

    I never really tried that till now, but I guess so. I did throw Isa and me around in the lake. My heart raced, and I smiled widely and rubbed my neck.

    "I-I guess so!" I said, "I never really tried till now."

    Too bad I hate heights.

    Anne giggled I stood up as she came over to me. "That''s so cool! Do you know any fire spells?" She asked me with a big smile.

    I blinked and blushed a little as I took a deep breath and gave Anne a small nod. "I know a couple, though I''m a bit rusty on most, save for spark."

    Anne''s face lit up, and she practically started bouncing. "Can you show me?"

    I frowned. "Uh well¡­" I glanced around the field of tall grass and shrubs. "Fire is dangerous; I don''t want to cause an accident."

    Knowing how I''ve been kind of overdoing it on some spells, I''d hate to cause a wildfire.

    Anne pouted. "Not even a little one?" Her big green eyes turned into large, glistening saucers, and I felt my heart skip a little, and I gulped.

    "I uh¡­ okay¡­ just a little one." I took a deep breath. I''ll just aim the spell upward. It''s not like I can catch the sky on fire.

    Anne nodded. "That''s okay! So far, you''re doing amazing, Luna; I''m so jealous!" She sighed, and my blush darkened. "I wish I could do magic."

    I shifted a little and said, "I-I''m sure you''d b-be great at it."

    Anne gasped. "Really? Would you teach me?"

    My entire face went red as a tomato, and my heart began to race. "U-Uh¡­ maybe¡­ I-I don''t know."

    Anne giggled. "It''s okay. Maybe when we get to the city?"

    I gulped and simply nodded. "Y-Yeah. I-I wouldn''t mind hanging out."

    Anne''s smile widened even more. "Cool! Alright, go on. I want to see some sparks!"

    Now feeling nervous and on the spot, I took my wand and aimed it upwards. Spark was probably the easiest of the spells I know aside from Gust; in fact, I was already mastering the art of casting it without chanting. Yet, for a bit of flavor and to show off, I decided to treat Anne.

    "By Margon''s breath, flames ignite." I began to chant as my wand''s ruby tip began to glow. "From forge divine, bring forth light. Mote of fire, in darkness stark." Red runes began to form in the grass beneath me, and sparks of fire began to rise around me as Anne''s eyes widened and she began to step back.

    "Oh wow, oh wow!" She squealed, and my concentration faltered a bit as I looked down to see her eyes wide and glossy.

    I gulped and immediately tried to focus. "A-A s-spark to guide," I stuttered.

    Dammit, focus!

    "in Margon''s mark. Spark!" My heart fluttered as magic welled in my gut before bursting forth.

    Oh, fuck, too much! Too much!

    I tried to force the magic back, yet it was like a genie being let out of a lamp. I was no longer able to contain it as the usual pleasurable tingles turned into a roar of raw power that ran up my arm, funneling into my ruby wand, which glowed like a blinding, red beacon! The air above it crackled and whirled before the friction ignited into a ball of fire before rocketing upwards into the sky like a second sun. My eyes widened with horror as my body shook and trembled, as if the air had been sucked out of my lungs I dropped to my knees as I watched the fireball scream upwards, which had to be about a hundred feet before it detonated into a blinding flash of red and white light.

    I shielded my eyes, and so did Anne, as we saw and felt the heat for the first few seconds before the rumbling bang hit us. I continued to shield my eyes, gasping and panting heavily as my arm slowly lowered, and I looked up to see the mist where the explosion happened slowly evaporate.

    What the hell was that? That wasn''t the spark spell I used for lighting campfires!

    "I warned you that uncontrolled emotions, good or bad, can influence the spells. You wanted to show off to your friend, and you did. However, doing so caused you to channel far too much ether into such a spell. Essentially, changing a simple spark into a fireball."

    No shit, I saw that.

    Distant screams from the refugee camp came to us, and not too far off, I could hear a klaxon alarm coming from the military camp as distant soldiers mustered to their positions.

    Oh fuck, I''m going to be in so much trouble.

    Anne came over to me and got down beside me. "That was¡­ awesome!" She said it with childlike glee as she looked up at the sky and back down at me.

    I took a couple of deep breaths; my body felt exhausted from unintentionally going so hard on the spell. "Th-that wasn''t what I intended!" I said.

    "So what? That was cool!" Anne giggled and glanced back towards the refugee camp, where the cries had died down. "I think you may have scared some people, though."

    I blushed deeply, though this time out of embarrassment, as I groaned.

    Suddenly, the sound of fluttering cloth and a gush of wind blew over us, and I turned back to see that, landing on the ground a couple of feet away, was an older, hunched-over man wearing dark brown robes and a bowler cap. Using his gnarled wooden staff to straighten his form, I saw that his thick beard was long and white, and beneath his bushy gray brow and white bangs, his small, blue eyes flicked between the two of us.

    "Are any of you Luna Ashflow?" The man asked in a low, gruff voice as the distant alarm faded.

    "False alarm, stand down." A distant, booming voice of a woman shouted.

    I gulped heavily as Anne pointed at me. "She is! She just cast a big spell!"

    Oi, don''t snitch on me!

    My eyes widened with fear as I glanced at what I only assumed to be an old wizard. The man''s head raised as he fixed his hat and looked down at me with his beady little eyes.

    "So you''re the one I''m going to have to train¡­ So Elin wasn''t exaggerating."

    Who, what? I swallowed once more and nodded. "Y-Yeah¡­ I guess. Who are you?"

    The older man took a few waddling steps towards us with his staff guiding his way as he held a bony, wrinkly hand out to me. "Alexander Mihaljevi?, it''s a pleasure to meet you, young squirt."

    Anne''s eyes widened, and she backed away as I looked at the man''s hand and said, "Did you really just call me a squirt?" I glanced back up at him, and he cracked a smirk.

    "Aye, I did. Because you''re a little squirt. Now get up and do that again."

    "What?" I blinked and then yelled when the staff smacked me in the leg¡ªenough to make a little sting but nothing more. "Y''ouch!"

    "You''re young; I know those ears work, Squirt. I said, Get up and do what you just did again." The old geezer chuckled.

    I nervously shifted back and climbed to my feet, my body still wobbling from the spell fatigue. I took a deep breath and said, "I feel so tired, though. I don''t know if I can."

    "Just try." The stranger named Alexander said as his beady eyes stared into me, or¡­ through me?

    On the road, I heard some voices as a group of soldiers and refugees came to see what was happening from both directions, and I could feel all eyes burrowing into me. I bit my lower lip, took a few steps back, and shakily held my wand into the air. Closing my eyes, I began to concentrate once more. I took a few deep breaths in and out, calming my mind as best I could, as the old wizard gestured for Anne to move away.

    Once again, I began to chant. "By Margon''s breath, flames ignite." The tip of my wand began to glow as the well within me began to surge. The fatigue I had felt began to ease as the warmth of magic began to flow within me. "From forge divine, bring forth light. Mote of fire, in darkness stark." Once again, fiery runes scorched the earth around me, and I could hear the wizard let off a satisfied hum.

    "Fascinating. Your stance is a bit off, yet the energy radiating off you is immense." Hearing his words caused me to falter my speech a little, and he snipped. "Focus, Squirt. Don''t listen to me. Maintain concentration."

    "A spark t-to guide," I stuttered once more, and once again, the wizard tsk''d as he walked around me. I cracked one eye open to see what he was doing, though immediately he hissed and waved a hand at me.

    Shit, Luna, focus; don''t get nervous! Don''t get nervous!

    I could feel the magic within me as I neared the end of the incantation. Like before, it rose within me like a tidal wave. My body trembled as I began to sigh as the pleasurable sensation rode up my arm towards my wand.

    "in Margon''s mark. Spark!" I shouted at the end of the chant, and like before, the magic tore the air from my lungs as all the energy went directly into my wand, which looked like a beacon. Like before, the air crackled and screamed as it ignited into flame and shot upwards like a cannon before exploding in the sky.

    I gasped and fell back onto my ass, my skirt fluffing up as I splayed back on the grass, not caring about decency just yet. Anne cheered, and the crowd on the road gasped in amazement as the wizard Alexander whistled softly to himself as he watched the explosion in the sky.

    "Well¡­" He glanced down at me. "Fix your skirt, Squirt." He lightly smacked my side with my staff. "Not very ladylike, secondly¡­ Elin was wrong."

    "Wh-who?" I mumbled, still very confused as to what the fuck was even happening.

    "The Colonel. She said you were an adept spellcaster. Though¡­ I think you''re much more than that." The old man grumbled as I sat up and adjusted my dress. "You''ve already passed my initiation test. Get up, come with me."

    "Wh-who the hell are you?" I asked him again. "Where did you even come from?"

    The old man stopped without looking at me and said, "Is that how you''re going to be addressing your new master?"

    "Master, what?" I blinked.

    I remember Hass saying she had some magisters, but I didn''t expect some old geezer.

    "Master of the arts, Squirt." My eye twitched. Why does he keep calling me that?!

    "The Colonel asked if I wanted a new apprentice; I don''t take students often, and already you have done more than impressed me. Now come, we''ll talk more about your training while we move, Squirt."

    I gritted my teeth and glanced back at Anne, who was wide-eyed.

    "This is like Cailynn Moonweaver''s training arc!" She said it excitedly, clapping her hands.

    Training arc? Fuck, when you put it like that, I guess. I just hope this guy can show me the ropes before I go to save Mother.

 Chapter 49: Little Healer

    "Wrong!" Alexander scolded me, and being startled, I yelped and dropped the water I had levitated in the air to the ground. "Your cadence isn''t in the correct tone; your stance is too relaxed." He huffed and then recreated the proper stance as he parted his legs slightly, straightened his old back, and began to recite the incantation.

    "By the currents deep and wide, let water''s fury be my guide. With fluid grace and power thrash, unleash now the Water Lash!"

    In front of us both, beneath the canopy tent pitched at the edge of the military encampment, was a table, and on that table was a jug full of water, which Alexander began to bend and lift out of it as if the water were pouring upwards. He spun and twirled the water in the air before viciously whipping it towards a target dummy on the far end of the canopy. As demonstrated before, the water cut through the canvas dummy, ripping its chest open like one of those diamond cutters I saw online.

    My eyes widened, and I gulped as Alexander smiled at me, grabbed the nearby pitcher, and poured more water into the jug. "Your stance and speaking cadence are very important, Squirt," he said, referring to me by my impromptu nickname. "It allows your ether to travel more freely through one''s form, making it easier to manipulate and control."

    I nodded. "I-I thought it was all based on emotion."

    Alexander stroked his beard and nodded. "Emotion plays an equal role. Keeping your mind and thoughts in check, as well as having a healthy posture, will allow one to have full control. As the years go by and you become more relaxed and capable, then you can start slacking." He joked. "But for now, Squirt, you are puny. Meek. You cannot afford to be lackadaisical. Now. Try again."

    I took a deep breath and widened my stance out a bit¡ªsuddenly, I felt his staff hook around my foot and yank my legs out further, causing me to squeak and flail my arms as I tried to keep my balance.

    "Wider. Your stance is too condensed," Alexander said sternly, and I gulped and nodded.

    I kept my legs apart further out. I straightened my back and closed my eyes as I began to concentrate. With a deep breath, I began to mutter the incantation, which he immediately interrupted.

    "Louder. You must be more pronounced with your vocalization." I blinked.

    "Wh-what if a bad guy hears me, though?" I asked softly.

    "God forbid you must speak an incantation out loud when battling an opponent. Squirt, war mages are trained to cast their spells chantless." Alexander leaned toward me on his staff.

    I blinked. "Then why are you training me on this water spell?" I cocked my head, and Alexander cocked an eyebrow.

    "You dare question your master, Squirt?" He frowned and sighed as I muttered an apology. "We are practicing your concentration; that is why. The spell you cast this morning in the field was an anomalous case of you having no control. Normally spells fail when such an event occurs, yet you somehow siphoned more magic into a simple mote to the point that it might''ve been an astral tier spell."

    "Really?" I asked, and Alexander chuckled.

    "Yes, and being such a meek little child like yourself, that is immensely dangerous." He sighed. "That is why we''re playing with water. So that you don''t go and blow everyone else up and yourself when the Colonel throws your puny life away on this special operation."

    Ouch. I frowned.

    "Now." He gestured to the water. "Try again."

    I took a deep breath and nodded as I once again resumed the position. I focused my attention on the jug of water in front of me and then closed my eyes. Taking a deep breath, I tried to focus on nothing but my breathing and the water within the jug. Take a deep breath in, hold it for a second, then release, and repeat. Around me, the world seemed to grow quiet, and my mind stilled as, within my core, I felt well within me begin to bubble with magic.

    "Excellent," Alexander praised as he moved around me, his voice sounding distant. "Your form is almost perfect. Now, begin the incantation."

    Another deep breath in, and then out. "By the currents deep and wide, let water''s fury be my guide." I started calmly as the magic within me swirled as I held my wand out towards the jug. The pleasurable sensations caused me to shiver ever so slightly.

    "Do not let the magic overtake you, Squirt." Alexander''s distant voice called to me. "Remain focused on the task."

    As the energy began to grow within me, I could feel the magic spreading throughout every inch of my body, yet a large portion of it surged up my arm. Like lightning passing through a metal rod, it traveled towards my wand. Taking in another sharp breath, I continued the incantation.

    "With fluid grace and power thrash, unleash now the Water Lash!" My eyes opened, and I saw the tip of my ruby wand unleash a blue and red flash as the magic exploded within me. Goosebumps formed along my arms and neck, and I bit my lower lip as the energy continued to pump from my body into the wand and the jug began to rattle and bubble.

    "Focus, keep focusing!" Alexander urged me. "You''re losing concentration. Still your mind!"

    I bit my lower lip some more and took in a couple of deep breaths as the vibrating jug began to slow, and I imagined the water lifting out of the jug. With a flick of my wrist, I pointed my wand upwards, as if gravity had shut off. Water began to stream upwards out of the jug.

    "Excellent, a bit rusty, but you have it." The old wizard said this as he stepped around the table in front of me, stroking his beard. "See if you can make it dance, Squirt." He smirked at me.

    God, would you stop calling me that? I resisted the urge to sigh and tried to do as he asked.

    I flicked my wrist once more and tried to concentrate on the water flowing into the air, swirling around like a liquid snake. The magic within me continued to pump into my wand, like a stream of its own, directly into it before being transferred to the water that I continued to swirl around the air.

    Yet I could tell this essence wasn''t infinite. With each passing second, I caused the water to fly around above Alexander and me. I could feel the strain beginning to take hold like I had some kind of invisible mana bar. The spell fatigue began to hit me harder than it had before.

    Dammit, I''m feeling tired. Is this because I''ve been concentrating on this for so long? I grimaced as the water began to falter in the air.

    "Yes," the voice said in my head. "The longer you remain concentrated on a spell, the more ether you pour into it. No spell can be held indefinitely by one person; eventually, even a god can run out of energy unless assisted by an outside force."

    Alexander nodded his head as he finished circling the table and stood beside me. "You''re doing very well." He praised me again. "For a novice, you''ve kept this up longer than I had anticipated." He nodded. "Now. Lash out at the dummy and put as much force into it as you can. Unleash the pent-up urge inside of you. Feel your anger infused with your magic and attack!"

    Okay, Palpatine! I smirked and focused on the dummy, and in my mind, I imagined one of those Rusivite fighting machines. I thought about my mother being taken by those people in the streets of Kassel, and I snarled and slashed at the air with my wand.

    The water above shot through the air, forming a tight string as it lashed out at the dummy, and like water through a diamond, it sliced through the head of the dummy and sent it tumbling to the floor, decapitating it.

    I gasped and dropped to my knees. The energy of doing such an attack practically sucked the air from my lungs. Alexander''s eyes widened, and a smile appeared on his lips.

    "Well then. That was unexpected," he said slowly as the sound of someone clapping caused our heads to turn to look over our shoulders.

    Behind us, standing at the edge of the canopy, was none other than Colonel Hass, her servant Shelia, and two of her guards. The red-haired woman smiled at us as she brushed her bangs aside, fixed her peak cap on top of her head, and stepped towards us.

    "Impressive," she said softly as she eyed me and then the decapitated dummy. "I see Master Mihaljevi? has caught the one who tormented my camp."

    My eyes widened, and a deep blush appeared on my cheeks. "Sorry." I muttered.

    "Don''t be." The woman waved her hand to the side dismissively. "You''ve only fueled my resolve."

    Alexander bowed slightly. "Good morning, Elin," he said softly. "After the sky ignited in flames, I decided to seek out the little squirt myself." He smiled.

    "Can you stop calling me that?" I whined, and the man scoffed and laughed.

    "Only when you can prove to me you have grown beyond such a title." He teased me and stroked his beard as I huffed.

    Colonel Hass smirked and looked at me. "So, you know more than you let on, I take it?"

    She asked me, and before I could answer, Alexander spoke. "It isn''t that she knows more, Elin; from what I''ve observed, it''s that she doesn''t know what she''s capable of. Without a proper spiritest I won''t know her exact power, so we''ve been conducting small concentration trials, and I must say, Squirt here possesses a deep, deep Well."

    So, there''s more to these tests than just me being able to concentrate, eh? I thought to myself as I looked up at the old man.

    "Luna here." He pointed to me, finally using my real name. "From what we saw earlier with the firebomb and what happened just now, she could easily rival the power of an Astral Sorcerer or even an Ethereal Archon if given time to cultivate." Alexander explained excitedly as he approached the Colonel, still gesturing towards me.

    Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more.

    Ethereal Archon?! Wasn''t that my mother''s title? My eyes widened as I glanced between the two.

    The Colonel glanced at me, her steely blue eyes practically burning holes into me as I shifted nervously under her gaze. After a moment, her eyes flicked back toward Alexander. "How long would that take?"

    Alexander looked at her dumbfoundedly, then scoffed. "Years, decades¡­ She''s impressive, but she''s still a child. Her spells, while powerful, lack control. Without proper training, she''d be a liability."

    "Hey!" I huffed. "I''m right here!"

    "Shush, Squirt." Alexander held a finger to me.

    Mother fucker!

    "It''s harsh but true. This girl holds great potential, Elin. Yet if I could provide my professional opinion¡ª"

    "I have no need for your opinion, Alexander." Hass''s stone-cold gaze bore into his eyes. "I need this young girl taught. Specifically in the arts of healing and maybe some self-defense. Give or take two days, and we''ll be on the offensive."

    Alexander''s eyes widened. "Tw-two days?! Are you stupid?" The Colonel''s eyes widened as the guards behind her stepped forward, but she stopped them.

    Holy shit, I thought. This old dude might be cool after all.

    "Elin, I apologize for my harshness, but I stand by what I said. You must be absurd to think that you can take this youngster out in the field. Two days is not even enough time to train someone in a single whisper."

    The Colonel''s expression hardened once more, and she said, "I appreciate your concern, Master Mihaljevi?, but I stand by my instructions. Two days. I should not need to explain again why we are in such a rush," she said coldly.

    The wizard grumbled under his breath and turned away from her. "Alright. I''ll focus on such, but if this one here dies because of your attempt at glory, it is you who will have their blood and failed potential on your hands."

    My eyes widened as I shifted back a bit from the two as they shot daggers at each other. I''ve never felt like such a third wheel in my life. I gulped as the Colonel turned to me.

    "Luna, I can assure you that such a thing won''t happen. Continue practicing with Alexander as much as you can. Listen to him, and I can assure you, come the third day, you''ll be ready to reunite with your family." She then turned to Alexander and gave him a polite bow. "Master Mihaljevi?, I thank you for your service. Have a good rest of your day."

    Alexander merely muttered his departing words and came over to me as the Colonel and her entourage walked off. "Blasted jarheads. Only caring about the end result, yet it''s like they never consider what it takes to reach it." He sighed.

    I took a deep breath. "She''s not entirely wrong, though," I said softly, and Alexander side-eyed me. "My family is most likely being held captive by the Rusivite''s at the base where they''ve been taking people. Whatever they''re doing there, people are dying. If I can just learn some healing spells, strong ones even, I can maybe help push the soldiers to rescue everyone." I smiled, hopefully, at the old man.

    Alexander scoffed. "A noble thought, yet that''s merely that. A thought. Putting such a plan to task is obscene. Healing magic is something that must be nurtured and grown over time; one does not merely just¡­ pick up on it."

    I beg to differ. I thought, but I kept my mouth shut.

    "But," Alexander continued, "if Elin believes, you can do it. Then I''ll put my trust in her, as much as I don''t want to." He sighed once more. "How are you feeling?" He asked me.

    "Uh¡­ okay." I glanced over myself as if checking for any wounds. "I''m a little tired after the spell, yet I already feel a bit better." I smiled at him.

    The old man nodded, adjusted his bowl hat, and said, "Excellent. Follow me." He gestured for me to come with him as he grabbed a few items off the table he had stored earlier. A loki pipe and what looked to be a fancy flip lighter.

    "Where are we going?" I asked curiously.

    "Into the deep end, Squirt." That was all he said as he stuck the pipe in his mouth and lit it.

    <hr>

    Blood, vomit, and humanoid waste were all I smelled in the hospital as I covered my mouth and nose. I could hardly hear myself think over the sounds of men and women sobbing and screaming as one man near the end of the tent was having his leg amputated. Nurses and doctors ran back and forth from patient to patient as a few women wearing what looked to be clerical garbs stood amongst them.

    One woman in particular was calling out, "I need a diamond! A diamond! Bloody hell, where did all the diamonds go?"

    To which another replied. "Celena, we are all out. We went through them yesterday."

    "Blasted all!" The older-looking priestess cursed as she turned to see Alexander and me standing at the front. The woman was a dark-skinned elf with beautiful hazel-colored eyes and an immaculate form. Her once-white garbs were stained with blood and vomit, yet around her neck, I saw the symbol of the life tree. The symbol of Slyondra.

    She scowled upon seeing the wizard and said, "Apologies, Master Mihaljevi?, but as you can see." She gestured to the few dozen wounded men and women. "We''re a bit busy."

    Alexander huffed his pipe one last time before dumping the ashes onto the wet mud and stomping it out. He then stowed his pipe away casually and said, "I see that, and hopefully, I''m here to help." He reached into his cloak and rummaged around it for a second before producing a large, shiny diamond.

    My eyes widened as he said, "It appears you need one of these." His eyes flicked to what looked to be a dying woman on the bed before her.

    The priestess, who I heard was called Celena, relaxed a little before quickly motioning for us to come over to her. "Please, quickly, the woman here is passing."

    Both Alexander and I quickly walked over to Celena and handed her the diamond. As Celena turned to the woman on the bed, my eyes widened when I noticed the elf laying their twitch, then stiffening, and her chest collapsing one last time. My heart began to race as the injured woman perished before my eyes, yet suddenly I felt Alexander''s staff tap my side, and he leaned over.

    "Pay attention." He whispered.

    Quickly, Celena leaned over the woman with the large diamond in hand and pressed his point in between the deceased woman''s breasts. With a deep breath, she placed both hands over it and began to speak an incantation.

    "By Slyondra''s grace, within the Current''s call, in the realm of shadows, where spirits might fall, from the Darkest Ocean, where souls may dive, please resuscitate and let them thrive. From depths profound, where the currents sway. Hold back the soul from the darkest fray. Take from the Fisherman''s hands; let life survive. Please resuscitate, and let them arrive. With gentle currents and whispers soft, before the darkest depths, we loft. In Slyondra''s name, spare this soul''s demise. Please resuscitate, and return them to life."

    Celena repeated this incantation not once, but three times. Each time, the diamond between the woman''s breasts began to sink through the fabric of her shirt and into her body. The light around it began to ripple and shake as if reality itself were destabilizing. Celena''s eyes began to glow a bright white, and the air around her began to warm while a bright runic circle began to magically form around her and the bed.

    My eyes widened even more as her incantation grew into a chorus as if multiple people began to join in with her, and abruptly, the diamond sank into the elven woman on the bed and vanished from sight, and all light ceased in a blink of an eye. At first, nothing seemed to happen. The priestess, Celena, bent over the woman, pressed her ear to her chest, and listened. Suddenly, the once-dead elf jerked to life, her back arching off the cot and her legs kicking out as she gasped, sputtered, and let off a choked sob.

    I yelled and stumbled back as Alexander caught me another priestess rushed over to help Celena hold the elf down.

    "It is okay! You''re back, you''re back!" They both told the sobbing woman.

    "Wh--what''s wrong?" I asked.

    She had died, and I saw them bring her back. Someone was actually brought back to life in front of me!

    "Nothing is wrong, but when one leaves the living realm," Alexander said to me, "it is hard to come back. Those who are resuscitated are known to have seen things that we living have not, nor could ever. That is, until we part."

    I gulped. "A-And what''s that?" I asked.

    Alexander turned to look down at me, and in an emotionless tone, he said, "The Darkest Ocean."

    The Darkest Ocean? I vaguely recall Isa and my mother telling me about this. The cycle of life and death. Everyone dies, and everyone is reborn. Like me, everyone has been reincarnated. Was my being reborn in this world normal?

    "No." The voice responded, and I jerked a little in surprise.

    Oh, you''ve been quiet for a bit.

    "I''ve been merely listening and watching. But no, you are not normal. Reincarnation is all part of the cycle, yet even then, you are still an anomaly in this world."

    Makes sense. Isa said I might be what''s called "awakened" or something like that.

    "Sort of¡­ We can discuss more when we meet."

    Alexander leaned over to me as the screaming, the revived woman began to calm as the priestesses cast another spell on her that seemed to put her to sleep. "Do you think you can learn that spell?" Alexander asked me.

    I nervously fidgeted and looked up at him. "The sleep one or the life restoring one?"

    "Resuscitate." He clarified.

    My eyes widened. "I, uh, I don''t know," I mumbled as Celena sighed and came over to us with a relaxed smile.

    "Thank you, Alexander, I¡­ I don''t know how I would''ve reacted if we lost yet another one this morning." She sighed and wiped her brow.

    Alexander smiled and gave her a polite nod. "I''m glad to have helped, though passing off diamonds is not the only reason I''m here." He patted me with his staff again. "I''ve come to you with my new and abrupt pupil, Squirt."

    "Th-that''s not my name!" I huffed and crossed my arms, and Celena smiled and chuckled as she crossed her arms beneath her ample bosom.

    "And what is your name, little one?" She asked me as she knelt her beautiful face, less than a foot away from mine.

    I blushed deeply. Oh God, why is she getting so close?!

    I gulped. "My name is Luna, and I''m here to learn."

    "Learn?" Celena blinked and brushed her dark, curly bangs out from in front of her eyes. She stood back up and looked at Alexander. "Why are you bringing her here to learn? This is no place for children."

    Alexander smiled. "She''s here to learn magic. Specifically, what you just did." He pointed to the revived woman on the cot.

    Celena''s eyes widened. "Excuse me? Is this another one of your pointless pranks?"

    Alexander shook his head. "No, I''m still planning on the one for today."

    Celena groaned and shook her head. "You can''t be serious."

    Alexander shook his head as he pulled me out of the way of a few doctors. "Nope. Colonel''s orders; don''t believe me, ask her." He smirked. "Little Luna here is a bit of a prodigy, it seems, when it comes to magic."

    "I can cast rejuvenate!" I exclaimed and beamed proudly. "And with no scroll needed!"

    Everyone went silent.

    I blinked and glanced around, and I saw doctors and nurses glancing at me and the other two clerics as well.

    "You can¡­ what?" Celena asked me softly. "For real?"

    I gulped and nodded. "Yep."

    Alexander laughed softly and said, "Yep. She can, but you see, Celena, we''re on a bit of a time crunch¡ª"

    "Demonstrate for us," Celena interrupted. "Corporal Baxter right behind you is in need of serious treatment." She pointed to a halfling man whose torso seemed to be riddled with shrapnel wounds. "If you can truly cast the spell, please try and heal him."

    Alexander sighed and glanced down at me. "Well then, Squirt. It seems you spoke a bit too soon." He nodded towards the halfling.

    I nodded, not too bothered by it. There''s nothing wrong with helping people, as long as I can get what I need.

    "The issue is time. Now that these folk know you can heal without issue, your training may be interrupted." The voice explained.

    Ah shit, I didn''t think of that.

    "No. No, you didn''t."

    Moving over to the injured halfling, who seemed to be barely conscious, I gulped and said, "Hello. My name is Luna, I-I will be¡­ your little doctor. I guess. I''m going to touch you." I said it awkwardly to the man, who probably couldn''t hear me as I placed both hands on him.

    As my small hands pressed on his side, the halfling winced and groaned as I closed my eyes and began to do my best to concentrate on the sounds of the injured. Taking a couple of deep breaths, I began to recite the incantation for rejuvenation. Within me, the magic came to life as the ground around me glowed with green light and flying pixies I began to focus my energy on sealing the wounds and healing him.

    As I finished the incantation and opened my eyes, I watched as the pieces of metal and debris lodged in his body were magically plucked out by unseen hands before every wound, including those I hadn''t focused on, began to magically close. His bruises faded, and strangely of all, the gray hairs I saw on his head began to change to brown.

    After a few moments, the spell began to fade. The halfling, named Baxter, opened his eyes. "Th-the pain¡­" He said it softly. "I-it''s gone." He shifted a bit and sat up despite a few doctors rushing over to stop him, though I held up my small hands to them.

    "N-No need! He''ll feel sore," I said, "but he''s healed."

    "I-I thought I was a goner, bu-but you¡­" He looked at me, his blue eyes widening as he looked me up and down. "You saved me?" He asked me, shocked, presumably because I was a child.

    Feeling on the spot, I blushed and silently nodded.

    Suddenly, I was assaulted at every angle. Doctors and nurses were calling for me to treat the other wounded, and as I glanced back at Alexander, I merely saw him shaking his head with a sigh.

    I really kicked the hornet''s nest.

 Chapter 50: Magic and Dolls

    I placed my hands on the last of the injured. A young, human boy, probably just sixteen years old. His leg and upper arm were mangled by Rusivite artillery fire that had rained down on the camp just days before mine and Isa¡¯s arrival. It was amazing that the boy was still alive; his face alone, with a sharp and constant grimace, displayed his continuous fight for survival. Yet as I uttered the incantation for rejuvenation, the flow of magic mended his wounds. That fight for survival gradually faded, and the boy drifted into a deep, peaceful sleep.

    Around me stood the doctors, nurses, Alexander, Celana, and her clerics. All of them were wide-eyed and smiling, as everyone in the hospital was now healed. A process that Celana stated would cost them dozens of valuable material components and scrolls. All of which was done for free with my magic¡ªmagic that now leaves me feeling immensely exhausted.

    ¡°This is truly a miracle,¡± one of the doctors muttered. ¡°Truly something brought by the divine. A child prodigy.¡± The others, who were still speechless, nodded along.

    Celena stepped forth. ¡°Luna,¡± she whispered as she kneeled to my level. ¡°Where did you learn this magic?¡± She asked me.

    Taking a couple of deep breaths, Alexander approached me with a canteen of water, and I took it, thankfully. After a couple of gulps, I wiped my mouth and said, ¡°I¡­ learned it from my mother.¡± Which again was a lie. ¡°She, uh, taught me with a scroll, and I just sort of picked up on it.¡± I smiled sheepishly.

    Thankfully, however, Celena didn¡¯t seem to push it. Instead, she nodded her head and smiled. ¡°Well, if I ever see your mother, I¡¯m going to thank her from the bottom of my heart, even Slyondra¡¯s. What you did here was nothing short of a miracle.¡±

    ¡°She must be a chosen one of Slyondra,¡± one of the clerics said. ¡°A diviner, maybe?¡±

    The other cleric nodded.

    Suddenly, a gasp came from the hospital entrance, and all our heads turned. ¡°Sorry! Sorry, I¡¯m late! I got held up at the quartermasters but brought the necessary components!¡± I heard a familiar voice, and as I poked my head up from behind the bed, I saw Dr. Kegan rushing into the tent with a large crate in his trembling arms.

    Yet, upon seeing us, he stopped. ¡°Oh?¡± He glanced around at all the resting patients. ¡°Did something happen?¡±

    One of the doctors, a halfling man with graying hair, said, ¡°Yes. A miracle!¡± The man beamed. ¡°Come, Mr. Kegan, place the box over here and come look.¡±

    Taking another drink from the canteen, I wobbled a bit as my stomach and head felt woozy. I cradled it with one hand and groaned.

    Gah, I feel drunk. I thought as I stepped out into the center pathway. Kegan placed the box down where the halfling pointed and turned to see me.

    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s you, Luna!¡± Kegan smiled.

    ¡°You know each other?¡± Celena asked us, and we both nodded.

    ¡°We traveled together briefly,¡± I said, tapping the fuzz on my head. ¡°The good doctor here also helped me when I got hurt.¡±

    Kegan nodded. ¡°Indeed, I did, but¡­¡± he glanced around. ¡°Is she the miracle?¡± He asked.

    ¡°Why yes!¡± He exclaimed the halfling as he gestured around. ¡°The little prodigy was able to cure everyone here; no components or scrolls were needed; she just¡­¡± He ran a hand through his hair as he looked around, still flabbergasted. ¡°Did it.¡±

    Kegan¡¯s eyes widened as he glanced around and said, ¡°Madam Soza did mention that you had incredible healing powers.¡± He stroked his chin. ¡°I take it she wasn¡¯t exaggerating?¡±

    I weakly nodded, and Alexander swooped in for the rescue before anything else could happen. ¡°As much as I enjoy watching lives be saved.¡± He pulled out a pocket watch and tapped it. ¡°It¡¯s nearly one in the afternoon, and I have less than two days to teach this little one to heal and fight.¡±

    ¡°Fight?¡± Kegan said as he glanced at me, confused, though I dismissed him with a wave.

    ¡°Madam Celena, seeing as I, my pupil here, oh so graciously relieved you of your busy schedule, would you care to assist me?¡± Alexander smiled at her smugly.

    The cleric sighed heavily and said, ¡°Certainly, Alexander. Though only because this one here interests me.¡± She smiled down at me as I nodded.

    ¡°Excellent then.¡± Alexander smiled and bowed a little. ¡°Please follow us.¡±

    Celena nodded and muttered a few instructions to her other two clerics before following Alexander and me outside.

    <hr>

    I dropped to my knees and groaned as I pounded my fist into the dirt and dead grass around me. My body ached, my mind burned, and I felt like my chest was going to burst.

    Fucking christ. I whined. Spell fatigue is no joke.

    ¡°Indeed, it isn¡¯t,¡± said the master. ¡°While you are powerful, Luna, even you have limits.¡±

    My new mentor, Celena, approached me alongside Alexander as we stood in the field where I had earlier demonstrated my capabilities to Anne.

    ¡°Alex, it¡¯d be best to let the little one take a break,¡± Celena said as she brushed her dark bangs out from in front of her face.

    Alexander took a deep breath and stroked his beard as he approached me. ¡°Perhaps so, though we mustn¡¯t stop. For now, we¡¯ll pause on the actual spell casting; instead, Squirt here can focus on the incantations.¡±

    I groaned, pushed myself to my knees, and fixed my skirt. ¡°I can try again,¡± I said, catching my breath. ¡°Just give me some water, and I can do it.¡± I smiled.

    ¡°No.¡± Celena said, ¡°Mass rejuvenation is much more powerful than what you were doing earlier. You¡¯ll give yourself a heart attack.¡±

    That¡¯d be ironic. I sighed.

    Alexander nodded. ¡°She¡¯s right, Squirt.¡± He gestured to the bout of dead grass in front of me that I was trying to bring to life. ¡°When you¡¯ve acquired some more ether, we can try again. For now, let us focus on posture and vocals.¡±

    I groaned but relented. ¡°Fine¡­¡± I closed my eyes.

    Master, is there a way to regain ether quickly? I thought.

    ¡°Yes, actually. Though the moral implications are questionable, I think you would not appreciate them. Yet there is a less immoral way: finding places of power. Places in which you are nowhere near as of now.¡±

    What¡¯s the immoral route? I¡¯m just asking because I¡¯m curious.

    ¡°Killing and consuming another¡¯s life.¡± He replied bluntly.

    O-oh¡­ okay.

    ¡°C¡¯mon, Squirt, time to stand.¡± Alexander came over and politely offered his hand, which I took and stood up. ¡°Now. Assume the position.¡± He tapped his staff on the ground. I nodded, parted my legs, and straightened my back before pressing my palms together with my elbows extended outward.

    ¡°Now,¡± Celena said, ¡°begin the incantation like I told you.¡± She crossed her arms beneath her bosom and leaned back as she watched.

    Taking a deep breath, I closed my eyes. I began to recite the incantation: ¡°By the sacred springs, where life¡¯s currents entwine, In the heart of magic, where destinies align.¡± My brown knitted a bit as I breathed and tried to recall. ¡°With boundless grace, let healing waters flow, Mass Rejuvenation, in Slyondra¡¯s soft glow.¡±

    This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.

    ¡°Excellent.¡± Celena praised, ¡°You¡¯re doing good so far. Keep going.¡±

    Smiling a little, I nodded, took another breath, and continued, ¡°From the depths of hurt to the heights of hope, Let the healing touch by Slyondra¡¯s scope. In the embrace of magic, where spirits thrive, Mass Rejuvenation, may Slyondra¡¯s blessings arrive.¡±

    "Too fast, Luna," Celena said. ¡°You have the words right. You¡¯re just speaking them too quickly. You need to give the spell time to build up, or else the wounds you heal will be minor cuts.¡±

    I nodded and continued a little slower, ¡°With each whispered word, with each flickering light, Bring renewal forth, banish the night. In the unity of souls, where life¡¯s currents strive, Mass Rejuvenation, in Slyondra¡¯s name, wounds revive.¡±

    Alexander nodded. ¡°Your stand and posture were well maintained. Though I agree with Celena, you must keep a cool head even under dire circumstances. Saying the spell faster won¡¯t make it work better, or sometimes even quicker, for that matter.¡± I glanced at Alexander and nodded.

    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll do better.¡±

    Celena nodded and clapped her hands together. ¡°Alright then, let¡¯s keep going till I deem you worthy.¡± She smiled at me.

    <hr>

    Our crash course paused in the late evening, and I was dead tired. Mentally and physically, I felt drained. In one day, I had multiple spells jammed into my head, one of which I knew I could cast without issue¡ªwaterlash.

    Yet, Mass Rejuvenation, Resilience, and Restore were spells that weren¡¯t so easy to practice, not to mention they were powerful and took nearly everything out of me when trying to cast. Mass Rejuvenation worked just like rejuvenate, except it could be cast at range, and I could heal multiple people simultaneously. Resilience was the spell that my mother used on me for my breasts to relieve the pain, which still hurts, though honestly, it¡¯s a very minor thing to worry about when life and death are on the line. However, I could practice with it somewhat by casting it on myself.

    It was nice to have these little bumps on my chest no longer ache, yet holy shit, the amount of ether it takes to actually convert into pain relievers is insane. When I did it to myself earlier in the day, I came close to fainting from exhaustion.

    The next spell I was taught, or at least told about, was the spell restore, or restoration, as it¡¯s sometimes called. Which is something I honestly found to be fascinating. Mainly because, well, it made me happy. The reason is that the spell restores limbs and cures ailments in one¡¯s body. Honestly, it¡¯s a spell that I would have expected to be called something like ¡°Regenerate,¡± at least regarding the limb regrowing bit.

    It made me so happy because when Celena was demonstrating for me, she gave me this little smile before coming over and placing her hand on my forehead, causing me to go cross-eyed as she began the incantation.

    ¡°In the whispering weave of magic¡¯s touch, threads entwine, and ailments clutch. Sight restored, and limbs made whole¡ªSlyondra¡¯s grace, the healer¡¯s role. Restore!¡± Her eyes shone a bright blue light, and her palm shot forth a blinding ray, which caused me to close my eyes as magical warmth enveloped me. Suddenly, I began to feel ticklish and itchy as my entire head tingled, and suddenly, something soft began to brush over my ears and cheeks.

    When Celena released my head and stepped away, my eyes opened to discover that she had caused my hair to regrow! It wasn¡¯t by much, as the hair only drifted past my ears to about the top of my neck, yet I wasn¡¯t bald or ugly anymore! I was so tired yet overjoyed that my eyes were filled with tears, and the cleric simply smiled at me and tousled my newly grown hair.

    ¡°Take this as my thanks from earlier,¡± she said with a smile before saying that our practice was done for the day.

    Even Alexander seemed slightly touched by this action as he stood off to the side with a tiny smirk. ¡°I agree,¡± he said. ¡°It¡¯s very late; tomorrow, we¡¯ll start strong early in the morning, Luna. Be back here, come dawn.¡± He pointed at the ground where we stood, and I nodded.

    ¡°Oh wow!¡± We heard someone shout from the road, and turning to look, I saw Oscar and Anne walking side by side along the trail. Anne had broken away from him, which made the older elf gasp and scramble after her as Anne ran towards me.

    Alexander chuckled and said, ¡°Well, Squirt, I¡¯ll see you tomorrow. Rest well.¡±

    I glanced back at him briefly before nodding and turning back to Anne and Oscar, who came over to me. Anne¡¯s eyes were wide as saucers as she said, ¡°You have hair again!¡±

    Hearing her say this made me snort and blush as I nodded and glanced towards Celena, who was already walking back towards the camp alongside Alexander, and said, ¡°Yeah! Celena there b-brought it back.¡± I gulped nervously.

    Why do I always feel so anxious around this girl? Get your shit together, Luna. Compress it.

    I took a deep breath as Anne grabbed my hand. I yelped as I felt her soft, warm fingers wrap around my hand. ¡°So you¡¯re done practicing for today?¡± She asked me.

    I looked at her hand, holding mine with wide eyes, back up at her, and nodded briskly as I gulped. I can¡¯t compress shit when being overwhelmed like this. Fuck me for not practicing when I was younger.

    Seeming to notice my reaction, Oscar stepped in and touched Anne¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Anne,¡± he said in March. ¡°Luna must be tired. Let¡¯s go to camp. Rest she should.¡±

    Anne pouted. ¡°But Luna said she would teach me magic, and we can play together!¡±

    Hearing her say that made my heart melt a little, and even a pang of guilt hit me, and I took a deep breath. ¡°We can still hang out, but I¡¯m all tuckered out magic-wise,¡± I told her.

    ¡°Tuckered out?¡± She looked at me and cocked her head.

    ¡°I¡¯m all out of spells for tonight,¡± I clarified to her. ¡°And tomorrow, I need to learn more. So, no magic for a couple of days.¡±

    Or longer, depending on what the Colonel has planned. My pessimistic thoughts rolled in.

    Immediately, I stamped out those thoughts and was relieved to see Anne smiling again as she nodded. ¡°Okay, let¡¯s go back to my tent, and we can play!¡±

    I returned Anne¡¯s smile and gave her a polite nod as Oscar smirked and gestured for us to move ahead. He followed behind us as we walked back to the refugee camp.

    <hr>

    Along the way to Anne¡¯s tent, as the sun dipped beneath the horizon and the moons of Enora took up much of the sky, basking the world in its multicolored glow, I ran into Isa. She greeted us kindly, though not much was said as she glanced at me sadly before returning to her tent. Once again, guilt hit me, yet I bit my lower lip and sighed to stifle it.

    ¡°Did you and Miss Soza get into a fight?¡± Anne asked me.

    ¡°Anne,¡± Oscar interjected. ¡°It¡¯s not our business,¡± he said, yet I could tell by his expression that he seemed to know. I wouldn¡¯t be surprised if he and Isa spoke while I was out.

    Anne opened her mouth to protest but let it go as we arrived at their tent. Once again, Anne took my hand in hers, and I gasped as she said, ¡°Come inside! Some kind people gave me these cute toys. I want to show you!¡±

    Toys? I blinked as she pulled me through the flap. I doubt toys are going to really do much for me.

    I was wrong. They did a lot.

    Anne placed three exceptionally crafted and painted wooden dolls with workable joints and hands before me. An elven-looking woman, a human man, and a human woman. Each one was wearing these beautifully sewn clothes tailored to their size, and better yet, they had actual little wigs. Still, most of all, they had little glowing gems on their backs that acted as buttons that made their hair grow and shrink, and even one that made the dolls talk.

    Holy shit, it¡¯s fantasy Barbies. Even got a Ken, too? Why did my mother or father never get me one of these?!

    Anne giggled as she watched me pick up the elven doll and move its pieces around. She grabbed the boy doll and said, ¡°A lady at the big tent saw me and gave me these Syn-syni¡­¡±

    ¡°Synidria,¡± Oscar said to her as he sat down in the corner of the tent, watching us with a big smile. ¡°Synidria doll. Very popular in Yankston. Expensive, treat well.¡±

    No shit, these are probably expensive. I moved the elf woman toy around in my hands before placing it on the ground. I was surprised to feel the feet connect to the dirt, almost like a magnet had sucked it down gently, and when I let go, the toy stood on its own. Yet when grabbing it again and picking it up, the feet gently disconnected from the ground.

    Okay, that¡¯s amazing. How the hell was something like this made?

    Anne giggled. ¡°Really cool, aren¡¯t they?¡± She asked and nodded. ¡°I used to have a couple of these back home. Uncle Oscar used to bring me them whenever he¡¯d visit.¡± She hummed, and I glanced at Oscar, who seemed to be digging through some of his belongings. He smiled widely and nodded with a shit-eating grin that read. Yeah, I¡¯m cool.

    Yet I couldn¡¯t help but notice Anne mentioned something about her parents. Where are her parents now? So, taking a risk, I asked, ¡°Where are your parents?¡±

    Anne stopped fiddling with the boy doll for a second, glanced at me, and then back at the toy. ¡°They are away,¡± she said softly.

    ¡°They are safe,¡± Oscar said. ¡°Branoria, they¡¯re at. Business trip. I came to Heinmarr to watch over little Anne when war broke out.¡±

    I sighed with relief. ¡°Well, that¡¯s good, at least. They¡¯re safe.¡± I smiled, and Oscar nodded as well.

    I bet her parents are worried sick. I hope they¡¯re doing okay.

    ¡°You want to play Couples?¡± Anne asked me, and my eyes widened.

    ¡°Excuse me?¡± I cocked my head, and Anne smirked.

    ¡°Couples! One of us plays the husband and the other wife.¡± She hummed. ¡°Have you ever played that or House before?¡±

    My face burned brightly with embarrassment. Neither in this life nor in my past life. Does the Sims 4 count?

    I shook my head. ¡°No. I haven¡¯t.¡±

    Anne giggled. ¡°Well, it¡¯s super easy, c¡¯mon. Who do you want to be, the husband or wife?¡± She placed the dolls out in front of me.

    I hesitated momentarily as I looked at the elf and human woman and then the man. Taking a second to choose, I reached out and poked the elven woman. ¡°I-I can be the wife.¡±

    Anne then pouted. ¡°Aw, I wanted to be the wife.¡±

    I blinked and then stammered out, "Y-You ca-can be the wife t-too."

    Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Oscar¡¯s head perk up as he took his attention away from the bag, looked at the two of us, and smiled gently.

    Anne blinked. ¡°Two wives?¡± She looked at the toys with an expression that read, You can do that? I shrugged.

    Oscar laughed and muttered something in Yanky that I couldn¡¯t understand, then went back to sorting their supplies.

    Anne thought for a second and smiled. ¡°Okay, I can be this girl. I¡¯ll be, uh, what¡¯s a good name?¡± She thought for a second. ¡°I¡¯ll be Solana. What will your name be?¡± She asked me.

    Taking a deep breath, I tried to get my tired self focused. Alright, Luna. Let¡¯s just treat this like we¡¯re roleplaying in a D&D game.

    ¡°I¡¯ll be, uh, Erin.¡±

    ¡°Erin?¡± Anne tilted her head. ¡°That¡¯s an interesting name for an elf.¡±

    ¡°Is that bad?¡± I blinked, and Anne shook her head.

    ¡°Nope! It sounds like a cute boy¡¯s name.¡± She said it with a giggle. ¡°I like it.¡±

    My shoulders relaxed, and I smiled. ¡°Well, maybe Erin¡¯s parents wanted a boy?¡± I chuckled, and Anne nodded as she set up our toys. For the first time in, well, almost eight years, I played Make Believe with a friend. I actually made a new friend in this world.

 Chapter 51: Memories From the Past

    Erin looked at her wife, Solana, who lay on the ground, beaten and bruised. The corpse of the massive dragon lay dead at her feet.

    "Solana!" Erin screamed as she rushed towards her beloved and dove to her knees. She wrapped her arms around her lover, lifted her off the ground, and supported her on her knee. "You''re hurt!"

    Solana looked up at her beautiful elven wife with tears in her eyes and a happy smile. She reached out weakly with one hand, cupped her cheek, and said, "I''m okay. We did it."

    "No." Erin shook her head and smiled widely as tears dripped from her face. "You did it, love; you killed the monster¡ª"

    Yet suddenly. The presumed-dead dragon jerked back to life, its eyes brimming with foul energy as it snarled. Solana gripped Erin by her shirt and muttered the words of power before suddenly the two were launched off the ground, flung safely away from the undead monstrosity.

    The two landed safely, and Erin gritted her teeth as she gripped her love by the shoulder, muttered the ancient words of the healing rite, and began to mend Solana''s wounds as the massive undead reptile got to its feet. With its wings outstretched, the creature''s chest expanded, unleashing a terrifying roar.

    Yet the two lovers, now standing side by side, shielded themselves with magical earmuffs to protect against the monster''s horrific sound. Sharing a knowing glance, the two women took each other by their hands and stared at the dragon, which began to take flight. The two girls held their wands aloft together and began to shout¡ª

    <hr>

    "For the Spell Maidens!" Anne and I shouted as we began moving our dolls across the imaginary battlefield towards our make-believe dragon, a large mossy rock we found outside the tent.

    "Haha, yes!" Oscar laughed from the sidelines. "Spell Maidens, good name. Though I think it''s time for heroes to sleep."

    Anne looked up and pouted. "But we haven''t beaten the dragon yet," she said, her ears folding downward, as did mine.

    Though peeking outside the tent, I could faintly see the two moons high above us, telling me it was past midnight. Oh darn, it''s super late.

    Oscar yawned, and Anne and I did, too, like it was contagious. "Yes. But you can defeat it tomorrow." Oscar nodded. "It''s late, and I need rest, and so do you."

    Anne whimpered, but I smiled and patted her on the back. "It''s okay, Anne. I had a lot of fun!" I smiled widely at her. I wasn''t kidding either; maybe it was my childish imagination, or perhaps I still had a soft spot for toys all these years later, but that was the most fun I had in ages.

    "Will you want to play tomorrow?" She asked me with big, doe-like eyes, her fingers fidgeting and her thumbs twiddling.

    I gulped. Shit, I have practice again all day, and then¡­ I felt a pang of fear and anxiety. Then there''s the mission to save my family.

    "I¡­" I bit my lower lip. "I don''t know. But if I can, I''ll come find you." I tried to lighten the mood with a big smile.

    Thankfully, this worked, as Anne smiled and nodded. "Okay! I''ll look for you after you''re done training if you can play." She giggled, and I couldn''t help but laugh along with her.

    Yet before I knew it, Anne leaned in, wrapped her arms around me, and hugged me. I felt my heart rate spike upward, and my cheeks burned brightly. "Thank you for playing with me!" she said into my chest.

    I could hear Oscar cooing as he watched this, and I hesitantly returned Anne''s embrace. "You''re welcome," I said softly.

    "Anne, get ready for rest. I walk Luna back to the tent." Anne slowly released me and nodded before crawling over to the one bedroll they owned.

    Not wanting to prolong anything any longer, I gave Anne one final wave before crawling out of the tent as Oscar followed suit. Once it was out, I stood up, smoothed out my dress, and waited for Oscar as he came beside me, and he gestured for me to follow him as we walked under the moon''s lights.

    "Anne really likes you," Oscar said bluntly in his usual heavily accented way. "Stop talking; she hasn''t. For a full day, she talked about you."

    I nodded. "Yeah, I showed Anne some magic," I mumbled and yawned. "She really likes that sort of stuff."

    Oscar nodded. "Indeed. Magister she wants to be. I teach her as much as I can," Oscar said as we neared mine and Isa''s tent.

    I raised an eyebrow. "Do you know magic?" I asked him.

    Oscar held up his thumb and index finger as a little c, indicating how much he knew. "Very little. Mend spells for building, welding, and stuff to help me craft. All motes."

    "Isa did say you were an artificer," I said, and Oscar nodded as we stepped outside my tent.

    "Aye, I am. An inventor from Yankston. Worked with Vander Lambert, I did!"

    "Vander Lambert?" I blinked, and Oscar looked at me, confused.

    "Oh? You don''t know?" he asked, and I shook my head. He smiled. "Owner of Lambert Arms and Manufacturing. Most renowned weapons company in all of Yankston maybe world. He made K-21 rifle and designed the godhammer."

    Ah, so he''s the Lockheed Martin of this world. I thought and nodded.

    "Well, that''s really interesting; good to know. Did you design any cool guns?" I asked, and Oscar smiled.

    "Many! But cannot talk; trade secrets." He chuckled. "But I did work on, uh, what word to use¡­" He thought for a second and then started muttering something in Yanky. It was so weird hearing him swap between languages. When speaking, Maurich sounded goofy and entertaining to listen to, yet upon going to his native tongue, his tone shifted to something very sophisticated and fast.

    Finally, he snapped his fingers and said, "Mk.3 Promethean cannon. Field gun, small, fast, and BOOM!" He gestured out wide. "Hit hard! Blows many baddies to bits." I snorted at his enthusiasm. "Though currently, weapon only used by Yankston armed forces. Not here in Heinmarr, but if it were, Rusivite would turn tail!" He laughed, and I couldn''t help but giggle and nod.

    With a deep breath, he gave me a polite bow and said, "But I must return. Good night, Luna."

    I smiled, returned the gesture, and said, "Good night, Oscar."

    With a sigh, we both turned away and parted ways. I dipped into the tent and found Isa still awake. Shit, I hope Oscar and I didn''t wake her.

    Isa sat up with a book in her lap and a low-lit lamp beside her. I gulped. "Sorry if we woke you," I said softly.

    Isa shook her head. "No, you''re alright. I''ve been awake for a while." She glanced up at me and blinked, her eyes widening. "Luna, your hair? It''s¡­ back."

    I crawled into the tent and came over to Isa. "Yeah!" I said with a smile as I plopped myself next to her. "A cleric named Celena I met today restored it for me." I giggled.

    Isa smiled gently. "Well, you look cute."

    "Did I not look cute before?" I playfully pouted, and Isa smirked.

    "You look even cuter." She snickered.

    I glanced at the book she held. It was large and thick, almost like a dictionary. I pointed to it. "What''re you reading?" I asked.

    Isa glanced down at the book in her hands. "A book given to me by the steward." She closed it and flipped it over to see where the synopsis was. "It''s called the Chronicles of Vinland. It''s a story about how the first king, Lief Erikson, came from the Land of Ice and sailed across the Rainbow Ocean in search of Vinland."

    I sat there with wide eyes and looked at her, confused. Land of Ice? Iceland? Lief Erikson day like from SpongeBob¡­ I''m too tired for this.

    "Sounds interesting," I said with a yawn, and Isa nodded slowly.

    "Luna," she said as I lay beside her. "Do you still intend on going¡ª"

    "Yes." I cut her off; I already knew what she would ask. "It''s only been a day, and we''ve already learned a couple of spells that could help me and even us. I''ll learn even more at sunrise, and when the Colonel is ready, I will save Mother and the others."

    Isa looked down at me, and I saw her concerned face in the lamplight. She closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and patted me on the head as her clawed fingers combed through my new, short hair.

    "Okay," she said softly, "get some rest, kitten." Her voice was gentle, yet I couldn''t help but sense a twinge of sadness.

    Yet I wouldn''t ponder it for long, as sleep would overtake me.

    <hr>

    Casey White''s fist connected with my nose and right cheek, sending a cascade of stars and burning pain that sent shockwaves through my body as I tumbled back. My leg caught the curb behind me, and I yelled as my fat ass fell back into the pile of leaves.

    You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.

    Before I could react, the scrawny kid dove onto me, and fist after fist came rocketing down into my face. Busting my glasses, gums, lips, and nose. I could hear and feel the cartilage crunching and snapping as he snarled and wailed on me as the gang behind him cheered him on.

    "Beat his ass, Casey! Show that fat fuck what he''s worth!"

    "This is what you get for moving on our girl, you lard ass!"

    I tried to defend myself; my hands went to shield my face, yet Casey''s iron grip forced them out of the way. "Let me see that pretty face. Do you think she likes this?" Wham, his fist struck me in the right eye. "Do you really think Katie likes this face of yours?" he asked me again before slamming his fist into me again.

    I sobbed and groaned as I sputtered and choked on my blood. Casey grabbed me by the collar and yanked me up to look him in the face. His brown eyes were burning with rage as he said, "She is mine. If I see your pear-shaped ass coming near her again, I''ll make sure you''ll be eating through a straw."

    I moaned simply in response as my right hand reached into the leaf pile behind me, tapping around for anything as Casey sneered and said, "What was that?" mockingly.

    I felt my hand grip something hard¡ªa rock. "Fug-ck, you¡­" I blurted out.

    Casey snarled. "You done fucked up ¨€¨€¨€¡ªGYAAK!" My hand flew out of the leaves, rock in hand, as I bashed him across the side of the face, sending him reeling off of me and tumbling to the cement, clutching his face.

    As quick as I could, I pushed myself to my feet as his two buddies sat on their bicycles, eyes wide. Little John, the one who called me a lard ass, looked at me. "The fuck is wrong with you¡ª" He started to ask, but I whipped the rock in my hand into his face, cracking him in the nose with a spray of blood, which sent him tumbling off his bike.

    The third kid, DeShawn, let off a yelp in surprise. He immediately kicked off his bike and began riding home, shouting, "Help! Help! He''s going nuts!"

    Casey, still dazed and clutching his face, sat up, and just both of my hands gripped him by the throat. His eyes bulged as I rammed my knee into his chest and forced him back into the cement. I slammed the back of his head into the pavement as I began to strangle the life out of him.

    Behind me, Little John continued to scream, clutching his bloodied nose as he got to his feet, and I heard him run off. Meanwhile, my thumbs gouged into Casey''s neck as his eyes continued to pop from their sockets, his legs kicking frantically beneath me as his hands slapped at my arms and gripped my face as I sobbed and squeezed harder and harder. Snot and blood dripped from my face onto his eyes as I burned hatred into him.

    "What''s happening?!" A man''s voice boomed from a nearby house as I heard its front door clatter. "Jesus Christ! ¨€¨€¨€Get off of him! ¨€¨€¨€! ¨€¨€¨€! Get the fuck off of him! You''re going to kill him!" I heard a man shout as a shadow came over me and gripped onto¡ª

    <hr>

    "Luna! Luna!" I heard Isa''s panicked voice as I jerked awake, gasping and panting. My eyes fluttered open, and I could see her leaning over me, her eyes wide with concern. Around us, the tent was lit by the sun''s rays beaming through the canvas as I panted heavily, my eyes crusty and my cheeks stained with tears.

    "Luna, are you okay? You were having a nightmare, mumbling words I had never heard before¡­"

    I panted heavily and groaned as I pushed her back gently and sat up, my hand rubbing at my eyes. "I-I was having¡­ another nightmare, that''s all." I sniffed and wiped my eyes, yet the tears kept coming.

    Why¡­ Why now? Why am I having these nightmares? I''m done with that fucking life. Yet this is the second time?

    "Do you want to talk about it?" Isa asked me as I sniffed and shook my head.

    No. I''m done. That me, that time, it''s dead. It''s gone, and there''s nothing I can do about it. It''s best I just forget it; I''m Luna now. That fat ass from before is gone.

    I took a couple of deep breaths and said, "No. It''s not important."

    Isa didn''t look convinced. "Are you sure?" She asked, and I nodded as I shifted to my knees.

    "I''m going to eat some breakfast and meet with my mentor," I said softly before Isa could say anything else as I crawled out of the tent. I briskly made my way over to the latrine, where I went in after ensuring I was the only one around. I locked myself inside before sitting down and letting it all out.

    "It doesn''t make any sense¡­" I hissed as I tried to wipe myself of those memories. "Why him? Why then? It doesn''t¡ªit doesn''t make sense!" I wiped my eyes. "She liked me; I liked her; I did have a nice face¡­ I still do, right?" I sniffed.

    "It was only a nightmare." The voice said, "A combination of your anxieties and the coming conflict has your emotions high. It is to be expected to have a nightmare or two."

    "It wasn''t just a nightmare," I hissed, glancing up at the latrine ceiling as if I expected to hear the voice. "That actually happened. All of that, Casey White; he''s a fucking prick. His gang, all the other kids at school. I never went outside because of those fucks. It''s because of them that I never got a girlfriend or did anything¡ª"

    "Casey White and his gang are gone, Luna. They do not exist in this world. You have nothing to fear."

    I waved my hand to the side. "That''s not what I''m scared about¡­ I¡­ I ¡­" I took a deep breath. "I don''t want to talk about it. I just¡­ I''m going to use the restroom and go eat."

    "Do as you wish."

    <hr>

    The training today was mostly the same as yesterday. Alexander and Celena had me repeat various incantations of the spells we discussed yesterday: mass rejuvenation, restoration, resilience, and water lash. I also knew some spells, such as spark, pebble, and gust, and I was refining those as best I could.

    Once again, the healing spells were a little tricky to practice because I had healed everyone in the hospital yesterday. That alone was a fantastic practice for the spell: rejuvenate. Yet, and I feel bad for thinking of injured people as training dummies, that unfortunately made it so I can''t try the other spells on them. Of course, resilience was the easiest one to try. Because of my developing nature, I was able to numb my growing breasts or even the sores I got from moving around all day.

    Alexander did bring up the idea of harming himself, similar to how Colonel Hass did while using the spell resilience to numb his pain. Yet, Celena quickly shut that down, claiming it to be heretical and a misuse of such magic. I see why that''s the case.

    It was an exhausting day, to say the least. When I set foot in the field, we created and slung spells nonstop. It was fun yet taxing. Alexander, like the day before, was strict and harsh, when need be, in instructing me on my stature and cadence.

    I had to recite the spells as he told them; I had to have the same stance as him and speak at the same pace that he said. On paper, this sounds easy, but in practice, no. I''ve gotten plenty of practice with the resilience spell due to his constant swatting with his staff whenever I mess up a line. Not to mention, I was pretty much becoming conditioned on my new nickname, "Squirt."

    No matter how much I argued, he kept calling me. I''m at the point now where I''ve just given up. Instead, I''ve started calling him Gramps. Unfortunately, it didn''t yield the reaction that I thought it would.

    Instead, he stroked his beard and said, "I do look like a cool grandpa, don''t I?"

    Darn him for not having insecurities regarding his age.

    What concerned me about today''s training was that there was only a slight noticeable improvement. Unlike yesterday, where I learned a handful of new spells rapidly and could perform a couple of them exceptionally well, today was, well¡­ as mentioned, a repeat. I was able to spend more time with the spells I learned due to my well having been restored yet. I was hoping to have some significant breakthroughs like the day before.

    Perhaps I''m just being too hopeful or trying to rush when I shouldn''t.

    How am I supposed to save Mother and the others with a couple of healing spells, some wind, sharp water, and an RPG? An RPG that drains the essence out of me faster than anything else, mind you!

    "You don''t." The voice spoke to me as it snapped me back into the present.

    It was around evening, during a short break, as Alexander and Celena went to enjoy their dinner. I was in the field with a ration I had brought and rested against a boulder while eating.

    "The hell do you mean I don''t?" I muttered out loud.

    "Forgive me," the voice said. "What I mean is that with those powers, you will not be able to save them¡ªnot alone, at least. I can sense that this ''factory,'' as Oscar put it, has an immense number of souls. Friend or foe, I cannot tell. Yet the place is heavily guarded."

    "Well, no shit, I''m not going in there alone," I muttered as I took a chunk of my jerky and chewed.

    "Then why do you fantasize and imagine you doing this all alone?"

    "You can see my imagination?" I asked as a piece of jerky fell out of my mouth.

    "Yes, and your thoughts are crude." The voice spoke as my face burned brightly.

    "Wh-what the fuck, man?!" Knowing he would''ve seen everything my horrid brain would''ve thought up, I whined. My innocence is ruined. Now I''m having nightmares, and god knows how much of a freak I can be!

    "Unfortunately, whenever I invite myself in, I cannot help but see what you''re thinking." The voice said.

    "Just leave me alone." I huffed and nibbled on my food.

    "There may be a problem with your plan," said the voice, and I raised an eyebrow as I chewed.

    "What do you mean?" I asked as I took another bite.

    "From what I can recall and see, you were told you would be in the back lines. How do you plan on saving your family from the triage?" He asked me.

    "Great, so you can sift through my memories like a filing cabinet¡­" I sighed. "I don''t plan on staying in the hospital. I was told a hospital would be constructed on the other side of the river near the fight. I don''t plan on sticking there."

    "So you will disobey orders and go ahead?" The voice asked curiously.

    "Yep," I said bluntly. "I''m no official soldier. I don''t have to listen to them."

    "A naive way of thinking, though. Let us hope no disciplinary officers have the guts to shoot a child." The voice said it coldly.

    I took a nervous bite out of my ration upon hearing that.

    <hr>

    The big day arrived. The dawn of the third day was met with a distant trumpet and whistles from the camp. I awoke peacefully after having passed out from the rigorous training the day before. Yet I had made sure to stop and hang out with Anne before bed. Unfortunately, I was too sleepy to play couples with her again, though she didn''t mind just hearing me talk about my training.

    I was nervous during our chat because she kept asking questions and looking at me with those big eyes. I don''t know why she makes me so nervous. I was never like this with Varis, and even the few times I spoke with Mila and Avdol, I never got all fidgety. I doubt it''s whatever the voice says, telling me my body is reacting. Bullshit, I know I''m like thirty-something years old, a dude in this little girl''s body, and I''m like seven in this world. There is no way in hell I could feel like this is right?

    God, I''m a freak.

    "You are only seeing yourself as a freak because you''re still thinking like you''re the man from your past life."

    I nearly flew out of my dress and into the top of my tent as the voice startled me. What the hell?! Isn''t there a way you can warn me before just appearing?

    "Not really." The voice said.

    I glanced over at Isa, who was still fast asleep, and sighed as I went over to the tent flap to start my morning routine of going to the latrine to freshen up. What the hell do you mean by thinking I''m still like myself from before or whatever you said?

    "Exactly that, Luna. Do you truly see yourself as a young, seven-year-old girl?" The voice asked me as I walked.

    My eyes widened, and I frowned a little. Uh¡­ never really thought about it?

    "When your conscious mind thinks, do you still imagine your old voice?" The voice asked me, and I stopped in the middle of the dirt road.

    Uh¡­ shit, now that you mention it, yeah? I still think like my old self, as in, like¡­ I hear myself mentally like that. Huh, I never really thought of that as well.

    "And do you see yourself as a woman?" The voice asked me, and I tensed up.

    Excuse me? I asked.

    "Do you, Luna Ashflow, feel like a woman? This is a genuine question," the voice asked me calmly.

    I began to fidget and squirm; my heart rate picked up by a few beats, and I gulped. I, uh, never really¡­ thought about that¡­ I just sort of went with the flow. Like. I think I am; I have a vagina, and I''m growing tits. I, uh, enjoy dressing up. Before, I always wondered what it''d be like to be a girl. So, I guess I have wanted to go with the flow ever since I became one. What does this have to do with what you mentioned before?

    "So you''ve always wanted to be a girl?" The voice asked me.

    Okay, dude, this is getting a little weird. I don''t¡ªy''know, I have some stuff I need to do later. Can we talk about this some other time?

    "As you wish."

    I shuddered as the voice went quiet.

    "What the hell did he mean by all of that?" I said it out loud, now taking complete note of how my thoughts sounded compared to my physical voice. I glanced down at my hands and sighed. "Fuck, I don''t have time for an existential crisis!" I groaned as I went to the latrine to get ready for today before going to meet with Alexander one final time before the Colonel announced her plans.

 Chapter 52: The Briefing

    My mind continued to stew in the thoughts left behind by the voice. I mulled over the questions he had asked me as I began to make my way towards the military encampment to see what our next moves were. I shook my head along the way as if the simple action alone would fling the existential thoughts from my mind.

    Why would he ask me if I wanted to be a girl? I am one now. I don''t mind being one. Yet what did that have to do with me acting differently around others? Ugh, just stop it, Luna. Focus on what you must do; we can worry about this later.

    I shook my head again, feeling my newly grown hair flailing about as a temporary distraction as I reached up and ran my little hand through the soft strands. I sighed and smiled as I toyed with my new locks before suddenly stopping when the sound of running engines caught my ears. My long pointed listening devices twitched and flicked as I glanced to my right towards the field where I had practiced with Alexander the day before, and I noticed rows upon rows of trucks and three large cranes.

    "What is happening over there?" I muttered to myself as I watched as a handful of men and women of various races were mounting what looked to be medium-sized guns onto the flatbeds of the trucks.

    Artillery wagons? I thought to myself. Now that''s an interesting idea. Like a very early tank. I chuckled as I began to walk a little closer to get a good look.

    From what I could see, there were roughly twelve trucks with no guns and about eight or so that already had decently sized guns fitted to them. One of which already had a crew of four manning one of the guns and seemed to be practicing while a small child¡­ oh, that''s just a gnome. A small gnome seemed to be shouting instructions at them from the ground.

    "The gun doesn''t stay steady when moving! So when you need to shoot, stop the lorry, then aim, then fire the gun." I heard the gnome explain as I inched a little closer. "And do not ever fire the gun while moving! These packers don''t have a kick like the prometheans, but you still risk tipping the lorry; not only that, you won''t hit shit bouncing around!"

    I glanced over to one of the cranes that was in the process of lifting one of these guns and gently placing it onto one of the trucks. As the truck sagged under the weight, I saw men and women running towards it with tools in hand as they began to secure the weapon to the machine.

    "Interested in large guns?" I yelped as the sound of Alexander''s voice startled me.

    I spun around to see the old wizard packing loki into his pipe, which he then magically lit. He took a deep drag and glanced down at me before blowing a smoke ring into the air.

    "Where did you come from?" I asked.

    He smirked and nodded towards the camp. "Just down the road, you were so enamored you simply hadn''t noticed me coming." He chuckled and took another drag. After a moment, he said, "I was actually coming to grab you, Squirt. The colonel would like to speak with us."

    I gulped and nodded. Here we go. What is she going to do? Give us the plans? Ask how I did? Or maybe it''s some good news, or not.

    Alexander smirked and motioned for me to follow him. "Come. Let us not keep her waiting."

    <hr>

    The air in the Colonel''s farmhouse was rife with tension, to the point where I felt I could cut it with a knife. We were seated in the dining hall, though unlike before, it was packed with men and women of all sorts of ranks and positions I couldn''t recognize. A rolling chalkboard was also brought into the room. At the far end of the table, it was covered in military jargon and symbols I couldn''t decipher.

    Many eyes were on me; no, all eyes were on me. I could see it in their faces. Why the fuck is a kid here? It was plastered across all of them. Yet Colonel Hass would hold a hand out to the few who started to point to me and dismiss them.

    I was sitting near the front of the table, in the same seat I was in when I first demonstrated my power. I saw as the Colonel''s maids moved amongst those packed in here tightly as they handed out manila folders, all of which were stamped with a title. OPERATION DAWNSTAR.

    Once all the folders were passed around, it wasn''t Hass who stood and spoke up, but instead one of her deputy commanders. Colonel Pitz, "Good morning."

    "Good morning." The rest of the men and women replied.

    The older man stepped in front of the chalkboard, his free hand smoothing out his pencil stache. "Little over seventy-two hours ago, we''ve come into contact with valuable intelligence that''ll surely help us in our efforts to finally strike those who''ve invaded our land where it truly hurts." Pitz spoke, his expression stern and focused. He gestured to the folders on the table. "You may review the contents of what was passed around."

    All at once, the officers in the room began opening the folders and laying out dozens upon dozens of papers and pieces of information. I gulped. Why am I here? Why do I need to be here for this briefing? I thought nervously, as I felt horribly out of place.

    Alexander, who was sitting by my side, simply leaned back in his chair, arms crossed, and side-eyed me as if he were bored.

    "As you are all aware," Pitz continued. "The Rusivites have been able to deploy their fighting machines deep behind our defensive lines by massive pods." One of the maids stepped forward and taped a black-and-white photo of one of the few drop pods I''d seen. "As of recently, anywhere these pods dropped, we lost contact with the battle groups shortly after they opened. It wasn''t until three days ago that we learned from a group of refugees what these pods truly are."

    Once again, the maid stepped forward and taped another photograph to the board, and I had to squint to see what it was. It was a distant image taken from the sky. Yet it wasn''t a pod; instead, it looked like a fortress. A large cylindrical tower is in the center, with metal walls surrounding it.

    "They''re deployable instant fortresses," Pitz explained. "Forward operating bases for the forces behind our lines, as well as supply hubs." He took a deep breath. "Yet it gets worse. These autonomous fortresses are also factories of sorts." Pitz stepped towards the photo and pointed to a grainy structure just barely visible. "This building here, next to the central tower, is a prison. From what our scouts could see and what intel we''ve gathered from our observation balloons, the Rusivites have been deploying what we''ve dubbed harvesters." The maid once again stepped forward and pinned another image.

    This image depicts a large crab-like machine similar to the one I saw on the ground. Visages of the woman in the cage screaming flashed before my mind, and I winced and turned away as Pitz continued. "These machines, like the fighting ones, are autonomous in design; however, they do not carry weapons. Instead, they seem to be fitted with claws and hooks they use to round up people, combatants and non combatants alike, storing them within these two central baskets before taking them back to the facility. As to why they''re doing this¡­ This is still unknown. What we do know is that it is here." He points to the central tower. "Seems to be some sort of hub that produces more Rusivite fighting machines and potentially acts as some sort of power source. We have numerous reports from our scout teams during the prior probes reporting that fighting machines, after a few hours of patrols, return to these central towers, most likely to refuel and rearm. As to what their fuel source is, we are assuming magrite. Though again, we aren''t entirely sure."

    If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.

    The maid stepped forward and pinned a final image on the board. "What we do know, however, is that Rusivite forces have been airlifting supplies and taking prisoners from these sites." He gestured to the final image, which displayed a zeppelin landing at the factory. "These supply drops seem to come every other day, as for the prisoner pickups. We only have one instance of this happening." Pitz turned to face us all, his eyes scanning over everyone in the room. I followed his gaze and looked at the other junior officers and ranked individuals as they glanced over the copies of the photographs and glanced up at Pitz. Many of them shared the same professional, stern look, though a few looked disturbed and others angry.

    "Ladies and gentlemen," Pitz said, "if you remember what happened at Kassel, The Moonweaver, after forty years of silence, revealed herself once more and assisted our men and some of your very lives in escaping that massacre." He gestured to a few individuals in the room.

    My heart began to race as Pitz continued, and my eyes locked onto his. "Our scouts have reported that she has been sighted at the fortress outside Dresden. Visual confirmation has been made, and we know that she''s there." A few aids came over to the table and laid out a detailed map for everyone to see.

    My eyes were wide, and my mind raced. Mother''s still alive! She''s still alive! Oh, thank Jesus, or whatever god is out there, thank fuck! I gulped, and I noticed Alexander side-eyeing me as I leaned forward in my seat.

    Pitz took a deep breath and said, "And I think it''s time that the 2nd Brigade returns the favor. Not just by rescuing the Moonweaver, but those taken by the Rusivite Butchers. We''ll send a message, not just to the invaders but to the whole world. Heinmarr will not yield, and we will leave no one behind."

    Around the table, the other officers smirked and nodded their heads. "In your documents, you will find detailed battle plans and assignments for each of your squads. Review them thoroughly and round up your troops; we''ll do a more thorough briefing and overview of the operation in three hours. After that, you''ll have twenty four hours. If the patterns are to be persistent, a Rusivite supply ship will arrive tomorrow, and if they''re taking prisoners, then that means we do not have much time to save the Moonweaver and others. Any final questions?"

    A wolf-man with a dark brown fur coat raised a clawed hand in the back of the room. "With all due respect, Colonel Pitz, will any of the other brigades be assisting in this assault? These documents only mention our few battalions."

    Before Pitz could answer, Colonel Hass stood from her chair and placed her white-gloved hands on the table. "No. The Second Brigade will be alone in this operation. I''ve made it clear to my associates that we do not have the time to amass the rest of the brigades and their battalions in an all-out assault. As Pitz said, review the documents each of you was handed and examine the plans thoroughly. In the coming hours, we''ll reconvene to discuss the broader details. Any more questions?"

    No one seemed to raise a hand.

    "Excellent. Dismissed," Hass said.

    <hr>

    "So my mother is really alive?" I asked Hass who had requested I stay behind as everyone filed out of the room, leaving me with her, Alexander, and her deputy commanders.

    Hass gave me a gentle smile and nodded slowly. "Yes. Last night, our forward observers spotted someone resembling her when overlooking Dresden."

    "How''d she look?" I asked nervously. "Was she hurt? Is she okay?"

    "We don''t know the details, but it''s said that armed guards were escorting her to the prison building. Rusivite soldiers, not machines," she clarified.

    Actual soldiers? You''d think that wouldn''t be surprising, but after seeing all the robots, and hearing they''re actual bastards walking around, it almost seemed alien. I frowned.

    "We assume she probably has an essence clamp on her. A device that seals off access to one''s well," she said.

    "An antimagic device." I clarified, and both she and Alexander smirked and nodded.

    "Smart, yes. That''s another name for it," Hass said. "While she has that on, she would be unable to use any of her spells; the same goes for any other caster they may have captured."

    I nodded slowly. "Well, let''s hope the plan to save her and everyone else works out."

    Hass nodded slowly. "Indeed. Speaking of magic, how has your training gone? From what I''ve seen with my own eyes¡­" He trailed off and glanced at Alexander.

    The older man cleared his throat and said, "Remarkable. Luna here has shown incredible talent." He glanced at me and smiled. "So much so, I wish I could take her on as my own apprentice."

    This made my heart flutter a little, and I smiled widely as I glanced up at him.

    "She still struggles to control the power of her spells, but even after two days, she''s shown great improvement. I just wish we had more time to iron out the kinks."

    Hass nodded slowly once more and said, "I know, I too wish we had the time, but unfortunately we do not. Luna, how are your combat capabilities?"

    I blinked and stammered a bit. "M-my c-combat?"

    "Elin, what are you about to say?" Alexander said as his eyes narrowed.

    Hass crossed her arms, and her sharp, blue eyes burrowed into Alexander as a devious smirk formed on her red lips. "Luna is not only a prodigy in the healing arts, yet her destructive capability surpasses anything I have ever seen for someone her age. Alexander, you alone are quite powerful, as are many of my other magisters, yet her well, from what I observed, runs deeper than any of yours combined. You trained with her for nearly twelve hours nonstop on Bane''s day, and it wasn''t until nightfall that you had to stop."

    "So what? Do you want her to be a living piece of artillery now?" Alexander scoffed.

    My eyes widened; this could be it. Maybe I won''t have to sneak into the frontlines to get to my mother. It''s stupid and dangerous, but maybe I can try. I have to try!

    Before Hass could respond, I said, "I could do that. If it means I can be the one kicking down the gates to get to my mother, I can do it."

    "Luna, do not be foolish," Alexander scoffed; he sounded exactly like Isa. "You''re a prodigy, you hold so much power; do not go and throw it away."

    "This is my mother I''m talking about! My family, father, and Varis might be there too!" I glared at him.

    Meanwhile, Hass smiled and kept her arms crossed beneath her breasts. "Exactly, Alexander, would you want to keep her away from them?"

    "You''re despicable." Alexander snarled.

    Hass''s smile was wide enough to reveal her canines. "I like to think of myself as an opportunist," she purred. "Why not use someone as capable as Luna? She needs her family, and I need someone capable of sheer power. It''s a win, win."

    "She''s a goddamn child, Elin," Alexander snarled. "If you''re such an opportunist, you would know that using a child would ruin your reputation if word got out."

    "I don''t believe the brass or anyone would care if that meant taking it to the invaders who''re butchering our people." Hass''s eyes glinted as she said this, and something about that look sent a chill down my spine. "She''d be praised as a hero. A girl who can cure life, vanquish the monsters who invade our land, and save her own mother! The bards and poets would go nuts for a story like that. Morale would be on an all time high." She smiled at me. "Doesn''t that sound nice?" She asked.

    I looked at her and gulped. "I just want to save my family; I don''t care what people think of me. I never did." That''s a lie; back then, I always cared. Too much, actually.

    Hass smiled. "Well then, it seems her mind is set, Alexander." She looked at the older man.

    "You''re fucking insane," he said, snarling.

    "Perhaps I am, but I can assure you, her safety is of the utmost importance to me, and I know that Luna will do her best to make sure all of my boys and girls return safely?" She said the last bit while looking at me.

    I gulped. "I''ll do my best to make sure everyone with me survives." I took a deep breath, though a memory came back to my mind. A few days ago, I recall Hass mentioning she didn''t want me on the front. So I asked, "Colonel, I thought you didn''t want me on the front when we first discussed this."

    Hass once again smirked and shrugged her shoulders as she then fixed a few medals on her chest. "As I said, I''m an opportunist. Originally, I thought you were just good with healing, so I decided you''d only be good in the hospital. But after seeing how you can ignite the sky with a simple mote and increase the destructive powers of other basic spells¡­" she sighed pleasantly and said, "I was enamored."

    A flip-flopping, Snake. I thought to myself. You truly are an opportunist, yet if I were in her position, I''d probably do the same. Probably.

    "Luna, please reconsider this," Alexander said, and I shook my head.

    "Master Alexander, you must understand this is my family. I cannot let them be, and¡­ no offense, Hass, but I don''t trust the soldiers to get them out. If¡­" My voice cracked. "If I fail¡­ I-I would¡­ rather know they''re gone with my own eyes." I sniffed.

    I don''t know how I''d be able to live knowing they''re gone without actually seeing it.

    Hass smirked once again. "Excellent. I''ll let you two be then, Luna. Please, in a few hours, return here for the final briefing, and I''ll assign you to a squad."

    "I can''t believe we''re going so low¡­" Alexander growled under his breath, though the Colonel smiled and said nothing as I turned to leave.

 Chapter 53: Battle Plans

    It was finally happening. The news of my mother''s condition had fueled me far more than I had expected. Despite knowing that Hass considered me a valuable asset, she was going to slap me on the front, which would put me in quite a precarious position. I felt an unwavering will that kept me together.

    After we had left the farmhouse, Alexander and I didn''t speak much at first as we slowly walked back towards the camp where Isa and I were staying. When we reached the field where we had trained for the past two days, the old wizard sighed and cursed under his breath.

    "Luna," he said to me, and I stopped.

    I swear, if he tells me this is a dumb idea, I don''t give a shit.

    I turned to look at him. "Take this." He tucked his staff beneath his left arm, brought his hands together so that he could remove a small, silver ring with dark blue sapphire embedded in it, and handed it to me.

    I eyed the ring closely and took it. "What is it?" I asked him.

    Alexander took a deep breath and said, "It''s a Ring of Protection. Wearing it will bind its powers to you, allowing your ether to channel into it and create a small field around you. Think of it like invisible armor."

    I blinked. "Invisible armor, so like the spell bubble?"

    Alexander nodded. "In a sense. The ring isn''t perfect, however. It''ll protect you from a handful of attacks. Yet even then, something powerful can overwhelm it."

    Holy shit, that sounds very useful. I gulped.

    "Can you give me an example?" I asked nervously.

    Alexander nodded. "Small arms that fire to a degree can be stopped, such as handguns and maybe a few rifle shots. Though if the shield gets overwhelmed by a volley, it''ll fail. From what I''ve tested, about five or so hits in rapid succession will cause the shield to shatter; however, cannon fire or a strong spell will overwhelm it instantly."

    I nodded. Okay, five rounds, that''s not bad¡­

    "What about if I get in close?" I asked him. "They mentioned the site has Rusivite soldiers; what if I get into a melee?" Not that I know how to fight, nor intend to get into that!

    Alexander sighed. "One of the only downsides of this ring. It only protects against ranged weapons and spells. Slow moving objects like a bayonet, knife, sword, and even a fist can force their way through easily. I would recommend you try to keep your distance."

    I nodded and slid the ring onto my right ring finger, and for a moment I noticed it was far too large for my little hand. Yet suddenly, it began to vibrate, and before my very eyes, it shrank and adjusted itself to fit comfortably on my finger. A shimmer of light sparked forth from the gem and enveloped my body like glitter before dissipating into the air.

    My eyes widened as I watched little particles fade and mouthed, "Wow," as Alexander smiled at me.

    "Be careful out there, Luna," he said softly. "Whatever happens, if things get bad, you try to run. Get away from the chaos. Your life is precious; do not throw it away so carelessly."

    I took a deep breath, looked at the ring around my finger, and glanced up at Alexander. "I won''t. Once I free my family, I plan on leaving." The old wizard nodded.

    "One more thing," he said to me right as I began to turn away. "There''s one more spell I''d like to teach you. I think we can both agree that it would be important now that things have changed."

    One more spell? I thought. I would love it if it was like a shield like Mother used.

    "What would that be?" I asked him, and Alexander gestured for me to step out into our little training field.

    "I want to teach you, Bubble." He said as we approached a couple of moss-covered boulders.

    Hell yes! That''s the one Mother used.

    "It''s a simple spell; most trainees can pick it up within a day; however, having seen how capable you are, Luna, I''m confident a few hours should be enough for you."

    I gulped nervously at that. Oh, why did you have to say that? I sighed and nodded before putting on a brave face. "Alright! Let''s go."

    <hr>

    "By Merlin''s grace, a shield to weave, in his wisdom, protection I receive. Guard us in this hour from harm''s embrace and crushing power--Bubble!" I shouted as the flow of magic coursed through my body and out of the tip of my wand I used it to draw a magic shield around me, just as a flaming ball of fire rammed into it!

    I yelled and focused my concentration as the force of the flaming spell sent a shock through my magic bubble and directly into my core as if it were an extension of my person. I gasped and held firm as another one rammed into me, and my head began to ache slightly as my focus doubled down.

    "Excellent!" Alexander said, "It''s only been an hour, and you''ve already formed a second tier shield. Though your cadence and stance could use some work." He said this as he gestured for me to drop my bubble shield, which I did.

    I panted and rubbed my head. "That''s because you didn''t warn me you were going to shoot fire at me!" I glared at him.

    Alexander smirked. "Well, Squirt, how''re we going to test if it works?" He asked smugly.

    "I dunno, throw a rock at it?" I sighed but then grinned. "Well, it doesn''t matter. You weren''t kidding when you said it was easy."

    Alexander nodded. "Bubble is one of the easiest, and frankly, one of the more useful, whispers to learn. From construction workers to soldiers and artificers, many people learn and use the spell." He clapped his hands together. "Let''s see how easily you can try to cast it chantless, though. If you can master this, your survivability will soar."

    I grinned and straightened up, feeling much more confident now. I took a deep breath, widened my stance, and held out my wand. "Remember, Luna, imagine what you wish to form and focus on the incantation in your mind. Keep your mind still and concentrate. In the heat of battle, this will be hard, but you need to master it."

    I nodded once again and began to focus on the words of the spell in my mind as I tried to pull the magic from my well. I could feel my hair beginning to stand on end, and my limbs tingled as I lifted my wand and focused my power on it like a conduit. In one fluid motion, I began to move my wand like a painter would their brush, and I could feel my energy flowing out of it as I quite literally began to paint a bubble of energy around me.

    If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.

    Before I could react, however, a swirling mass of fire struck my shield. I cried out as the bubble burst, and the shock of energy sent me on my ass!

    "Gah, what the fuck?!" I panted and looked up with wide eyes. "Are you trying to kill me?!"

    Alexander walked over to me, his face stern. "No, but the enemy will. Your motions are too pretty. They''re slow and inefficient. War magic isn''t meant to be performed in a dance-like way. You need to move fast and be focused."

    "B-But you said you can''t speed up chants and such." Alexander held a finger out.

    "Those are for chants. Chantless can be done swiftly; get up; we''re trying this again."

    I groaned and pushed myself to my feet, and as Alexander got to his spot, I quickly got into position and once again began to channel my energy. I tried to focus on what he said, channel swiftly, and move more efficiently.

    Once again. His fire slammed into my shield, and I was blasted to the ground.

    "Too pretty!" His voice boomed. "Get up and try again."

    Once more. I was blown to the side.

    "Again!" was all he shouted.

    For another hour, this continued.

    I pounded my fist into the dirt. "Dammit, why is this so hard?!" I whined.

    "Chantless casting is not picked up on so easily," Alexander said more calmly as he came over to me. "Masters, like myself, only start to pick up on them far into our careers. I had thought, however, that with your abilities, you may be able to pick up on them, and you can clearly. Though the rust will take some time to remove."

    I groaned. "But I need it. I won''t have time to make chants while being shot at."

    Alexander sighed. "That is true, but the arcane arts cannot be taught by cramming. At least, not efficiently." He pulled out his pocket watch to check the time. "It''s about time we return to the farmhouse. We can pick up more on this later in the evening."

    I groaned and wiped the sweat off my brow as I got to my feet. "Dammit¡­ alright." I sighed.

    <hr>

    As if a repeat of this morning. Once again, we were all crowded in the farmhouse dining room. The table in the room was covered in maps with miniature pieces depicting various military positions sprinkled about, and the rolling chalkboard was covered in various photographs and military jargon that I once again couldn''t fully understand.

    This time, however, instead of Colonel Pitz stepping up to speak, it was Hass herself. "Good afternoon," she greeted everyone.

    "Good afternoon." The others replied.

    "I take it everyone has had time to thoroughly review the contents that were handed out this morning?" She glanced at the officers around the room, who nodded. "Excellent. In that case, let''s discuss the plans thoroughly."

    Hass unhooked a riding crop from her belt and rested it in her hand. "Starting tomorrow at 0600, just before dawn''s light. Godhammers three and four will unleash two barrages at confirmed Rusivite positions here and here." She pointed to two positions across the river on the map in front of me with her crop.

    I leaned forward and saw that there were two forested areas outside the town of Dresden. "This will be done as a diversion. As the rest of Chosen and Drizzle Batteries begin to bombard the area with artillery, while this is happening, Ale and Berry Company will cross the northern and southern bridges, which are being constructed as we speak." She explained this while pointing to each respective commanding officer. "Your goals are simple; cause as much havoc as you can. As per your reports, you''ll be outfitted with the newest tools we have, the lorry guns. Fire and maneuver. Those lorries are the best thing we have when it comes to fighting those machines fairly. Doing this should not only split the Rusivite fighting machines but lure the bulk of their patrols away from the main facility; if we''re lucky, they''ll even sally out some defenders."

    She straightened up, and I saw her eyes lock onto a burly, gruff-looking man who was just a few seats down from me. "Which then leads us to our main event. During all of this, Easy Company will be tasked with assaulting the facility head-on. As stated previously, if everything goes well, the bulk of their forces will be scattered. Your task is simple: breakthrough and find our people. Yet more importantly, our VIP, the Moonweaver, which, from observation, looks to be held here." She laid down the grainy image of the prison. "Unfortunately, we lack intelligence on the interior of such a facility, so you''ll need to act on your own intuition. Each team will be provided with limited aerial assistance but will have three magisters assigned to each team. Save for Easy, who''ll be granted a fourth."

    It was at that moment that my heart rate shot up as Hass''s eyes fell on me. "You''ll be assigned this one here, one Luna Ashflow." At this moment, murmurs sprouted up in the room.

    "A child?"

    "I was wondering why this girl was here."

    "You can''t be fucking serious? We''re throwing a little one into this?"

    The voices all came flooding towards me, and I gulped as Hass silenced everyone with a raised hand. "Do not let her age or appearance fool you. As you''re all aware, the other day the sky was lit with flames," she said as the officers nodded, some still looking skeptical. "This was done because of her. The past couple days I''ve had Master Alexander Mihaljevi? train her, and already he has returned to me with wonderful results. Luna Ashflow is the daughter of the Moonweaver; she is immensely talented and more than capable of providing Easy with the capability of breaching those walls." She smirked. "I''m positive that with her volunteered assistance and the help of the once renowned Talon, Easy will pull through."

    I blinked. Once renowned Talon?

    Hass continued. "Once the Moonweaver and prisoners are secured, your secondary objective is to obtain as much intelligence as you can. Upon exfiltration, Easy, you are to fire off a red flare to signal the Godhammers to wipe this stain off the face of Enora. Upon doing so, you''ll have exactly five minutes to get to safety. After doing so, you''ll fall back across the bridge if, by chance, the bridge is destroyed. Gale Company is on standby to help you cross. Upon mission completion, green flares will signal for Ale and Berry to return. If, by chance, Easy does not make it back before 1200, the godhammers have full authority to smite the facility."

    Hearing that caused a large lump to appear in my throat. I took a shaky breath and glanced away from Hass, only to notice the gruff man from Easy Company staring at me, his brown eyes practically burning holes through me as he eyed me from head to toe.

    I sheepishly smiled and waved at him.

    "Alright then," Hass said, "if there''s no question. Then this will conclude the briefing. Have your men ready by 0500 tomorrow; come 0600, we''re going to make those bastards pay. Dismissed."

    <hr>

    As expected, upon leaving the farmhouse, the man from Easy Company approached Alexander and me. "Excuse me," he said, his voice sounding as rough as sandpaper. "Luna Ashflow, is it?"

    Alexander didn''t bother turning around as he pulled out his pipe and packed it with loki, and I turned and said, "Y-Yeah that''s me?"

    The tall human looked down at me as he adjusted his drab uniform. I noticed on his breast the name Weller. Just then the man stuck out a large hand at me. I could tell by his expression while he was trying to maintain an air of professionalism that he seemed conflicted. "I am Captain Weller; you''ll be¡­ serving under me."

    I blushed, reached out, and took his hand. "Y-yeah! I am." I stuttered. "I know it seems odd," I said as he gripped my hand gently and shook it. "But the Colonel wasn''t exaggerating; I am a¡­"

    "Little wizard," Alexander said as he huffed on his pipe. "She''s strong. Very." He vouched for me.

    The captain nodded and said, "Well, that means my company has two reliable mercenaries."

    I nodded. "Yeah, I heard the colonel mention someone named Talon; who''s that?" I asked.

    Captain Weller smirked. "One of the most renowned sharpshooters besides Deadeye is Isa Talon." His voice echoed in my mind. The name Isa Talon played on repeat over and over, and I stumbled a little as I lost balance before catching myself.

    "Wh-what?!" I sputtered. "Y-You mean like the big, fluffy eared Serelli lady?"

    Weller cocked an eyebrow and said, "Yeah. You know her?"

    "Sh-she''s my¡­" I trailed off.

    I thought she said she didn''t want to fight. Is it because of me? I don''t want her out there; what if she gets hurt?! Ah, fuck, I''m thinking like a hypocrite now! Dammit!

    I groaned. "Yes." I said finally. "I do know her." I facepalmed. "She''s my¡­ teacher."

    Captain Weller looked confused at me and took a deep breath as he placed a hand on his hip. "Well, in that case, I''m sure this will go much better than expected," he said optimistically. "C''mon, I want to introduce you to the platoon you''ll be assigned to, and we''ll discuss our plans for tomorrow."

    "Once you''re finished, Luna," Alexander said before I went. "Come find me for some final practice."

    I nodded and bit my lower lip. Things are getting more and more complicated¡­

 Chapter 54: Easy Company

    We trudged through mud and trampled grass as we made our way to the far western side of the camp, just a few hundred feet away from the trenches. A row of tents was where Easy Company was stationed¡ªat least the ones not on the front keeping watch. It was only Captain Weller and I. Alexander had stated that he needed to tend to something of his and left before telling me to seek him out when Weller was finished with me.

    The walk was awkward. I was receiving glances and looks from every direction. I tried not to pay any attention to it, yet when you''re admittedly insecure like me, it''s almost impossible not to notice. Yet I tried to keep a level head, focused on the man leading me. Weller was a neat-looking guy; if I had to stereotype him, he was a Hollywood action star like my father. Short dark hair, pale skin, rugged facial hair, and a body built like a truck. Even his voice sounded gruff and robust, like rough sandpaper. Despite his rough outward appearance, he was kind. Maybe that was because I''m a child, so he treated me as such, but honestly, I was okay with it.

    "I don''t mean to be rude," he said as we neared the outer tents. "But how did you get roped up into this? I know your familial situation, but... you''re a kid."

    I took a deep breath. I feel like I will be answering this exact question a hundred times. It''d be best if I prepared a script now.

    "It''s like the Colonel said," I told him. "I was the one that shot off that big fireball into the sky the other day. I''m, uh, a good wizard, I think." I chuckled nervously.

    "You think?" The captain responded gruffly.

    I nodded. "Ye-yeah, yesterday I healed everyone in the hospital!"

    The captain stopped in his tracks, and I noticed up ahead a few men and women of various races sitting around an open fire, their heads turning to see us while others crawled from their tents. Captain Weller turned to face me; his eyes were focused on mine, and I gulped. Did I do something wrong? I thought the man looked furious, but then his face softened.

    "That was you?" He asked.

    I nodded. "Yep, a-all me! Partially. Well, uh, some of them were mostly patched up. I-I just helped them get a speedy recovery!" I smiled widely, doing my best to put on a cute look.

    Weller''s brown eyes scanned me up and down a bit before finally he gave me a wide smirk and said, "Well then. I ought to thank you; you healed a couple of my boys."

    I blinked as I looked up at him. "I did?" I asked as I glanced back at the group of soldiers standing up and facing our way at attention.

    Weller nodded. "Aye, you did. C''mon, I think a few of them would want to thank you again." He motioned for me to follow.

    I trailed behind the captain as he took me over to the soldiers, and he said, "At ease, everyone." All at once, the soldiers relaxed and began mumbling amongst themselves, many of their eyes trained on me.

    "Oi, Cap," Said a dark-haired halfling stepping out from behind a large orc. He pointed to me. "Nobody said it''s bring ya daughter to work day; what''s the little lass doin'' here?"

    A few chuckles echoed around us, and I blushed faintly as Weller crossed his arms, yet before he could say anything, another man spoke, "Hold on a second. Isn''t that the little miracle girl?" I glanced toward the voice and saw a young, half-elven man, his small yet pointed ears twitching.

    The little halfling raised a bushy eyebrow. "Miracle, what?"

    "Aye, it is!" Said a young woman. "She fixed my arm the other day? The blasted thing was dust, and she mended it."

    My blush was burning even brighter now, and I nodded. "Ye-yep, that''s me, haha¡­haaa¡­" I laughed nervously as I felt horribly on the spot and rubbed the back of my neck.

    Weller nodded. "Her name is Luna Ashflow, and like Talon, she''ll be joining our company."

    A shocked silence fell over the entire group around us; at first, nothing was said, and all we could hear was the faint buzzing of flies before, suddenly, a collective. "What?" came from everyone.

    Immediately, questions began to bombard us, and Weller held his arms out and shouted, "Silence!" Everyone shut up. "Yes. I, and everyone else, are aware she is only a child. However," he held a finger out. "She is not an ordinary kid."

    Okay, rude. I thought.

    Weller continued. "Many of you may recall that abrupt awakening we all had the other day when the sky exploded, right?" A few people nodded. "That was her."

    The halfling laughed and pointed towards me. "You mean, this little elf can not only heal the wounded; she can blow up the sky?"

    I frowned. I don''t like this guy''s tone at all. "Yeah!" I blurted out. "And I can do it again!"

    "Hey!" Weller held a hand out to me. "Save it for the enemy. And you, Drach, if it wasn''t for her, Baxter wouldn''t have been sent on leave."

    The halfling, named Drach, eyes widened. "Excuse me?"

    Yeah, what is he talking about? I looked up at Weller and tried to think back until I eventually remembered the older halfling I had healed the other day. My eyes widened as a big grin appeared, and I nodded.

    "Yep, that was me!" I spoke again. "He was the one who got hit by artillery, right? All full of shrapnel?" Drach nodded, and I jutted a thumb toward myself. "I healed him; no scroll was needed." I boasted.

    The halfling eyed me again, then took a deep breath and crossed his arms. "Well then, you have my thanks," he said softly.

    A handful of more soldiers began to form around us as Weller nodded and said, "Luna here will be acting as our combat medic and support mage. Again, don''t let her young age fool you; from the mouth of the Colonel herself and the mage Alexander Mihaljevi?, they both vouch that she is powerful."

    Another round of murmurs began to fill the silence as a young akumari woman with dark red skin covered in bony ridges along her neck and collarbone stepped forth. She wore a drab gray cloak over her uniform and held a pristine white staff with a red crystal sphere embedded in the top. Her pupil-less red eyes stared directly at me as she frowned, and I could see the tips of her fangs pointing out the gaps between her lips.

    She released one hand from her staff and reached down to what appeared to be a grimoire strapped to her side. "How much combat experience do you have?" She asked me directly, her voice low and smooth as she patted her book before brushing her short, dark hair behind her sharpened, curled horns with her clawed fingers.

    I gulped. "N-Not much; I-I fought a timberwolf once, but, uh¡­ never fought the Rusivites," I admitted.

    The fiendish woman took a deep breath. "How well are you at performing the arcane arts under duress?" She asked, and I fidgeted.

    "I-I think I do well enough. I saved my mentor and I once when we were stranded in Lake Kenchala," I said as the other mage scrutinized me.

    "She speaks the truth," I heard a familiar voice say from the crowd, and I looked to see as the sea of soldiers parted, Isa standing amongst them, and my eyes widened.

    "I-Isa?!" I gasped. "Wh-what are you doing here? Why aren''t you back at the camp?"

    Isa, who now wore a drab gray tank top and matching form-fitting pants, had a black belt and holster around her waist that carried the same pistol we had found previously and strapped across her chest. I saw one of those lever action rifles the army used, and over her shoulder was what looked to be a gray coat.

    "I told you, Luna," She said, "If you''re going to stay and do this, so will I. So yesterday, I went and spoke with the Colonel and told her who I was, and she recognized me. She asked me if I wanted to fight, and I said, "I will, but only to protect you."

    I sputtered and shook my head. "This is stupid¡ª"

    "Do not start, Little One," Isa growled. "We are in this for the long haul." She glanced at the captain, who nodded.

    The akumari woman took a deep breath. "So Talon was your mentor?" She glanced at Isa, who nodded and then looked back at me. "I''ll take her by her word then. Captain," she said, looking at Weller. "May I request that she join my platoon as well?"

    Weller nodded. "Aye, that''s what I was about to get to, Lieutenant." Weller turned to me. "Luna, this is Lieutenant Zora; like yourself, she is a powerful mage. I feel the two of you will work great together."

    Without a question, I nodded my head and said, "Okay. I''ll do my best." I looked at Zora, whose expression was flat and lifeless. With her blank eyes, I couldn''t tell if she was looking at me or behind me. I stepped forward and held out a little hand for her to shake.

    "I''m Luna, Luna Ashflow, daughter of Cailynn Ashflow." Zora''s head shifted to look at my hand and then back up at me. She took my hand and put it in hers. It was rough and rugged, and her grip was firm as she shook my hand.

    "Lieutenant Zora Ashes, it is a pleasure to meet you," She said stiffly, and I could tell by her tone and posture that there was an air of skepticism.

    This is to be expected, Luna. I thought to myself. To them, I''m just some little kid, let alone a child soldier, which, even in this world, is taboo. Don''t let it get to you.

    Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation.

    I stepped back after Zora released my hand, and Weller cleared his throat. "Alright. I need all the officers with me. I''ll give you a breakdown of what''s to come tomorrow. After that, split off with your platoons and explain the deal." Weller waved a hand for those called to step forward, and with that, I took a deep breath and glanced over at Isa nervously, who was also eyeing me.

    Goddammit.

    <hr>

    After Weller had spoken to the other platoon leaders, Zora returned to our group. There were about forty of us in total. I had yet to get the names of everyone in this platoon I was part of, except for that halfling Drach and Isa or Talon, as the others were calling her.

    Is that the name she went by when traveling with Mother and Father? I wondered.

    A few soldiers came over to introduce themselves to me, though. There was this cute girl who looked out of place as a frontline soldier and went by the name Mara. She was a half-elf with short black hair with pink highlights.

    I then met a large Orc man with arms the size of canons and sharp tusks who went by the name of Gord. Despite his intimidating stature, he was very soft-spoken and kind.

    Even Drach approached me, his arms crossed and eyes glancing off as he said, "Hey, kid." He said that and looked at me. The two of us were about the same height; I was a tiny bit taller than him. "Sorry for singling you out like that. It was just jokes, y''know?" He clapped my side playfully.

    "Uh, yeah¡­ I get it." I nodded. "I understand you''re all weirded out by my being here." I chuckled nervously. "Even I''m surprised the colonel is letting me in on this," I admitted.

    The halfling raised a bushy eyebrow and asked, "So why are you here?"

    I took a deep breath and saw Zora ordering a few others to roll some logs over to act as benches. "I think you''re going to hear soon, but..." I took a deep breath. "I''m looking for my mother."

    "That Moonweaver bitch¡ªI mean, lady?" He corrected himself, and I glared. "So-sorry got a bit of a sailor''s mouth."

    "Yes," I said bluntly. "She''s my mother. She was taken, and I want to save her."

    Drach blushed a bit and rubbed the back of his neck. "Y-yeah, sorry again." He clapped his hands together just as Zora called us all over for the briefing, which I had already heard.

    Though a constant refresher would be alright.

    "Well, I''m sure we''ll find her," Drach said, motioning for me to follow. "Let''s go see what the boss has to say."

    As we went over to the rest of the thirty-eight or so troops gathering around Zora, I noticed Isa joining in. Take it; she''s part of this group. I thought. It makes sense since she wants to be near me. Ugh, I just don''t want anything to happen to her.

    "So do your best to protect her in turn," the voice said. "But also try not to let that distract you. Stretching yourself thin will lead to mistakes."

    I understand; it''s just hard. I sighed as I chose to move by Isa and stand beside her. Without a word, she reached out and pulled me against her side, my head resting just below her breast. I felt my heart flutter slightly, and I took a deep breath and glanced up at her to see she was focused on Zora.

    The briefing was what I''ve already heard. Tomorrow, artillery would slam strategic points where fighting machines were hiding. Two teams were going to cross the river on the north and south sides in an encircling maneuver to lure out the enemy, while the group I''m in, Easy Company, was going to strike up the middle directly at the facility to take over the prison and secure those who are captured.

    Of course, it wouldn''t just be us forty or so people; we were only one platoon out of four others. Making us about a hundred and sixty or so strong. Still, it''s not a lot, but hopefully, if the diverging strategy works, we can draw away most of the fighting machines. We''ll also have those artillery trucks with us.

    I just hope those trucks can drive off-road. But we wouldn''t be using them if they couldn''t, right? I hoped so.

    "Luna, Ansel, Meril, and I," Zora said as I snapped my attention back to her. "The four of us will provide magical assistance and protection; Luna and Ansel will also be our primary medics. If you''re injured, seek them out if you can, and when possible, try to reach Luna first. I''ve been informed she can use the healing arts without needing a scroll or any other components."

    I blushed deeply as I felt put on the spot yet again. The eyes of everyone around me turned in my direction, and I gulped. Like you said, Luna, I thought, It''s your job to keep these folk alive. All of them. We''re all going to make it out.

    "This is true," I confirmed with a nod. "I''ll do my best to keep you all in the fight."

    "Adda girl!" Said a gruff-looking man in the front. "You hear that, lads; she''ll keep us up; we keep her safe." A few other men and women nodded.

    "Any questions?" Zora asked the rest of the platoon. A brief silence fell over us, yet no one said a thing. "Excellent. Make sure to review the plans thoroughly and get some rest. We''re going over the river tomorrow, so be up at 0500. Dismissed!"

    "Hoorah!" The group shouted, and I felt a nervous lump in my throat as I swallowed hard.

    "Having second thoughts?" The voice asked me, and I flinched beside Isa.

    No-No¡ªuh¡­ a little¡­

    "Do not be concerned if you can save them all, Luna," The voice said, referring to the soldiers I watched while they happily chatted away and discussed topics such as "payback" and the like.

    I know, but these people are going to be relying on me. What if shit goes wild?

    "Then you flee; care for yourself. Do not let the lives of those around you drag you down."

    Oh, here we go with that cold-hearted shit again.

    "I mean it." The voice said it bluntly. "I understand your desire to save your family and protect Isa. But these are people you just met; they mean little to us aside from helping us achieve our goals."

    They''re still living, breathing people, you asshole.

    "Perhaps, but remember that you need to keep a level head, and worrying about every little aspect will cause your magic, which you need to use to survive, to not function as needed."

    Yeah, yeah, I get it. I sighed and shook my head as Isa gazed down at me.

    "Is something wrong?" She asked me as she lightly tugged me away from the group. We walked a few feet from everyone, and I took a deep breath.

    "It''s the voice again," I muttered quietly, knowing no one else could hear us except Isa and her unique feline ears.

    "What about him?" She asked me.

    "Being a jerk as per usual. There is nothing that we should worry about." Yet here I am worrying about it.

    Isa nodded and said, "Well. Try to focus, Luna. When you have a moment, we need to talk."

    "About what?" I glanced up at her.

    "Our plans," Isa said, taking my hand. "Come. Weller was kind enough to give me a tent we can use."

    Before I could say anything else, I felt Isa tugging me along and stumbled a little before keeping pace behind her. After a minute of moving around tents and soldiers, we came across a much smaller, gray tent than the one we stayed in previously, Isa dipped inside, and I followed.

    I gulped nervously, afraid Isa would chew me out again like she did the other day. Yet as she sat down on a bedroll, she patted the spot beside her. I crawled over and sat down.

    "Wh-what''s up?" I asked her.

    Isa took a deep breath. "Luna¡­ I''m going to come out and say it. I love you."

    Oi, what? My heart nearly did a backflip.

    My eyes widened. "As a family member," she clarified and smiled a little. "Like I said, I see you as if you were one of my kittens." She purred softly, and I blushed deeply.

    "Isa, please," I said softly, knowing she was talking like this would make me emotional.

    "I want to let you know I''m not upset about our little fight the other day. I understand how you must feel. I-I''ve been in your shoes once, Luna. I told you how the Rusivites came to my home. How they lured my elder into falling under their thumb, yet I never told you about the atrocities. The rebellion. Things were different back then, though¡ªno fighting machines or the like¡ªbut still. It was awful. I''ve been in skirmishes and seen horrific things, but not to this scale."

    I gulped nervously and said, my voice wavering, "Isa, I-I''m not b-backing down."

    She looked at me, her eyes tearing up, and shook her head. ''I''m not asking you to, Luna," she said with a sniff, her voice also shaking. "I-I just want you to know what''s going to happen." She reached out and pulled me into a tight hug. "We''ve seen how ruthless these monsters are," she whispered. "If things go south, I want you to run. Run away. Use your magic, do whatever, but get away."

    I bit my lower lip, my chest tightened, and my emotions grew. I did my best to hold them back, but it was hard. My vision became blurry as the tears rose, and I cursed softly. "Fi-fine, dammit, I will." I sniffed.

    Isa rubbed the top of my head, her other hand scratching my back gently. "Thank you," she said softly, pulling away after a moment, her hands gripping my shoulder.

    I sniffed, embarrassed for letting my emotions get to me again. "So¡­" I squeaked out. "Talon, eh?" I smiled as I tried to lighten the mood.

    Isa blushed and said, "Yeah, that was my old adventuring name back when I traveled with Poni and your parents." She chuckled. "It''s a bit, uh, weird, but people are familiar with it." She smiled sheepishly.

    "I think it''s badass," I said with a smirk; Isa''s blush darkened, and she giggled before tussling my hair.

    "Is that so?" She hummed. "Have you come up with a cool hero name?" She asked.

    I blinked. I never thought about it.

    I shook my head. "N-no."

    Isa sat back and said, "Well, maybe you should come up with one. I heard around camp about a little miracle girl, and the only girl I know who can heal people is you." She tapped the center of my chest between my budding breasts with her clawed finger. "You should pick a name soon, or people will call you just that."

    I shifted nervously. "I, uh, don''t care... I''m not good at getting all the attention."

    While true, that doesn''t mean I don''t like it. I''m just too embarrassed to admit it.

    Isa seemed to sniff me on the bullshit and said, "Well, your wiggling ears say otherwise." She blinked.

    My face burned brightly, and my hands gripped at my skirt, as now that she mentioned it, my ears were flapping! Dammit, fuck these elven ears!

    As I squirmed and stewed in my embarrassment, Isa seemed to notice something and said, "What''s that ring on your finger?" I stopped squirming and looked at the finger holding the protection ring.

    I glanced up and saw Isa smiling wide enough that her fangs showed. "My, my, is Luna already getting engaged?" She teased, and now my ears were nearly about to take me to space.

    I reached up and gripped them, then yanked them down to my side and shook my head. "N-No!" I squeaked. "I-It was given to me by Master Alexander, the old fart."

    "Alexander Mihaljevi??" She asked, and I nodded.

    "He... has taken a liking to me... Wait¡ª" Isa snorted and began to laugh. "Not like that!" I blurted. "It''s a ring of protection! To help me out in the field. He wants to train me more, so he gave me this to help me live."

    Isa giggled, wiped her eyes, and said, "Thank you for clarifying. I was about to do something horrendous if it was the other case."

    I rolled my eyes. "You''re gross." I sighed.

    "Perhaps your father has rubbed off on me as well," Isa said.

    "Ew." I fake-gagged, and Isa bopped me on the head.

    "You call me gross!" She huffed as I whined and rubbed the top of my head.

    Yet, after a few moments of silence, we both giggled. I took a deep breath and straightened up. "Do you know what''s going to happen to the others?" I asked. "Dr. Kegan, the Tenorahns, Oscar, and Anne?"

    Isa took a deep breath. "Last I saw, Dr. Kegan was going to travel with the Tenorahns to Johaneson; I think Oscar and Anne were going to." She took a deep breath, and I deflated.

    I wanted to see Anne one last time. I''m going to miss her, I thought. I hope she''ll still be in the city when Isa and I get there if we do.

    "She seems to like you," Isa said, and I looked up at her, confused. "Anne. She could sense it¡­" She tapped her nose. "Serelli is good at reading emotions. She wanted to be your friend."

    I gulped. "We are friends!" I said.

    Isa smiled. "You are? Little Luna, finally making friends... Oh, your mother is going to be so proud."

    I blushed deeply and whined. "We played with dolls yesterday; we played couples."

    "Couples?" Isa''s eyes widened, and a big smile appeared on her face. "Did you play, husband?"

    I shook my head. "No, I was the wife, and she was the wife too."

    Isa''s eyes widened. "Two wives?" She smiled gently. "That''s very sweet; I wish I saw it."

    Why did she look surprised about two wives? Is that stuff not ordinary here, either? I wondered. I never really researched that topic yet.

    "Well, maybe you will someday," I said, getting up. "Well¡­ I need to go find Master Alexander. He wanted to do some final training with me today before tomorrow."

    Isa looked at me and frowned, her eyes downcast; she seemed to enjoy having me around. I frowned as well. "I''ll be back soon," I told her, and as I began to dip out of the tent, I stopped as my heart fluttered a little.

    "And Isa¡­" I said it over my shoulder.

    "Yes, Luna?" She responded.

    I turned my head to look back at her. "I love you too," I said softly, my voice shaking slightly.

    Isa''s eyes widened, and I saw tears glistening as she smiled widely and nodded.

    I won''t let anything happen to her or anyone else. I swear by it.

 Chapter 55: Final Training

    The magical bolt of energy slammed into the shield around me, and I let off a startled cry as the force sent me reeling for five or so feet. My heels dug a thick scar of dirt and mud into the earth as I gritted my teeth and focused as best as possible.

    "Excellent, you did it chantless, and it withstood my attack," Alexander said with a slight smile. He firmly planted his staff into the ground, reached into his cloak, and pulled out his pipe. "You seem much more confident compared to this morning."

    I panted softly as I let the shield drop. Holy shit that took it out of me. I gulped some air as a faint headache settled in.

    "The amount of ether you channeled into the shield was too much." The voice said, "You could''ve stopped a dragon''s breath with that amount. Next time, do not focus so much on stopping anything, just the attack."

    Wait really? I took one last deep breath, regained my composure, and straightened up. In a sense, that is impressive.

    "Yes, but doing so repeatedly will leave you fatigued. So don''t do it." The voice replied bluntly.

    As if having read my mind, Alexander said as he huffed his pipe, "Though I think you''re putting too much effort into it this time." He took another drag before puffing out a thick smoke ring. "Trying too hard will yield strong results but leave you weakened. In a prolonged battle, this will put you at a severe disadvantage."

    I sighed and let out a frustrated groan. "How do I find a balance then?" I asked.

    "Meditation is a good start," Alexander said. "Keep your mind balanced and focused. I know I''ve said this dozens of times now, Squirt. But it''s the truth." He dumped the ashes from his pipe and stuck it back into his cloak before grabbing his staff.

    Glancing at the setting sun, he said, "We have about another hour left." He hummed softly and turned his attention back to me. "How are you feeling, Squirt? Do you think you can manage another few rounds against me?"

    By now, I felt the slight headache ease, and I rolled my shoulders as I straightened my posture. "Come at me, Old Timer," I smirked.

    Alexander smirked. "Well then, prepare yourself!" His eyes flashed a bright white, his arms stretching out towards me. I gritted my teeth, lifted my arms, and focused on the bubble I wanted to form around me.

    All this happened in a flash as a torrent of radiant energy shot toward me; my heart lurched with instinctual fear as the magic crashed against my shield. The force shoved me a few feet back, yet I could sense fractures forming within the shield this time. Spectral cracks spiderwebbed around me, and suddenly, the energy faded, and my shield still held.

    "Doing better!" Alexander laughed. "But, still not perfect. Get ready!"

    Taking a deep breath, I resumed the stance, and we went at it again.

    <hr>

    Alexander and I had clashed repeatedly over and over and over again. His offensive spells, of all kinds, were thrown against my bubble, from fire to ice to radiant light. I had been able to deflect all of them.

    As the sun sank beneath the horizon, Enora''s moons rose high above us. I dropped to my knees, my head aching from the spell fatigue. I rested back on my calves and groaned.

    Coming to my side, Alexander smiled down at me as he fished out a canteen from his cloak. "This morning, you couldn''t even stand your ground. Yet here you are, absorbing much of my motes and whispers." He chuckled as he took a swig from the canteen and sighed. He then wiped it off and passed it to me.

    For a second, I hesitated, but I took it and sniffed it after realizing how dry my mouth was. "It''s just water, Squirt." He chuckled, and I nodded and took a drink.

    The feel of the cold water washing over my tongue and down my gullet caused me to hum softly as I gulped more down. For a few seconds, I drank before taking the canteen away, with a satisfying sigh, and then I wiped my mouth.

    "Thank you," I said as I returned the canteen to him.

    Alexander took the canteen and said, "You''re welcome, Luna." He hummed. "So what changed?" He asked, and I blinked.

    I glanced up at him. "What do you mean?" The old man smiled.

    "You seem more confident, or well... determined, I should say," He stroked his beard as he snapped his finger with his free hand, and a spectral chair appeared behind him and sat down.

    My eyes widened upon seeing the chair, and I glanced up at him, dusting off my skirt. "Uh, why wouldn''t I be determined to help my family?" I rubbed my neck.

    I guess I do feel a bit different. Now that I know Isa''s coming along, I want to ensure she''s safe, too.

    Alexander chuckled. "Well, I guess that makes sense, Squirt," He nodded and chose not to pry anymore. "I must say, though, you are magnificent."

    "Excuse me?" I said as I pushed myself to my feet and blushed faintly at the compliment.

    As I stood, he looked at me, his small eyes soft, and I could see a broad smile beneath his beard. "Of all my years in this waking world, I''ve only ever seen one other person with capabilities like your own. Someone who could just," He reached up and clutched the air with his fist. "Grasp the arcane arts by its throat and learn it."

    My eyes widened a bit. "Who would that be?" I asked him.

    His eyes glistened as his gaze drifted up toward the forming stars above us, and he pointed. Following his finger, I saw that far above, between the moons Radiance and Andoria, was a constellation of seven stars.

    "The highest point," Alexander whispered, and I turned to face him. "The Mistress of the Stars, Luna Mayfly, seventh of the legendary heroes."

    My eyes widened. That''s who my mother named me after.

    "B-but w-wait," I stuttered, "Wasn''t she alive like two thousand years ago? Even Elves don''t live that long!" Alexander began cackling, and I stammered some more. "H-How old are you?"

    "Too old!" The man giggled and leaned back in his spectral chair. "Too old, Squirt." He sighed and took another swig from his canteen. "I''ve been around far longer than most have. Only I and a few ancients are left in this world... I think there are maybe six... eight? No. Tellondra passed two decades ago... seven? Ha, how poetic. They''re seven of us left." He smiled.

    My eyes were as wide as saucers as I stared at the old geezer in the ghost chair. I blinked a few times, rubbed the crust from my eyes, and looked again. And I thought Mom and Dad were ancient... this guy, he can''t be for real? Even if magic exists, there''s no way he''s this old!

    "You''ve spoken to me, yet an old man is too much for you?" The voice in my head said.

    Unlike this guy who''s a living fossil before me, I''ve never seen you.

    "You''ve met me. You just don''t remember. Yet even then, you took it much easier."

    Shut up.

    "So wait," I said softly, "You were in the Twilight War?" I asked Alexander.

    The old man glanced at me and then gave a slow nod. "Yes. I and the other ancients were, well, we weren''t called that at the time." He chuckled.

    "So you''re like two thousand years old?" I was flabbergasted.

    "Two thousand one hundred and thirty-two years, and ninety days to be exact," He said with a smirk. "If I make it another two hundred years, I''ll finally beat the old geezer Kharon. The bastard made it to two thousand three hundred seventy-four years. He only died because he slipped on his tower stairs after leaving the washroom. Apparently, the old man forgot his wash towel." Alexander laughed.

    Fuck, what a shitty way to go after living so long.

    "Wow," Is all I could say for a moment. "So, what were times like back then?" I had to ask.

    "Different," Alexander scoffed. "Primitive compared to now. Unlike many other ancients, I do not long to return to such a time. Back then, things were ruled by Lords and Ladies, Kings and Queens, and some places are still. Yet back then, they had much more power, as did the Concordium."

    Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.

    "That''s the mages guild, right?" I asked, and Alexander nodded.

    "Back before guns and cannons, magic was the end-all-be-all on the battlefield," Alexander explained. "Battles fought amongst men and women were done with spears and swords; usually, whoever possessed a wizard would always come out on top. The Concordium was on top of the world; kingdoms all over flocked to appease us to help in their conquests."

    "And all that changed?" I asked, and Alexander chuckled.

    "Well, of course," He gestured around. "You do not see mage kings or queens running the show. When the Twilight War began, the world united against the Dark Lord. Petty squabbles over small territories or grudges became moot when the Mad God declared the start of the New World Order. Lord G--The Dark Lord," Alexander corrected himself. "He began by unleashing the necrophage across the world, and his black armies sailed across the great oceans."

    "What happened next?" I asked as I sat back down, now enthralled by the story.

    Alexander looked at me. "Shouldn''t you know this?" He asked me. "What do they teach you kids in schools?"

    "Well, I was learning this, but class got canceled when the invasion began," I mumbled.

    Alexander frowned. "Ah, yes... sorry." He sighed.

    "What''s the necrophage?" I asked. "I think Isa, my teacher, told my brother and me about it, but I can''t recall."

    Alexander shuddered. "A horrid archaic virus, a curse some call it. A Vampiric Plague. The Dark Lord, also known as the God of Death, is the ruler of Vampires. Some claim he was also a vampire himself. However, they were not referred to as vampires in the southern continent. Instead, they were called Oni, here," He gestured to where we sat, "We referred to them simply as The Taken. Unlike traditional vampires, Onis do not possess mental faculties; they only care about killing, draining, and spreading more of their kind. Those bitten and drained by the Oni wake up as one of them."

    So, a zombie apocalypse almost did happen. That''s not scary, I thought sarcastically, remembering the last time Isa told us about the Oni.

    "Okay, I remember the Oni portion," I said, "I just didn''t know the curse was called the necrophage."

    Alexander nodded. "Because of the necrophage, the Concordium gave aid to all nations. It was during this time I met Luna Mayfly. She was such a young girl, no older than you now." He pointed to me. "And like you, she just." He snapped his fingers. "Learned everything quickly. When I took her to get a spiritest, her well was the deepest I''ve ever seen. She was truly a magical prodigy as if she was a descendant of Merlin''s seed--uh, pardon my language." He coughed.

    I snorted and shook my head. "It''s okay. So what happened to her?" I asked.

    Alexander''s eyes shimmered, and his smile faded as he looked at the stars again. "After the Frostland March, she and the other Seven ventured to halt the Dark Lord. In their defiance, their lives were cut short. Yet because of their sacrifice, the Dark Lord and his dream of a New World Order went with them."

    I frowned as well. "Oh, I"m... sorry to hear that," I said, and Alexander dismissed me with a wave.

    "I don''t need such pity. Such times are long and gone." Alexander continued to stare up at the stars. "I just hope that whatever lives the Current granted Luna Mayfly; they''re living them to their fullest." He sighed. "Well, Squirt," He got up from his spectral chair, snapped his fingers, and it vanished. "It''s getting late. You should return to the camp and get some rest. Tomorrow and the days after... I''ll be honest and say they might be tough; I just hope that whatever I and Celena taught you will help. Don''t throw your life away."

    I gulped nervously. "I won''t. Before you go, Master Alexander--" He stopped me with held hand.

    "Please, Luna, call me Alex," He said with a soft smile.

    I smiled in return. "Alex," I said hesitantly. "Have you seen the Dark Lord before?"

    The old wizard frowned and seemed to hesitate briefly before giving me a firm nod. "Aye, long ago, back when he was referred to by his old name. A name I will not tell you."

    I nodded, remembering what Isa told me about names and power. "What was he like? What did he look like? All the books Isa showed us show this evil and shadowy man. Was he really like that?"

    Alex stroked his beard and waved his other hand back and forth. "Yes and no. I had never seen him back before his corruption, but I have met others who had. From what they told me at first, the Emperor of the Southern Continent looked like any other man. A human, young and handsome, not as handsome as I was." He grinned. "But just a normal nobleman. To my knowledge, no one knows exactly what drove him to power; maybe it was the dark magics he and his empire were researching, or perhaps a friend corrupted him. Bards and other... lesser scholars say he was a man who fell in love with the dead goddess, Solis." He leaned on his staff. "When I saw him, he very much resembled what the texts have shown you. Skin as pale as snow, a cloak as black as night. Yet despite his appearance, he was always soft-spoken."

    "Have you spoken to him?" I asked with a nervous gulp.

    Alex shook his head. "No. But alas, we have no time for stories. Go on, get some rest. I have other matters to attend to."

    "Mind if I ask what?" I asked.

    Alexander smirked. "Lining Celena''s tea cups with pepper powder." He chuckled.

    <hr>

    I had returned to the military encampment, knowing it''d be best to rest with Isa when morning came. Walking alone, I couldn''t help but feel a bizarre mix of fear and excitement. A sense of adrenaline rushed through my veins as the thought of potentially saving my family became increasingly a reality. Yet, at the same time, the dreaded fear of what would come to get there was also becoming a reality.

    How many people are going to die tomorrow? A thought that kept creeping into my mind. How many men and women I met this morning will be face down in the mud or turned to dust?

    I shivered at the prospect. "None of them," I told myself, gripping my fists. "I''ll save them, all of them. No one."

    "Do not fool yourself," The voice said coldly. "We''ve discussed this already; such dreams are only meant to be broken. You are one person, Luna. You cannot save them all. This is merely the price of war."

    "Shut up!" I said out loud. "Why are you always such a downer?"

    "I am thinking practically." The voice replied.

    As I neared the camp and soldiers standing guard, a couple that recognized me waved in my direction, and I bit my lower lip and nodded towards them.

    Thinking practically is making me scared, I thought my response.

    "Lying to yourself will only shatter your morale when reality strikes. It is best to accept what will happen." The voice said bluntly.

    Just shut up, please. Can you at least try to be supportive?

    "I''ve been nothing but," The voice said, "But if my silence is what you want. You shall have it."

    Thank you. I sighed.

    I took a deep breath and walked to Isa''s tent. I noticed a faint glow piercing through the canvas as I neared it. A lantern light.

    She''s still awake. I smiled as I went to the tent and called, "Isa, are you awake?" At first, I didn''t receive a response. Perhaps she had fallen asleep already?

    "Yes," Her voice came through quietly. "Come on in."

    I nodded, stepped through the tent''s flap, and saw Isa sitting on her bedroll; in front of her, a disassembled rifle was on the floor. Her handgun, knife, and another assortment of supplies, and what I thought were hand grenades at first but then realized they were stones. Stones with runic markings on them I didn''t recognize.

    Isa wore a white, form-fitting tank top with a low collar and underwear revealing much of her tanned skin. A sight that caused my heart to skip a beat and my cheeks to burn as there was very little left to the imagination. She''s your goddamn teacher and friend. You pervert! I looked away and saw that beside her, a second bedroll was laid out for me.

    "Welcome back," Isa said softly as she cleaned the pieces of her gun. "I got a bedroll for you. How was your training?" She asked me.

    I stepped into the tent, doing my best not to stare as I crawled onto the bedroll. "It went terrific. I was able to master the bubble spell, or well... I wouldn''t say master, but I got good enough to deflect Alex''s attacks."

    "Alex?" Isa glanced up at me, her hair covering part of her face as she didn''t seem bothered fixing it.

    "Oh, uh, Master Alexander, but when we were leaving today, he said I could call him Alex." I smiled at Isa, and she gave me a slight grin and nodded slowly.

    She looked at her gun and said softly, "Sounds like you made another friend."

    I nodded. "Aren''t you cold?" I asked as I gestured to her choice of outfit.

    Isa blinked, glanced down at herself, and chuckled. "No. I''m comfortable. I didn''t feel like sleeping in just my clothes again tonight."

    I thought for a second and shrugged. "Makes sense. I wish I still had my pajamas."

    Isa smiled. "If you want, you can shed most of your--"

    I crossed my arms into an X. "Nope. I don''t want to strip in front of you."

    Isa snorted and laughed. "Why not? It''s not like I haven''t seen you in your underwear before."

    "Nope. Yucky!" I shook my head in protest. "My little body is not for your eyes!"

    Isa snorted and began to giggle, which soon turned into a tiny little fit as she reached up and wiped her eyes. Seeing her laughing at my little overreaction caused me to smirk, and as Isa set her small pieces down, she turned and smiled widely at me. Her one green eye that wasn''t covered by her hair shined as the feline got on all fours and crawled over to me. My little heart began to race as she leaned over and pulled me into a hug, unashamedly pulling my face to her warm bosom.

    "You''re such a little goof," Isa said softly, her clawed fingers running through my hair as she pressed my face into her soft chest and her embrace tightened. "Don''t change, Luna, don''t change ever..." Isa began to tremble.

    "I-Isa?" I said softly as I felt something warm and wet dripping onto my cheek. I reached up with my small arms and wrapped them around her as I looked up to see her face broken, eyes tear-filled as she held onto me.

    "You''ll stay with me," She said huskily. "Tomorrow n-never leave my side... we''re in this together. You hear me?"

    "Isa--"

    "Do you hear me, Luna?" Isa sniffed.

    I gulped and nodded. "Yes. I do."

    The feline woman smiled a little and wiped her tears off my cheek. "I''m sorry you have to see me like this," She said, her cheeks red with embarrassment. "I just... I just..." She bit her lip.

    "I love you too," I said softly to her. "I love you just as much as I do, Father, Mother, and Varis. You''re part of my family."

    Isa''s eyes widened, and her blush darkened; her expression softened, and deep in her chest, I could hear her motor kick in as gentle purring emanated from her. Bending down, Isa gave me a soft kiss on the cheek and whispered, "I love you too." her purring now roaring as her tail flicked pleasantly as she hugged me.

    My heart fluttered, and I gave her a big grin as I hugged her tightly. After moments, Isa would break our embrace and say, "We should both get some rest; it''s late."

    I nodded. "I-I''ll try, and Isa, I won''t let anything happen to us or anyone." Isa smiled a little and nodded.

    "And the same to you, Luna, my little wizard." She tussled my hair. "Good night."

    I nodded. "Good night."

 Chapter 56: Operation Dawnstar Pt. 1

    Fire. Bullets. Explosions. All of this was happening around me¡ªscreams of wounded men and women calling out for aid. I tried to regain my bearings. I rolled forward into the ditch, my back landing on the hard dirt and stone. I could hear them coming, the horrific thumping of their mechanical legs--the dreaded howl of the fighting machines drew near.

    "Help me! Somebody fucking help me!" The cry of a wounded soldier turned my head back to see a young human boy clutching his leg. "Gaah-my fucking leg! Help!"

    A roar of another fighting machine, followed by a torrent of machine gun fire, dust, and debris, blasted upwards around me as the magrite bullets ripped across the top of the ditch.

    My stomach lurched as I once again dove onto my belly and crawled towards the wounded boy. I could see his face caked in mud and blood, his expression contorted into horrid agony. Gritting my teeth, I resisted the urge to vomit as I crawled towards the boy.

    "I''m here. I got you," I yelled over the roar of machinegun fire.

    I reached out and grabbed the boy''s hand. My eyes were wide with fear as I took a couple of deep breaths as my eyes met his. He was cursing and crying as I closed my eyes and tried to focus.

    "Luna!" I heard Isa''s distant voice cry out to me. "Luna!" I opened my eyes and looked back just as a rocket screamed overhead and slammed into the earth just beyond the ditch to my right. The explosion caused my ears to bleed as I cupped my head as dust sprinkled down around us.

    "Luna!" Isa''s voice cried again as the dust settled, and my ears rang. Shocked that I could still hear her, I finally saw Isa crawling towards me further down the ditch as I looked around.

    I opened my mouth and screamed her name, yet I could barely hear myself. Isa scrambled to all fours and crawled towards me rapidly, yet behind her, looming over the ditch. A fighting machine came into view.

    A few soldiers behind Isa raised their guns and began firing on the machine, yet it was useless. The fighting machine howled, and its weapons began to fire.

    I screamed for Isa to duck, yet my voice was unheard. Isa rose to dive out of the way, though the machine''s guns swiveled upwards, and I screamed as dozens of rounds slammed into her body! I cried as blood and viscera clouded my vision. Isa''s eyes widened, and her body crumpled into the mud.

    With a loud howl, the fighting machine turned its attention to me, and I screamed.

    <hr>

    A bugle blaring its horn jerked me from my nightmare, and I awoke in a cold sweat. My heart hammered away in my chest, and I looked in the direction of where Isa lay, and my blood ran cold.

    She wasn''t there.

    I scrambled out of my bedroll and quickly rushed out of the tent into the cool morning and Isa''s gut. The serelli gasped and grabbed onto me. "Lu-Luna!"

    Oh, thank God. I thought and gripped Isa tightly.

    "Wh-what''s wrong?" Isa asked as the bugle sounded again, and soldiers quickly crawled out from their tents.

    I took a deep breath. "I just had a bad dream, that''s all," I said softly and smiled at Isa.

    Isa sighed with relief and said, "Well, I hope you''re feeling better now."

    Not really. I thought as the images of the dream flashed across my mind. The thought of Isa being gunned down sent a chill down my spine. I took a sharp breath and held it briefly, trying not to think about it.

    "Come one," Isa said, "We don''t have long, they''re mustering everyone."

    "Grab your shit, boys and girls!" A man shouted. "It''s time!"

    Around us, men and women of all races scrambled. The soldiers quickly assembled weapons, packs, and other gear as they made their way towards the center of the camp.

    Isa took my hand and dipped into the tent. After a few moments, she returned dressed in a drab uniform like the soldiers. The outfit was a bit loose on her, though Isa kept it firmly secured by the belt fastened around her waist, which she attached her holster to. Slinging her rifle and pack over her shoulder, Isa took a deep breath and smiled at me.

    "Do you have everything?" She asked me.

    Everything? I blinked. I don''t even think I was given anything. I gulped. Should I ask for a gun? The rifles are way too big for me, maybe a pistol?

    "Shouldn''t I get a weapon, too?" I asked, and Isa thought for a second, nodded, and unholstered the handgun resembling the Mauser we found in the old cabin.

    "Take this. Do you remember how to reload it?" Isa asked me as she handed me the gun. I nervously gripped the hefty weapon that barely fit in my hands.

    I''d need to hold this two-handed to shoot effectively, so I pursed my lips, grabbed the small piece of metal on top that was the slider, and pulled it back.

    "I pull this back and slide the ten-round clip into here?" I said, slightly unsure. Already, I saw the weapon was loaded, a bullet in the chamber. Thankfully, the safety handle was pushed up, so I had no fear of accidentally shooting it, not that my finger was on the trigger.

    Isa nodded. "Yes, when you release that slider, it''ll automatically chamber a round; after that, it''s ready to fire. When you don''t want to shoot, push the safety handle up. When you''re ready to shoot, pull it down. Up is alive, down is dead." She tapped her forehead. "That''s how I remember it."

    I nodded as Isa undid her holster and hastily wrapped it around my waist, tightening it as much as she could. Once she was done, I holstered the weapon and latched it into place.

    "Get a move on people!" A booming voice kicked us into gear, and Isa took my hand. Quickly, we began to make our way to the mustering ground at the center of camp.

    Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author''s preferred platform and support their work!

    <hr>

    Anxiety was officially settling in¡ªat least more so than before. It''s happening, I thought. This is actually about to go down. I gulped as I looked around the large open area. Beside me were Isa, the others of Easy Company, and the rest of the brigade. There were probably at least almost a thousand of us here. I was sure of it.

    Most of the men and women around me were stone-faced. Others held what looked to be holy symbols and prayed, while few looked like me. I was terrified.

    Up ahead, I could faintly make out a makeshift stage. On that stage sat Colonel Pitz and many of the other senior officers. Coming from the left, I saw Colonel Hass making her way up to a podium that had been put up on the stage, dressed in her defined, formfitting uniform decorated with medals. I saw she wore a small gold and black cape on her back, and as she got behind the podium, she fixed her peaked cap and gripped the sides of it with her pristine white gloves.

    The air grew heavy, and a deafening silence permeated the area. All I could hear in the moment was my heart beating. Isa reached down and took my hand, and I flinched slightly but calmed after that.

    "It''s okay," She whispered. "We''ll protect each other."

    I nodded.

    "Good morning," Colonel Hass''s voice echoed as if speaking through a megaphone. My eyes widened, and I looked to the stage podium. No microphones were present, yet I noticed a faint, yellow shimmer around her neck. Behind her, a woman in a white and gray cloak held a hand towards her, a similar yellow shimmer around said hand.

    "Good morning." A collective rumble came from the soldiers around me before fading into silence.

    Hass''s grip on the podium tightened as she took a deep breath and looked over the crowd. Her steely blue eyes seemed to examine every face of her men until, eventually, her eyes landed on mine and Isa''s. We seemed to look at each other for a second until, finally, Hass broke off and began.

    "In less than an hour. You''ll be committing to the first and largest counter-offensive since this dreaded war began sixteen days ago," Hass said, her brow knitting as she scowled. "Sixteen days... It feels like we''ve been here for years." She took a deep breath. "Sixteen days ago, our land was invaded, our homes were destroyed. Over the border, Rusivite airships began to bomb peasant villages, and their fighting machines marched over the border into the Alter Valley. Killing, pillaging, and destroying everything and everyone in their path... They do not wish to occupy us; they do not wish to control us. Our enemy seeks nothing but to destroy our culture and our way of life. They want to consume us." She fell silent for a moment.

    She breathed and continued, "The Rusivite''s are not people. They do not hold compassion or morality. A person holds thoughts, feelings, and empathy. Yet none of that is displayed in the eyes of their monstrous machines or the devastating rockets they rain down upon our fellow man or woman. They are monsters. Soulless husks that wish nothing more than our destruction. Like the Oni unleashed by the Necrophage two thousand years ago. We are not fighting just for our freedom but for the right to live. We''ve been on the run for sixteen days, but today, upon learning what they''re doing to our people. I say we make a stand, take the initiative, and strike them where it hurts!" She pounds her fist on the podium. "We know where these machines get their power; if we succeed today, it may only be a minor victory, but the message we''ll send will be heard far and wide. Not just to the Rusitvite''s but the world as a whole! All of Enora, the Global Allied Nations, everyone will listen to the fact that we Heinmarans will not be silenced! That we are not cowards! And that we will fight for every gen of dirt! We will survive, and we will fight for the Republic!" Hass thrust her fist into the air in the motion of Heinmarr''s salute, and hundreds of soldiers did the same around me.

    "Hoo-raah!" The soldiers cried out in unison. "Hoo-raah!"

    "Get into positions!" Hass ordered. "We''re going over the river!"

    <hr>

    My stomach churned as Isa, I, and the members of Easy marched towards the lorries that would be carrying us over the Kenchala. On the way, I saw that the constructed bridges differed from typical pontoon bridges like I thought they''d be. Instead of being manually built, they were formed from stone. I saw they were being reinforced and maintained by mages, magically shaping the earth.

    "Get on board!" Captain Weller shouted as we all began to pile into the back of the open lorries. "Check your gear! We''ll be following once Ale and Berry are over those bridges!"

    My heart once again began to beat heavily as Isa helped me into the truck and sat me down beside her as about twelve other men and women piled in with us. Everyone was clad in heavy gear, their rifles tucked firmly between their legs, their heavy packs pressed against the back, forcing many of them to sit uncomfortably close to one another. Across from me, I saw Drach, the halfling who questioned me; his eyes were closed and clutched in his hand; it looked like a necklace with a silver, flaming sword.

    "O Kraten, God of War, hear our plea,

    In the fray of battle, stand with me.

    Grant us strength, courage, and might,

    In your name, we march into the fight.

    With gun and sword, we face the foe,

    In your valor, our spirits grow.

    Guide our hands, in the heat of war,

    Protect us now, forevermore."

    He touched the sword, kissed it gently, and sighed. Suddenly, his eyes flicked up to me, and I blushed and looked away.

    Drach sighed. "Can a man pray in peace," He said with a sly smile.

    "Sorry, I didn''t mean to eavesdrop," I said as the lorry engines purred to life. Behind us, I saw a line of artillery wagons pulling up behind our convoy.

    "I''m just giving you shit, kid," Drach said with a smirk. "You pray to any gods?" He asked.

    I shook my head. "No, not really... well, only when casting my spells."

    Drach frowned. "It''s not good, taking but never giving back. They won''t look fondly on that," he said.

    "That isn''t true," Lieutenant Zora said. "Magic is not taken from the gods but instead from our souls. Incantations are simply done to thank the gods for giving us the magic in the first place and help channel our power."

    Drach rolled his eyes. "I''m not getting into this shit again." He sighed as our lorry lurched and began to move.

    "Alright!" Captain Weller shouted from the lorry ahead of us. "We''re moving out!"

    I took a deep breath and sighed as I tried to keep my nerves in check. Isa touched my shoulder but said nothing, yet she didn''t need to. Feeling her presence was enough to calm my beating heart. I lifted my head and watched the camp slowly move beyond us as our lorries turned onto a dirt road towards one of the earth-made bridges.

    "I can''t wait to see how those lorry guns do once we blast them fightin'' machines," the young half-elf, Mara, said as she brushed her black and pink hair aside. "If our standard guns can cause quite the damage, I can only wonder what ones that can move and shoot can do."

    Drach smirked and shrugged. "Who knows, maybe we''ll be chasing them out of here this time."

    Isa glanced at the two of them. "I wouldn''t be so sure about that," she said flatly. "I don''t mean to doubt their capabilities, yet Luna and I have seen much of these monsters up close. They will not go down so easily."

    Drach, Mara, and a few other soldiers glanced at Isa and frowned.

    Lieutenant Zora said, "Talon is correct. We shouldn''t put all of our hopes into them. We need to focus on our task and work together as a team. Do not underestimate the enemy."

    My stomach lurched when the lorry''s wheels bounced over a large rock as we began to cross over the earthen bridge, and I shuddered.

    We''re genuinely going back over now, I thought, just as three massive booms startled me. I saw in the early morning sky as vast balls of blue energy screamed across the sky overhead.

    Around me, soldiers cheered from the back of the trucks.

    "The Godhammer has spoken!"

    "Give it to them!"

    They continued to cheer as the horizon lit with fire and three mushroom clouds rose ahead. Suddenly, another barrage of guns, though much smaller, echoed from back toward the military camp as dozens of blue energy bolts zipped overhead in the direction of our enemy.

    "Fuck yeah!" Drach shouted. "Damn, Rusivites must be shitting their bedrolls." He cackled.

    I gulped nervously as I watched the artillery shells zipping over us, almost like falling stars; more and more continued to fly as the rumbling barrage continued.

    This is it. I thought. The attack has officially begun.

 Chapter 57: Operation Dawnstar Pt. 2

    Whistling shells echoed above us as our lorry dipped forward and rolled down the rest of the earthen bridge. My gut lurched as the wheels slammed into the ground, and we all bounced as the vehicle leveled out.

    "We''re nearing the rendezvous point!" Captain Weller shouted from the lead lorry.

    I took a deep breath as Isa gripped my hand. Across from me, Drach looked at me and said, "Are you sure you still want to be here, kid?" His eyes scanned me from head to toe.

    I gulped and nodded firmly. "Yes. I need to be here."

    Lieutenant Zora looked at Isa and me. "Just keep your head down," she said. "I see you have a ring of protection. Do you know bubble as well?"

    I nodded. "Yes, I was practicing it just the other day."

    Zora smiled. "Excellent, are you able to project it?"

    I blinked. "Excuse me?"

    The akumari frowned and sighed. "I take that as a no."

    "She means to extend the spell out to others," Mara leaned forward. "It''s handy to have so that you can help protect us." She brushed her pink bangs out from in front of her face.

    The large orc, Gord, nodded. "Aye, saved me rear plenty of times."

    I shifted nervously. "Uh, well, I wasn''t exactly taught that. I was only shown how to protect myself."

    Zora waved her hand to the side. "It''s alright. Mara and I are both knowledgeable in projecting our defensive bubbles. Just stay close to us when the hell starts raining." I gave her a little thumbs-up.

    A few hours passed as our convoy broke into three separate groups and went off in different directions; one company moved east, the other north, and we continued northeast. Traveling by vehicle, we''d covered ground rapidly as we drove down the dirt roads. Along the way, I couldn''t help but notice the eerie silence of it all. Aside from the occasional bout of artillery, there were no birds, animals, or even the distant thumping or howls of fighting machines. It was too quiet. Deep within the thick of the woods, I heard Captain Weller bark something up ahead, and suddenly, the lorries veered off the dirt path and towards the trees. Stopping just before the tree line, Captain Weller ordered us to disembark.

    "C''mon, people, move it!" he shouted. "Ale and Berry are beginning their orders. Pretty soon, the enemy will be all over this area!"

    Hopping off the back of the trucks in pairs, Weller separated us into our four platoons. "I''ve been instructed to wait until Ale and Berry company have officially distracted the enemy. When the order is given to assault, we''ll be breaking off into squads. Squad leads, keep your communicaiton stones on you at all time, the enemy is expected to have heavy defenses so we''ll be spreading out during our advance." Weller said and looked at Isa and me. "You two are with Zora''s group."

    We both nodded. Weller pointed towards the forest and ordered everyone to move and spread out. As Isa and I moved with Zora and her small team, I noticed we consisted of Drach, Mara, Gord, and a few other humans I never got the name of.

    Now isn''t a good time to ask for their names, I thought, nervous as I noticed their hardened expressions. One of them saw me staring and glared at me, and I gulped.

    None of them feel comfortable with me, a little kid, traveling with them. I looked away, but before doing so, I glanced at the tags on the uniform and saw the names. Nessel, Lexis, and Frisch.

    Alright, noted. Maybe I can''t save everyone, but I''ll try to keep the nine of us safe, I thought just as the distant yet loud sounds of gunfire erupted from the northeast.

    Zora raised her hand to her left breast pocket. She slowed a little, and I noticed a faint shimmer coming from beneath her hand. She said, "Ale Company has made contact with the enemy." Just loud enough for us to hear.

    As we began to pick up speed once more, the voice in my head said, "North, two miles. Three fighting machines are moving in to flank the group she just spoke of."

    My stomach churned as the sense of anxiety began to swell. Are those the ones they''re fighting? I asked

    "No, these ones are new. I sensed them awakening and now they''re on the move. If you do not warn them, they''ll be caught off guard."

    But you said I shouldn''t mention you. I bit my lower lip as I moved swiftly. I noticed Isa glancing over to look at me, her expression concerned when she saw how troubled I looked.

    "You don''t have to mention me, but if you wish to win, tell them now."

    "Pick up the pace," Zora said, "We''ll keep moving towards the treeline to observe and await further instructions."

    I gripped my forehead and reached out to Isa, taking her hand. "Isa," I said, her eyes widening as she grabbed my hand.

    "It''s him," I muttered quietly enough so only she could hear. "He''s telling me more are coming from the north to attack Ale."

    Isa gritted her teeth and nodded. "Lieutenant," she said, and Zora stopped and looked back.

    "What is it, Talon?" she asked before noticing me gripping my head. "What''s wrong with her." She pointed at me.

    Two miles is like two gilos if I recall. I reminded myself.

    "Believe me when I say this," I said, dropping my hand. "But north of here, about two gilos, three fighting machines are about to flank Ale Company."

    The man named Nessel shot me a skeptical look and sighed. "And how the fuck do you know that?" He spat in the dirt.

    "Trust her," Isa snapped at him. "It''s because of her intuition that she and I are alive."

    "I can just feel it," I lied. "I know they''re coming; you have to warn them. They''ll be on them in just a couple of minutes."

    Zora looked at me curiously and then at Isa, who nodded and said, "Trust her lieutenant."

    "Lieutenant you can''t be seriously considering this," The man, Frisch, said with disbelief. "Are we seriously going to trust some fucking, kid."

    Isa shot the man a glare, though he didn''t back down.

    Zora''s blank eyes locked with mine, and for a moment, she turned around. "I trust the Colonel''s word as well as Talon''s, Corporal."

    She glanced over her shoulder, and I saw that her expression read. "But if this is a trick, there''ll be hell to pay." She reached into her breast pocket, pulled out a dark blue stone with glowing runes, and held it firmly. The stone''s runes gleamed brighter briefly before fading.

    "It''s done," she said as the stone''s light dimmed, and she stuffed it back into her pocket. "Now, let''s get moving."

    I watched her curiously as she began to move once more. My head tilted as I pondered how the stone worked. I didn''t even hear her say anything. I thought. Telepathy?

    "That is correct," the voice said. "Message stones, as I know them, allow thoughts to be cast far distances. They are very useful."

    We continued forward, and from here on, I noticed more curious eyes glancing towards me. After about a half hour of traversing through the forest, we found a natural ditch near its edge and quickly climbed into it. Nearby, I could hear other squads taking up positions as the sounds of far-off combat escalated.

    "Berry Company has made contact," Zora notified us. "Scouts report enemy forces are sallying out to reinforce their patrols."

    The halfling beside Isa and me eagerly fidgeted as he clutched his rifle in his hands. "How much time until we go in?" Drach asked excitedly.

    The lieutenant shrugged and peeked over the ditch. "Don''t know," Zora said, "But if I had to guess, not long." She twitched, and I saw her hand again reach for her breast pocket. It began to shimmer, and her head tilted down her eyes, focusing intensely as I assumed she was receiving another report.

    Behind us, I heard some rumbling, and my heart lurched in my chest. I turned around, expecting to see the enemy coming up on us. I was relieved when I noticed a few large orcs in the trees hacking away small shrubs and branches with machetes; the rumbling I heard was the engines of three artillery trucks positioning themselves behind us.

    Overhead, a sharp whistle and a crack echoed above us before suddenly, the ground shook as an explosion erupted far ahead. I yelped and turned to see, peering through the foliage. All I saw was a mushroom cloud in the distance.

    "What the hell was that?" I asked as Zora lifted her head and smirked.

    "The Godhammer," She said, looking at me. "Ale Company just confirmed your report and had called in the big guns to wipe them out. You really were right."

    "You''re fucking shitting me," Drach said as Nessel gave me a surprised look. "So you''re able to really sense these things?" He shook his head. "By Kraten''s sword, God of War must be looking out for us."

    Love what you''re reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on.

    "Ye-yeah," I said, looking at them. "I don''t know how or why, I just... get a hunch."

    "Well, that''s a pretty good fucking hunch." The girl, Lexis, mumbled as she peeked over the ditch, her rifle pointing out.

    Zora''s smile widened, and she nodded toward me. "Well, if you get more hunches, you better call them out."

    I nodded. "I will do that." I gave them a small smile and took a deep breath. I rested close to Isa and peeked over the ditch''s edge as we waited.

    And waited, and waited some more.

    It felt like ages. In the distance, I could hear the rapid fire of machine guns and the steady volley fire of rifles, followed by the occasional booms of cannons backed up by the screams of fighting machines. It was a horrific orchestra that steadily crescendoed and tapered, only to rise again.

    Everyone around me seemed oddly relaxed. Drach and Nessel were playing a card game I didn''t recognize, Frisch was reading a book, and Isa was talking to Gord about his massive gun.

    "You have quite an impressive rifle here," I overheard her say. "I don''t think I''m familiar with this."

    The orc gave her a huge smile as he hoisted his borderline cannon. "Oh, this girl?"

    "Oh she''s a girl?" Isa said with a sly smile.

    "My one and only beloved," he winked. "Kaola, I call her. She''s an Mk. 2 Dragon Piercer chambered in one hundred twenty cold-iron-tipped magrite." As he explained this, he racked the bolt on the massive rifle and pulled out a gigantic, silver bullet with a frosty, pointed gray tip.

    Holy shit, I turned my full attention to it. Dragon piercer, for sure; that thing could probably pierce a fucking tank.

    Isa leaned in and eyed the bullet curiously, then reached out for it, which Gord happily handed her. I saw its size perfectly as she took it from his large hand. The bullet barely fit in her hand, so she had to take it in both hands to examine it properly.

    "It can even fire adamantium and magrite bullets, too," Gord smirked. "With cold iron, it has an effective range of about five hundred and fifty garos. With adamantium, it drops to about three hundred due to weight, but it packs a hell of a punch. Though magrite, those rounds are very light and can reach eight hundred. They are good against soft targets or small dragons like striders but will plink off harmlessly against a dorrogan or anything bigger."

    Isa nodded as she looked over the bullet before handing it back. "Impressive. Can those pierce the fighting machines?" she asked, and Gord''s smile grew even more comprehensive. He nodded his head.

    "Aye, they can. As long as you aim directly for their glass eye." He said this, gesturing to his own eyes. "Those eyes take up pretty much the front of their face, making them easy targets. A couple of cold-iron shots, or just one adamantium, can do a lot of damage." He chambered the round back into his rifle and locked it in. "Problem is, you smaller folk are too small to carry these around effectively, and the kick from the cold and adamantium rounds knock you on your asses. That''s when we Orkani and Mencorans come in."

    Isa chuckled. "You large guys handle the big toys while we little ones keep you covered," she said as she crossed her arms.

    "Exactly. Distract the big ones for me and I bring down the pain." He slammed his fist into his palm.

    Isa nodded and asked, "Just curious, but have you actually killed one of those things with that?"

    Gord shook his head. "No. Not yet; I''ve wounded one, though. Little over a week ago, shortly after the Kassel incident, a fighting machine attempted to cross the river. First time I''ve seen one," He said with a sigh as he turned so his back was against the wall of the ditch and laid back. "I hadn''t expected them to move so fast. All the stories we heard about big machines, I expected them to be clunky and awkward, not scuttling like an arachnai," He said, referring to a literal spider-like monster. "I was frightened by it, but after regaining my composure, it began to wade through the water, and I took my shot. I must''ve had the cold-iron loaded at the time because I struck it right in the eye, but I only chipped whatever glass or crystal they''re made of. The thing actually screamed." he shuddered. "After that it turned and ran as we all began to open fire on it."

    "Wait a second," I said, joining the conversation. "It ran away?" I''ve only ever seen those things charge into combat head-on, and from the stories I recalled Peter telling us, it seemed like that''s what they always did.

    "Aye, it did," Gord said with a nod. "The thing sounded like a chorus of people crying in pain when I shot it, and after that, it turned and ran--like that, listen." He said as we fell silent and raised a finger to the air, singling out a distant howl of a fighting machine over the fighting, a mournful cry of agony. I recall hearing a similar sound in Kassel when the soldiers fired upon one of them with a field cannon.

    "Now that you mention it," I muttered, "I wonder if they feel pain."

    "Gods, I hope they fucking do!" Drach called out from behind us as the others laughed.

    Gord grunted. "Judging by how they react,it seems they do. If they feel pain, perhaps they also feel fear. Never in my life had I thought I''d encounter a machine that feels."

    Isa took a deep breath. "Well it doesn''t matter what they feel," she said, "they''re slaughtering and taking our people. Best we put a stop to that."

    Gord nodded once more. "Aye, I can agree to that."

    Just then, another barrage of cannon fire as shells screeched overhead. The earth trembled as the shells impacted nearby, and then another wave slammed overhead the previous one and then another. My eyes widened as I remembered what this was, of all my time learning about the old great war from my past life.

    Creeping barrage.

    Somewhere in the forest, I heard a sharp whistle. "Advance!" Weller''s boomed over the sound of the artillery''s barrage.

    My heart slammed against my ribs, and my palms felt sweaty as the team around me quickly grabbed their belongings and got to their feet. "Stay close, but not too close!" Zora shouted as she climbed over the ditch, the others following behind. "We are to make it to the next thicket! Don''t move too fast or the barrage will hit you!"

    Isa gulped as well as she looked at me. "Keep me in your line of sight," She said as she gripped her gun and leaped over with Gord following suit. Leaving me to be the last one in the ditch.

    I''m fucking stupid; this is stupid. Fuck me, why am I doing this? Second thoughts plagued me as I heard the engines of the artillery trucks coming back to life behind me, and from either side, I saw the other squads moving ahead out from the tree line.

    Taking a deep breath, I swore and scrambled out of the ditch. Following behind the others through the tree line, I could see gouts of debris and smoke pluming into the air as round after round artillery shells slammed into the earth. Each shell kicked up enough debris to cloud our advance as I and the soldiers filed out into the open field.

    The sound was almost deafening, and each strike into the earth sent a massive tremor that made me nearly trip. I could hear someone shouting as I hesitantly followed behind Isa.

    I turned in their direction and saw a young man, a soldier from another squad I didn''t recognize. He was frantically waving his arm back.

    "Hey! Get back!" I faintly heard him shout over the explosions. "Get back! This is no place for a--"

    "Three hundred yards up ahead, in the thicket, two of them just woke up." The voice warned, and my stomach lurched. "Get down now!"

    "Everyone get down!" My shrill voice cried just as the fighting machines unleashed their warcry.

    Dozens of machine gun fire ripped through the smoke. Around me, men and women screamed, as only those closest to me heeded my advice and dove to the ground as red bolts of energy ripped and cracked overhead. I felt myself beginning to panic; my eyes shot from left to right, quickly trying to make sure nobody was hurt. I could hear screaming and crying, and yet I realized. That was my voice.

    I quickly clamped a hand over my mouth to silence myself. Yet when an energy bolt from one of the machine guns slammed the earth next to me and sprayed me with dirt, I yelled and rolled. The bullets flew everywhere, with no target or pattern; the machines sprayed in every direction.

    The artillery barrage was working. The machines couldn''t see us, yet the firepower from only two was devastating. Around me, the soldiers kept their bodies pressed into the dirt; those who remained still, I couldn''t tell if they were dead, injured, or, like me, too frightened to move. Yet there were those much braver than I who began to crawl forward quickly. "Move, you maggots!" I heard a man shout as he blew an ear-splitting whistle. "Move! Or you''ll die!"

    My body was tense, locked into place, and I felt like I couldn''t move. I wanted to curl up and get as small as possible. I''m a fucking waste. Goddammit, did I honestly think I could do this? Really? The second thoughts reared their ugly head.

    Suddenly I felt someone grab hold of the scruff of my neck and I cried out as I was dragged forward at a rapid pace. "Luna, you need to move!" I heard Isa shout as I was suddenly tossed ahead before tumbling down into a still-warm crater.

    "Into the holes! Take cover in the holes!" I heard a woman shout.

    I sputtered and spat loose dirt that had gotten into my mouth and turned to see Isa looking me over. "Are you hurt?" She asked and I shook my head.

    "Good." She said just as Gord dove into the hole beside us, his large rifle clutched to his chest.

    "Where the shots coming from?" He asked gruffly.

    I stammered, "A-about th-three hun-hundred..."

    "Three hundred what?" Gord asked.

    Fuck what''s the equivalent of yards?

    "Garos!" I shouted as I remembered. "Three hundred garos!" I panted as my heart felt like it was going to burst.

    "Luna, I know it''s scary but you need to focus," Isa said to me. "Try not to panic, panicking will only get you killed." She knelt to me and I nodded as Gord pointed his rifle over the lip of the crater and adjusted his sights.

    "Can''t get a read on them. Smoke is too thick." The orc cursed as the halfling Drach also dove into our hole.

    "Fuck, fuck, fuck!" He cursed and laughed. "Holy shit, they almost got me a few times!" He said fixing his helmet. "You see them big man?" He asked nonchalantly as if we weren''t being fired upon.

    Gord shook his head. "No. Can''t get a clear view, the barrage is obscuring too much."

    As if on cue, the shells stopped falling, leaving us with only the sounds of horrified screams, orders being shouted, and a seemingly never-ending torrent of machine gun fire.

    "They have to run out of ammo at some point," I whined as I clapped my cheeks and tried to think of something. Yet my mind was blank. Raddled beyond belief as the only thought I could think of was how to stay alive.

    "Maybe," Gord huffed. "But I bet the second one stops, the other is going to start shooting."

    "What do you mean, they''re both not shooting? I can hear them now!" I said covering my head as another round of bullets whizzed over our crater.

    "I only hear six guns!" Gord said, "Each of them have six guns each, only one is shooting. When it stops, the second will take its place."

    "Luna," Isa said, "The bubble spell, I know you said you haven''t projected it before, but you have to try. If you can shield us, we can move forward so Gord can get a shot."

    "Fuck yeah, lets get close to''em!" Drach said giddily. "I wanna pop''em!"

    I felt myself starting to hyperventilate. Get close?! Are they nuts?!

    "I-I don''t know if I can, I-I can only bubble myself, I-I''m not like Momma, I can''t cover us all." Isa grabbed me by the shoulders.

    "You have to try, Luna! Please, we''re still torenia here!" She said referring to a tortoise-like creature. "the moment that dust cloud disappears, they''ll sweep in and kill us."

    Hearing that caused me to whimper and shift. Fuck she''s right, I-I can do this. I need to do this. I closed my eyes and focused hard, recalling the spell bubble I tried to clear my mind and focus on creating a shield, not just around myself but all of us.

    Yet suddenly my concentration was broken when nearby I heard the screech of something falling and slamming into the earth! A hot blast of air followed by a shockwave rippled over our crater and knocked me over my hearing vanished for just a second as a sharp ringing took its place. I covered my ears and screamed as another explosion happened nearby.

    "We''re in range of artillery!" I heard Gord''s booming voice scream, yet despite being next to us he sounded so distant.

    "Luna!" Isa''s distant voice shouted as she grabbed me. "The bubble! Bubble us now!"

    Panic taking hold I scrambled back to my knees and tried to focus, my head pulsing with a migraine as I tried to concentrate. I held my hands out, trying to envision a protective bubble around us. My stomach began to bubble and churn with warmth and tingles, and as I took deep breaths I pushed this feeling out towards my palms, and I opened my eyes and looked upwards. I screamed as a missile arced down directly towards us.

 Chapter 58: Operation Dawnstar Pt. 3

    There was a blinding light, and then nothing but pain and screeching. Like a sharp mind-splitting ring that tore through my brain and sent me crumpling to the ground. I felt hot wetness dripping down the sides of my head. I knew I was alive. We were alive. I rolled across the ground, probably screaming; I couldn''t tell. I couldn''t hear. Only the sharp ring in my head. I felt my body bump against those around me. They, too, were on the ground.

    I''m blind. I''m deaf. Fuck! Fuck! I panicked. Oh god, I might as well be fucking dead; I''m going to die! I''m going to die!

    "Control yourself." The voice in my head said.

    It hurts; my head hurts!

    "Use the magic you were taught. Restoration. Restore your hearing and sight before something else kills you!" The voice ordered.

    He was right. I had a way to fix this! I was trained for this moment. Yet the pain¡ªoh, God, the pain. I did my best to focus; I didn''t know if I was saying the incantation or not. Yet I could feel the magic bubbling within me. I clapped my cheeks right when I thought I was finished. Suddenly sound returned, and my vision, once white and blurry, began to clear.

    The sounds of machine gun fire and shouting were always present around me. Men and women beside me screamed, and as I regained my composure, I turned to see Isa beside me, writhing on the ground, clutching her fuzzy ears.

    I did; I stopped the missile. I gulped and shook my head. There is no time to think about that. We need to help others.

    I dropped down to my knees. "In the whispering weave of magic''s touch, threads entwine, ailments clutch. Sight restored, and limbs made whole, Slyondra¡¯s grace, the healer''s role. Restore!" I placed my hands on Isa''s head and channeled my magic into her.

    The serelli squealed and squirmed under my grasp, yet she soon calmed as her dilated eyes focused and her fuzzy ears twitched. "Lu-Luna?" She croaked out just as another missile slammed into the earth a few yards away from us and exploded.

    Isa yanked me down and held me just as debris showered into our crater. "Th-thank you!" I said that to her and pushed her away. "I need to tend to the others," I said, crawling over to Gord next and beginning to mutter the incantation. One by one, he moved between him and Drach.

    The two of them were dazed for a moment, but Drach smiled widely as he regained his senses and said, "Fuck yeah! Maybe you are the real deal!" He clapped my shoulder and rolled onto his stomach.

    Gord flopped onto his back, keeping his head as low as he could as he clutched his large rifle close and checked it. Once he was satisfied, he looked up at me, took a deep breath, and said, "Thank you. Can you do it again?"

    My eyes widened. "I, uh, I think I can," I said hesitantly. "Should I do it now?"

    Gord shook his head. "No. Wait till the guns stop briefly, and I''ll give the word. We''ll charge over, and then I want you to bubble us so that we can get close and I can blast one of them."

    "But what about the other?" I asked nervously.

    Gord licked his lips. "We''ll figure something out."

    Right then. The guns fell silent, and Gord flipped over and began to scramble. "Go!"

    My heart lurched in my chest, but without thinking, my legs pushed me to my feet, and I scrambled out of the crater behind him. Concentrating as best I could, trying to push the intrusive thoughts from my mind, I called upon my well to create yet another shield around us all.

    "Stay close to me!" I squealed as, through the smoke and dust, I saw the tree line and the bright, blue light of a fighting machine looking at us. I shouted a curse right as the guns on its head began to fire, yet just as the first few bullets slammed against my projected shield, I saw Gord drop to one knee, lift his rifle, and unleash a defeating, concussive blast!

    The rifle alone nearly deafened me once more as the massive gun slammed back against him and the recoil nearly pushed the orc back. Immediately, the machine''s guns were replaced by a bloodcurdling wail. A cry, reminiscent of a woman''s, echoed across the battlefield as the machine''s head flew back as glass and sparks shot out from the punctured hole in its head.

    Quickly, Gord chambered another heavy round into his gun and hoisted his rifle once more, but stopped when Drache shouted, "Eleven o''clock! The second one is looking this way!" He pointed to our left, and I turned just in time to see the other one barreling through the trees towards us. Its glass eyes began to form a solid shield over its surface; like a lantern, the circular cover began to close around it, focusing its light, and that''s when I realized.

    It''s the heat ray!

    "Get back in the crater!" I shouted. "It''s going to burn us!" I began to panic, yet suddenly, three eruptive blasts echoed from where we were, and streaking over our heads, three artillery shells slammed into the monstrous foe.

    The fighting machine let off a horrid cry, a masculine howl of pain as two shells struck it in the side of the head, the third taking out its front left leg. The machine hobbled back, tripped over a fallen log, and slammed into the earth.

    "Fuuuuck you!" Drach howled with laughter as he jammed a finger at the twitching machine on the ground.

    "Gord!" Isa shouted. "The first one!"

    "On it!" Gord hoisted his rifle once again towards the first fighting machine, sparks still spitting out of its shattered face. The machine stumbled around, as if confused, and turned in our direction, and once again, Gord''s rifle boomed once more, and the glass ruptured into sparks and blue fire. This time, it didn''t even scream but slumped over silently with a heavy thud.

    "Haha! Fuck yeah!" Drach cheered, and soon soldiers around us who had been taking cover in the many craters joined in along with the honking of horns from the lorry guns.

    "Is everyone accounted for?" I heard Captain Wleller''s distant voice.

    And people began to call out in response. "Minor injuries, but no casualties." One lieutenant responded.

    "No casualties either," a second reported.

    "Two fatalities." My heart twinged upon hearing that, and I looked back to see a bloodied man and a few other soldiers dragging two heavily damaged corpses out of a crater.

    "Where''s my squad?" I heard the familiar voice of Zora, and I gulped and turned around to see Zora, Nessel, Frisch, and Lexis. Yet the pink-haired half-elf, Mara, was nowhere to be seen.

    "Right, here, lieutenant." Gord responded with a salute. "You look like you just ran through hell." He commented on her dirtied appearance, along with Lexis, who looked like she had just been dragged through the mud.

    "We all just did, at least part of it," Zora stated, looking over us. "Where''s Mara? She was beside me when we rushed the field."

    I gulped as we all glanced around at each other, and Drach bit his lower lip. "You don''t think she..."

    "I''m okay!" A voice shouted from behind, and we turned to see a disheveled, filthy half-elf dragging the body of a wounded soldier out of a crater. "Lu-Luna, he''s still breathing!" Mara called, and I nodded and rushed towards them.

    The elven man was splintered with shrapnel, his body practically Swiss cheese; it was a miracle he was still alive, though he wouldn''t be for long with how much he was bleeding. I held my breath as I dropped down into the mud beside Mara and placed my hands on him. Not wasting much time, I muttered the incantation and focused as much magic as was needed on him.

    Within moments, as my energy coursed into him, the pieces of shrapnel were pushed from his body, and the wounds began to heal. Mara watched with wide eyes as the man''s brow furrowed, and he grimaced and slowly opened his eyes.

    "Wh-what?"

    "Don''t move, Almer," Mara whispered. "Luna is taking care of you." She wiped the dirt from his face, and the man winced once more.

    I sighed softly as my spell came to an end, and I said, "He''s all set." I looked at him. "You''ll be sore, but you''re all patched up."

    The man turned to look at me. His face was perplexed, though he took a deep breath, nodded, and muttered, "Thank you."

    "Listen up!" I jolted upon hearing Captain Weller shout. "We don''t have much time! We need to keep pushing; gather your gear and let''s get a move on it!"

    I took a deep breath and looked at Mara. "How are you feeling?" I asked, looking over her dirtied appearance. "Are you hurt?"

    Mara shook her head. "Just some minor scratches and bruises. Conserve your ether; let''s go." She brushed her black and pink hair to the side and fixed her helmet.

    Getting to our feet, we reconvened with Isa and the others. Taking a deep breath and doing a quick survey of our surroundings, Lieutenant Zora turned to us all. "Alright, we''re pushing deeper. Word from the other companies states the enemy is falling back. Like before, stay apart and push forward; let''s not give them any easy targets!"

    "Hoo-rah!" The others shouted, and Zora motioned for us all to push forward.

    <hr>

    As we pushed through the thicket, I saw the wrecked fighting machines up close. Massive hulks they were, composed of a strange metal I''d never seen before. Adamantine maybe? I thought it was silver in color, yet at certain angles, the light bouncing off of it gave it an almost purple hue. All around it were pipes, cogs, and pistons, hundreds of small mechanical pieces that had all worked together in unison. It was astounding how such a thing could be made in this world, at least from what I know and have seen.

    Technologically, Rusivites must be leaps and bounds ahead of everyone else. I thought to myself as we moved past the wreckage. In the distance, more bouts of fighting could be heard, yet among the chaos, a new sound caught my ear, one that made me jolt with fear. A bestial roar, none that I had heard before sent my gaze upwards along with the rest of the squad as I saw three massive, winged beasts fly over my head. Their bodies were silenced by the morning sun.

    "Dragon riders!" Lexis shouted. "We''ve got air support!"

    My eyes widened as one of the gargantuan dragons reared upwards, its now visible red scales shining brightly in the sun''s light as he roared once more. Its heavy wings buffeting the air, the gust of each flap causing the trees above us to shake and rustle.

    The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

    The other two dragons hovered nearby as they seemed to be surveying the area. Yet it was only a few seconds before The furthest one to my left, which I think was silver or white, I couldn''t quite tell as the sun was shining too brightly off its scales, let off another roar and began to fly to the northwest, the other two falling behind it.

    Drach whistled when they flew off and said, "Kraten, bless this battle! Beasts like that, we''re sure to win!"

    "When the God of War sees a spectacle, he always sends his best," Gord said with a nod.

    Zora held up a fist. "Steady yourselves," she said. "The battle hasn''t fully begun yet; overconfidence will lead to missteps."

    Drach sighed but nodded. "Yes, boss."

    I continued to watch the dragons fly off in the distance, my body abuzz with nerves. Actual dragons. Those were actual dragons. I thought. I had only seen them in books or stories. Yet that was the real deal. I shuddered and smiled. Despite living in this world for seven years, it was moments like this that hammered home where I truly was.

    Isa grabbed me by the shoulder and shook me back to the present. "No time to gawk, Luna," she said softly. "We''re nearing Dresden." I gulped and nodded.

    We proceeded forward, deeper into the thicket in front of me Isa carefully moved forward, a rifle gripped in her hands I watched as her eyes scanned in every direction. Around us, the soldiers did the same; all of us were equally spaced out by a few feet. Despite there being nearly a hundred of us, it was nearly silent, save for the distant sounds of combat.

    I could hear the dragons from earlier, the guttural roars followed by the howls of fighting machines. Fantastical creatures fighting clockwork robots, in my past life, I would''ve expected this to be a Warhammer game. Yet here I was. In the middle of it. A terrifying situation.

    I gulped as I continued to follow behind the others. Doing my best to keep a nervous look about, a few glances from the soldiers told me I wasn''t doing a good job hiding my anxiety. Though I attempted to pay no attention to them, the emphasis on "attempted."

    Thankfully, we hadn''t encountered any more machines when we neared the treeline. By this point, the air was thick with smoke. Large chunks of the once pristine blue sky were filled with black and white clouds, and bits of ash were sprinkling down around us. By this point, we could see it. Ahead of us was a large field, possibly a few hundred yards, before stopping at a mostly standing but heavily damaged and abandoned village. Beyond that, the village of Dresden was a star-shaped fortress that stood imposingly with its massive tower sprouting from its center. Like a cooling tower, thick jets of steam burst forth from it and wafted high into the air.

    Accenting the sounds of war, an alien alarm echoed far ahead of us from the fortress. A sound similar to that of Claxon yet heavily distorted. Like a garbled radio, this sound came through clearly at first before distorting towards the end, only to repeat itself. Suddenly, a booming voice in a language I could not understand crescendoed.

    Lieutenant Zora held her fist up to stop all of us as nearby squads did the same. Behind us, I could hear the rumbling of the lorry engines as artificer engineers made quick work of the foliage and trees to clear a path for them.

    We squatted down as Zora reached into a pack on her side, pulled out a set of binoculars, and peered into them while one hand clutched the communication stone in her breast pocket. She mumbled something into it as Isa turned back to me. Seeing my nervousness, she backed up a little and placed a hand on my shoulder.

    "We''re almost there," she said softly. "It looks like we just need to do one final push."

    I took a shaky breath. "The hardest push," I clarified. "They''ll have this place heavily defended." I gulped. "Th-they''re going to try and shoot us as we go in."

    Isa bit her lower lip, admittedly not knowing what to say. Get your nerves under control, I thought to myself. We got this; we have the bubble spell; we can project it now¡­ But what if they have other spellcasters of their own? The Colonel said they have soldiers there, like actual soldiers, not machines. What if they know magic?

    Isa squeezed my shoulder. As if she could read my mind, she said, "Try to stay focused on now. Right now, we''ve pushed them back to their base; Zora said we''re surrounding them. Everything is going to be okay."

    It''s going too well, I thought pessimistically. Master, do you sense any of those machines?

    "I sense a few, but none of which are immediate threats. They seem to be regrouping at a central point where all the essence is coalescing. Which I presume is this base you need to reach."

    Right, I thought. I guess that''s to be expected given what Zora said about them falling back. Any tips?

    "What could I possibly say to assist in this?" The master said.

    "Well, I dunno, some infinite wisdom? You''re a powerful guy; maybe you have experience in war.

    "Quite the broad assumption," The voice mumbled. "But you are right. I''ll admit I am familiar with warfare; however, I would need to see the bigger picture here. Unfortunately, I can only see what your eyes see, and I have a vague feeling of what is out there, but a feeling doesn''t show me what is actually there. Not only that, this age of warfare is something I am not accustomed to."

    You really must be old then. I sighed.

    "Very," The voice replied bluntly. "I''ll continue to do my best to provide advice when I can, but do not expect me to provide you with a solution up front. Be careful, Luna; I need you alive."

    I know, I know, if I die, your plans get ruined. I took another deep breath, and the voice did not respond.

    "There''s a few of those fighting machines in the base," I told Isa softly. "A handful are gathering around the essence, which I believe is that big tower."

    "You mean the one over there." Isa pointed to the distant fortress, and I swiveled my head to follow her finger. Through the gaps in the trees and leaves, I could faintly see a large structure towering from a vantage point over the field and houses. Unfortunately, due to my height, I couldn''t peer over the bushes along the tree line well enough without getting close, and I didn''t want to risk poking my head out any further.

    "Yeah, I think so," I replied, and Isa sighed as well.

    "Well, we already knew that thing was important to them. But it''s nice to know what to expect. Lieutenatnt!" Isa called out to Zora.

    Zora lowered the binoculars and turned to us. "What is it?"

    Isa slapped me on the back. "Little Diviner here says we have some more spindly guys waiting for us at the tower. A handful, she says."

    "Do you have an exact number?" Zora asked me directly.

    "About five," the voice said.

    "About five," I repeated. "I can sense them huddling around the tower. Most likely to defend it."

    Zora nodded slowly as Lexis and Nessel shared a glance, the two no longer seemingly skeptical. Mara smiled and adjusted her helmet once more.

    "So that means we don''t have to deal with them right away?" She asked with a big grin. "That''s relief, really; just those two earlier were a nightmare to deal with."

    "I wouldn''t be so cheery," Gord said with a huff. "If they''re huddling in the base, that means artillery is out of the question. They''re too close to the prison."

    Mara''s smile drifted into a frown. "Oh."

    Gord nodded. "We''ll also need to fight them in close quarters, which means that fucking heat spell is going to burn us to a crisp."

    I bit my lower lip. The thought of being turned into ashes did not sound appealing.

    "Do we have a way of countering that?" Frisch asked and looked at me. "You know how to disable ether channeling, right?"

    I sputtered and looked at Zora and Isa. I''ve been told about disruption by my mother; it was a high-level spell that could temporarily plug another''s well. Like counter-spelling in my old D&D games. Yet, as mentioned, it was a high-tier spell; I had never been taught it.

    I shook my head. "N-No."

    "It wouldn''t work anyway," Zora mentioned. "Reports from other fronts already mentioned that magisters haven''t been able to stop the burning light. Mainly due to it not being a spell, but some device within."

    "Can our bubbles stop it?" I asked nervously, thinking I already suspected the answer.

    Zora shook her head. "No. The best defense against it is total cover, or keeping your distance. It has a very short range."

    "Well, there is one counter," Gord grumbled as he hoisted his rifle to his shoulder. "And that''s to kill it before it kills us. A few good shots of my rifle in the eye, as you all saw, can take them down. Get me and the other anti-dragon wielders up front, and we can gun them down."

    Zora nodded. "Exactly. If they are rallying around the tower, I doubt we''ll be able to get them to sally out. We''ll be forced to fight them on their terms. But the machines aren''t the only issue." She picked a stick off the ground and began to trace a star into the mud. "The star fort has Rusivite soldiers and is most likely sharpshooters, and worst of all, other magisters."

    I felt my blood run cold. I recalled my mother back during the camping trip when she fought those timber wolves, and how powerful she seemed. Or hell, even when she fought the fighting machines herself. What if the Rusivites had mages like her on their side? I couldn''t fight them!

    "Reports just came in from the captain and other companies that Ale and Berry have successfully secured their positions," Zora stated as she began marking their locations on the rough mud map. "The surviving lorry guns are going to take up strategic positions along the eastern and western hills to provide light artillery, but only on the walls. We''re going to attempt to create a breach. Once one is made, that''s when our assault begins. I''ll be honest." Zora took a deep breath. "This will be a headlong charge." She looked at each of us right in the eyes, but especially at me, a gaze that she held for a few seconds. "These butchers, I guarantee you will not go silently. They know how we feel about them."

    "Damn right, they do," Drach snarled, and he pounded his fists together. "Once I get my hands on one of those Ursan bastards, I''ll skin his fucking pelt."

    "Exactly," Zora said with a nod. "Which means they''ll go down fighting, every last one of them. Do not underestimate them," she repeated and looked at me. "Luna, when we do the charge, both you and I are going together. I want you to focus on your bubble shield, and I''ll try my best to provide artillery support and concealment when need be. Which means everyone should stay close to her and protect this little one with their lives. If she goes down, we''ll all be mince meat."

    The squad nodded. Another distorted alarm echoed from the fortress, and an angry, unintelligible voice shouted what I could presume to be orders of some kind.

    "Oh, I can''t wait to find that guy," Drach growled and checked his gun, a small carbine perfectly sized for a halfling. "I heard from other brigades that people have been collecting commissar badges."

    "Commissar?" I asked softly.

    Drach smiled wickedly and nodded. "That''s the voice you''re hearing," Isa said as she pointed to the fortress. "A commissar is a political and military figure who acts as a disciplinary officer as well. They keep the soldiers in line and morale high; he''s giving a speech."

    I blinked. "Wait, you know what they''re saying?" I asked stunnedly, How many languages does she know?

    Isa nodded. "I told you my homeland was colonized by the Rusivites. I had to learn their language quickly in order to survive. I am very familiar with the commissar. Right now, he is trying to raise the morale of his troops, which tells me our attack has struck fear in them. Spouting about how their ''Great Empress of Enora has blessed them on this faithful day, and that their sacred machines shall not buckle against the heathen menace."

    Drach snorted and laughed. "Empress of Enora? Bitch really thinks she rules over us all?"

    Nessel chuckled as well and said, "They really are just a bunch of religious nuts."

    I could hear the booming voice of this commissar becoming more and more aggressive in his shouting as he gave his passion-filled speech. The language sounded so alien, and aggressive that I hated to admit it, yet something in me didn''t even think it sounded human. In the old traditional sense. The man probably wasn''t human, as I learned from Isa that Rusimia, which is home to the Urasai race, a group of beast-folk resembling bears before it was colonized by humanity, similar to that of Isa''s homeland.

    The commissar''s voice crescendoed even louder, his voice echoing in pitch, before finally there was one word I could make out when he reached his peak. "Rusimia!" Suddenly, a loud chorus of cheers echoed from the fortress.

    "Hoo-rah! Hoo-rah!"

    Then the guns spoke. Behind me, a few dozen feet back, the truck guns opened fire. Six loud bangs sent me nearly out of my dress as I dove to the ground, startled. Across the open field on the other side of the abandoned and destroyed village of Dresden, more cannons began to fire.

    The alarm once again rose, and the commissar''s booming voice confidently yelled over the rain of our artillery from the fortress, I saw streaks of red firing upwards into the sky as I looked up and peered through the trees.

    "Enemy mortars! They''re firing back!" Isa hissed.

    Yet as the red magical shells streaked across the sky towards us, they were thankfully inaccurate as they landed somewhere behind us. At this point, Zora raised her hand to her ear, and she turned to us. "A breach was made!" She shouted as more squad leaders down the line began to shout.

    "Fix bayonets!" Swiftly, I saw the men and women around me unsheathing long, gnarly blades before quickly fastening them to their weapons. "Hold for the next volley!" Zora shouted along with the other lieutenants.

    My heart began to race as I straightened up beside Isa. I was trying my best to focus my mind; I had to make sure I had a bubble ready for when we began running. Yet I wouldn''t have long to focus as suddenly the cannons fired again, and I jerked with a start as Zora pulled out a whistle and blew into it.

    "Chaaarge!" She and many others screamed.

    "For the Republic!" Mara cried and ran forth as hundreds of men and women poured out from the tree line, running through the open field as I rushed forth beside Isa. Charging forth into the breach.

 Chapter 59: Into the Breach

    Insanity. That''s what it was. What I did was insane. Zora blew sharply into her whistle, and the order to charge was cast, and like a massive wave of soft meat, we all charged out from the safety of the cover and into the open field. At least a few hundred yards away was our only bit of cover¡ªa handful of non-destroyed houses.

    For the first few seconds, as the echoing war cries of the men and women sounded around me as we ran forward, things appeared to be going smoothly. I had focused as hard as possible on maintaining my shield, which I tried to project around myself, Isa, and the others in my squad. Yet I could feel the ether within me draining rapidly, similar to your stomach sinking to the floor when anxiety settles in. It was a very apt feeling for what had happened next. She ran for probably the first hundred yards without issue, a feat I never could''ve performed in my old body. Even now, this young elven form was struggling by this point, yet as I pumped my little legs alongside the fully grown men and women, the soreness that was affecting me would soon vanish upon sight of the thousands of red bolts of energy that began to scream in our direction.

    It happened in an instant. Those not shielded within my bubble began to drop. A man a few feet away from me, sprinting at full speed, abruptly dipped forward, his face slamming into the grassy dirt, unmoving. A woman to my left''s battle cry would be abruptly cut short as I saw the top of her head and helmet split open just as her helmet pinged and her body spun as if clumsily doing a pirouette before hitting the earth.

    I stifled a cry of fear as the woman crumpled dozens upon dozens of bullets and began to slam against my bubble shield. "Keep rushing!" Zora shouted. "Focus on the task at hand!" She thrust her staff forward and sent a magical gust of air outward. A massive cloud of dust kicked up around us, obscuring us from our enemy as we proceeded forward.

    My mind was locked up with fear; the only thing I could focus on was the one thing that was keeping us alive. The shield. I couldn''t comprehend how the enemy was blasting us with so much firepower despite still being hundreds of yards out with such precision. Zora had warned of sharpshooters, yet I had only envisioned a couple. Not every single Rusivite soldier.

    "Stick close to your casters!" Zora screamed once more as more soldiers caught out in the open dropped like heavy sacks. Left and right, I watched as people''s lives ended in mere seconds.

    No, no! I said I would save them. I said I would try and keep them alive.

    "It told you that doing such a thing is improbable." The voice of the master said, "There are nearly a thousand souls out here, hundreds of feet, if not miles, all around you. All of which are fighting and dying. Trying to save each other is a fool''s errand; now focus on moving."

    You''re not fucking helping me here?! I panicked and whined as my foot slammed into something I cried and stumbled forward. My face smashed into the dirt as I rolled forward. Turning back, I noticed I had tripped over a body. Frisch''s body. The man was lying on his side, eyes wide. I could see he was still holding on to life, but barely, as in his chest was what looked like a golf ball-sized hole.

    "Luna!" Isa shouted in front of me. "The shield; your shield dropped!" I heard her panicked cry as suddenly another blast of air and dust formed around us to act as a makeshift cover.

    "H-Hold on!" I yelled back as I crawled over to the dying man and planted my hands on him. "I got you; don''t die." I quickly began to mutter the incantation, yet the sounds of bullets whizzing over my head and past my ears caused me to flinch and whimper.

    I fumbled the words, yet I tried my hardest to focus as I channeled my magic into Firsch. The young lad''s eyes dimmed as the wound in his chest began to magically stitch itself shut.

    "Luna!" I heard Zora shout for me this time. "We need to keep moving!"

    "Hold on!" I screamed once more. "I''m almost¡ª"

    My hearing vanished, replaced with the sharp ring of tinnitus as the force of a semi-truck slammed into me. My knees and legs left the ground as the force of an explosion rocketed me at least a dozen feet backward. My vision spun before suddenly my back slammed into the grassy dirt, mud, and hot chunks of something sprinkled around me.

    I was so stunned and amazed to be alive after what happened that I didn''t even scream or cry. I was gazing up at the beautiful blue sky. I shifted, coughed, and sputtered. I brought a hand to my face. I took a blood-soaked, dirty hand, placed it on my pointed right ear, and began to mutter what I thought was restoration again. Once more, my hearing began to return.

    "Mortars! Mortars!" I heard someone shouting.

    Suddenly, I felt a hand aggressively grab me and yank me off the ground. I gasped as I saw Gord, the large orc, throwing me over his shoulder. "Are you hurt?" He shouted.

    "N-No." I squeaked out as my eyes glanced at where I was. A decently sized shell hole that was once where Frisch had been laying was all that remained, and chunks of what I hoped were charred dirt.

    H-How am I alive¡­? Why is he dead?

    "Don''t think about it." The master growled. "You only got lucky."

    <hr>

    Gord''s body slammed against the wall of the abandoned house, positioning himself beside Isa and the few remaining others as he dropped me by his side. Finding a brief moment of safety, we took deep breaths as Isa came over to me and snarled.

    "What were you doing?" She asked me. "What was that? Why did you stop? Are you trying to die?"

    "I was trying to help Frisch!" I stammered.

    Isa bit her lower lip and shook her head. "There''s no time for that!" Isa snapped. "Do you not see what''s happening?" She gestured out to the field. I could see corpses everywhere, as well as a few stragglers stumbling to catch up.

    I whimpered. "I made a promise to help¡ª"

    Isa kneeled and grabbed me by the shoulders. "You need to focus on the goal," she hissed. "If you get distracted, you''re putting us in danger as well." Isa gestured to herself and the others. "I know you want to be the hero. I know you have great potential, but now is not the time to play that hero, Luna; this is war; you cannot save everyone."

    I stammered incoherently before biting my lower lip. I sniffed, wiped my eyes, and nodded slowly. Isa took a deep breath and pushed herself to her feet. "I''m concerned for your safety, Luna," Isa said. "We cannot stop moving. Not out in the open like that."

    "Speaking of which," Zora spoke, "we need to keep pushing." She peered around the edge of the house. "A tower, on the point of the star facing us. There are two auto-guns; those are what''s chopping us down so quick."

    Isa grabbed her rifle and moved over to Zora. "Where exactly again?"

    Zora passed her the binoculars and pointed. "Directly north. You can see the red flash of their guns; there''s a small gap, and they''re currently not looking this way."

    Isa peered through the binoculars for a few seconds, nodded, and passed them back to Zora. "I can hit them." She dropped to her knees and hoisted her gun. Taking a deep breath, she aimed, held it for a second, then fired. Her rifle kicked back against her shoulder, and immediately she cranked the lever on her rifle and chambered a new round. She then aimed once more as the machine gun began to spray bullets in our direction.

    Gord yanked me back, yet Isa remained put, unflinching, as she fired her next shot, and the gun went silent. She chambered another round and said, "Both guns are down. It won''t be long till they replace them."

    Zora smirked. "As to be expected from Talon, alright, let''s get moving!" She shouted as she placed her hand on her communication stone and spoke softly into it.

    I took a deep breath as I once again began to concentrate on the magical shield I enveloped us all in and began to rush forward behind the others. We rushed out onto the main street under a hail of bullets. I clenched my teeth and groaned as every bullet that ricochetted off my shield sent a shock through my body as the ether within quickly rushed to repair the damage.

    The fortress was vast. The star-shaped fortifications stood nearly at least a few dozen feet tall and were made of metal similar to that of the fighting machines: gray with a purple sheen. Cannon fire from the lorry guns zipped over our heads, slamming into the outer plating, chipping and denting the structure in various areas. Yet up ahead, down the main street of Dresden, I could see what was once the main entrance to the fort, blown open and collapsed in on itself.

    Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred platform. Support original creators!

    As we rushed down the street, more squads joined in with us as the voice of the Rusivite commissar raged loudly over some kind of intercom system. His rage drowned out the Klaxon alarm as I noticed them standing on top of the fortifications. For the first time, I caught a good look at the invaders¡ªthe true monsters who were destroying my new home. They were dressed in dark gray and red uniforms and armor; some of them were large, others were small. Yet all of them wore some kind of mask, a glossy mask. I couldn''t quite make it out from where I was, nor did I have the time to focus. Yet all of them were uniform in appearance, with little to no difference aside from size. Like Stormtroopers.

    Over a dozen of them sat on top of the wall, their weapons pointed at us. Within seconds of aiming, they all began to fire at an exceptional rate. Dozens of bolts of red energy slammed into my shield, and I cried out as literal pain shot through me and my shield began to crack.

    Semi-automatic! I panicked. I don''t think I can stand against all of this!

    "Just keep focusing and pushing!" The voice urged me.

    "Stay close to Luna!" Zora shouted. "Keep pushing!" Her voice was soon drowned out by the booming voice of the commissar, who was shouting even angrier now as we neared the blown-out entrance.

    A swarm of Rusivite soldiers formed in front of the broken entryway, taking cover behind sheets of metal and debris. Their rifles trained on us, and the semi-auto guns began sending wave after wave of bullets our way. All of which slammed against my shield, breaking my resolve even more as glowing white fissures began to form with each successive hit.

    I heard Lieutenant Zora curse. "Get the fuck out of our way!" As we charged forward, I began to buckle under the pressure. I couldn''t keep up with repairing my shield; I was taking too much damage.

    "I-I can''t hold on much longer!" I cried out as I stumbled forward, yet a random soldier behind me caught me before I could trip.

    "Zora!" I heard the man shout. "Lighten the load, will you?"

    "On it!" The akumari replied as she hoisted her staff high and began an incantation. ¡°By Margon''s forge, where embers seethe, in fiery depths, where foes writhe beneath." She twirled the staff and pointed the end towards the barrier of soldiers in the entryway. "With flames of fury, enemies expire, Hellfire unleashed, in Margon''s dire." I gritted my teeth and took deep breaths as I channeled my magic into the shield. "From the heart of the forge, let flames erupt; with scorching wrath, enemies corrupt." Suddenly, the air around us began to crackle, and the tip of Zora''s staff ignited with the fiery light of the sun. "With each infernal blaze, their fate befall, Hellfire''s vengeance, heed Margon''s call." The soldiers on top of the wall and at the entrance ceased firing and instead turned their attention towards Zora, who stood at the edge of my shield. I could hear them shouting, and a few began to move out of the way. "By the forge''s rage, let foes be consumed. In flames of judgment, their doom presumed. With each flicker of fire, their downfall, Hellfire''s fury, let none stand tall. Hellfire!¡± Thrusting her staff forward, gouts of fire shot forth, and like a flamethrower, she doused the entrance with a searing, red flame. Those who did not move out of the way let off shrill cries as the flames engulfed them.

    Pitching the staff upwards, she redirected the fire up towards the walls. The soldiers above dove for cover, yet like the ones below, those not fast enough screamed with agony as the fire devoured all in its path. Charging forward towards the flaming wreckage, Zora dispelled her magic and once again shot a blast of air ahead of us, this time to douse the fire and clear a path for us.

    The spell had allowed me precious seconds to repair my shield as we finally rushed past the gate and into the compound. My legs burned, and my body ached more than any workout I had ever done in the past. I wanted to drop, to beg for rest, yet I knew I couldn''t. I was so close. I''m here now. We just needed to find the prison, save Mother, and get the hell out of here.

    Yet it wouldn''t be that easy.

    The moment we entered the compound, we were beset by the defenders. Rusivites from every angle began to open fire on us. I didn''t even have time to take in my surroundings when I heard the sound of a machine gun opening up on us, and my shield was nearly shattered.

    To our right and left, Rusivites armed with not firearms but swords, shovels, and shields charged at us. "Form a circle, protect Luna and the other casters!" Zora shouted, flicking the lower end of her staff upwards to crack a gasmask wearing Rusivite across the chin. She then swiftly backed up, drew her service pistol, and shot them three times in the chest.

    Another man rushed towards Gord with a sharpened shovel, screaming something in his native tongue, but was quickly silenced when the orc''s fist crushed his skull. Within seconds, everything devolved from a firefight into an intense, bloody melee.

    My allies quickly formed a protective circle around me and what seemed to be two other spellcasters I didn''t know. I did my best to focus on the shield as one of the other mages, a blond-haired girl, placed her hand on my shoulder.

    "Focus, we have this, now channel with me." I heard her say.

    Ch-channel with you? H-How the fuck do I do that?! I wasn''t taught this! I panicked and looked away just in time to see Lexis get punched by one of the Rusivites. She stumbled back in a daze, yet before she could recover, another tackled her to the ground. Before anyone could react, the Rusivite drew a knife and rammed it into her belly. She tried to scream, yet the man slammed his fist into her mouth.

    No, no! I screamed with fury. I was supposed to keep these people alive!

    I tried to rush forward, yet the other spellcaster pulled me back. "What are you doing?! We need to keep the shield up, or else we''ll all be killed!"

    Yet I didn''t listen. The fury within me was becoming too much to bear. Already, I lost one person in our group that I said I wanted to keep alive. I didn''t want to lose another. I was being selfish, but I didn''t care. I needed to do something. I needed to try something. All around me, my allies were being slaughtered.

    I knew I couldn''t fight¡ªnot physically, at least. Though I knew I could do more than just be a shield, I could heal and empower. I turned back to the stranger who tried to stop me, and I yelled over the chaos. "Focus on the shield! I have a plan, just keep me covered!"

    The woman looked at me with wide eyes, a bout of skepticism crossed her face, yet after a moment she shook her head and said, "Fuck it, do what you need to do! Just make it quick!"

    I turned back to Lexis just as Isa ran up and rammed the butt of her rifle into her assailant''s face. As the man crumpled to the ground clutching his masked face, Isa fired two rounds into him just as another attacker rushed my mentor from the left. Noticing this, Isa deftly dodged out of the way before lashing out with her claws. In a literal blink of an eye, I watched as she slashed the invader''s throat. The gasmask-wearing man choked and gripped at his throat before dropping to his knees.

    Looking back at Lexis, who lay on the ground, moaning and clutching the knife in her belly, I knew I didn''t have much time. Taking a deep breath, I clapped my hands together, closed my eyes, and dropped my concentration on the shield, hoping it wouldn''t shatter immediately under the storm of machine gun fire.

    I heard a gasp behind me and glanced back to see the stranger before straining as she concentrated on the bubble around us. Giving her a silent thanks, I turned my attention back to my plan, closed my eyes, and began the incantation.

    ¡°By the sacred springs, where life''s currents entwine, In the heart of magic, where destinies align." I rubbed my palms together before stretching each hand out to my sides. "With boundless grace, let healing waters flow, Mass Rejuvenation, in Slyondra''s soft glow." A warm buzz of magic began to bubble within me before surging throughout my body. "From the depths of hurt, to the heights of hope, Let the healing touch, by Slyondra''s scope." A bright glow began to emit from beneath my feet as a swirl of magic began to form a runic circle, and from its light motes of light began to rise, dance, and swirl around me "In the embrace of magic, where spirits thrive, Mass Rejuvenation, may Slyondra''s blessings arrive."

    The booming voice of the commissar echoed loudly, nearly disrupting my concentration. His raging voice nagged and nagged, and I couldn''t make out what he was saying, except from one word: Magister.

    "With each whispered word, with each flickering light, Bring renewal forth, banish the night." I opened my eyes. My hands were glowing with a soft green and white light I mimicked the gestures Selena taught me as I brought my hands together as the motes of pixie light began to coalesce around my palms, forming a magical ball. "In the unity of souls, where life''s currents strive, Mass Rejuvenation, in Slyondra''s name, wounds revive. Mass Rejuvenation!¡± I thrust my palms upward, casting the magical ball of light into the air.

    The glowing green and white ball shot upwards before exploding a few feet above our heads into hundreds of green motes of light which shot downwards at everyone, including myself. Those who hadn''t already perished were struck with the mote of magical essence and jerked upwards. I could feel within myself as the aches and pains I had felt eased and vanished, instead, a new, invigorating energy filled me as well as those around me. Lexis, who still lay on the ground, gasped as the wound in her belly and the bruise on her face began to fade. The knife in her gut was plucked out by invisible hands and the wound was magically stitched closed. Others who were bleeding out now quickly pushed themselves to their feet, now granted a second chance at revenge.

    Isa herself seemed more invigorated, as she took a brief second to smile at me wickedly before turning and diving back into the fray. I watched as she tackled a Rusivite beside Zora, and with her claws, she began to eradicate the invader. I panted heavily as my body tingled with magic, and I watched as the defenders began to pull back and rush for cover, though I couldn''t speak the language, I could hear them repeatedly saying, "Magister," over and over.

    I guess seeing the nearly dead rising as if nothing happened is pretty scary, huh? I thought to myself and smirked, my rage building within my gut. I wanted to join in now. I wanted to help. If I can just keep healing everyone like this, maybe we can overcome them.

    At this point, I turned my attention toward a nearby watch tower, which housed the machine gun that had nearly shattered my shield upon entering. Not thinking, I pulled out my wand and pointed at it. I closed my eyes and began to concentrate, channeling my magic from my well up to my arm. I began to focus on what I had learned a few days ago, how I had transformed a simple mote into something greater.

    To fuel that, power, I began to think about all the horrors I had seen. All the horrific acts these people, no monsters, had done. And as I gritted my teeth and opened my eyes, I saw how the tip of my ruby wand ignited into a fiery ball, and I whipped my arm back, before thrusting it forward aggressively, whirling the flaming sun at the tower.

    For a brief second, I heard a cry of fear from the tower, which was cut off by an intense explosion as the top of the structure was blown to smithereens. Everyone around me flinched just as the explosion ignited, and I shielded my eyes. Immediately, the remaining Rusitives turned and ran for the prison structure and another building I was unaware of just ahead of us.

    "Shoot the bastards!" I heard Drach shout from somewhere. "Gun them down like they did us!"

    As my allies began to fire upon our fleeing enemies, I couldn''t help but notice that even that raging commissar had finally fallen silent

 Chapter 60: Irredeemable

    The explosion of fire ripped down the street, burning all who stood in our path. I would have thought that the shrill and muffled cries of the soldiers would have stunned me, shaken me even, and at one point, they did. At least the death cries of my allies. Yet the screams of the invaders¡ªthe sight of their kicking and frantic crawling on the ground as they were cooked by the ball of fire I had unleashed upon them¡ªdid not frighten me. Instead, something about the horrendous sight tickled me. A feeling of fulfilled vengeance. Perhaps this was the beginning of something dark and twisted brewing within me, yet I did not care. Not now. Later, I could worry about it, but for now, I was feeling some form of sick joy. I had never once killed anyone before, not in this life or the past. It was shockingly easy.

    We had pushed deeper into the compound. What was once a large open space we had first charged into has now changed into twisting streets and alleyways made up of barracks, warehouses, and other bureaucratic structures.

    To build such an entire facility in just a handful of days was impressive. Yet, what was more impressive was how much power I had gained in such a short period. A power that I was eager to use to bring everything down around me.

    Suddenly, a torrent of machine gun fire ricochetted off of my shield, shattering it instantly. "Luna!" I heard Zora shout as we all dove behind the cover. Down the road, I could see a tower with a machine gun nest, its gun barking sporadically as the wielder pinned us down. After my shield had shattered, three soldiers behind me were immediately blasted into a red mist and fell. One I saw had died instantly; his head split into two, yet the other man and woman were clutching their guts.

    I cursed and muttered the words to rejuvenate as Gord and Isa dragged them behind cover, and within just a few seconds, I had them getting back up onto their feet.

    I glanced at Zora and nodded. "Give me some covering fire, and I''ll deal with it." She nodded as I pulled out my wand and began to concentrate on another spark.

    As the ruby tip ignited, Zora and the others poked around the corner and began to fire a few potshots at the machine gun, causing the user to hesitate for half a second. Yet it was that slight hesitation that gave me just enough time to poke out and whirl my flaming ball of destruction its way.

    The explosion was spectacular. The ground heaved, and the world was blinded as the arcane bomb detonated the machine gun and those within its tower. The sheer heat alone caused the metal around it to glow brightly, soften, and then crumple under its weight as it melted.

    "Fuck yeah!" Drach and a few others cheered. "Keep pushing! Drive them to the tower!" Zora smirked, blew into her whistle, and screamed a battle cry as we all rushed down the road, just as I and a few other casters threw a bubble shield around us as we moved.

    We were nearing a large metallic ramp, wide enough to drive a tank up. As we began to climb up it, I began to feel weird. It''s too quiet. Where are all of the defenders?

    "How astute." The voice chimed in. "Get ready. The machines I warned you about earlier are waking up."

    The brief bit of confidence I had immediately vanished as the dawning realization of what was about to happen hit me. "Fighting machines!" I screamed just as, over the ridge of the ramp, three quadrupedal monsters stormed over the top. All eighteen of their machine guns opened fire as their ghastly howls deafened us. Within a second, I felt my bubble shield burst as the sheer feedback of their hundreds of bullets hitting it sent me reeling.

    Isa grabbed me and dove with me to the ground as we tumbled back down the ramp as dozens of our allies were gunned down and, worst of all, incinerated. The machines roared as their eyes began to unleash their scorching heat rays. Dozens of men and women right before my eyes were incinerated, their agonizing screams silenced as their forms were turned to ashes.

    "Retreat!" I heard Nessel scream. "Retrea¡ªiieaagh!" He was silenced as the beam of heated light ripped across the surface of the ramp and burned him alive.

    The fear from before swelled within me as my heart began to race, Isa swiftly got to her feet and carried me out of the marching path of the machines. After diving off the side of the ramp with Zora and many others, we landed with a grunt in an alley between the ramp and a building.

    Further up the ramp, I could hear even more fighting machines waking up and howling as they joined in on the fray, and once again, the voice of that fucking commissar could be heard over the compound''s intercom. I may not know the language, yet I could tell the bastard was smug solely based on his tone of voice as he ranted at us.

    "How the hell are we supposed to fight those?!" Mara asked, her voice panicking. "Where is Gord? Where''s Drach?" She looked around at the few survivors with us.

    "We''ll have to improvise," Zora said, the lieutenant trying her hardest to sound calm, though I could see the panicked expression on her face. "Luna, your blast. Are you able to kill one of those things with it?"

    I gulped and shrugged. "I-I don''t know; I never tried."

    Zora took a deep breath. "Well, now seems like a great time to test if you can."

    I shuddered at the thought of going up against those things. There has to be a better way; those guns shattered my shield in less than a second. If I get caught in the open, I''m fucking dead. I''d be Swiss cheese. Or worse, melted. There needs to be another¡­ Wait a second.

    An idea came to me.

    The tower. The voice said the tower was a power source, and it could probably be what was controlling them. If we can turn it off, those things might shut off.

    "We do not know that for certain," the voice said. "As mentioned before, this place is most likely a power source."

    Maybe, but something needs to be giving them orders. I thought. It''s a hail mary, but it''s the best I can come up with.

    "Whatever that means," the voice muttered.

    It was a hunch. It probably wouldn''t work. Yet it would achieve one of our secondary objectives.

    "What if we destroy the tower? Or turn it off," I said. "Those things. They feed off of whatever is in there, and it might even be what controls them. If we can shut it down, we can probably¡­. Kill two birds with one stone, or, in this case, six."

    Zora took a deep breath and nodded. "Aye, that could work. The problem is, they''re blocking the path." Zora gestured up the path. "Not only that, we don''t know exactly where to look."

    Before I could say anything, Isa said, "I can sneak up there. I know the language. I can read the signs; better yet, if I can, I can maybe even question one of the bastards."

    "I can go too," I added. "My spells can protect us."

    Without any more questions, Zora nodded. "Excellent, then let''s do that. I''ll alert the remaining squads to hunker down and distract these fuckers." Zora reached for her breast pocket, pulled out her communication stone, and began to mutter into it.

    Isa nodded and pointed to the wall beside the ramp. "Luna, hop on my back; we''ll climb up here." Without question, I scrambled onto Isa''s back as Zora turned to Mara and the few other soldiers and motioned for them to follow her.

    Isa glanced back at me and said, "Looks like it''s just you and me, Luna."

    "We make a good team," I said nervously, and the feline smirked.

    "Stick close; don''t do anything out of the ordinary." She hoisted me up to her rear and then rushed for it before leaping into the air. I gasped at how high she was able to jump as she clutched on tightly, gripped into some external piping and vents, and began dexterously climbing up the wall beside the ramp.

    I hope this isn''t a bad idea.

    <hr>

    I gripped Isa tightly as a Heinmaran soldier screamed over our heads and slammed into the building beside us Isa pulled herself up and over the edge. I watched as the now-deceased corpse of the flung man peeled off the wall and fell another twenty feet below where we had just climbed.

    They''re throwing us around like broken toys. I gulped and shuddered as Isa set me down. We were at the edge of a road, and about a dozen feet ahead was the large prison complex, which was connected to the tower we had learned about in the briefing. The building that contained Mother.

    My heart raced at the idea of getting in there, but I knew we had more pressing matters. Mother will have to wait a bit longer. I told myself. Releasing her and the others is too dangerous with those machines moving about. I sighed as Isa silently motioned for me to follow her. The top of the plateau, where the prison and tower lay, was open and sparse. The entire ground was made up of these white metallic plates, almost as if someone had rolled out a metal carpet over the earth, giving it an almost sci-fi aesthetic.

    Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.

    As much as I wanted to sit and gawk at nature as to how such a facility was built, I knew we had to keep moving. I followed behind Isa as we crossed the open road; surprisingly, no soldiers or guards stepped in our way. It was as if they all vanished.

    Or, most likely, they''ve fortified themselves inside the buildings. I shuddered.

    We made it across the road, pressed our bodies against the prison, and shimmied along the wall until we reached the end. Isa peaked around the edge before turning back to me with a big smirk on her face. "Metal grate on the wall, most likely ventilation. Do you have a way to open it?"

    I don''t have a screwdriver on me¡­ I sighed, but I blinked when an idea came to mind. What if I use Spark? Not the explosive kind, but maybe if I can just superheat my wand, I can make something like a cutter of some kind. Or I could cut through it with the water from my canteen, using a water lash.

    I nodded at Isa. "Maybe I think I have a few tricks."

    "Okay, make it quick; it''s immediately around the corner on your left." She motioned for me to go, and with a racing little heart, I quickly rushed around after taking a deep breath.

    As she said, I saw the large metallic grate on the wall and positioned myself in front of it. Taking out my canteen, I unscrewed the top and unsheathed my wand. I wasted no time concentrating on the spell I wished to cast and began to mutter the incantation for water lash.

    As the stream of water bubbled out of my canteen and began to float in the air, I aimed my attention at the grate, magically thrusting the water forward. The water slashed forward at lightning speed, and like a liquid sword, I slashed left, down, right, and up. I cut an almost perfect square into the grate before letting the small stream of water fall to the ground, knowing I had plenty left in my container.

    The metal grate remained standing in place, yet as I came over and kicked it with my small foot, the metal fell back with a loud clang. I nearly jolted out of my dress and looked around, yet no one. No one seemed to have heard it over the sounds of chaos coming from the base of the ramp. At least aside from Isa, who rushed around and smiled.

    "Good girl!" She beamed. "I''ll go in first; follow behind." I nodded as Isa dipped into the vent, and I followed in behind her.

    The interior was frigid and cramped¡ªwell, not for me¡ªyet Isa, on the other hand, seemed to have to constantly wiggle and shimmy like a worm to move around. However, despite that, she was able to do so quietly, to my surprise, and we continued to move at a quick pace.

    As we moved in, the vents began to form an incline, which we clambered up, and the air became colder and colder. It was pitch black, or at least, it would be if I were still human. My elven eyes allowed me to see a few feet around me, and Isa''s eyes seemed to shine in the dark and had no issue moving about. Yet what added to the eerieness of it all were the sounds coming within.

    The building sounded like a monster as if it were alive. The vents would rumble slightly now and again, and a deep, mechanical groan would come from deep within, followed by a deafening horn, and I swore I could faintly hear the scream of people mixed in with that horrific sound.

    "S-Something''s happening," I said softly, just as one of the horns faded and I could confirm what we were hearing were the screams of what I can presume to be the prisoners.

    "I know," Isa replied in a hushed voice. "We''ll come back for them; right now we need to cut through here and get to the tower."

    "I-I know, I-I''m just afraid they''re going to start executing them," I admitted, a fear that had crept up from time to time.

    As we rounded another corner, I could see Isa nodding slightly. "I-I know, I fear for that too." We fully turned the corner, and for once I could see the light coming from another grate, which led to a room. Isa slowed a bit and put a finger to her lips. I nodded as we proceeded to quietly shimmy over it as the sounds of voices from the room below could be heard.

    Rusivite voices¡ªas always, I couldn''t understand them. Yet I could hear the concern mixed in. Of course, Isa was first to shimmy over the grate; next was me.

    Just keep it quiet, Luna. Just go slow, but not too slow. I took a deep breath and began to crawl forward. The room below was blinding white from what I could see¡ªwhite tables, white floor, white walls. It almost looked like a modern doctor''s office, contrasting the stark whiteness of it all with the dark shadows of the figures in the room. One of which began to move under the vent. A pale-skinned human in a white lab coat, a bald man with black, circle-rimmed glasses. He was frustratedly muttering something in his native tongue as I quietly crawled overhead.

    Yet as I was nearly over, the vent groaned and whined. Suddenly, the prison shook once again, and the loud bellow startled me, and I tensed up. The moment I tensed, however, I heard a crash and clang before suddenly, there was no vent beneath me anymore.

    My eyes widened as Isa audibly cursed as I fell into the room beneath me, and I let off a startled scream and plummeted. My hands and knees cracked against the metal floor, and a striking pain sent me sprawling across the ground. The two lab coat men in the room let off their startled cries as one rushed for what looked to be a telephone-like device on the wall while the other reached for a scalpel.

    Isa moved in a blur. In a second, she had dove into the room after me, landing gracefully on her feet before diving forward and tackling the man reaching for the phone. The two of them collided and crashed into the shut door. The scientist tried to scream, but Isa was quick to shove her fingers down the man''s throat to silence him, to which he responded by biting down. She let off a sharp curse in the Rusivite tongue and rammed her knee into the side of the man''s ribs before taking him by the shoulders, spinning him around, and ramming into the counter along the wall.

    The man with the scalpel shakily held it out to Isa and said something, but was cut off when Isa pulled her dagger out of her sheath and threw it into the man''s right shoulder, skewering him. He let off a choked cry and stumbled back into the wall, gripping the blade tightly.

    Isa then turned back to the man she had bent over the counter and began to snarl at him in their language. The pinned man whimpered and muttered his response, and Isa slapped him across the face and snarled something again.

    Meanwhile, the stabbed man stumbled forward, his face contorting from agony to rage as he yanked the dagger from his shoulder with a yelp and quickly began to rush at Isa.

    The entire time I watched it happen with wide, fearful eyes, yet when the man began to rush my mentor with the knife, I acted without thought. My hands quickly reached for the handgun Isa had given me. I pulled it out just as his body collided with Isa''s, switched off the safety, aimed, and fired just as Father had taught me.

    The recoil wasn''t as strong as Father''s revolver, yet the kick still startled me slightly, thus causing me to aim to be a bit off as I flinched. The sound was deafening in this small room, but it didn''t matter as my aim held. The red bolt of energy struck the knife-wielding doctor right in the throat. Splattering both Isa and the pinned man with gore, the doctor''s body slammed into the counter, his hand dropping the knife as he slumped to the ground, clutching his throat and choking on his blood.

    My eyes widened and blurred with tears as I held the gun in my trembling hands. Already today, I had scorched maybe over a dozen people and felt nothing. Yet here, as I sit on the floor, watching the pale-skinned man twitch and choke on his blood, his brown eyes turn to look at me with surprise and fear. This was different. Much more different than those masked soldiers.

    Outside the room, we could hear movement. A muffled voice shouted from behind the door and pounded on it.

    Isa turned to me. "Luna, give me the gun," she said, and I didn''t say anything. I got to my feet and stumbled forward, yelping when my feet slid on the doctor''s blood and I fell onto his body. The man, still alive and bleeding out, let off a gargled groan as I slid the gun to Isa.

    Isa then turned to the trembling man in her arms and hissed a phrase at him before bending down to pick up the handgun as another round of fist-slamming came from the door. She then pointed the weapon at the man''s chest as she walked towards the door.

    "Luna, step to the side, there." She motioned towards the desk and medicine cabinet. I obeyed and moved over to the desk, taking cover behind it.

    With the gun still pointed at the doctor, she went over to the side of the door, staying just far enough out of the way, and opened it. My gut twitched as the door flew open, covering Isa. The doctor let off a startled cry, possibly a warning to whoever just came in, as Isa aggressively slammed the door forward, hitting whoever just came in with it and knocking them into the counter and doctor.

    The man who had entered was a Rusivite soldier, wearing black body armor and a face mask like all the others. The soldier turned to Isa with his rifle, yet she was quick to grab it by the barrel and aim it upwards just as the soldier pulled the trigger, deafening everyone in the room as the bullet struck the ceiling and ricocheted around, causing me to scream and duck.

    Isa then kicked the man in the knee, causing him to buckle under her before pistol-whipping him in the neck, though this seemed ineffective. The doctor cried out and tried to charge Isa to help the soldier, but was immediately stopped when she aimed and shot him in the right arm. Sending him pathetically screaming to the floor, clutching the gunshot wound.

    The soldier, however, lunched forward, ramming his full body weight into Isa and sending them tumbling into the gory puddle of the now-dead man on the floor. Both of them grunted and cursed as they rolled through the gore and threw punches at each other. Isa yowled and hissed, her claws scratching at the man''s gas mask-covered face and armor while the soldier tried to kick her away and draw his sidearm.

    He rammed Isa in the gut, visibly knocking the air out of her, and rolled away, leaving his rifle on the floor as he tried to get up. Yet, to my surprise, Isa was quick on her feet, already recovered, and dove at the man just as he drew his pistol. Not expecting this, the soldier gasped when her body rammed into him, slamming him into a cabinet that sent glasses and beakers to the floor, which shattered. Dropping his pistol, the man swore and grabbed Isa by the throat, and she choked and gasped before kicking him in the leg once more, causing the man to cry out as I watched his right knee twist in an unhealthy fashion. She then twisted with the full weight of her body and slammed the soldier into the ground, causing him to release her throat as she dove on top of him.

    With a primal fury, Isa''s slitted eyes were filled with a bloodlust I had never seen from her as she aggressively tore the mask off of the soldier''s face, who I could see was a young, clean-shaven boy. The boy kicked and screamed as he tried to raise the arms Isa pinned with her knees, and what I saw sent a chill through my body. Isa grabbed the boy by the sides of his head. He screamed and fought with all his might as she angled her clawed thumbs over his eyes¡­

    I turned away and cried as I heard her jam her thumbs into his skull. The shrill screams and spastic kicking made me vomit in the corner. This went on for what felt like an eternity. However, in the end, everything fell silent, save for Isa''s heavy breathing, my whimpering, and the sobbing of the doctor who was shot in the arm.

    "Luna," I heard it''s shallow voice. It didn''t sound like the woman I knew¡ªthe one who taught me how to read and write and how to survive in the wilderness. "It''s safe now."

    I wiped my mouth and shook as I turned to see her. From head to toe, she was caked in blood, her clawed hands were nothing but crimson. She wiped them off on the dead soldier, whom I dared not look at, and picked up her handgun and the one he dropped.

    She slowly stood up and turned to the man in the corner and spoke to him, to which the man aggressively began nodding his head, as I assumed he began to tell her everything she wanted to know. After a few minutes of them talking, Isa backed away from him.

    "Wh-what now?" I asked her.

    Isa turned to me with a blank expression. "We need to save your family first." Abruptly, she raised the pistol to the doctor, who let off a shrill scream.

    "What the fuck?!" I cried out, but it was too late as Isa fired three shots into the man''s chest, killing him. "Wh-why?!" I asked, shaking.

    "Because everyone here is irredeemable," was all she said. "Let the fisherman decide what to do with them."

 Chapter 61: The Claw

    I watched Isa go over to the man she had just shot and dig around his pockets for a second before pulling out what looked to be some sort of pink crystal slate. She then stood up and stepped past me and over the two corpses of the men on the floor. Isa bent over, picked up the assault rifle, and inspected it. The entire time, my eyes went unblinking as my vision flicked toward the doctor she had shot so abruptly. His dying face slightly sagged, yet he still displayed shock and horror.

    Shock. Why am I shocked now? Earlier, I was toasting them left and right, yet now... now I was shaking. My hands are shaking; I can hardly breathe. Is it because I can see their faces? Is it the blood or the gore?

    "Luna," Isa said, snapping me back to the present. I shook my head and looked at her. She was holding her pistol back out to me by the barrel. "Take this. I''ll use Rusivites."

    I nodded and gulped as I reached out and took the pistol. Isa placed the Rusivite''s handgun into her holster; the weapon resembled the broom handle she had just handed me, though it was bulkier and barely fit in the holster. She then went back to examining the rifle. She pulled the charging handle back before sliding it back into place, grabbing the large magazine box, and tugging on it. A confused look crossed her face before she smirked and reached up to press the release switch, unlocked the magazine from the gun, and slid it out.

    "Insteresting weapon," she said with a purr. "Wonder how it shoots so fast. No bolt or lever; it just fires like the other autoguns."

    "It''s semi-auto," I muttered softly, taking a deep breath to regain my composure.

    "Semi-auto?" Isa asked softly as she got onto her knees and began to loot the dead soldier for what could be useful.

    "Yeah, you have to keep pulling the trigger. The gun cycles itself," I explained shakily as I turned away from her, not wanting to see the eyeless boy. "I-I, uh, observed it¡­" I somewhat lied; I wouldn''t call myself an expert on firearms, but back in my old life, it was a passing hobby I occasionally explored online but nothing more. I at least knew the difference between a clip, a magazine, and the like.

    Isa slid the magazine back into the rifle and turned to me. "We need to get moving; we don''t have much time."

    "W-won''t more guards be out there?" I asked as Isa approached the door cautiously.

    "Probably," she said as the entire building rumbled from an outside explosion. "Though they are most likely distracted by what''s out there, judging no one has come by yet." She motioned for me to come up behind her. "Stay close, Luna; keep that gun ready."

    I gulped and nodded as I gripped the pistol tightly. "Alright, let me bubble us first." Isa nodded as I held one hand up and concentrated on the bubble shield, after a faint shimmer of magic formed around us Isa opened the door, and we quickly rushed out.

    I''ll be honest. I was mimicking what I''ve seen in movies; breaching and clearing rooms was something other than what I was formally taught, but I think I was doing well. Isa rushed out and aimed her gun to the right down the long hall while I looked to the left, my little pistol shaking as I kept an eye out for any invaders.

    Yet we saw none. Instead, the voice of the commissar echoed across the loudspeakers I could see strung up along the halls. Like the room we had just left, the walls were a stark, almost blinding white, and the floor a contrasting grey.

    "If the bastard didn''t lie, we''ll need to head this way and make a left," Isa said as she began to move, her gun raised high and her finger on the trigger. I made sure to stick close to her, practically hugging her rear as I kept glancing over my shoulder.

    Aside from the screaming commissar, I could hear voices coming from every direction, along with sounds like screams. I shuddered as I could make out one man in particular screaming in Maurich, "Pull me! Pull me!"

    What the fuck is happening?

    "Don''t let go! I got you; just don''t let go!"

    Just as we reached a T junction, Isa held up a hand to stop me, right as a loud bellowing screech of machinery sent a tremor throughout the facility. A couple of murmuring voices came from around the corner of the junction on our left, and Isa held two fingers up to me, which I knew right away.

    The voices of the invaders were getting louder as the sounds of their heavy boots thumped against the metallic floor as they walked towards us. Isa then held up three fingers; at first, I was confused, but then when she started folding one of them down at a time, I knew she was counting.

    When her fingers closed into a fist, my heart lurched as she swung around the corner, hoisted her gun, and, in rapid succession, fired three heavy bullets into the men. Just as I dipped around the corner with her pistol raised, I saw the soldiers already crumpling to the floor with gaping wounds in their chests. One of which was twitching and gurgling.

    He tried to say something, though Isa quickly rushed over, drew her knife, slashed the man, and crossed his throat. My stomach churned as the man gasped as blood spurted from his throat. Behind us, we heard shouts coming from the other end as Isa gestured for me to get moving. I was filled with the sound of my heart beating as the corridor was filled with the sound of gunfire. I turned around just in time to see three energy bolts slam against my bubble shield, and I winced as the torrent of energy channeled directly back into my well as the outer shell cracked.

    "Keep moving, Luna; we just need to get around the corner and make a right!" Isa shouted as she fired a few rounds back at our attackers.

    Nervously, I held the pistol up and fired a few shots of my own blindly in hopes of suppressing them as we rushed forward towards another corner.

    Over the gunfire, I could hear the voice of the commissar screaming a phrase I didn''t need to know to understand. "Alarm!" The voice boomed as a blaring klaxon alarm nearly deafened me.

    "Well, they know we''re here now!" Isa screamed as she and I dove around the corner. The corridor extended probably another hundred feet or so, and on the far end, I could see what looked to be a large blast door that was beginning to open.

    "Isa!" I shouted as she fired a few more rounds at the encroaching soldiers. "We''re being flanked!" I yelled as the door opened fully and four more soldiers in heavy black armor rushed out.

    Taking out my wand, I aimed it down the hall and shouted, "Gust!" I channeled my energy into it and hurled a torrent of raging wind down the hall. The Rusivites let off a shriek as the hurricane force slammed into them, and like ragdolls, they flew back into the room they just came in, their weapons and bodies scattering across the floor.

    That should buy us a couple of seconds!

    "Excellent, Luna, now move!" Isa shouted as she and I both quickly began to run down the hall towards the blast door. The door groaned as the gears within loudly churned as it began to slowly shut.

    I pumped my legs as Isa rushed ahead. The sensation of bullets ramming into my shield caused me to yell as I channeled my magic back to repair the damage. The soldiers shouted and screamed as more of them piled into the corridor behind us and opened fire. More and more damage was being done to the shield; I wouldn''t be able to keep it up much longer as Isa and I raced towards the closing door.

    It was nearly half-closed when Isa dove beneath it, and I followed behind shortly after. Like a baseball player sliding into home, I threw myself at the smooth, metal floor and slid beneath the door, only to have my skirt get caught in the gap in the floor. I screamed as the door was only about a foot above me, and I feared I was about to be crushed, yet Isa grabbed my leg and yanked me out from under the door just as it slammed shut.

    My heart raced, and my emotions were on edge. Fuck, that would''ve been a stupid way to go! I whimpered, though I quickly snapped back to my senses as the four men I blew into the room were getting to their feet.

    I hesitated to raise my weapon as one of the soldiers, who had no mask, looked at me with surprise. Only to have her face blown open a second later by Isa, who then spun around and fired two more shots at the others getting up. The fourth and last one raised his hands and shouted just as Isa aimed at him and pulled the trigger, yet the weapon clicked.

    The masked Rusivite let off a scowl and laughed, but then dove. Just as Isa threw the rifle at him, he jumped toward one of the rifles on the ground, and I flicked my wand toward it. "Gust!" I shouted once more and blew the weapon out of his grasp. Just as Isa kicked him right in the face, the man rolled over and cried as he clutched his mask. A cry that wouldn''t last long as Isa drew her sidearm and shot him in the back of the head, ending him.

    Finally, the gunfire stopped. In its place, I could hear the screams of those captured much more clearly. Men and women are crying audibly for help. We stood in a room with an entryway that led up to a short set of stairs toward another corridor. Beside the stairs was a control panel, most likely used to open the door we just come through. Unlike the hall outside, this place lived up to how it sounded. Dark walls, a deep shade of gray, with dimly lit lights.

    It sounds and looks like we went to hell. I gulped as I glanced down at the corpses. What the fuck are they doing to the people here? I shook my head and glanced at Isa, who was picking up a new rifle from one of the corpses and checking its ammo before also grabbing some spare magazines.

    "As you can hear, we''re nearing the people," Isa said as she straightened up and turned to me "Most likely there are more guards up ahead, and they''ll know we''re coming."

    I nodded and took a deep breath. "Right."

    "Stick close to me; we''ll be following the signs." She gestured to a plaque on the wall with text I couldn''t understand. The language consisted of what looked to be a variety of geometric shapes, which honestly reminded me of hieroglyphics.

    Isa climbed up the stairs, and I followed suit. Along the way, we surprisingly encountered no resistance as we traversed down the corridor, which was rounded and snaked constantly. This feels like the tower, I thought to myself; it''s almost like nothing is making sense now. The path dipped downward, and the cries were getting louder.

    Finally, we arrived at a doorway. A single, metallic door with a strange-looking keypad beside it and a thin slot beneath. Isa reached into her pouch, pulled out the pink, crystal slate from earlier, and slid it into the door, only to have the two of us startled by the loud, blaring horn that rejected the key.

    Isa cursed. "Fuck. Of course we''re stopped by a fucking door," she said as she shook her head. "Luna, do you think you can break this with your magic?"

    I glanced at the heavy black iron door and sighed. "Maybe, but... well, actually." I holstered the pistol and thought for a second. "I might be able to melt through it; I haven''t done this before, so it might be dangerous."

    Behind us, we heard a metallic screech, and the ground shook slightly. The blast door was opening. Isa cursed looked at me and said, "We don''t have much time. Do what you think is right."

    Hearing that made me tense up a little. I don''t know if this is right! That''s the problem. I took a deep breath. Now isn''t the time to be indecisive; let''s just try it.

    This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.

    Taking out my wand, I held it up to the door and began to mutter to myself the incarnation for the spark spell. Yet, unlike the vast, explosive nature or the little spark I used for campfires, I began to imagine just an intense, burning ball of fire on the tip. As I cleared my mind and began to focus all my energy, I began to channel my magic into the tip and focus on keeping it right there. Gradually, the wand began to glow brighter and brighter as the heat began to emit from it. The once dimly lit room began to glow with the bright red light as I continued to focus on keeping the small, arcane sun on the tip of my wand.

    Carefully, I reached out with the wand and pressed it against the black metal of the door, and immediately I saw the results I desired. The metal, within seconds, began to shine with a bright, cherry-red light and melt inward on itself.

    Back where we came, distant shouts of reinforcing men could be heard, and Isa cursed and positioned herself towards one of the winding corners. "How much longer?" She asked me.

    I didn''t reply; I needed to focus on the task. If I accidentally release this ball of flaming death, we''ll both die. I nervously reminded myself as I focused on gradually melting a path down the door. Blue light shone through the opening I was forming as I carved the line down its hull.

    "Luna, I need you to go faster!" Isa pressured me, and I bit my lip as I reached the bottom of the door and angled my little arcane plasma cutter to cut along the edge. Suddenly, I jolted when the sound of gunfire erupted behind me, and I nearly lost concentration.

    "Fuck! They''re here!" Isa shouted back to me as she began to send bullets down range.

    My heart began to race as my flaming torch grew brighter with nerves, and I began to try and go faster. I was halfway finished with cutting a large hole in the door; I just needed a bit more!

    A massive explosion erupted behind me, and I jolted and glanced over my shoulder. Thankfully, Isa was still standing, yet smoke and debris were blowing around the corner. I could hear shocked and pained screams from the invaders as Isa held one hand. A stone that she raked a piece of flint across, creating sparks of magical energy, caused the stone to glow an intense red, which she then threw around the corner. A second passed, and a second explosion shook the entire corridor!

    I shifted my attention back to cutting through the door and quickly began to try to speed up the process. I was three-quarters of the way through when I heard more invaders charging down the corridor.

    "Hoo-rah! Hoo-rah! Hoo-rah!" They unleashed their battle cry as I heard dozens of boots charging down the corridor, only to be turned into death cries when yet another explosion met them.

    "I''m out of fire rocks!" Isa shouted back to me. "How much time?!"

    "I''m done!" I screamed back at her just as my torch reached the edge of my starter line, and I shoved the massive metal plate out of the way of the window I created, shining the hallway with blue light. The edges of the window were still lined with molten metal, so I used the gust spell to quickly cool the edges as Isa rushed over to me.

    "Go, go!" She urged me as I dove into the next room, and Isa quickly scrambled in behind me.

    The two of us fell onto the cold, metallic floor. Our eyes were burning with the intense blue light that filled the room. We could hardly hear the sounds of screaming people. People who I saw when standing up.

    The room was vast. The edges of the walls were lined with consoles and strange devices similar to old computers from the 1960s. From them, though, were pipes and cabling that lined the walls and ceilings, all of which led to a massive glass prison cell, a cell filled with dozens of people. From where I stood, I saw two staircases going along each side of the cell, leading up to some sort of overseer''s room towards the back of the room, overlooking everything. However, in front of me, a few feet away, was a small set of stairs leading towards the cell and what looked to be a door.

    My mind went blank, and I quickly rushed towards it. Rushing down the steps, I ran towards the glass, where men, women, and children of all races and classes saw me pressed against the glass. All of them called out to me in one voice to open the door.

    "We''re going to get you out!" I yelled to them. "We''re going to get you out, but you need to back away!"

    "Luna, there is going to be someone coming through the door in a minute!" Isa warned me. "We don''t have much time¡ª"

    A suddenly droning horn deafened all of us, followed by the hissing of steam and servos whirring. A chorus of screams echoed from within the cell as I looked above, and to my horror, I saw a hatch in the ceiling open up¡ªan unnatural tendril elegantly snaked down from the ceiling, its head fitted with menacing claws. The people inside howled with fear as they pushed and shoved each other along the edges, trying to get away.

    "Papa! Papa!" A boy screamed.

    A boy I was all too familiar with.

    "Varis!" I cried as the tendril shot down and clamped its claws around my brother. Another chorus of screams echoed as two of Hein''s guardsmen rushed out to grab my brother. Among them, I saw my father, ragged and beaten. He lunged out and clasped his hands around my brother''s arms, and the soldiers grabbed onto my father''s waist.

    A woman screamed and rushed in to help my mother. Her body was beaten and bruised, and one of her arms was in a sling. Weakened she grabbed onto the men as dozens of others joined in.

    "Hold me! Hold me!" I heard my father yell¡ªthe same yell I heard earlier.

    The machine bellowed once more, as if in outrage at the resistance it was receiving. Steam and other unknowable gases were pumped into the chamber.

    "Don''t let go! Don''t let go!" My father screamed desperately. "I won''t let you take my fucking boy!" He shouted over the horrific roar of the mechanical monstrosity.

    A scrawny man with pale yellow skin who was close to the glass slammed on it to get my attention. "The machine! Shut off the machine!" He yelled in an accented voice. "Shut it off!" He pointed towards the observation deck. "Shut it off now!"

    Gunfire erupted from the entrance, and I was jolted to see Isa firing through the hole in the door at the invaders outside. "Luna!" She shouted. "We need to turn it off!"

    "I-I know!" I screamed back at her. "I-It''s got Varis! It has him!" I whimpered.

    Fuck, fuck, don''t panic! Now''s not the time to panic! I screamed internally.

    "We can figure out something," Isa responded. "For now, I''ll cover the entrance. Just figure something out!"

    "Pull! We need to pull!" I heard my father screaming as more and more people joined in on the massive life-and-death game of tug of war. I ran back up the steps and towards the large stairway alongside the cell.

    Once again, the machine seemingly roared with anger as the tendril began to jerk and sway as if trying to shake the people off. All the while, Varis continued to scream and sob as our father clung to his arms.

    I reached the top of the stairway and, once again, was met by a metal door just like the other. I cursed loudly. I jumped up to grab the handle, and to my surprise, it was unlocked. The heavy metal latch tugged down, and I pushed the door open as I ran into the room. I was met with two shots of intense pain.

    The first bullet shattered across my shield; the ring of protection shone brightly when it flashed, signaling it had been shattered, and I was knocked back. The second bullet struck me in the left shoulder, merely grazing me and thankfully missing any bone. I screamed and stumbled back outside.

    I clutched the grazed wound on my shoulder and cried out as the sound of laughter could be heard. In heavily accented Maurich, a woman''s voice caught my ear: "A child? Are you infidels truly that desparate now?"

    I gritted my teeth, looked back through the entrance, and saw a woman in a black and gray, form-fitting uniform with a heavy black coat and dark glasses. "To think that my personal guard was so easily taken out by you and that pussycat." She snorted as she took a step toward me and holstered her pistol. "From my reports, I thought someone else was coming up here¡ª"

    "Gust!" I roared as I thursted my hand outwards and blasted the woman in the chest, sending her flying across the room.

    Yet in mid-air, she twisted her body, shouted something in her native tongue, and blasted her stream of air at the wall behind her, slowing herself and landing safely on her feet.

    Another fucking spellcaster, great¡­ I snarled as rage took over.

    The woman smirked. "Well, that answers my question on how you got¡ª"

    I took out my wand, popped open my canteen, and lashed out at her with my water whip. In a surprising show of dexterity, she turned her body out of the direction of my first lash, and as I angled the sharp stream to come down at her, she backflipped out of the way.

    "How rude of you!" The woman said it mockingly.

    "Shut the fuck up!" I hissed. "Turn off the machine or I''ll fucking kill you!"

    Standing up straight, she brushed off her uniform before wagging a finger at me. "Nothing can be done, Little One."

    I growled and reached for my pistol just as the woman drew hers, having expected to throw up a shield around myself and deflect the first flurry of bullets. Surprised by this, she immediately took cover behind one of the strange computer-like machines, just as I fired two bullets in her direction.

    "Impressive!" The woman laughed. "Magically sound and can shoot. Though I see you''re better at one over the other." She snickered.

    "I said shut up!" Once again, I took control of my water and lashed out at her, and she dove forward and rolled before suddenly being caught by my torrent of wind and slammed into the wall. She gasped and froze as I continued to force her against the wall with more wind. Approaching her, I growled, "How do I turn it off?"

    The woman smirked at me. "You can''t; the refinement process has already begun. You cannot stop it midway."

    "Refinement?" I blinked but then shook my head. "What do you mean? There''s no emergency abort?"

    The woman scoffed and laughed. "Even if there was, I would not tell you infidel. Doing so would stop them from becoming pure and useful to the cause."

    I gritted my teeth. She''s no better than the machines.

    "Then I have no use for you," I said, dismissing my spell and allowing her to drop to her feet. Yet before she could do anything, I called upon the air from above to come crashing down. The force of the gust sent her upper body slamming into the metal floor with a fleshy thwack, and she stopped moving.

    Not dead, but unconscious from what I could see.

    "You can dodge everything else, but you can''t dodge oxygen, bitch." I snarled and whined as I gripped the wound on my shoulder and ran to the console. I couldn''t read anything on the displays or nobs. Through the glass down below, I could see Varis being lifted higher and higher into the air with my father and others as it continued to shake more and more of them off.

    "Fuck, what does it do?" I asked myself. "Shit¡­. shit!"

    Then it hit me.

    Just fucking break it. Like everything else.

    Sometimes brute force is the option.

    Taking out my canteen, I checked how much water I had left. Not a lot; only enough for a few more lashes. Muttering the words to water lash, I channeled the water out of the canteen and looked at the glass in front of me. The glass beyond the pane leads directly into the cell if I could remove the glass. I could use the water to sever the tendril lifting my brother.

    The fall would possibly hurt the others, but I could heal them if it came to that.

    With the plan set, I lashed out with the water and sliced through the pane of glass, left, right, down, left again, and so forth. I sliced a nearly perfect square before blasting the glass pane out.

    "Look out below!" I screamed as those within the cell dove out of the way of the falling glass, which shattered across the ground as they screamed in pain and shock.

    Summoning the last remaining water from my canteen, I focused on the almost fleshy and metal tendril yanking my brother into the air and lashing outwards.

    The water slicked through it like butter. Sparks and some sort of mechanical liquid sprayed outward as the claws came loose and the machine howled with what seemed like agony. The severed tendril contorted and spasmed as blackish-brown fluid sprayed from the stump, showering those below as everyone holding Varis screamed and fell back to earth.

    Those who had seen what I''d done cheered and howled with joy and relief. Though it wasn''t over yet, more gunshots came from the entrance as Isa continued to send hellfire out the open gap.

    "Luna! I''m running out of ammo!" I could hear her scream.

    "I''m almost done!" I yelled as I turned back, just as a heavy force rammed me right in the chest.

    Suddenly, I was weightless; someone had their hands around me. I was confused at first until I realized.

    The bitch woke up.

    We were falling into the cell¡ªa twenty-foot drop¡ªa drop that would severely injure me or, at worst, kill me, depending on how I landed.

    This is why I hate heights!

    I panicked and tried to elbow the much larger woman, who I saw had a crazed look on her face as we fell head first towards glass-covered ground. Not wanting to die, I wiggled in her grasp, held out a free hand, and screamed, "Gus¡ª" She tried to cover my mouth to stop my shortened incantation, but it was too late for her. The blast of air hit the ground, knocking those below out of the way but propelling us upwards towards a crowd of people.

    Which we barreled right into.

    A soft landing it was, though not for whoever I ran into. The Rusivite woman and I crashed into the large group who had helped save Varis, and immediately, like a swarm of zombies, they were on us. Or, well, her, not me.

    Someone grabbed my dazed self and dragged me from the dog pile as the crowd began to beat and wail upon the woman. "Do not kill her!" One of the soldiers shouted. "Keep her alive! We need her alive!"

    The Rusivite woman laughed psychotically and yelled with pain as she was beaten and dragged away, and I shook my head and regained my composure. I glanced up to see who yanked me out, and what my eyes fell upon were the sapphire-blue orbs of my mother.

    "Hello again, Momma," I said with a dopey smile I couldn''t contain.

 Chapter 62: Reunion

    Her eyes locked with mine, and her body stiffened as she held me tight against her body with just one healthy arm. Mother''s mouth quivered, and her eyes glossed over as tears began to brim along the edges. I said nothing; instead, I smiled up at her happily as my heart rammed against my ribs as she closed her eyes and shook her head.

    "What in the hell are you doing here?" She asked as the group of prisoners threw the Rusivite woman to the ground and pinned her. The woman cackled and laughed manically before being silenced by a boot kicking her right in the face, knocking her out cold yet again.

    She has to have had at least a severe concussion by this point. I thought idly as I looked at my mother.

    "I came to save you," I said as I pushed myself up and turned to face her. "Both Isa and I came looking for you and the others, a-and we found¡ª"

    A sharp pain burned across my cheek, and my head snapped to the side as the cell echoed with the loud smack of my mother''s palm against my cheek. Suddenly, I felt her hand grab me by the scruff of my dress, and she yanked me forward.

    "Luna Ashflow, I told you to go with Isa to Johanneson!" My mother scowled, her eyes burning with fury as I looked at her, confused. "Do you have any idea how worried I am?! Why didn''t you listen to me?!"

    "I-I was told you were in danger¡ª"

    Gunshots erupted from the entrance once more, and I heard Isa shout. "As endearing as this family reunion is, I need help!"

    Mother took a deep breath and closed her eyes. When she opened them again, the rage that filled them had faded; instead, a firm and serious look took its place. "Slyran, Varis, are you okay?" She asked me as she released me.

    I smoothed out my dress and watched her, confused, as she got up and moved over to the crowd, which parted. In the center, I could see my father cradling my sobbing brother. Father looked up at my mother and nodded before pausing and turning to me with a look of shock. I gulped and gave him a small wave.

    He opened his mouth to speak, though my mother silenced him by holding a hand up. "We''ll talk once we''re out of here." She turned to me. "Luna, do you have a way out of here?"

    I shook my head to regain focus and rubbed my still-stinging cheek. "I, uh, I think I do. I''ll need everyone to back away from the glass there!" I pointed to the thick window at the front.

    The couple of soldiers who had helped my father save Varis shouted, "Come on, people, back away; let the little savior work her magic!"

    Like Moses parting the Red Sea, the crowd dispersed, giving me a clear passage toward the front glass panes. Smoothing out my skirt, I made my way over to the glass and pulled out my wand. I was all out of water in my canteen, so I couldn''t cut a hole.

    Yet, if memory serves me right, glass was much easier to melt than metal, I think. Maybe I could be wrong.

    "Mithiral and glass have similar melting points," The voice chimed in as I stepped up to the glass. "You should be able to break through this without issue, but you must make it quick. Something large is coming your way."

    I removed my wand, held it up to the glass, and began to focus on igniting the tip as I pressed it against the hardened material. What''s up? I asked. What''s coming? More machines outside?

    "Possibly, but I am unsure. This is a new feeling," said the voice. "Whatever it is, it is vast and should be arriving within the half hour."

    "Of course it is," I muttered to myself out loud as more gunfire came from the entrance. I could hear Isa curse loudly and shout something at the Rusivites in their language, which, to my surprise, they shouted back in a smarmy tone.

    Oh great, they''re resorting to shit-talking.

    As I slowly used my magical plasma cutter to slice a square hole through the window, I could hear the people behind me muttering nervously to one another. The few Hein''s Guards were audibly cracking their knuckles; one of them overhead said, "Gods, I can''t wait to get out there and show these fuckers what''s up."

    "We don''t even have weapons, though," said another.

    "Hey!" The first soldier shouted to me.

    "Shut up," I said trying not to lose focus. "I''m concentrating!"

    To which I heard my mother say, "Do not bother my daughter, if she loses focus on that spell, we''ll be fried." A few curious murmurs followed up after that, though I heard a couple of others whimper and shuffle away from me as if that''d help if I lost track of this burning star.

    "Luna! Hurry!" Isa shouted, her tone nervous. I bit my lower lip and tried to concentrate more on the melting glass.

    I shuffled my feet back as bits of molten glass dribbled onto the floor, and finally, after about a minute, I swiftly bopped the center pane with my fist and shoved the partially melted glass to the floor, which shattered. The crowd behind me cheered, though I swiftly raised a hand to stop them just as they began to rush forward.

    "Stop! You''ll burn yourselves!" I warned as I dropped concentration on what I was officially dubbing my plasma cutter and began to focus on cooling the edges and resolidifying the molten rim.

    Once the edges of the hole were safe to climb through, I was the first to leap through the gap and quickly run up the small set of stairs towards the entrance, where Isa was reloading her last magazine into her rifle.

    Seeing me, Isa visibly relaxed slightly. "Finally, you''re here." She said and motioned with her head towards the hole in the door, "There''s about four more guys down the hall. They''ve taken up defensive positions, and they''re blocking us in here. From what I''ve heard, one of them said that we are trapped."

    I bit my lower lip as more people behind me began to climb out of the cell. "I haven''t seen any other exits here. Just the stairs leading up to the observation room."

    Isa nodded as the Rusivites shouted taunts at us from the hallway. "That''s what I assumed," she sighed.

    I nodded and said, "Well, there are only four of them, right? I could just bubble us, and we can push through."

    "We could," Isa nodded, then held up a finger. "But there may be others further back we''re unaware of."

    I shrugged. "Maybe but¡­" I gulped. "We won''t know until we go."

    Isa rolled her eyes and smirked a little. "Well, you aren''t wrong there." She turned to the ever-growing crowd that was forming behind us. "Getting everyone out of here is going to be rough, though," she muttered softly. "We may need to change our plans and get them out of here."

    Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.

    "But what about the fighting machines outside," She whispered before jolting when another gunshot hit the metal door. Isa dropped to one knee, poked her rifle out, and fired two shots back before shouting something at the Rusivites.

    "Fucking chundos." She growled.

    "What?" I blinked.

    Isa waved her hand. "Nevermind, and don''t say it around your mother. But anyway, I don''t know. It''s not like we can get them deeper into the facility either, it''d be too dangerous and too crowded."

    The sound of someone clearing their throat drew mine and Isa''s attention back to the crowd, and standing in front of everyone were my mother and father. Mother''s arms were crossed while Father smiled at us goofily, and it was here that I noticed Varis standing behind him, poking out from behind his leg. Like my parents, his outfit was torn to ribbons and dirty, and his eyes were puffy and still wet with tears.

    Poor kid. I thought. I can''t even begin to imagine what this hell has been like for him. Or any of them, for that matter.

    "Don''t forget, you two aren''t alone anymore," My mother said as her hand reached up to grasp at a metallic collar around her neck. "My magic may be halted, but I can still shoot a gun."

    "Exactly," Father said with a smirk, and he gestured to the soldiers behind him. "I and the lads here can assist where need be."

    A few others in the crowd also stepped up. "Aye, let us help," said a rotund, bearded dwarf. "Let us all work together and kick these bastards in the teeth."

    I smirked and nodded. "Thank you." I turned to my family. "How are you all feeling?" I stepped towards them, my eyes wandering towards my mother''s right arm, which rested in a sling.

    My mother glared at me for a second, then sighed and smiled a little. "I''m doing okay, my little star. I have aches and pains, but I can move." She adjusted her sling.

    "I can fix this for you," I said to her before looking at everyone. "I can heal anyone who needs it. Please, step forward."

    My mother''s eyes widened as a few injured people began to hobble forward, their faces pained yet relieved to hear my offer. "Do you have scrolls?" She asked me.

    I smiled at her and said, "Well, Momma, watch this."

    As the crowd gathered around me, I clapped my hands together and began to concentrate once more on my well. The magic within me bubbled and churned delightfully as the radiant energy began to buzz outward, filling me with a slight tingling pleasure as I began the incantation.

    ¡°By the sacred springs, where life''s currents entwine, in the heart of magic, where destinies align. With boundless grace, let healing waters flow, Mass Rejuvenation, in Slyondra''s soft glow." I said rubbing my hands together before I held them out wide and continued, "From the depths of hurt, to the heights of hope, let the healing touch, by Slyondra''s scope." My mother''s eyes widened, and people around me gasped as my body began to glow green. Runic circles began to form on the metallic floor as glowing wisps began to revolve around me. "In the embrace of magic, where spirits thrive, Mass Rejuvenation, may Slyondra''s blessings arrive. With each whispered word, with each flickering light, bring renewal forth, banish the night." I opened my glowing eyes and brought my hands together while motioning the signs before clasping them together and parting once more as a ball of swirling life energy began to form between my palms. "In the unity of souls, where life''s currents strive, Mass Rejuvenation, in Slyondra''s name, wounds revive. Mass Rejuvenation!¡± I shouted as I threw the green ball into the air which then burst into dozens of swirling particles that shot down at everyone. Penetrating their bodies and causing them to gasp with shock, wounds all around, including mine, began to heal.

    Those around me straightened up, their bodies wiggling as if testing out new parts they never knew they had. I saw an elderly man, once hunched over, straighten his back with eyes as wide as saucers. My mother, whose arm was once in the sling, slowly removed it. Her eyes were wide with astonishment as she looked at me as if she were laying eyes on me for the first time.

    Varis rushed out from behind his father and ran towards me, and before I could do anything, he threw his arms around me in a tight embrace. Father came over as well and knelt, his face wrinkled with a wide smile as he tussled my hair.

    "When the heck did you learn to do all these tricks?" He asked me as people around me began to cheer and morale began to soar.

    I hugged Varis tightly, looked at my father, and said, "A¡­" I paused, then said, "It started with a nice man teaching me."

    Father nodded and said, "Well, I''d like to meet this nice man some day."

    Mother hesitantly stepped forward, her wounds now fully healed, she got onto her knees and, without a word, hugged both Varis and I.

    Yet as lovely as this exchange was. It was short-lived by another bout of gunfire, and Isa was cursed. "What''s the game plan?" She asked as she returned fire.

    "We stay put," Father said as many others looked at him confused, including myself. "Look at us," he continued, "only a handful of us can properly fight, and from what I overheard, you said it yourself. There''s fighting machines out there."

    "But what about mother, and her magic?" I suggested as I looked at her.

    Mother pulled back from the embrace and said, "I''m stifled right now." She tapped the collar. "This Well Siphon has me drained, which means no magic."

    "Can we take it off?" I asked, and my mother took a deep breath.

    "We could, and we will, but it won''t help. It''d take at least a few days before I can properly perform again." She gritted her teeth and glared at the unconscious Rusivite on the ground, who, by this point, was bound and gagged by rags. "She''s the one who did this to me, and most likely she has the key on her person. Or so I hope."

    My father turned to Isa. "Do you have a plan for disabling the machines outside?"

    Isa pulled the charger back on her rifle to examine her ammunition and glanced at Father. "We have an idea, as to whether that idea will work, we don''t know."

    Father shrugged. "Better than no idea." He smirked. "Any of you got a spare gun?" Before Father could even finish the question, Isa was already unholstering her sidearm and tossing it to him.

    Catching it with ease, he whistled and examined the weapon. "Fancy, a bit too heavy for my liking, but I can make it work." He turned to the soldiers and said, "You lot, stay here and look over the citizens. Cailynn, I want you to stay with them."

    "Slyran, I can fight." She growled, and he shook his head.

    "Love, as skilled as you are. Without your spells, I''ll be honest in saying that you''d do better here." He pointed to the floor.

    Mother scowled and opened her mouth to protest, but stopped before turning away. "Fine." she hissed.

    "Papa, I want to fight too¡ª" Varis started but was silenced by our father raising a hand to dismiss him.

    "Out of the question," he said. "I need you here to protect your mother," he said as he placed a hand on his shoulder. "Just like I said all those days before, Protect her as best you can."

    Varis bit his lower lip. "But, what about Luna?" He asked.

    Father frowned as well and looked at me. I could see on his face that he didn''t want me out there, fighting like I had. A series of conflicts ran through him before, finally, the logic seemed to pull through and he said, "Luna, is going to come with Isa and I."

    "Slyran!" Mother hissed.

    "It makes sense, Cailynn!" Father snapped as he turned to her and gestured to the destroyed claw and then to her arm. "You saw what she did! Luna, is capable."

    "But she''s our daughter, she''s a child," my mother said pleadingly.

    "And that hasn''t stopped her," he said turning to me. "What do you say? Any suggestions, Luna?"

    I gulped nervously and fidgeted. The thought of going back out there and into danger despite being so close to my goal, was frightening. I didn''t want to split up, what if something happened while we were out? Yet it made sense. We couldn''t all run around here, and we couldn''t just leave.

    "The behemoth is drawing near." The voice said it coldly. "Twenty minutes until its arrival."

    Of course. My blood ran cold, and I took a shaky breath. "I-I say we do this, father. You, Isa, me," I said knowing that any longer would be pointless. Whatever''s coming, I''ll tell them once we''re out of here. I don''t want to risk a panic.

    Father nodded slowly and stood up. "Then it''s settled. Cailynn¡­" He turned to his mother. "I love you, I love all of you." He tussled both mine and Varis''s hair. "After this, let''s go get something to eat in Johanneson." He chuckled.

    A loud shout came from the corridor outside as the thundering of boots echoed from outside as Rusivites charged the door. Cries were quickly cut short as Isa fired the last remaining rounds of her rifle down the hall.

    "Shit! Out of ammo!" She hissed. "If any more come charging, they''ll get in here."

    "Then we better get moving now," Father said as he gripped my shoulder. "Are you ready?" He asked me.

    "As ready as I can be," I responded.

 Chapter 63: Control

    Isa dove through the small hole in the door and was greeted with a torrent of gunfire. Half a dozen bullets ricocheted off the bubble shield I had enveloped around her, causing each impact to send a spike of discomfort through me as I maintained focus on repairing it. I watched through the small hole as my mentor roared, drew the handgun I had given her just before, and began to unleash hell upon the invaders.

    My father was the second to dive through the hole behind her and join in on the fray, and eventually, I went through as well. Isa and Papa stood at the bend, sending death down the lane as I got back to my feet after climbing through and joining in behind them.

    Stopping just before them, my father turned to me and asked, "Are you able to bubble us?" I gulped and nodded before flinching just as Isa ducked out of the way of incoming bullets that slammed against the wall.

    I took a deep breath, looked at my father, and held out my hands as I focused on projecting a protective shield around us. As the shimmer of magic radiated around us, my father turned to Isa, nodded, and the two of them dove around the corner.

    My gut lurched as I followed behind them, and the world I knew erupted into gunfire. Everything became a blur as both Father and Isa dove into the remaining soldiers in the winding hallway. With my protective bubble around us, the two of them were able to quickly rush ahead, and I saw Father tackling a Rusivite to the ground while Isa jumped and wrapped her legs around another''s torso while blasting his partner behind them in the chest her pistol before falling with the first due to him losing balance.

    Swiftly, everything crumbled into a violent melee. A fight in which I tried my best not to watch as my father viciously pistol-whipped the Rusivite, repeatedly turning his face into a bloody mess. The one Isa had shot in the chest writhed on the ground while one hand clutched the wound in his chest. Over the screaming of those being beaten by my allies, I heard them wheeze and sputter as they tried to shout for what I assumed to be help.

    Taking out my wand, I pointed it towards the man as he tried to crawl away. "Spark," I muttered softly as my wand''s tip ignited before firing a bolt of fiery energy into the man''s back. Within a second, his uniform caught fire, and the man released a panicked cry as his body violently jerked and his lower back and right leg caught fire.

    He began to panic and scream as his body thrashed, and despite his chest injury, he was able to start rolling back and forth, trying his best to put out the raging inferno that now lit up the corridor. My eyes widened at the realization of what I''d just done.

    Father stood up from the corpse he''d just made and gripped his handgun tightly as he looked at me. Following my gaze, he glanced at the burning man, who had at this point stopped struggling. "No use dwelling on it now," he said softly. "Surely they would''ve heard the commotion. Let''s get moving." He raised his gun and mercifully shot the man on the floor.

    Isa stood up as well and said, "Slyran, take this." She picked up one of the Rusvite rifles and tossed it to him, which he caught effortlessly. "It''s an auto-gun. Only pull the bolt once," She quickly explained.

    "I''m aware," Father muttered as he checked the rifle''s ammunition. "I''ve come uncomfortably close to these a few times." He sighed and nodded in thanks.

    Isa picked up another rifle from the ground and did the same. After checking the ammo, she nodded to the both of us, and I silently followed along behind them as we made our way back through the winding corridor.

    To my surprise, we did not encounter any more resistance as we returned to the blast door. The facility shook violently as the sounds of external explosions came muffled through the walls.

    "What the fuck is happening out there?" My father asked as Isa ran over to the control panel and began to open the door.

    "Heinmaran counterattack," Isa said. "Did you honestly think Luna and I came alone?" She looked toward him with a smirk.

    Father grabbed me by the hand and tugged me over to the edge of the door so I wasn''t in front of it when it opened. I obeyed without a second thought.

    "Honestly, kind of." He chuckled. "I expected you wouldn''t have any issue sneaking into a place like this, and with Luna''s magical prowess, now you''d make a great team." He smiled at me but immediately stopped when he noticed my expression.

    I''m done with this. I just want to leave. I took a deep breath.

    Father sucked in some air through his nose as the heavy door groaned and the gears began to turn as it opened. "Don''t worry, Luna," he said as if having read my mind. "Once we''re done with this, we''re getting as far away from here as possible."

    "We better make it quick," I said loud enough to be heard over the door. "We don''t have much time?"

    "Time?" Isa blinked. "We should at least have another hour or so before the Heinmarans bomb this place."

    "Wait bomb?" Father blinked and looked at Isa, who nodded.

    "The Godhammers are going to wipe this fort off the face of Enora when the clock strikes twelve," Isa said, and I shook my head.

    "No, that''s not what I mean!" I said this as the door began to rise high enough for us to duck under. "What I''m saying is that something big is coming¡ª"

    Suddenly, bouts of gunfire came from beyond the door as the sound of bullets slamming into metal sent me back first against the neighboring wall. Dozens of rifles from beyond the door continued to suppress us as Isa shouted over to us from the control panel.

    "There''s too many of them! Luna, blast them!"

    I fucking hate this! My mind screamed as I recast my bubble shield and began to concentrate on the spark spell once more, yet knowing what I do now. I channeled the anger and frustration I''ve felt since the start of all of this, and instead of a measly spark, I pictured a raging torrent of fire, similar to what I saw Zora casting earlier.

    As the large blast door continued to rise and rise ever so slowly, I got down on all fours, pointed my wand through the open gap, and unleashed a ray of fire down the hall¡ª

    Suddenly, a blinding flash caught my eye, and the force of something large slammed into my shield, shattering it instantly before penetrating my left shoulder. The wind was forced from my lungs as my back slammed into the tile floor and I rolled. A searing, throbbing pain struck my mind as I tried to move my left arm, yet I couldn''t.

    Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation.

    My ears were ringing, and my vision was hazy. Mixed with the pain, I could feel an immense heat, and I could hear screaming. Was it my screaming? Their screaming? I couldn''t tell, at least not at first.

    Then it dawned on me.

    We were all screaming.

    Fuck not again! I''ve been shot. I''ve been fucking shot! My mind panicked. I had my shield, and I still got fucking shot!

    I reached over to where I had been struck, I needed to know how bad. Yet when I went to grab my upper left arm¡­

    Where''s my arm? My arm?! Where''s my fucking arm?! Oh god, my arm, my arm, my arm?! Where''s my fucking arm?! Where is it? Why isn''t it there? Oh god, oh god, oh god, where''s my arm?!

    My heart raced, and my stomach churned. My eyes flicked towards my wound; through the blurry vision, all I could see was red. Red light from the fire, and red from all the blood. Vomit rushed out of my guts, and I puked all over the floor.

    My arm. It was dangling. Still attached¡­ but dangling by threads of charred flesh.

    The pain! The pain oh fuck it hurts, it hurts, it hurts, hurts!!

    "Calm yourself!" The voice shouted. "Calm yourself, Luna, or else you''ll go into shock!"

    It hurts! Sweet fucking Jesus!

    Something grabbed ahold of me, and I couldn''t tell if I screamed as I was dragged across the floor. The agony shook me to the core as my mind screamed with fear and pain. Despite how difficult it was, the voice was right, I needed to focus so I could heal myself. Yet I couldn''t I couldn''t. My body was frozen. I was dying, bleeding out.

    Memories of the gas station. The robber, the pain of being shot in the back. It was happening again. Once again I''m going to die so pathetically¡­ maybe I''ll die and be reborn again? Maybe I''ll have a happier life this time, maybe¡ª

    "If you die here, you will not be brought back again." The voice said it coldly. "Do not give up. Get up and fix yourself, Luna Ashflow. Your companions need you."

    As if calmed by an unknown force. My mind stilled. The pain was immense, yet the fear and panic had vanished. My hearing began to become more clear.

    "Which one of you dead mother fuckers hit her?" I could hear my father shouting, followed by men screaming, before being silenced by a gunshot.

    Closing my eyes I began to softly mutter the words to the rejuvenation spell and held my right hand over what was left of my other arm. I spat on the floor, trying to rid myself of the taste of blood as I focused on the spell. I looked away as I finished the incarnation as I did not want to see the horrific mess of my body stitching itself back together.

    Thank god it was still dangling on¡­ I shuddered. If it had been completely severed, I''d have to use restoration. A spell that required much more power and was one I had hardly used.

    After a few moments, I could feel the pain easing, replaced with an uncomfortable soreness now, though I could now feel it again. My hearing was fully restored, I could hear the sounds of crackling flames and an eerie silence only broken by heavy breathing.

    Getting my bearings, I saw that I was forced into the corner. I was drenched in gore, my hair sticky and clinging to my face. I brushed it out of the way and saw that the door was fully open. The stark white hallway was now charred and riddled with corpses, and standing amongst them was my father and Isa.

    Father turned around the anger on his face twisting into that of desperation as our eyes made contact. His desperation melted into relief as he rushed towards me. "Luna, thank the gods, you''re okay¡­" He trailed off as he looked at my now restored arm. "Y-You fixed it¡­" He said stunned. "It''s like nothing happened!" He beamed.

    I glared up at him. "We have about fifteen minutes to finish this," I said to him relieved I could finish my sentence from earlier.

    "Fifteen minutes?" Isa spoke up.

    "The voice in my head, he said there''s something massive coming. We need to shut off the power to the fighting machines and we need to get everyone out now!"

    "The voice in your¡­" Father started but then blinked. "You mean the early warning thing?"

    Isa grabbed his shoulder. "Exactly, but there''s more to it than that. I''ll explain later."

    Isa pulled my father away from me and the two of them began to make their way down the corridor as I followed a handful of steps behind.

    Voice. Was that your doing? I asked.

    "Whatever do you mean?" The master responded in his usual monotonous tone.

    You took control, didn''t you? I was panicking and suddenly I wasn''t. Like you¡­ flipped some sort of switch.

    At first, he did not respond as I followed behind my father and Isa, who was pointing signs out to us and directing us where we needed to go. Yet as we rounded a corner, the voice finally spoke, "I have some degree of control; I''ll be up front about that. You''ve encountered it once before. The cave is in the Heinland Mountains. I''ll not go into full detail, as we lack the necessary time. When need be, I can interfere, but only in places of power, as that is the easiest I can reach. Where you''re at currently, this pillar of ether, seems to act as a substitute with how much power it radiates, thus allowing me to temporarily manipulate you. Something that I only did in order to help you, Luna."

    I thought, "Let us keep it that way" as we quickly rushed down the hall.

    Further ahead we could hear shouting and at the start of a T junction, I could see a group of men and women in white coats following a group of soldiers shouting desperately. Isa quickly gestured to a nearby room as the men and women turned towards us.

    Throwing open the door, it looked to be a lounge of sorts. A large coffee table lay in the center surrounded by cushioned seats, and the sound of music seemed to be coming from a magical orb in the corner of the room.

    Isa closed the door behind us just in time as the armed escorts and scientists went past us. "What''s going on, Isa? What are they shouting about?" Father asked the serelli as her ears twitched and swiveled like radar dishes.

    "Panic." She smirked. "Sounds like they''re trying to get the labcoats out. Something about¡­ an airship."

    "They''re calling out to daddy to come pick them up," I said lowly taking a brief moment to sit on the cushioned chair which I immediately sank into.

    We don''t have time for this¡­ I mentally reminded myself.

    "Don''t get too comfy, kiddo," Father said as he sat beside me.

    "I''m not." I lied. This chair was, in fact, very comfortable. "We need to get moving."

    "We will," Isa said. "We just need to wait for the group to pass by." She listened some more, and after a minute, she nodded. "Okay, we''re good to go."

    "You have ten minutes before the behemoth arrives." The voice said just as the facility rumbled and the sound of an external explosion boomed.

    My heart began to race as anxiety began to settle in. "Great, ten minutes," I alerted the others.

    Isa nodded. "We''re not far. There is a sky way which goes over the road. If it''s not damaged we can cross that into the main facility."

    "We''re not in the main building?" Father asked with a smirk. "How big is this place?"

    "Pretty big," I said stalely. "Did you not see it?" I asked him.

    He shook his head. "Can''t see much when you''re stuffed into as metal cage with dozens of others on top of you."

    I shuddered. "Yikes¡­"

    "Yikes indeed." He smirked.

    How the hell can he and that halfling Drach be so upbeat?

    Isa opened the door. "Come on, lets get going."

    I took a deep breath in, and then let it out.

    Back into the fray. I thought as we ran out.

 Chapter 64: Tower

    The facility trembled as the ground heaved suddenly. The lights within the building flickered frantically as I stumbled forward and bumped into my father''s back. "What the hell was that?!" My father gasped as he grabbed onto my shoulder to steady me. We stopped in the middle of the hall.

    Over the intercom, the voice of the commissar echoed in a taunting fashion as Isa''s brow twitched and furrowed. "I don''t know, but the commissar seems pleased about the reinforcements Luna mentioned."

    "It''s almost here." The voice said it in my head. "You must finish what you''re doing soon, or else the possibility of you leaving alive begins to slip away."

    That''s not foreboding; what even is it? I sighed anxiously as Isa motioned for us to keep moving as the commissar continued his rant.

    "I don''t know. Yet judging by the amount of essence it contains, it rivals almost that of what you''re trying to destroy."

    Do you mean it''s as strong as this tower? I shuddered as we neared the stairwell.

    With Isa taking the lead, she opened the door, and immediately we came face-to-face with two soldiers. My heart lurched into my throat, and I held my arms out, fingers splayed, as I focused on the shield spell, just as my father quickly drew his pistol from his hip and fired three rounds. Two into the front man''s chest and the third directly into the second''s throat before they could even react.

    Rusimian shouts came from above, to which Isa responded nonchalantly in their native tongue. Immediately, she was granted a nasty response, judging by the man''s tone, to which my mentor merely smirked and glanced at me.

    "Keep the bubble up; they''re waiting for us." She glanced at my father.

    "We''re charging right in?" He asked with a smirk as he dropped his rifle and swapped it out for the freshly loaded one of the men they killed.

    "Of course, Luna, stay behind us and keep the shield going. You''re doing great." She patted me on the shoulder, and I nodded.

    Yeah, I''m doing good. I''m just barely hanging on mentally by a thread. I bit my lower lip and focused on the protective shield as Isa and I rushed up the steps, trailing behind.

    With quick speed, Isa scurried up the steps in what seemed like a blur. The few Rusivite soldiers above shouted as my father and I tried to keep up. I saw Isa round the bend up top and leap towards the wall before kicking off of it and out of view. A few rapid gunshots caused me to cringe but I kept moving. Another man then shouted and cried out before suddenly Father yanked me back towards the wall as the figure of a man fell past us down the stairwell before cracking his helmet-covered head against the floor with a sickening crunch.

    Helmet or not. I whimpered. His neck is fucking broken.

    A few more gunshots echoed throughout the cramped stairwell. Silence fell over us.

    "Isa!" Father shouted.

    "I''m okay; the recruits are dealt with." She took a deep breath as Father and I rounded the bend, and I could see her at the top of the stairs, already digging through their pockets for extra ammunition or other valuables.

    "You have less than ten minutes." The master said this just as another tremor shook the building.

    Father cursed as he held onto me and the railing and glanced at me. "Is that thing you mentioned?" He asked, and I simply nodded.

    "The voice says we have less than ten minutes," I said as I took a deep breath. "Whatever that thing is, it will be here soon."

    "Can we fight it?" Father asked.

    "Do you want to, Slyran?" Isa asked sarcastically.

    "No." the Master said bluntly.

    "Voice says no," I said, looking at Papa.

    "Well, I meant if we got caught up in it. Could we kill it, y''know?" My father clarified with a shrug.

    "Still most likely no." the Master mumbled.

    "I wouldn''t be so hopeful, Father," I said not bothering to hide the nervous shake from my voice.

    Papa glanced at me and nodded as Isa straightened up and tossed an extra magazine towards him. Catching it, he slid the ammunition into his pocket and nodded towards Isa who motioned for us to follow her through the stairwell entrance.

    We entered into a large corridor, possibly ten or so feet wide. It was barren, yet now deserted, as we could hear a dozen or so voices coming from our right that seemed far off. Isa glanced at a set of signs on the wall across from us which had arrows pointing in either direction.

    "We go right," She said as she double-checked her gun while Father did the same.

    "Okay." I nodded. "I''ll stay close behind," Isa smirked and gave me a little thumbs up as she and Father took the lead, weapons partially raised and ready to fight.

    The corridor continued for about a few dozen feet before eventually turning left into a much smaller hall, which sported a set of double doors on the right just a few feet ahead. A large sign was displayed above it, which Isa read out loud with a distasteful hiss.

    "Manufactury."

    Pushing through the double doors, we were greeted by bright rays of sunlight as we stepped onto the skyway. The bridge was covered in glass panes on either side, including the ceiling. Much of which was already shattered and riddled with bullet holes. The cool, fresh air was tainted with the smell of smoke and chlorine.

    I think I recall from science class that it''s ozone. I thought as I covered my nose.

    The sound of combat was heavy. The roar of the fighting machines and their never-ending machine gun fire rattled the air, intermixed with the tweeting cries of Heinmaran whistles as officers shouted orders to their troops.

    About a hundred feet across from us, though, on the other end of the bridge, we weren''t alone. Three armed soldiers, along with four men and women in lab coats, quickly ran out the door on their end, heads ducked and hands over ears. At first, they didn''t seem to notice us.

    Father hesitated for a second when the unarmed scientists stopped in their tracks, but Isa didn''t. Raising her rifle, she wasted no time in firing a shot through the soldier''s helmet and directly into his head, creating a sharp ding sound in the process. As the first body began to fall over, the second soldier shouted to the scientists, while the third raised their gun, screaming something shrill.

    I focused my effort on our shield when the soldiers fired their guns. I whinced but held firm as their rifle shot exploded against my barrier. This seemed to demoralize them immediately, as the soldier dropped their rifle upon seeing their weapon have no impact. The third soldier gestured for the scientists to run back into the facility and turned to his cowering comrade and shouted something before turning to raise his weapon towards us, only to be sent sprawling to the ground as Father sent a round into his left shoulder.

    The cowering Rusivite let off a shrill cry as they dropped to their knees and crawled towards the one clutching his shoulder wound. Isa snarled and raised her rifle to shoot them in the back, but halted when Papa reached out and grabbed the gun.

    "Isa, no." He hissed at her just as the Rusivite, leaning over the wounded comrade, turned to look at us.

    The soldier gasped, and immediately I could tell she was a young woman as they began speaking in their native tongue. She held her hands up in a sign of surrender and shook her head, rapidly sobbing beneath her mask.

    Isa glared at Papa. "What do you mean, no?" She growled.

    "They''ve already given up," he said as he shook his head. "There''s no reason to take things further. Let the world decide what to do with them." He released her gun and glanced at Rusivite, who was still sobbing and pleading at us.

    Isa snarled and growled at the woman in Rusimian, who immediately hiccuped and nodded their heads rapidly as she hesitantly turned back to her wounded comrade.

    The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.

    "If we get shot in the back, this is all on you," Isa growled, and I shook my head.

    "I won''t let that happen. I''ll keep us bubbled," I said.

    "And if she does, then we kill her," Father said gruffly as we stepped around them.

    "But it seems morale is shattering," Isa added as she proceeded down the battered bridge. "The girl was saying that she and her comrades were trying to find a way out and that they didn''t want to fight."

    Father pursed his lips as he glanced out one of the broken windows. My eyes followed his gaze. The large open area Isa and I crossed to get into the prison was beaten and battered. Bomb craters lay scattered across the pavement, and two destroyed Rusivite fighting machines lay dead in the open space. The prison itself was battered with shrapnel, and towards the edge of the compound, a barracks could be seen burning.

    "Well, I can see why," Father muttered¡ª "You all did a number on this place¡ª"

    The ground heaved once more as a tremor shook the earth; the bridge trembled and rattled, causing me to yell and cling to my father as Isa held onto one of the window frames. A thundering bellow similar to that of a massive foghorn sent my hands over my ears.

    "It''s here," said the Master. "Hearing it so close and feeling it too. The thing is vast." His tone was one of intrigue. "I''m actually impressed."

    Now isn''t the time to be charmed; what is it?! I asked as my heart began to race.

    "By the divine!" Isa shouted. "Look!" She pointed towards the northwest, and as my eyes followed her finger, my jaw nearly hit the floor.

    In all my life. This was the first time I had seen something like this. Even before, in my old life, the largest object I had ever seen in person was a fifteen-story building. The largest animal has been an elephant. What I saw here put the massive timberwolf I''d seen in this new life to shame. A mere puppy was all I saw.

    Towering over the distant treeline, such mere plants were nothing but small twigs compared to it. It stood on four spindly legs and carried the posture of a praying mantis. Its hull was thick yet elegant, with an abdomen that curled upwards into a curvy thorax; its head carried a large bowl-shaped dome over the top of its head like some form of shield; yet hanging from its chin, it sported two massive guns. Yet what stood out the most to me was what was embedded in its chest in a metallic cage. A gargantuan, glowing heart. A soft blueish-pink light emitted from its core with a hypnotic pattern.

    This new fighting machine, this colossal clockwork monstrosity made of pistons and gears, dwarfed everything I had ever known. How could something like this exist? How could anyone make something like this?

    Raising one massive leg, the gargantuan machine crushed through the tree line with a deafening crunch that sent tremors throughout the land. Around us, the fighting ceased, and silence permeated.

    Father took my hand and said to Isa, "We need to move now!"

    Suddenly, the behemoth fighting machine unleashed an ear-splitting roar. A deep, hollow roar sent chaos throughout the ranks of soldiers. As we needed the door to the factory, I could hear the distant shouts of Heinmaran soldiers and the sound of a different whistle.

    A whistle to retreat.

    <hr>

    Isa closed the door behind us as the ground shook with another earthquake. A sharp, hissing crack came from outside, followed by an intense explosion as the behemoth fighting machine fired one of its guns. Another soul-breaking howl came from the machine, and the ground began to shake as it moved closer to the facility.

    The intercom screeched and hissed as the crackling voice of the commissar came through, shouting once again triumphantly. "Cheer all you want," Isa said coldly. "I''m coming for that bastard." She then gestured toward a sign. "The main reactor is this way."

    Following behind Isa, a new voice came over the intercom, a woman''s voice speaking calmly. Up ahead, we could hear voices, and at the end of the hall, at another T junction, we saw a group of men and women of various races, some wearing lab coats, others wearing orange overalls quickly.

    "What''s that woman saying?" Father hissed as we moved closer, the crowd had not seen us yet.

    "She''s instructing all non combat personnel to head to the docking station," Isa muttered as we approached another corridor intersecting with the one we''re in on the left.

    "An airship must arrive soon," I said as the two of them nodded.

    Isa growled. "No way in hell am I letting these monsters escape." She started to raise her rifle, though once again, her father stopped her.

    "No," he whispered. "As much as I despise them as well, Isa, shooting them would be a waste."

    Isa rolled her eyes but nodded. "Fine¡ª"

    A shout came from down the hall, and we jerked up to see a halfling man with black goggles in an orange jumpsuit pointing at us. He shouted once more in his native tongue, and Isa cursed and gestured for us to run down the left side hall.

    Turning left, we quickly began to rush down the hall, yet we were cut off. Up ahead on the right, four soldiers rushed around the corner and opened fire. Having had the bubble prepared, I deflected most shots, yet I could feel my shield about to give way.

    "Too much!" I screamed as Isa and my father traded shots with the soldiers, sending a few of them sprawling to the ground. Yet they were quickly replaced by more men reinforcing their line. Behind us, four more soldiers rounded the corner and began to shoot.

    "Fuck, we''re sandwiched!" Father cursed and spun around to start shooting at the men behind us.

    I whinced and cried softly as each bullet that slammed into my shield nearly shattered it. I focused all my attention on repairing, yet even with the incredible power I had shown Alexander, I was beginning to feel overwhelmed.

    "We need to get out of this fast! Isa, do you see a door?!" My father called to her.

    To which she replied, annoyed, "No! We''re sitting ducks¡ªblast rock!"

    My eyes shot to where Isa was shouting, and I saw it at the last moment. A rusivite struck flint against a blackened stone, which immediately began to glow a deep shade of orange before tossing it our way.

    Of course, a fucking grenade!

    My eyes widened, and without a thought or my control, my hand shot forward, and I shouted, "Gust!" A blast of air shot forth from my hand, striking the volatile stone out of the air and back towards the firing squad.

    The Rusivites let off a startled cry as the stone landed right at their feet, and before I knew it, my vision was blinded by the flash of light from the exploding rock. The explosion rocked my ears, causing them to ring sharply, and I could barely hear the screams of those who didn''t die from the blast.

    "Good job!" My father shouted as he pushed me forward.

    I stumbled forward, my eyes wide with shock. That wasn''t me; I didn''t do that. I thought as I moved, but I didn''t have time to question it further; our way was now clear. I did my best not to look at the charred and exploded corpses I followed beside Isa as my father continued to provide support from behind.

    We rounded the corner, the Rusivites cut us off, and we ran back up. Isa pointed out the way we needed to go, and eventually, we found ourselves at another stairwell. We ran down the stairs, trying not to trip as the facility trembled once again due to the behemoth outside, and upon reaching the ground floor, that''s where the intensity began.

    Isa kicked open the door and immediately struck a Rusivite who was standing behind it knocking them to the floor. Wasting no time she shot the man in the back of the neck before slamming her rifle into a second man who rushed her on our left. Father pushed in, pistol in hand he fired two rounds into another surprised Rusivite on our right.

    "Alarm!" Was a word I understood clearly as a fourth Rusivite ran down the hall shouting for what I assumed to be assistance.

    While Father and Isa did the fighting, I continued to do what I did best. I kept the shield up and occasionally helped when I could. We continued to rush down the hall, following the signs that Isa pointed out, and eventually, we arrived at where we needed to be.

    At least judging by the number of soldiers in the room. I thought this was an important place.

    We came across a set of double doors down a central hall. Large sandbags with an intimidating machine gun emplacement sat right in the middle. A machine gun which I became very well acquainted with, as the six or so soldiers standing guard immediately opened fire upon seeing us.

    The machine, as expected, tore through my shield instantly, shattering it, and if it wasn''t for Isa''s deftness, she would''ve been torn to pieces right in front of me. Though, thankfully, she wasn''t. Upon the shattering of my shield, Isa turned and dove back, pushing both me and my father back.

    Isa cursed heavily, her eyes wide with shock and a bit of fear. "Too close, too close," she said, "A bit careless I was," she admitted and patted me on the head as the Rusivites shouted obscenities at us from around the corner.

    Isa turned to me, "You''re up, Luna. Fry them."

    I gulped nervously and nodded as I pulled out my wand.

    "Be careful," Father said as if I wasn''t already trying to be.

    Please don''t blow my arm off again. Please don''t blow my arm off! I thought nervously as I began to concentrate on another explosive spark.

    "Don''t worry, I''ll cover her," Isa said as she poked her rifle around the corner and began to fire a few suppressing shots I poked out from underneath her with my wand and pointed it directly at the machine gunner who was flinching under Isa''s fire.

    I unleashed my spark of fire directly downlane jumped back behind cover and tugged on Isa to do the same. A loud whoosh of flame and intense heat exploded back our way as the soldiers'' screams were swiftly cut short as the intensity burned them into charred husks.

    "That doesn''t sound like a fun way to go," Father muttered and Isa smacked him in the chest.

    "Focus." She muttered and poked her head around the corner. I hesitantly did the same and grimaced at the gruesome scene I''d created. Everything was charred black. What was once the shape of a few humans and what I assumed to be a halfling was nothing more than charred imitations. The weapons they had carried and the machine gun itself were now gooey, partially melted hunks of metal.

    We quickly stepped around the corner and rushed towards the corpses and door. Isa lept over the sandbags while Father and I stepped around them and came over to her as she stopped at the door.

    As she carefully grabbed the heated handle, she jimmied it, and of course.

    Shit''s locked.

    "Looks like we''ll be cutting our way in," Isa said glancing at me as I was already getting my wand ready.

    "I''m on it," I said softly and activated my magical plasma cutter.

    The door only took a few moments to slice through which Father was more than happy to kick open.

    "Hells yeah!" He beamed. "Haven''t done that in ages," he said with a chuckle as we ran into a dimly lit room lit by a blue and pink hue. The smell of ozone was pungent and I had to plug my nose not to mention the heat in the room was intense. Gazing upwards I could see no ceiling, instead, all I saw was a massive, crystalline pillar extending upwards, emitting a blue and pink glow.

    So this is the tower.

 Chapter 65: For Whom the Bell Tolls

    The air crackled with energy, a faint hum ever present, a sensation alluding to the fact that even a single spark could ignite everything. The smell of ozone was heavy, like thick, nasty chlorine. I practically had to cover my nose as we stood at the base of this crystalline tower. The room was vast; the base of the structure was a large open space, and the walls were cluttered with some archaic computers, switches, and knobs. Wrapping around the giant crystal itself were stairways and scaffolding.

    Aside from us, the room seemed barren. At least, a first. As Isa, Father, and I rushed into the room, our eyes glued to the gargantuan crystal, I could feel myself abuzz with an unknown sensation. My heart pounded heavily I turned to Isa, and as I did so, I spotted something on one of the many computers. A person, but not someone I would''ve expected. They were no scientist, engineers, or Rusivite soldiers.

    Instead, it was a man in a black cloak with pale-ish blue skin. He was looking in my direction, and my eyes stopped on him briefly.

    "There is no time for gawking, Luna," The man in black said to me, and that''s when I realized.

    "It''s you!" I blurted it out loud.

    Isa and Father, who at this point had moved slightly ahead of me, stopped and turned. "What is it?" Isa asked as she and Father raised their weapons.

    "Right there, it''s him, the one speaking to me!" I shouted and pointed at the man in black, who smirked and raised his head slightly, and through the shadow of his hood, I could faintly see the glowing pinpricks that were his eyes.

    "I''m glad we can see each other again, but alas, we do not have the time. Do not mind me. I just prefer the view from here."

    "Luna, there''s nobody there," Isa said softly.

    "It''s probably the magrite," Father said with a huff. "The power is so immense here, I''m starting to get itchy. How do we shut this thing off?"

    "What do you mean you don''t see him?" I scoffed and sighed as I glared back towards the Master, yet he was gone.

    Now''s not the time to fuck with me. I thought.

    "Apologies, that wasn''t my intention; the amount of essence emenating from this chunk of magrite, I couldn''t help but project myself to you." He said it with an actual chuckle.

    "I don''t know exactly how to shut it off," Isa admitted. " But if we look around here, we can surely find something." She glanced at me. "Luna, are you okay? Do you feel off?"

    Well, I feel like my heart is going to explode in my chest, and I have goosebumps all over.

    "That is because you''re absorbing the power. This artificial place of power is like a siphon, and currently, you are feeding off it."

    Can I stop it? Could I be taking too much?

    "No to both."

    Is it bad?

    "Not inherently."

    I looked up at Isa and shook my head. "I feel weird, but overall, I''m okay. I think I''m absorbing the energy of this place¡ª"

    A loud bang, followed by a light rumbling coming from the opposite end of the tower, grabbed our attention. Isa and Father turned and raised their rifles while I positioned myself near one of the consoles as cover.

    A booming, almost robotic-sounding voice shouted from across the large tower in heavily accented Maurich.

    "So, you are the intruders. Feline, knife ear, and child¡­" A hiss of steam was followed by mechanical whirring, then a heavy thump repeated over and over as the ground trembled and whoever was speaking approached. "Natalia failed in stopping you, I see."

    An enormous figure emerged into the open space, silhouetted by the light emanating from the tower around its edge. My eyes widened as the light shone through the details, and I saw that this was no large being but a scarred Rusimian piloting some kind of mech.

    What Wolfenstein bullshit is this? I gulped.

    The bipedal mech stood about fifteen feet tall and looked to be made out of the same purple-ish metal as the other fighting machines. The mech carried an open chassis, and within it was an older Rusivite human wearing a heavily decorated black and red uniform and a large peaked cap. The machine he controlled was very basic in design. The limbs were thin, and I could see the exposed clockwork gears and pistons where visible steam shot from each joint as it moved. Behind it, mounted on its back, I could see the obvious power, which gleamed a similar light to that of the magrite pillar.

    Yet despite the mech''s meager appearance, what made it threatening were the intimidating twin-mounted machine guns on its shoulders and the massive machine it carried in one of its arms.

    "Luna, stay in cover!" Isa shouted to me as the large machine stomped its way in front of Father and Isa as it now towered over them.

    The high-ranking Rusivite had a twisted smile on his scarred face. He said, "You do not look like soldiers or mercenaries. Heroes?" He glanced over at me. "Even I wouldn''t have expected the infected to stoop so low as to recruit a child¡ª" Suddenly, Isa fired her rifle at the man, and in an act that left me in utter disbelief, the machine jerked violently and, in a blink of an eye, deflected the bullet with one of its massive, metallic arms.

    "Oi! How rude!" the man said mockingly. "Little Kitty will need to be taught manners!"

    "I''m sorry, but I have no respect for the likes of you!" Isa snarled as she began to rush towards the mech. "Slyran!"

    "I''m on it!" Father shouted as he began to the left of the machine.

    The Rusivite snarled and attempted to sway his guns in Isa''s direction, yet my mentor lept into the air, throwing the Rusivite off. Isa landed on top of the massive machine gun, drew her pistol, and was about to shoot the man before suddenly the machine''s left hand slammed into Isa and grasped her.

    "Isa!" I screamed and stumbled out of cover as my father got behind the machine and began to fire shot after shot into its exposed reactor.

    "Hey!" He shouted as he fired a few more rounds into the core, but it was useless. The energy bolts projected from the gun slammed into the mech pathetically. Isa squirmed helplessly in the Rusivite''s grasp; she kicked and cursed before suddenly releasing a bloodcurdling scream as the mech squeezed her.

    "Stop!" I cried out as Isa''s screams made my blood run cold.

    With Isa still in his grasp, the Rusivite and his machine turned to face me, his scarred face twisted into a psychotic grin. "Why should I stop, Little One?" He asked me Just as Father ran around to the front to shoot the man, the Rusivite expected this, and with his other arm, he swung back and bludgeoned my father with the massive machine gun, sending him flying back ten feet.

    "Are these your parents? Loved ones? If so, it is silly that they brought you here~" He purred as he squeezed Isa harder, making her scream as the audible snaps of bones could be heard.

    "Let her go, please!" I shouted as I stepped forward.

    "What are you doing?" The Master hissed. "You''re going to leave yourself exposed!"

    Yet I didn''t listen. I had to do something, try something, whatever; Isa was in trouble!

    Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

    "Please?" The Rusivite''s twisted smile grew even more wicked. "Since you asked nicely!" He pitched the mech''s arm back, and my eyes widened.

    ''No!" I cried just as he threw Isa''s battered body in my direction. Acting on instinct, I held my arms out and shouted. "Gust!" A burst of air shot forth from my hands and wrapped around Isa''s body. The air swirled around her, catching her and slowing her descent as I placed her crushed body beside me.

    Isa''s eyes were wide and bloodshot, and her breathing was ragged. I tried not to look at the rest of her contorted form¡ªher arms ruined, her legs twisted.

    I need to heal her, but... My vision turned to the Rusivite, who was cackling. "I see, I see, you''re a little wizard." He cooed as his machine took a massive step towards me.

    I reached for my wand, and I quickly glanced towards my father, who was pushing himself to his knees, his head shaking as he looked to be in a dazed state.

    So it''s me. Just me against this psycho.

    "You best surrender, Little One, for our leader has gifted us an arsenal to rival whatever magic you throw at us." He cackled. "You have no power here."

    "Shut up!" I shouted as I swiftly pointed my wand toward him, its ruby tip igniting before firing a bolt of molten fire at him.

    The mech''s hand shot upwards, catching the molten flame, which burrowed and burned through its palm, damaging it. The Rusivite''s eyes widened briefly before taking on a more sinister look. "You dare harm Her Majesty''s equipment?" He asked as the twin machine guns zeroed in on me. "I guess a swift execution is in order."

    "Move now!" The Master shouted.

    "Gust!" I yelled as I blasted the ground with air, which rocketed me to the right just as the machine opened fire on my previous position.

    "Oh hoo! You have moves!" The Rusivite cheered as the machine guns swiveled in my direction, their guns firing nonstop as the hypocrite''s guns tore through the consoles and other machines. Sparks and debris flew everywhere behind me as I was just barely keeping ahead of the machine gun''s turn speed.

    "Gust!" I continued to shout every time I was about to lose momentum. I twisted my body and angled the gust slightly to my right as I tried to circle the mech.

    Maybe if I can get behind the mech I can send an explosive spark into its core! I thought desperately as the guns abruptly ceased firing. I fired another gust of air behind me, propelling me up into the air, my gut lurching as I jumped behind the mech. My heart raced desperately as I got ready to use the hovering trick I had shown Anne. I wanted to be at eye level with the core.

    Yet suddenly, the mech''s torso screeched as it abruptly rotated. My eyes widened as before I knew it, flying towards me at high speeds was the right forearm, which slammed into my puny body like a freight train, and before I knew it, I was flying.

    As I expected, unfortunately for you, this isn''t the end.

    Thankfully, I can take matters into my own hands.

    <hr>

    Master

    The little one''s body soared through the air before slamming into the metal-plated floor with a sickening crunch and roll. The Rusivite commissar cackled as he watched the lifeless body roll still.

    "Luna!" The injured elf screamed, his voice desperate, and choked with a sob. "Luna, get up! Luna!"

    The commissar snorted and laughed, howling like a grogi during a dual full moon. The fact that the little girl made him have to get serious rather than the two adults was funny, but as expected, one little swat like a gnat out of the air, and she was down.

    "Luna, for the love of the gods!" The man shouted, and the commissar frowned.

    "Annoying." He muttered in his Empress''s tongue. "Annoying, annoying, annoying!" He snarled, all of these infidels, these believers in the dark god. Pathetic.

    Taking hold of the controls, he began to pilot his majesty''s armor and turned to face the sniveling man, who was weakly crawling towards the corpse of the girl.

    "Prescious to you, is she?" He asked in the voice of the disgusted. Simply using the language of those who don''t believe is vomit-inducing, yet the commissar enjoyed toying with the non-believers, and very rarely does he help them see the light, but even then, they''re always too gone to save.

    "Fuck you!" The man spat and drew his sidearm, yet his hands shook so much that the commissar didn''t even need to raise a hand to block the shots. The man fired three bullets, which plinked off of her majesty''s armor before the gun clicked and he dropped it.

    "Do not worry," The commissar purred as he took two massive steps towards the man, whom he now towered over. "Her will shall determine if you will see them again, and hopefully, in the next life. You''ll see the truth of it all." He hoisted her majesty''s massive foot over the man''s head. "May she guide you down the right path¡ª" The sound of coughing caught the commissar''s attention, and his foot retracted.

    Turning her majesty''s frame, he saw what he thought was the corpse of the little girl shifting. A faint green glow enveloped her form, and the broken spine and legs began to mend and snap back into place.

    In her majesty''s tongue, he muttered, "By her beauty, what power does this one possess?"

    "Lu-Luna!" The elf said it with relief. "Just run! Find your mother; get the others out!"

    Her body was stiff. Battered, and broken. Amazingly, she was even alive. Her lower half was paralyzed, but with a simple bit of mending and restoring, he could easily fix this shell. The internal bleeding was a bit troublesome, if he didn''t fix this soon she''d be dead in less than a minute, but thankfully the commissar was distracted. Till now.

    Thankfully, his plans aren''t entirely ruined. If Luna had died after that first smack, he was afraid he''d have to start back at square one, but, praise be, things are different this time. If it hadn''t been for this artificial place of power, everything would''ve gone to the void, but now, here he was. Once again nestled into the flesh of a body on the material plane.

    Luna is going to have to sit out on this one again. They hold great potential and power, but they don''t know how to fight. Not like him. At least not how he used to. It''s been a while since he''s been in battle. Not since the incident.

    Luna''s body shifted and twisted, and she coughed heavily, vomiting blood and bile onto the ground. Her restored form painstakingly pushed itself to its knees. Pain. Something he hasn''t felt in ages. It''s been so long; it''s kind of pleasant in a strange way. A sensation of truly being alive again, at least. A little bit.

    "Luna run!" The man''s voice called out to what he thought was his daughter.

    Luna''s eyes blinked, her once blue eyes now glowing like blue sapphires. She slowly turned her head, her sore body cracking a little as bits and pieces within continued to mend themselves.

    That''s right. The man over there¡ªthat''s Luna''s father. They were the ones who helped conceive this shell for her. Luna smirked. Beside the man was the machine, an interesting contraption that he couldn''t help but be amused by. Enorans were always so crafty.

    The commissar snarled and shouted, "By her Majesty''s blessing, I''ll send you into the void!" He then hoisted the massive projectile thrower he held in the machine''s grasp, just as the turrets focused in on Luna''s frame, and all at once, they opened fire.

    Yet Luna''s form didn''t flinch; her eyes stared lifelessly at the commissar as hundreds of projectiles began to ricochet or explode upon impacting the invisible bubble that had suddenly shielded her. "Why won''t you die?!" The man screamed as his guns continued their onslaught before, eventually, they ran dry.

    Through the dust and debris caused by his weapons, Luna finally pushed herself to her feet. The one controlling her wobbled a little bit as he tried to remind himself of how to walk in such a tiny body. It wasn''t the most comfortable; his original body was better, and levitation made things so much easier.

    "Gah! To the hells with you, if I need to squash you like a bug, I will!" The commissar roared as the machine began to stomp its way towards Luna. Her blue, lifeless eyes flicked up towards the man.

    "Waah!" The commissar''s eyes widened, and suddenly, his body froze. He jerked back as her majesty''s armor stumbled away from the little girl. "Wh-what the hells are you?" He stuttered having sensed something foul. Something about that gaze, those eyes¡ªit didn''t seem right.

    "What I am is irrelevant," the little girl said in her Majesty''s tongue.

    His eyes widened in fear; this sensation, this coldness¡ªit was the fear he was feeling. Something was gripping his heart, like a cold, calloused hand, and all he could feel was fear. This wasn''t a little girl. This was them. The one Her Majesty taught them about.

    Suddenly, the sound of a loud bell echoed throughout the room, and the commissar screamed as his hands shot to the sides of his head. The little girl slowly took a step towards him as the second gong of a bell rang and the man screamed once more as his hands dug into his skin.

    The room dimmed with the third bell as Luna''s body approached the mech. Slyran watched as his daughter got closer, his eyes tear-stricken and wide with shock and horror. His heart raced, and everything within him was screaming to run away from his daughter. With the sound of the bell, he too cried out as horrific flashes of images forced their way into his mind. Cyrus''s death, his family, and his father.

    "Stop! Stop! Make the visions stop" The commissar screamed. "I yield! I yield!" The fourth bell sounded, and Slyran cried like a young boy along with the commissar. "Father, please! Papa!" The man cried for help as the mech fell to its knees.

    "Momma, momma!" Slyran squealed as his fingers clawed at the sides of his head. "Momma, get away from him!"

    Luna held a hand toward her father. Her lifeless, glowing eyes narrowed on him, her hand twisted a little, her thumb coming to her middle finger, and she snapped them. Suddenly, Slyran''s eyes widened before rolling into the back of his head as he fell unconscious.

    She then turned her attention back to the commissar, who was sobbing uncontrollably. His fingernails dug into the flesh on his face around the base of his eyes, blood poured and gushed over his fingertips, and Luna began to whistle.

    She whistled a soft, flowing tune under her breath as she held her right hand up towards him, she then snapped her fingers once more, and the fifth bell rang.

    And the commissar screamed.

    End of Part Two

 Chapter 66: My Name

    Part Three: Beacon of Hope

    My eyes flew open as I took in a sharp inhale of breath. I rolled onto my side, coughing and gagging, as the memory of being backhanded by the massive, metal hand played on repeat. However, I was no longer in pain. Instead, I felt a warm, comforting presence surrounding me like a soft blanket enveloping my body. I did not want to move. I just wanted to stay here forever and close my eyes. But where was I even?

    I forced my eyes back open and gazed out at my surroundings, and that''s when I realized I wasn''t in the facility anymore. I was outside, lying in a green and golden grass field similar to my home. Distant rolling hills could be seen for as far as I could see. I appeared to be in the shade, beneath a large Sycora tree, its pink petals falling gently to the ground around me.

    That''s when I realized I was home. This is the Sycora tree near the Hautchkins mill. As I turned my head, I could see the old wooden mill standing tall in the distance. It was all a dream. I thought and sighed heavily with relief. Thank, God. I knew it was all too much to be real. I snorted and giggled as I glanced down at myself. I noticed the blanket I thought was around me was there¡ªa dark blue and comforting blanket my parents had given me when I grew out of my crib.

    "Luna!" I heard my mother''s voice distantly shouting my name as she clanged two pots together. "Luna!"

    My head perked up at hearing the sound, and I sighed. I did not want to leave the comfort beneath the tree. Not yet, at least. I was having such a nice nap, and I wasn''t even hungry. I took a deep breath and flopped back onto the grass.

    "I''ll go when I''m ready," I said to myself with a huff, and I smiled then closed my eyes. Momma will just have to wait.

    The soft crunch of grass caught my attention, and I popped one eye open. The woman in the finely tailored suit and white hair sat beside me.

    "Gorgeous, isn''t it," The woman said her voice husky and low.

    My heart twitched in my chest as my single eye locked on her and quivered. I felt a strange sense of familiarity, and my heart rate began to rise. As the woman turned to me, her red and blue eyes locked onto mine as she smiled.

    "Hello again ," Charity said softly.

    "I-I remember you," I said hesitantly as I opened my other eye. My body began to tremble, remembering the last time we had met. Which also meant this wasn''t real. None of this was real.

    I died. I died.

    "You almost did," Charity said as she plucked a Sycora blossom from the air. "By fate alone, you were really lucky to survive." She tossed the blossom back up into the air and blew on it, sending the petal flying off. It landed gently on my shoulder. "Or perhaps luck isn''t the correct word," she said a bit more coldly. "Because you survived, the Dark Lord was able to further his plans of dominance."

    "What do you mean?" I asked nervously, my body seemingly locked into a lying position beside Charity.

    "He has possession of your body. Your soul is trapped within a vessel that he controls," she explained grimly as she gestured around the field and my distant home.

    "Wait, what?" I sat up. "The man in black possessed me?"

    "Exactly as I said," Charity said as she side-eyed me. "When you were knocked to your weakest state, without your will to defend, he capitalized on the situation and seized more control."

    I looked forward and towards my home, or at least, its depiction. Yet, it seemed so real that I could almost reach out and touch it if I went to it. But I knew that it was just an illusion created by my mind, a mirage of what once was.

    "A quaint prison of memories and dreams," Charity said softly. "A comfortable realm for you to live in at the end¡ª"

    "Shut up!" I snapped.

    Charity flinched and turned to look at me, her red and blue eyes wide as our eyes locked. I glared at her. "You''re lying!" I growled. "The Master¡ªWhoever he is, Dark Lord, I don''t give a crap. He wouldn''t steal my body, at least not to keep it." I gulped.

    Charity''s shocked expression turned to that of humor, and she began to giggle. "Are you so sure about that?"

    I hesitated but then nodded. "Yes, he''s done so much to help me. He said he needs me, not my body. We got off on the wrong foot at first, but he''s shown me genuine kindness."

    Charity leaned back on the grass and crossed her legs as she smiled at me. "So because someone was nice to you, you should trust them?"

    Once again, I froze up. "I, uh, would like to think so," I admitted as my head lowered. "I don''t know how you... Beings work," I gestured to her. "Gods and such were never a thing I ever had to deal with¡­ I just¡­" I groaned and sighed as I pulled my legs up to my chest. "Why is this happening?" I moaned and buried my face in my knees. "Why is everything going to hell?" I began to tremble. "Everything started so well and now it''s all falling apart so quickly."

    "We all dream of simpler times when life felt easier and problems weren''t so overwhelming." Charity said with a sigh of her own as she stretched her legs out. "Yet it is not up to you mortals to decide how long you must endure these hardships."

    I sniffed and glanced at her. "What do you mean by that?" I asked as I wiped my eyes.

    Charity smiled widely and gestured out to the world before her with her white-gloved hand. "I can make this a reality, Luna. I can change everything; we can go back to the times you enjoyed."

    "Really?" I blinked.

    Charity smiled and nodded. "I can," she said. "All you need to do is wake up, and together I can show you."

    I blinked and once again hesitated. "Wa-wait, what?"

    <hr>

    The sound of my incessant alarm stirred me from my sleep, and I groaned loudly as I rolled over in my bed. Of course, I still have it set to the air-raid siren. I groaned, unable to stand the noise anymore. I kicked off my covers, flung my hairy legs over the bed, and reached for my phone. Disabling the ear-annihilating alarm, I sighed with relief and saw what time it was. 9.15 AM. I should probably get ready for work¡ªwait a second, it''s Sunday. I thought as I looked at the date and smiled pleasantly.

    Fuck yeah, no work. I chuckled and glanced at my bed, contemplating going back to sleep, but decided against it. Sunday meant no work and no gym today. Sunday Funday!

    I yawned, stood up, and glanced at my PC. What game should I play today? I thought as my stomach grumbled as I bent over to grab a pair of used Star Wars pajama pants off the ground rather than grabbing a fresh pair.

    Frostpunk again? Maybe Stellaris, or maybe I can finally get around to finishing Pillars of Eternity Two! Gah, too many choices. Not enough time. I sighed as I slipped into my pants and shuffled out of my room and immediately into the bathroom on the right.

    Switching on the light I was greeted by a scraggly human man standing before me in the mirror. His long, dirty blonde hair covered his left eye, and the rest reached down to his neck. I looked into his right eye and noticed it was lazy, slightly looking off to the left at something more interesting than himself. He was a plump man, probably in his late twenties, and was a bit pear-shaped and short. His beard was thick, so much so that you''d think the trimmers would get entangled if he tried to shave it.

    He, who is he? I thought briefly as I reached up to touch my face, and the man in the mirror did the same. Suddenly, my head twitched and my eyes widened as I shook my head and laughed. "Have I really not left my room for that long?!" I said it out loud and shook my head. "Fuck, I really do need to shave though." I leaned back into the mirror and cupped my chin, my fingers digging through the scraggly hair.

    I then stepped back, turned my body, and glanced down at the disgusting gut I carried. "Maybe I should go to the gym today," I said softly as I gripped the flubber attached to my body. "I went yesterday, but slimming out is taking forever." I sighed but shook my head.

    You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.

    I''ve been trying to lose weight for over a year now. It started strong, having dropped nearly twenty pounds. I could now wear most of my pants again and some shirts, but recently it''s sort of plateaued a bit. Matthew, my brother and roommate, told me this was to be expected. Having been a former bodybuilder, he said weight loss tends to come in waves sometimes since everyone is different.

    I just hope that''s true. I''m tired of looking at this fat bastard. I took a deep breath, released my gut, and went back to my room to change. My room was small, like everywhere else in this trailer. I had a full bed in the corner, a dresser to my left, and in the back right was my L-shaped desk and PC, which was also my workstation.

    Ever since the pandemic, I''ve been working from home. For many years, I''ve worked day and night in this room. Aside from the few grocery store visits and going to the gym, I don''t leave this room often. It''s become my paradise and sometimes even my hell.

    I hate it.

    At least I usually do, but today. Today felt different. It was like coming home to an old friend. The room felt nostalgic. Like I hadn''t been here in ages. It was oddly comforting. When I made my way to my closet and opened it, I was greeted by dozens of handy-down shirts and clothes from high school. I knew I could not fit, but I kept them anyway. I was overwhelmed with a sense of nostalgia.

    And like those many, many times in the past. I grabbed my go-to outfit. A black zip-up hoodie and whatever T-shirt fit comfortably beneath. In this case, it was a plain green shirt that was way too big for me. A handy note from my Uncle Scotty, one of the largest yet funniest men I ever knew.

    After that, I grabbed some of my black ice cologne and sprayed myself before sitting down at my PC. Yet when I tried to sign into it, I came to a horrifying realization.

    What''s my password again?

    "You''ve got to be kidding me," I muttered under my breath, scratching my beard. "I used it yesterday, right?" I said I was trying to think back, but¡­

    What did I even do yesterday? I couldn''t recall it.

    I turned and glanced at my dresser. "Don''t tell me I overdid it on the edibles again¡­" I groaned.

    "Fucking hell." I crossed my arms and shrugged. "Well, that changes everything." I stood up from my computer chair and began to pace around my room, wracking my brain for any information.

    Yet nothing; I couldn''t remember.

    "Maybe if I go for a walk, I''ll remember something," I said as I puffed my cheeks and glanced down at my pajamas. "Whelp, I can''t go out looking like a pathetic Star Wars nerd." So I dropped my pants and chose to go for some form-fitting denim jeans, after which I slipped into my sneakers before snatching up my wallet and key ring.

    Once I was ready, I decided it was time to do one of the hardest things I''ve done in ages. Touching grass. Taking in a deep breath, I mentally prepared myself for this difficult task and pushed forth from my room. Stepping out of my room, I closed the door behind me and looked down the old, familiar corridor in my trailer. Like my room, I felt like I hadn''t been here in ages.

    The walls are decorated with abstract art pieces my sister-in-law, Katie, enjoys. As well as pictures of her, Matthew, and my nephews. I slowly walked down the hall, my eyes glued to each of the photos and art pieces. I stopped in front of the image of Mason, my oldest nephew, beside his younger brother Maxwell outside of their elementary school. The two of them looked so much like my brother Matthew, like direct little clones of him, yet even I could see other bits of our family in them.

    Especially the long, curly, and dirty blonde hair. The sound of squealing from the living room snapped me back to reality, and I cleared my throat and went to see what was going on. As I stepped out of the living room, I could see Katie sitting on the couch, wrapped in blankets, barely awake as she watched her two young boys wrestle over the small trampoline in the room.

    "Hey, play nice now," I said, noticing Mason was getting a bit rough with his younger brother.

    "Momma said it''s my turn with the trampoline, though!" I glanced at Katie, who was about to keel over and nap, and looked back down at the two.

    "Momma looks like she''s barely even awake to say if it is your time." I chuckled. "Just go easy on him; he''s younger than you." I poked the seven-year-old in the chest and nodded toward the three-year-old. "If you''re nice, I''ll tell Daddy just how good you''ve been."

    Mason pursed his lips a bit before saying, "Okay, Uncle. But only if we get to play Fortnite later too!"

    I snorted and said, "Sure, boy." We sealed the deal with a fist bump.

    I then straightened up and walked through the living room and into the kitchen, which was connected to it openly. As I crossed the threshold onto the vinyl floor, I opened the fridge and grabbed the jug of filtered water.

    As I poured myself a glass of cold water and drank it, I noticed Katie staring at me from the couch. I lowered the glass from my lips and blinked. "What''s up?" I asked.

    Katie yawned, leaned forward, and said, "Nothing much¡­ I just noticed you seemed to be in a good mood."

    Good mood? Yeah, I guess I feel pretty good. I nodded. "Yeah, I guess I just had a really good night''s rest."

    "Good dreams?" Katie asked with a tired smirk before lunging forward to grab Maxwell, who had stumbled forward and almost fell. Catching the little, squealing three-year-old, she yanked him up and placed him on her lap as she looked at me.

    I shrugged. "Honestly, I can''t recall¡­ well¡­ somewhat." I tapped my chin as I tried to think back to last night again. "I vaguely recall it being like a fantasy dream."

    "So, like your D&D stuff?" Katie said it with a yawn, and I nodded.

    "Yeah, I think so." I drank some more of my water before placing the cup down. "I''m going for a walk. I forgot my PC password, so I''m going to see if the air can clear my head."

    Katie said something as I walked by and stopped. My body stiffened, and I turned back and said, "What did you say?"

    Katie blinked and looked up at me. "I said your mom called, asking about it."

    I shook my head. "Before that."

    "I said your name," Katie said with a slightly confused frown.

    My name? I blinked.

    Katie opened her mouth and said, "¨€¨€¨€"

    Suddenly, as if hit by a baseball bat, my vision flashed white, and my ears began to sharply ring. I whinced brought a hand up to my ear and croaked out, "Ye-yeah, so-sorry, I thought you said something else."

    "Is everything alright, ¨€¨€¨€?" Hearing her say it again, I straightened up and dismissed her with a hand.

    "Yeah, I''m fine! Just going to go touch grass now, bye!" I stepped outside and pulled the door shut behind me.

    <hr>

    With my hands stuffed into the pocket of my jeans, I made my way down the poorly maintained road in the trailer park I lived in.

    That was so weird. I thought. Hearing my name like that, was that even my name? I don''t recall ever being called that, right? I don''t like it; it''s lame, but even then, what was that reaction? I sighed. If I''m going to go nuts over my name, I should get some help¡­ Well, it''s not so bad; my friend Cake hates his real name. Maybe I can come up with a cool nickname or something; perhaps I could be called "Coffee" or something. Eh, no, too close to home.

    I took a deep breath and groaned as I came to a stop on the sidewalk as I watched a large U-Haul moving truck pull into the driveway of a recently constructed trailer. I watched as the truck came to a stop in the driveway and the driver''s door unlocked. I could see that as the doors swung open, two young adults, probably in their early twenties, hopped out.

    One is a tall, broad-shoulder man with tan skin and dark hair wearing nothing but a black tank top and combat shorts. The other is an extremely gorgeous woman, her body curving and her jaw-dropping. Her hair was short and dark like the man''s, but she had cute blue highlights that streaked through and shimmered in the sunlight.

    Not wanting to be seen as a creep, I tore my eyes away and glanced at the strong-looking man who waved at me. "Hey there!" His voice boomed. "You live there?" He asked, pointing towards my trailer about 100 feet down. Between my lot and theirs was nothing but open space, as the park has slowly been being built for about the last four years.

    I gulped. "Yeah, I''m, uh, taking one of my usual walks," I said nervously. I was never great at talking to strangers.

    The woman reached into the truck, pulled out a cropped leather jacket, and slipped it on before adjusting her dark shorts. "For a trailer park, this place looks really nice!"

    I laughed a little and said, "Well, it isn''t called Quaint Village for no reason; it''s open¡­ and the owners have gardens." I said anxiously as I pointed to one of the community gardens across the street. "We-well, I ho-hope you two like it here!" I said, trying to make my exit. I began to walk past them and around their truck but stopped when the woman spoke up.

    "Oh, hey, if you don''t mind, my brother and I." She stepped towards me, now within a few feet, as she gestured to the strong-armed man. "We were thinking of hosting a public cookout to try and get to know everyone around here. Would you be willing to stop by? Even if it''s just to say hi, it''s fine."

    I tensed up. Seeing her so close to me, her bright blue eyes were almost like an ocean that was about to fall. I broke eye contact and stuffed my hands deeper into my pocket. "Uh¡­ huh¡­." I was at a loss for words. I wanted to say no. I was going to say no. "Yes. Sure." I nodded. "I can see if I can stop by."

    The woman''s eyes sparkled, and she bounced a little, and I had to forcibly look away out of respect. "I''m glad to hear it¡ªOh, I''m so sorry!"

    "What''s up?" I muttered.

    "I never introduced myself." She giggled and straightened up before holding out a small, pale hand. "My name is H?????????????????????????????a?????????n????????????????a?????????????, Luna."

    My eyes widened. What did she just say, H?????????????????????????????a?????????n????????????????a?????????????? What does that even mean?

    Everything seemed to shift slightly as the world seemed to brighten a little as the sun drifted across the sky. My stomach churned as the sensations of butterflies built in my chest, and the girl smiled as she gestured to her brother and said,

    "And this is B????????a???????????r????????????????????????????r?????????y??????????????, Varis." H?????????????????????????????a?????????n????????????????a?????????????, Luna smiled at me as I blinked. "What''s your name?" She asked.

    I flinched, stepped back, and said, "I-I dunno¡­"

    H?????????????????????????????a?????????n????????????????a?????????????, Luna blinked curiously. "You don''t know your own name¡ª"

    "I''m sorry!" I blurted, "I, uh, I do¡­ it''s just¡­ my name is¡­ my name is¡­" I looked at her, took a deep breath, and said it.

 Chapter 67: Mom and Dad

    The woman''s eyes widened upon hearing me, and she blinked before tilting her head to the side like a confused dog and contemplating my words. All of this happened within a couple of seconds, as she smiled widely and said, "Luna? That''s a cute name, especially for a boy!"

    Her words shot through my heart like an arrow, the air within my lungs escaping before I immediately inhaled it all back in sharply. I don''t know why her words stung so hard, but they did. I opened my mouth, the sense to correct her palpable, yet for what? She isn''t wrong, and Luna? Why did I say my name was Luna? I thought to myself. Wasn''t that the name she had given me for herself?

    The dark-haired woman brushed her bangs out from in front of her eyes and frowned a little. "Oh, I''m sorry. Did I offend you?" She asked genuinely.

    My eyes met with hers, and I shook my head and waved a hand. "N-No. I just wasn''t, uh, expecting to be called cute," I said softly, taking a deep breath.

    Boy, huh? I thought. Why does hearing that make me feel weird?

    Luna crossed her arms beneath her chest and shifted her weight over to one foot as she said, "Well, Luna." She gestured to the moving truck her brother Varis was beginning to open. "I''ll catch you around. Feel free to stop by tomorrow for the cook out! Varis is king when it comes to the grill."

    "Damn right!" The man grunted as he lifted the swing door on the back of the truck.

    I nodded hesitantly and said, "Su-sure." I didn''t know if I would show up or not. Strangers¡ªwell, people in general. It was something I never fully wrapped my head around. Growing up, I was always excited and hung out with everyone and anything, yet... ever since after high school. Something changed.

    People were just so tired now.

    "Have a good rest of your day, Luna," The woman said as she gave me a big smile and a little wave before hopping up into the truck with her brother.

    I returned the tiny little hand wave before turning away. I felt embarrassed, as I could feel my cheeks burning when she called me by that name. Though it wasn''t bad, I liked it. A lot. As I made my way further down the road, I could feel the goblins in my head beginning to awaken and stir.

    Why would such a pretty girl like that reach out to me? The goblins said, I''m overweight and unshaven, and the clothes I''m wearing are way too far past the needing washing point.

    To which my rational half chimed in. Well, they''re new to the neighborhood, like she said; they just want to get to know everyone. It''s not like they chose me in particular. It''s just being nice.

    The goblins all began to speak at once, every one of them throwing a counterpoint at my rational self. All of which were paranoid and riddled with anxiety. I shook my head and took a deep breath.

    "I forgot my pills," I said softly, my one saving grace within my self-produced prison. My anxiety medication. Which I just realized I didn''t take when I woke up.

    Probably would''ve made that conversation easier. I thought, to which the goblins immediately declared that it wouldn''t have.

    I came to a stop in the middle of the road and closed my eyes as I turned my gaze downward. With my hands firmly tucked into my pockets, I took another breath, one much deeper than before, and released it. When I opened my eyes, I found myself standing on the hardened concrete of a sidewalk and not the road.

    I blinked with confusion and lifted my head, and around me, I saw I was no longer within the trailer park. Around me were two-story homes in either direction, yet the one directly in front of me was one I hadn''t expected.

    A tall, two-story house with a brick foundation and cream paneling. In the driveway were a large, gray Ford pickup and an SUV. This was my parent''s home. The home I grew up in.

    But how? I live about twenty minutes away by car. That''s like sixteen miles! I glanced around, looking for my car, wondering if I had zoned out.

    I didn''t zone out, though, did I? I blinked and spun around some more, but I didn''t see my car or any other way to get there. The time of day was still the same, and before I could ponder anything else, the front door opened.

    Stepping out onto the concrete porch was someone I felt like I hadn''t seen in ages. A short woman, standing just under five feet with short, brown hair, was wearing a similar brown leather jacket and jeans. She was middle-aged, with visible wrinkles under her eyes and around her mouth. Her blue eyes were tired and sunken slightly, with dark rims along the edges, signifying a lack of sleep.

    My mother took a deep breath as she reached into her jacket and pulled out her pack of cigarettes and lighter she began to light up when she hadn''t noticed me. I stood in the middle of the road, shocked. My feet felt cemented as if I had cinderblocks around them.

    My heart twitched, and I don''t know why, but this feeling of sadness and guilt washed over me. I held my breath and shook my head as I forced myself back into the present moment. I bit my lower lip, pressed down the feelings I had, and forced myself to take a few steps towards the house.

    My mother took a seat on the bench beside the front door as she took a drag of her cigarette before puffing a smoke ring into the air. Our eyes met as I neared the gate, and she smiled at me.

    "Well, there''s a handsome face I haven''t seen in ages," my mother said in a low but comforting voice. "How''s my baby boy been?"

    I froze. My eyes locked with her''s I repeatedly ran what she said over and over in my head. My lower jaw quivered, my hands began to feel sweaty, and I choked out, "Hey, Momma."

    My mother lowered her cigarette, tapped the ashes into her tray, and smiled warmly at me. "Hello, ¨€¨€¨€¨€." She scooched over on the bench to make room and tapped the spot beside her. "Sit by me while I finish this." She wiggled the cigarette.

    I moved through the yard and up beside her, taking my seat next to my mother. The entire time, I never broke eye contact as I soaked in her features.

    Taking notice of this, she smiled a little and said, "Why are you gawking at me, boy? Did you forget your mother''s face?"

    "I thought I almost had," I admitted softly.

    But it hasn''t been that long? A few months ago, we had a get-together, right? What month is it? It feels like summer, so the Fourth of July wasn''t that long ago. So why can''t I remember it?

    My mother reached over and ran her small hand through my hair, and I flinched as she brushed my bangs aside. "You really need to shave, dear," she said bluntly. "You look much better without all this fuzz."

    I blushed and said, "I-I don''t mind it¡­"

    "But ladies do." She chuckled. "You''re looking much better today, ¨€¨€¨€¨€, I see you''ve been going to the gym much more often."

    "I go¡­ every day, I think," I muttered as I continued to look at her occasionally out of disbelief. The tightness in my chest never let up as looked back out towards the road.

    "Momma," I said in a low voice. "I don''t know how I got here."

    She side-eyed me as she put out her cigarette and turned to face me. "What do you mean? You texted me that you were on your way."

    I bit my lower lip and looked at her. Texted? I don''t recall ever texting. "I did?"

    My mother nodded pulled out her phone and tapped at it a few times before showing me her chat log. Sure enough, there I was.

    "On my way to get some eggs if you guys got any!"

    To which both my mother and father replied that they were waiting.

    "I-I don''t remember typing that," I whispered. "I don''t remember driving or walking here."

    "But you parked right there." My mother pointed, and I followed her finger, and to my disbelief, my car was parked right outside the front of their house.

    My eyes widened, and I turned to look at her, then back to my car. "This doesn''t make sense," I said as I stood up. "I-I was just walking outside my trailer; h-how did I get here? My car wasn''t there a second¡ª"

    My mother reached out and gently took my hand. "It''s okay, ¨€¨€¨€¨€, why don''t you come inside? Let''s go meet your father."

    Dad. Why can''t I remember his face? I feel like I haven''t seen him in ages.

    Still holding my hand, my mother turned to the front door and opened it. Inside, I could hear the sounds of heavy barking as two huskies rushed to the front door to meet me and my mom.

    "Get back, get back!" My mother ordered them as I watched the two beautiful dogs bounce back.

    Why¡­ This isn''t right.

    I followed my mom inside as the two large dogs eagerly ran up to greet me as I stepped inside. Barking and whining, they pressed themselves against me, nearly knocking me over before backing off when the familiar, booming voice of my father shouted.

    "Get off of him, Krumpy, Athena!" The two dogs flinched and backed away from me.

    Looking up from the dogs, my eyes met with a man who very much looked like me. Or really, I looked like him. He was taller than me, about half a head or so, and his hair was dirty blonde like mine, though with specks of gray. Unlike me, he was clean-shaven, his face soft yet wrinkled, and in a joking voice, he said, "So the call of eggs is what''s finally bringing you back around here, eh?"

    If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.

    I didn''t say anything. My heart was ramming against my chest, and my stomach was full of butterflies. My legs wobbled, and I opened my mouth to speak, yet nothing came out.

    "Cat got your tongue?" He asked me as he turned to my mother and said, "Momma, can you go outside and check on the chickens? I think I forgot to adjust the camera out there."

    "H-Hi, Dad." I finally got out, and he turned to look at me as my mother walked off.

    "What''s up?" He said it in a slightly more serious tone. "Is something wrong?"

    I slowly shook my head. "N-No¡­ at least¡­ I don''t think so."

    "You don''t think so?" He said he was looking confused.

    I nodded. "This whole day, it''s¡­ I woke up, I went outside, I met someone familiar, and now I''m here?" I rubbed the side of my head. I felt like I was going to have a migraine.

    My dad came over to me and placed the back of his calloused hand against my head, and my eyes widened. "You feel a little warm; did you eat anything today?"

    I shook my head, and he let out an exaggerated groan and rolled his eyes. "Well, that''s probably why I can''t just go a whole day without eating."

    "Well, I don''t remember¡ª" He held a finger up to me.

    "Papa''s speaking." He smirked. "Why don''t you stay over for dinner tonight? I was thinking of making some steaks ever since your mother got back from the farmer''s market."

    "I-I don''t know if I can do that," I said softly.

    "Oh, why not?" My dad pouted. "Not like I''m asking you to stay over night, just for dinner. C''mon, your mother would love it if you stayed."

    I hesitated and sighed; it wouldn''t hurt. Besides, it''s free food. I nodded. "Alright," I said with a faint smile. "I''ll hang around."

    My father smiled as he reached over to pet one of the dogs. "Awesome. Hey, you play that new Forest game?" He asked me excitedly as he pointed to his PC beside his rocking chair.

    I blinked and shook my head. "No, but I think I remember seeing some trailers for it."

    My father''s eyes widened as he began to animatedly talk to me about the game, and I couldn''t help but feel a bizarre sense of deja vu like I had heard this conversation before.

    After a few moments, though, I held a hand up to quiet my dad as I said, "Excuse me, I need to use the bathroom." This was partly true, but I just needed to get away from everything for a moment.

    Before my dad could say anything, I backed away and went up the stairs beside the front door to the second-floor bathroom. Yet as I reached the top of the stairs, I stopped and looked down the hallway to my left. Immediately was my parent''s room, and at the far back end on the left was my old bedroom back when I lived here. Which, I believe, my parents had turned into a storage room.

    Feeling a nostalgic curiosity, I made a detour from the restroom over to that room. As I placed my hand on the door and pushed it open, I was shocked to find someone inside. I froze up, and my eyes widened as I saw a tall, radiant woman with short white hair and mismatched eyes sitting on an all-white bed.

    Suddenly, everything came rushing back to me. The gas station, my death, and my rebirth as Luna back to the present and now. Like a flick of a switch. I recalled it all. I stepped into the room and closed the door behind me.

    Standing now at eye level with Charity in my original body, I stared at the smiling blue and red-eyed woman. "So this is what you wanted to show me?" I asked her.

    Charity smirked as she leaned back on the bed, resting on her forearms as she looked towards the window in the room facing the road and said, "Partially." She hummed. "This world you were from is very interesting. Different from many others."

    I waved my hand to the side, dismissing what she just said: "What do you mean, partially? Why are we here? Why did you try blocking my memories?"

    "Isn''t it obvious now?" Charity said, turning to me with big eyes. "I thought I was doing what you wanted."

    "What I wanted?" I scoffed.

    "To return to simpler times," she said, "I created this vision, this world, for you to relive the calm times with your family. Yet, your subconscious really had to start mucking things up."

    "Excuse me?" I crossed my arms.

    Though it was Charity''s turn to dismiss, she waved her hand. "That is a whole can of worms to try and explain, but how have you liked it so far?" She asked with a smile. "How was it seeing your folks again?"

    I tensed up and shifted my weight from foot to foot. "It was; it was different," I said softly. "I-I¡­ thank you," I said, and Charity blinked.

    "Excuse me?" She said it this time.

    "Thank you," I repeated more firmly. "Thank you for letting me see them. I almost forgot what they looked and sounded like."

    Charity smiled a little and said, "Well, you''re welcome. So you like it¡ª"

    "No," I said, cutting her off. "This realm is¡­ it''s not the home I was originally from. There are, differences, like the dogs."

    "What about the dogs?" Charity huffed. "I thought I did a good job with them."

    "My parents never owned huskies," I said to her. "They had two crossbreeds that were great pyrenees and husky."

    Charity rolled her eyes. "What''s the difference?"

    "A big one, actually," I said with a light chuckle. "Aside from that, though, I don''t want to return to this life."

    Charity''s eyes widened, and she straightened up. "But you said it yourself; you wanted to go back to when times were simple."

    "But this isn''t what I meant," I said. "This life. It wasn''t what I wanted. I had everything: a house, a loving family, a job, and a car. I had everything I needed, yet I didn''t do anything¡­"

    "And I''m giving you the option to go back and achieve what you wanted," Charity said, offering her hand with a smile.

    "But this isn''t real," I said, and her smile broadened.

    "But Father can make it real, ¨€¨€¨€¨€.¡± She purred. ¡°In heaven, all of our dreams and needs can be fulfilled. If you join us, what you see here is only a demonstration, but there, you can live out the life you truly dreamed of."

    I stared at her with a blank face and said, "First off, Do not call me by that name ever again. That¡­ this," I gestured to myself. "Is not me anymore? I want to go back to my body, my real body. I want to be Luna again."

    "But what about your aspirations?" Charity pouted once again.

    "This man I am right now. This overweight, pathetic nobody is dead." I took a shaky breath. "He passed away trying to save someone. Now, I have a new life¡ªa life that isn''t finished. One in which I still have time to fulfill what I want."

    Charity got up from the bed. "Then I can make you a new¡ª"

    I held my hand up to Charity. "No thank you," I said. "My life is back on Enora."

    I could audibly hear Charity gritting her teeth, and her eyes narrowed on me. "But the Dark Lord, as I told you, has control of your body. Do you think he''s going to so easily give you up? Do you really think that man, who has tortured and killed millions, would so easily give up freedom?"

    "I don''t know what he did," I admitted. "I was only taught a few things before the war began. Yet, he''s helped me nonetheless. He''s been an asshole here and there, but he helped me save Isa; he''s warned me of coming dangers; and at one point, he comforted me. He has shown me no reason to not trust him."

    "What about when he possessed you and lured you to that cave full of timberwolves?" Charity gowled. "You had nearly died because of what he did to you?"

    "But I hadn''t," I said. "Instead, I became stronger. The boon he gave me, he said, deepened my well, and the power I had shown during the conflict has impressed many others." I gulped as I held up both hands and looked at them. "I have the power to heal people, restore sight, and restore limbs. It''s amazing." I said. "I might not be the best offensive fighter, but with these abilities the Dark Lord has given me, I could truly make a difference in this world. I could save so many people."

    Charity scoffed and shook her head. "You are foolish to believe his lies. I told you, Luna," she hissed my name, "He will lie, he will cheat, he will do everything in his power to make you trust him. You do not know him like I and Father do."

    "And I don''t know you, Charity," I said. "What have you done to help me thus far? You''ve shown me my long-lost family, but that was it. My mother, and I mean my original mother. She told me this long ago. Actions speak louder than words."

    Charity waved her hand to the side. "I will not be lectured by you," she said. "I am speaking Father''s truths. He knows all, and he knows that man will betray you, Luna."

    "Maybe," I said, "and come then. I''ll be a fool. But for now, I''ll take his actions over yours."

    Charity rolled her eyes and turned away from me. "We shall speak then." She huffed.

    "Before you end this dreamscape," I said to her, and she glanced over her shoulder.

    "Would you allow me to have that final meal with my mother and father?" I asked her. "Even if they aren''t real, it''ll make me feel better." I took a shaky breath.

    Charity blinked for a second, took a deep breath, and said, "Fine."

    I smiled faintly and said, "Thank you."

    I left the room and returned downstairs.

    My mother, father, and I sat around the kitchen table after Dad had brought in a large platter of freshly cooked steaks. My mother had prepared green beans and mashed potatoes, all of which tasted as good as I remembered them. It was so surreal. It was like I was there, sitting beside them. Hearing them laugh and talk about whatever, even the bullshit politics my mother always complained about, the dogs, which now looked exactly like how I remembered them gathered around the table, even my parent''s kitties. Like actual cats, I never saw them back when I was Luna. I don''t even know if they exist on Enora.

    It was lovely. Yet as I sat there with a knife in hand, I felt my chest swell up, and my hands began to tremble. I placed the knife down as my free hand reached up to wipe at my eyes, where tears had begun to form.

    "What''s wrong, sweetie?" My mother asked me, to which my father held a hand out to her.

    "What''s up, ¨€¨€¨€¨€?" He asked me.

    I sniffed and wept softly as I said, "I-I''m sorry¡­ I''m so¡­ so sorry¡­"

    "Sorry for what?" They both asked.

    I began to shake harder as I sniffed and wept in front of my original parents. "I''m sorry¡­ I''m sorry for not seeing you two more¡­ I''m sorry for not being a better son. I''m sorry for being such a waste of space and a leach."

    I felt my father''s hand reach out to grab my shoulder. "Hey, hey, that''s not true," he said. "You were none of those things."

    "But I never did anything," I sniffed. "I just sat around¡­ I wasted my money on pointless shit. I never even tried to go to college or do whatever."

    "And we never expected you to do such things," my mother said softly. "All your father and I ever wanted out of you, ¨€¨€¨€¨€, was to see you happy. We want you to live a long and happy life, and nothing else. We don''t care what you do or how you get there."

    "As long as it''s legal," my father chimed in humorously.

    My mother nodded. "We took care of you and cared for you all your life. In return, we only hope that you and your brothers do the same for us when we''re old."

    My heart twitched, and my breathing became ragged. I clenched my teeth and nodded. "Ye-yeah," I squeaked out and wiped my eyes.

    "You look like you have something to say," my father said.

    "I-I do," I stuttered. "I wanted to say that¡­ I''ll be going away."

    "Away?" They both said.

    "Yeah¡­ far away, you won''t hear from me for a long time¡­ but I wanted to let you know¡­ that I will¡­ I will always have you in my thoughts. I won''t forget you, any of you. Ever. I know we never always saw eye to eye, but¡­ I love you. Both of you. And I always will¡­" I was sobbing once again by the end of it. "I''m so sorry this is sudden¡­"

    They looked at each other confusedly and then back at me as I wiped my eyes.

    Dinner ended in silence.

    My parents walked me to the front door, and before heading out, I hugged each of them. "Don''t be a stranger, sweetie," My mother said, "Wherever you''re going, try to reach out. Remember, letters are still a thing. You can always send us something if you don''t have reception."

    I let off a shaky breath and nodded. "I-I''ll try, Momma."

    My father patted me on the shoulder and said, "You and I should play some games. Your brothers play with me online; why not hop in some time?"

    "I-I¡­ I''ll see; this trip is taking up a lot of time." I said softly before yelping when he yanked me into a tight hug.

    After a few moments, we broke the embrace, and my mother gasped, "Shit the eggs!" And hurried back to the kitchen.

    After a few moments, she came rushing back with the two large cartons and handed them to me. "All of these were made within the last few days. Make sure you wash them before using them." She beamed.

    I sniffed took the cartons and said, "Thank you. Both of you, I love you."

    "I love you too, Kiddo." Dad said. "Now, go on. Before it gets too late."

    I nodded and smiled at my mother, who gave me a little wave as I opened the door and stepped back out and through a blinding light into the other side.

 Chapter 68: A Change of Pace

    My vision was blurry. The world around me swirled and shifted in a kaleidoscopic cascade of colors. Ever moving, ever turning. My body felt weightless like I was flying through a void. I tried to stretch my arms out, like a bird extending its wings for flight. I hoped to catch the wind and lift me off the ground. I felt. Wonderful. Stress-free, like the problems I had faced before, had vanished entirely. Where was I? What time is it? Where was I before this?

    My mind felt fogged. I try to think back, and only vague memories come to me. I recall being in a fight. Who was I fighting? What was I fighting? The colors shifted again. My body churned and jostled. I could faintly hear voices and muffled sounds echoing in the colorful void. Cheers. I could listen to cheers. Are they cheering for me? What are we celebrating?

    The colors faded. Darkness swept over me, but then, just as quickly as they left, they returned. Saturated reds and greens shone around me. I could feel the wind blowing over me and, once again, the sounds of distant voices. A woman''s voice echoed loudly, calling out to me, or so I thought.

    "Luna!"

    Luna, what a nice name. I thought to myself.

    "Let me speak to my daughter!" The woman''s voice shouted angrily. "Luna!"

    Okay, this lady is really killing my vibe. Is someone going to get her¡ª

    My body jolted and shifted as I was shaken abruptly as the woman shouted again, "Let her out, dammit! Luna, do you hear me? Wake up!"

    Wake up? Wait, that''s me! She''s calling for me!

    "Luna, wake up!"

    <hr>

    As if yanked in by my waist, my body jolted as if breaching the surface of a lake. My lungs burned for oxygen as I sucked in a sharp intake of air and gagged. My body tumbled forward as I had woken up in a seated position in a chair, but I was quickly saved by what seemed to be my very worried and tired-looking mother.

    "Luna?" She asked, "Is that you?"

    I coughed and breathed heavily. Suddenly, I felt something being shoved into my hands, and I looked up to see an equally tired and dirty Isa. I glanced at what was in my hands and saw it was a metal canteen, and it was here that I realized how dry my mouth and lips were. Wasting no time then, I tipped my head back with the water and eagerly began to drink up its contents.

    "Easy, easy!" My mother predicted I would drink too fast, and she was right. I was inhaling too much water, some of which was caught in my windpipe, and I was immediately sent into a coughing fit.

    After a few moments of my mother patting my back and softly scolding me, Isa smirked and chuckled before she said, "I think this is Luna."

    I took a couple of deep breaths and nodded. In a hoarse voice, I said, "Yeah. It''s me¡­" I looked at my mother. Her hair was matted and dirty, and the outfit she had worn the day we left Oren was all but gone. Instead, she wore what looked to be a men''s button-up and some baggy pants. The clothes looked fresh, and nothing like the army had. My eyes then shifted towards Isa; she was no longer wearing the soldier uniform I last saw her in¡­

    I closed my eyes. The memories of the last moment I had seen her were fresh in my mind. The commissar crushed her, and Isa''s painful screams. I gritted my teeth and took in some more air before letting it out slowly.

    Sensing my distress, my mother reached over and placed a hand on my shoulder. "It''s okay," she said softly, "we''re safe. We''re far, far away from the danger."

    "As far as we can be right now," Isa said softly.

    "Wh-what happened?" I asked softly and looked up at Isa. "Last I saw you..." My lower lip began to quiver. "You were dying¡­"

    Isa''s eyes widened a little as if I had just reminded her, and she looked away. "It''s a¡­" She started as she continued to look away; however, I wouldn''t be able to hear what she had to say as my mother gripped my shoulder and turned me to face her.

    "A lot happened, Luna, some of which we can talk about later." Her expression took on a very serious look, a look I had grown to recognize over the years of living with these people. A look that even my old mother shared.

    My old mother. I can remember her clearly now. The look of her knowing something was up and that she wanted to have a private talk later. A look that used to turn my blood cold whenever I showed up late from home or something awkward on the browser history appeared.

    I flinched and shook my head a little. Fuck, why am I thinking about that now? I gulped and nodded. "O-Okay¡­ Wh-where are we?" I glanced at Isa, who was still looking away. I noticed her ears were flicking and her tail was swishing.

    Did I upset her? I wondered. I had never seen her look like this before.

    "We''re in Gunther," my mother said, "a farm town just a few days out from Johanneson. Right now we''re staying at Mr. Shwarz''s farm; currently we''re in his guest house." I glanced around the room we were in; it was a quaint little dormitory with four beds, plain white walls, and a wooden floor.

    We seemed to be against the far wall; behind me on the left was a large window where the light spilled through. I could make out that we were on the second floor, and just outside the window was a large Sycora tree with its bright pink leaves adding to the color.

    "How long have I been out?" I asked my mother, and when I turned to look at her, I spotted something that I knew most others wouldn''t.

    My mother was a master when it came to the art of the poker face. Having spent many years as a small infant, an infant with the mind of an adult, so close to her face, as well as many other times bathing and cuddling. I have become quite familiar with reading her. Like me and my wiggly ears. My mother also suffers from a familiar quirk.

    Her ears are very, very faint. Twitch. They don''t flop or wiggle like mine, as much as I hate to admit it. But there is a subtle fidget. Perhaps long ago she had the same issue as me, but she has surely mastered the art of hiding, or so she thought. Because when I asked that question about how long I''ve been out, her response was firm but to the point.

    "About five days." She took a deep breath. "We just settled down last night in hopes of getting you some rest, and well, you finally woke up." That''s when her ear twitched. "But before we continue on our little debriefing, let''s get you cleaned up and dressed. Mr. Shwarz was more than kind enough to lend us some clothes." She gestured to herself. "I''m sure he has something for you, Luna, then let''s go check in with your father and Varis.

    "Momma," I said firmly, and my mother tensed and tried to give me a warm smile.

    "What is it, dear?" She asked as Isa got up and quietly went towards the door.

    "What aren''t you telling me?" I asked her. "I''m okay with hearing what happened¡ª"

    Mother''s face grew serious once more, and she held a hand up and said, "We''ll talk about it once the family is all together." Her tone took on an intensity that told me not to push it.

    I nodded slowly and took a deep breath as Isa left the room without saying a word. I bit my lower lip nervously as my mother asked, "How are you feeling? Are you stiff or hurt anywhere?"

    I shook my head. "No," I said, "I feel fine."

    Mother nodded and gestured for me to get up. Standing on my feet, my legs wobbled a little, and I noticed I wasn''t wearing the ruined dress that halfling woman gave me. Instead, I was in an all-white nightgown.

    "Mr. Shwarz, let you have that. He said it was one of his daughters," Mother said as she held her hand out for me to take.

    I hesitated for a second but reached out and took hers and said, "I miss having my own clothes." I sighed, and my mother frowned a little.

    After a few moments, she said, "I do too, Love. Now c''mon."

    <hr>

    Mother led me out into a narrow hallway with four doors. To our left, at the very far end, was a staircase leading down, where I could hear muffled voices coming from below. The air smelled of fine wood and a bit of¡­

    Bacon. I thought as my stomach growled loudly and my mother chuckled.

    "Sounds like they have breakfast made." She hummed as she guided me towards the steps.

    One by one, we stepped down to the main floor and into the living room. The room reminded me heavily of our old home. A wide open space, chairs positioned around the fireplace with a large bookshelf in the back. Simple yet cozy.

    The voices I had heard coming down here were much more audible and unfamiliar.

    "I heard from a few other refugees from Alderthal that the Rusivite''s have pushed through there," said a woman from the kitchen.

    "Alderthal? That''s so far up north," said a man with a higher-pitched voice. "Are you sure those folks were from there?"

    "No, but they said they''ve heard from others." The woman replied, "If it''s true, then that means the northern province is occupied."

    "Blimey," said a third man with a raspy voice. "I have a cousin up in Trenagor; gods, I hope she made it out."

    My mother led me towards the kitchen and dining room, where I could finally put faces on the three voices I heard. In the kitchen, manning the range was an Elven woman in a nice yet slightly dirty dress. I could see she was frying eggs and bacon for the two men around the dining table.

    The raspy voice man was a beastkin. A lupris, if I recall? He was a wolfman with a thick, gray coat of fur. Beside him was a plump human man with a thick ginger beard and small circle-rimmed glasses.

    The two men''s heads pricked up, and they looked at my mother and me as we entered. Momma waved to the two men and said, "Good morning, Marco." She nodded towards the lupris, then looked at the man and said, "And good morning, Stephen."

    "Morning, Mrs. Ashflow," she said at the same time.

    "Good morning, Mrs. Ashflow," the elven woman said as she came over with two plates of breakfast for the men.

    "Good morning, Tiana," Mother said to her, and the blonde-haired elf smiled widely, her green eyes flicking down at me and her smile widening.

    "And hello there, my lady." Tiana adjusted her dress and kneeled in front of me.

    I gulped nervously as the anxiety of being around others I didn''t know began to take hold. Shyly, I squeaked out, "He-hello¡­ Who are you?"

    The woman blinked and cocked her head to the side curiously. "I am, Tiana; we spoke yesterday?"

    "Apologies," My mother suddenly spoke up, "My daughter has had a rough travel¡ªwe all had rough travels. She''s just¡ª"

    The wolfman, Marco, held a hand up and said, "We understand, Miss; little one has been through a lot. I understand if this is all overwhelming."

    What the fuck is going on? I thought as confusion took hold, but then something surfaced in my mind. The dream. My dream¡­ Something I recall. A white-haired woman, she told me¡ª

    Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation.

    My mother jostled my arm to get my attention, and I blinked and looked up at her. "Huh, what?" I feigned a yawn as I brought my free hand up to rub at my eyes.

    "Introduce yourself," my mother said with a smile as she gestured to the group.

    "O-Oh¡­" My mother released my hand.

    Instinctively, I went to reach for my skirt to curtsey, but I remembered I was only wearing a gown. A faint blush of embarrassment came over me, so instead I opted for a plain bow as I said, "Hello, I am Luna Ashflow. Apologies for not remembering you all; I''ve been very tired."

    The three adults chuckled. "She''s very polite," said Stephen in his squeaky voice.

    My mother chuckled. "My husband and I made it clear we wanted our children to be the utmost respectful, speaking of which, have any of you seen where Slyran and our son had gone?"

    Stephen sat forward in his chair and said, "I saw him this morning taking the boy towards the woods. I saw that they were armed, assumed they were going hunting, and thought nothing of it."

    Mother scowled and sighed. "Told him not to go out without telling me," she grumbled and took my hand. "How long ago was this?"

    "Just before sunrise," Stephen said as he began to poke at his eggs.

    Mother nodded and glanced towards what looked to be a large clock mounted on the wall beside us. She craned her head forward and squinted. "It''s about ten in the morning now, if they''re hunting, they may be back in a couple more hours." She took a deep breath and glanced at me. "Well, how about we go see the Lord of this land?" She asked.

    "Lord?" I blinked, immediately thinking of kings and queens.

    "Yes, the land lord. Mr. Shwarz, we can go see if he''s willing to part with anything for you." She gestured to my gown.

    "If you''re going out there," Tiana said as she went back over to the range. "The past couple of days have been chilly around here in the mornings. I recommend you get her a blanket," She pointed to me with a serving spoon.

    My mother nodded. "Thank you; I''ll make sure to do that." She placed her hand on my head and tussled my hair.

    I squeaked and huffed as my mother messed up my hair, not that it wasn''t messy already, and motioned for me to follow her back towards the stairs. I nervously glanced at the strangers in the kitchen, gave them a polite wave of goodbye, and followed my mother.

    It wasn''t long for us to get ready to head out. With me having practically nothing official to wear outside, my mother found a nice blanket to drape around me to keep warm while she slipped into a men''s dress jacket. It didn''t fit her well as it was baggy and tight around the upper region, though I had to admit it looked nice on her.

    "It''ll have to do for now," my mother said as she adjusted the buttons on the jacket before taking a brush to both mine and her hair. I whinced in pain slightly as she dragged the brush through my hair while doing her best to undo the knots. "Hopefully, once we get into the city, we can get us all some proper attire." She hummed.

    "I hope so¡ªgah, easy!" I whined, and my mother cooed and apologized.

    After a few minutes of grooming, we were ready. As my mother took a step in front of me, she held out her hand and said, "Alright, let''s go."

    Yet I didn''t take it right away. A thought had come to my mind. A memory from days before and how I made my mother so angry at me. "Momma," I said softly as I kicked my boots onto the floor. "I want to say sorry."

    My mother blinked confusedly and asked, "What are you apologizing for?"

    I looked at her. "I''m sorry for not listening to you when you told me to leave with Isa."

    My mother froze up for a second, and her eyes widened a little. After a second, though, she closed them and softened them before opening them back up to look at me. "Luna," she whispered, "I was only mad because I was afraid for your safety. I''m sorry for smacking you; that was wrong of me." She knelt and gripped my shoulders. "You shouldn''t have to apologize; quite frankly, I should be thanking you and Isa." Her voice wavered a bit at the end. "If it wasn''t for the two of you, I don''t think I would be here right now with you." She squeezed my shoulders and pulled me into a hug. "Thank you, Luna, thank you for saving us."

    I squeaked as my face made contact with my mother''s chest as she held me tight. For a second, I didn''t know how to respond; for some reason, I hadn''t expected this response. After a few moments, my little arms wrapped around my mother as I hugged her gently in return.

    "Does this mean we''re even now?" I asked her.

    My mother blinked, pulled away from me, and looked down. "Even?" she asked.

    "Yeah," I said with a little smile. "You saved me in the cave, and now I have saved you!" I snickered.

    Mother snorted and rolled her eyes. "This isn''t a game, you goof; best we keep the scores from getting higher or lower." She booped my nose. "Now, c''mon, let''s go meet Mr. Shwarz."

    <hr>

    Gunther was a beautiful town. Being so far south, away from the Duskland Mountains and over the river. The terrain here was flat as far as the eye could see, with only a handful of rolling hills. The only thing on the horizon was to the east, and that was the massive Urd tree reaching high up into the sky. Its pink and green leaves glisten in the sun''s light.

    I had lived all those seven years within Oren in the valley surrounded by mountains; I had never imagined such a tree existed. I had been told by Isa about their existence during our school days. She had told me how four grown trees exist in the world, scattered across the continents, along with smaller, younger saplings in other locations. I also recall Momma telling me about how the trees are related to why magic exists.

    But to see one in person outside of some farmer''s guest house every day. Maybe the people of this country are used to seeing it, but not to me. It''s beautiful. My mother had noticed my locked gaze on the massive tree on the horizon and smiled at me.

    "It looks so close, doesn''t it?" She asked me, and I slowly nodded before shivering as a cool draft blew over the house.

    I tightened the blankets around myself and said, "I know, but it''s like a million gilos away." I smirked.

    Mother chuckled and said, "Isn''t that far, but you have the right idea; the Eurion Urd tree is¡­" She tapped her chin. "If we''re in Gunther right now, that means we''re¡­" My mother began to mumble under her breath as she performed mental gymnastics before me until finally she snapped her finger and said, "It''s roughly 300 gilos from where we are." My eyes widened.

    Holy shit that is a massive tree, then.

    "Momma, you said it''s called the Eurion tree, right? Is that where the tree is?" I asked her.

    My mother smirked and said, "Did Isa not teach you guys geography?" She asked.

    "That was our next lesson," I said with a pout, and I sighed.

    Mother nodded her head as she took my hand, and we began to walk towards the front gate of the house. "Eurion is where we are now; it''s what''s called a continent."

    My mother proceeded to explain to me what continents were. Unfortunately, having told her I didn''t learn geography, I didn''t want to interrupt her by telling her that I knew what continents were. Yet, not everything she told me was something I knew from my middle school geography class.

    For instance, I learned that Enora has eight different continents, such as Eurion, Imera, Vinland, Aekroth, Inia, Dralon, Garlay, and Enderland, the Eternal Frost. All of which, I could guarantee you, I couldn''t point out on a map, save for Enderland, which I recall seeing back on our camping trip when Mother described The Thing to Varis and me.

    My mother seemed to take notice of my blanking mind during her impromptu lecture, and she smirked. "Sorry if this is overwhelming, dear," she said softly as we walked out onto a dirt road between two massive fields of wheat.

    I shook my head. "No, no, it''s fine. It''s just a lot." I chuckled. "The world sounds so big," I said, and my mother nodded.

    "Yep, each of those continents has dozens, if not hundreds, of different cultures and people¡­" She paused, pursed her lips, and frowned. "Okay, maybe not Enderland. I never actually been there."

    "Why not there?" I asked her, and my mother smiled.

    "Well, it''s in the name. "End of the World, also known as the Eternal Frost. It''s at the very bottom of the planet." She pointed at the ground. "It''s very icy and cold there."

    Ah, okay, I thought. It''s this world''s version of Antarctica. Seeing all the magic and such, I wouldn''t be surprised if there are some groups down there. Unless magic Antarctica is worse than the one I''m familiar with.

    "Have you been to any of these places?" I asked as the path began to go uphill and we began to ascend.

    "Oh, I''ve been to almost all of them!" Mother beamed. "Your father and I used to travel a lot."

    "Back in your adventuring days?" I asked.

    My mother hesitated but relaxed and nodded. "Yes," she said, still seeming a bit touchy about talking about it. "We traveled for almost eighty years together. We''ve seen a lot of things, but even then, not all. The only continents I haven''t stepped foot on are Garlay and Enderland, the Eternal Frost."

    "Garlay is the one with the big wall, right?" I asked, recalling Isa''s teachings last winter.

    Mother nodded. "Yes, that one is under quarantine. No one is allowed in or out, and you missy, I better not hear you come the next century trying to get in there."

    My eyes widened. Even now, after seven years of being an elf, I''m constantly reminded of how generous a lifespan I''ve been given. A century, sheesh, will I even be the same person come then? I wondered.

    I gulped. "Yes, momma, I''ll do my best to avoid it."

    "Do your best?" My mother smirked, as I knew she was just toying now. "No, missy, I want you to do it." She chuckled.

    As we neared the edge of the wheat fields, I could see a large manor house atop a nearby hill from the one we stood on. At the base of the hill, I could see a large number of men working on a large machine, one that I assumed to be some kind of tractor of sorts when I squinted.

    "What is that?" I asked my mother; our town had some farms on it, so I assumed she''d know.

    "Oh that?" My mother pointed to the machine, and I nodded as we walked. "That''s Leopauld''s Archaic Harvester."

    "Leo¡ªwhat?" I blinked.

    My mother giggled. "That''s its trademark name. Simply put, it''s just called a harvester. I remember the first time your father and I saw one of these ten years ago; I think Mr. Helmer back in Oren rented one for his farm."

    I watched as the men clambering on the harvester lept off of it as one ran up to a panel on the side of it. He then opened it and futzed around with some buttons and knobs before finally yanking a cord. As my mother and I approached the men, I watched the machine roar to life with a few loud bangs from its mufflers.

    The large wheeled machine twitched and began to move on its own. Its exposed cogs and gears turned viciously as the machine began to roll towards the field. "It''s driving itself¡­" I said, and my mother nodded.

    "Yep, it''s an¡­ automaton." She said the last bit slowly and took a deep breath. "But not like a Rusivite one; it''s a friendly automaton. It harvests wheat, and only so."

    Seeing the autonomous machine roll out into the field, I watched as menacing scythes extended out from it and proceeded to whack at the wheat with great ease and efficiency.

    "Howdy, Mrs. Ashflow!" An older man who had worked on the automaton shouted towards us.

    He gestured for the other farmhands around him to get back to work as he approached us. As mentioned, he was an older human fellow with receding white hair and a thick beard. He wore a blue long-sleeved button-up with denim overalls, which looked to be stained with oil and other liquids.

    "Good morning, Mr. Shwarz," my mother said as she released my hand.

    My eyes widen. This is the landlord? I blinked. I half expected to see some overly rich-looking guy. Like a pompous nobleman, the expensive manor fed into that stereotype, yet standing before me wiping his oiled hands on a cloth was a typical farmer.

    Holding out his wiped-down hand, my mother took his hand and shook it. "Why the both of you are looking beautiful this morning," he complimented, looking my mother up and down as he gestured to her outfit. "I apologize for not having any proper clothes for you, Mrs. Ashflow."

    My mother smiled and said, "Please, Mr. Shwarz, call me by my first name, Cailynn. And it''s fine." She raised a hand. "I appreciate you offering what you have."

    He nodded and looked at me. "And you, Little One." He crouched down in front of me. Once again, my shyness kicked in, and I shimmied a bit towards my mother. "You look a lot livlier than yesterday."

    Excuse me? I blinked and looked up at my mother, and once again, I noticed the subtle twitch of her ears.

    "Well, we just got done with a long march yesterday," my mother answered for me. "But now she''s all nice and chipper, or, well, a bit shy." She outed me!

    My mother placed a hand on my head and said, "Go on, Luna, properly introduce yourself."

    "Heh," Mr. Shwarz smiled, and to my surprise, despite his rustic appearance, he had beautiful white teeth. "It might be easier if I start." He placed a hand on his chest. "Greetings, Madam," he said, acting overly dramatic. "I am Albert C. Shwarz, owner of this fine land." He gestured to the field.

    Internally, I was cringing. Perhaps if I were a normal kid, I would lean into this bit. Right now, I wanted to just sigh and move on, but I didn''t. This man was trying to be helpful, even though I didn''t want to. I decided to humor him and play along. Timidly, I stepped out and gave Mr. Shwarz a polite bow.

    "Greetings, Mr. Shwarz, I am Luna Ashflow. It is a pleasure to meet you." I straightened up and then immediately inched closer to my mother.

    Mr. Shwarz''s eyes widened, and he stood up. "My, my, such pleasant manners." He chuckled. "I wish my girl was just as nice as you growing up." He laughed and then asked my mother, "How was the guest house? I hope my servants prepared it nicely for you."

    My mother nodded. "It was very pleasant; thank you."

    He nodded and clapped his hands together. "Would you like to come inside? I was about to take an early break while the harvesters tend the field."

    Momma smiled. "That would be nice, and it fits with what I wanted to do anyway." She took my hand again.

    "Oh, and what would that be?" Mr. Shwarz asked as he began to walk us towards the path leading up the hill towards the manor entrance.

    "I was hoping you would have some spare clothes for my daughter." She gestured to me as we walked, and the older man nodded.

    "It is done," he said, and my mother smiled.

    "Excellent. If need be, I''m sure I can repay you back¡ª" The man held a hand up.

    "No need, Cailynn; you and your husband helped me enough." The old man chuckled as we reached the front, ornate gate.

    My mother looked confused. "Excuse me?" She asked.

    The man hummed as he took out a key and unlocked the gate. "It''s no surprise you don''t remember me," he said. "It was sixty years ago. I''m all old and wrinkly now, and yet, all that''s changed is your boy and her." He smiled at my mother as he opened the gate.

    "Sixty years, what happened¡­" My mother blinked, and then her eyes widened. "The Khretenmoss!" She suddenly blurted out, and the old man howled with laughter.

    "Yep!" He ushered us through the gate.

    I was so confused. "Khreten-what?"

    "You''re the little boy!" My mother said she was still astounded as the old man nodded and then glanced at me.

    "C''mon, let''s go in, and we can hear some stories while we get you nice and fitted."

    I blinked and glanced at my mother, who was still staring at the man. New clothes and story time¡ªfinally, a change of pace.

 Chapter 69: Story of the Hunt Pt. 1 (Interlude)

    "Sixty years ago," Mr. Shwarz said as we stepped into his home. My eyes widened upon walking into the manor. The entrance hall was vast; it had to be nearly thirty feet or so high with a silver chandelier. In front of us were two staircases on either side of the room going up to the second floor, which overlooked the first, and at the end of each wall to our left and right were two hallways heading towards the manor''s wings.

    "Before my family even began to build this farm, Gunther was just a tiny town near the Blythetane Forest." He pointed out one of the front windows overlooking the fields. I could see the automaton harvester, now a mere dot from where we stood, cutting down the field; beyond that lay a menacing forest.

    Shwarz continued as he then motioned for us to follow him up the right-hand stairs. "Gunther was a pitiful place to start a town; the dirt was stiff and infertile; you couldn''t grow anything here. Originally, it was just a resting place for travelers between the ferry crossing and Johanneson, but as the metropolis continued to grow and grow, overpopulation was becoming a concern." He chuckled as we made it to the second floor. He motioned for us to follow him to the right down a long hallway with doors and paintings on either side.

    There are so many rooms here; I wonder what they''re all for. I thought to myself.

    "So the Regional Governor at the time¡­ oh, what was his name again?" Shwarz tapped his chin.

    My mother pursed her lips as we walked down the hall and said, "If it were sixty years ago, that''d make the year 1883, which would mean that Herbert Shol was the acting governor."

    Shwarz snapped his fingers and nodded. "That''s it; thank you, Cailynn." He smiled and continued the story: "Governor Shol was concerned his people were growing too fast and would eat all the food, so he put out a land bid here in Kenchala Valley, calling out to would-be farmers. My parents were eager to own their own stake and bought a few gren for only ten gold."

    "Gren?" I blinked; I''d never heard of this measurement before.

    "A plot of land," Shwarz clarified, "a few gren is about the size of my field out front you all saw."

    Oh, so it''s like an acre. Fuck, even back in my old life, I didn''t even know how big an acre was. It looks like a lot, though.

    "And, oh boy," Shwarz said with a laugh as we stopped outside a fancy double door. Shwarz reached for his key ring and said, "The first year of moving to this empty land outside of Little Gunther was a nightmare. At the time, I was a little lad, about seven, and trying to plow this land was quite the work out." He chuckled as he grabbed a silver key and unlocked the door.

    As the door opened, Gunther motioned for us to follow him into what I concluded to be the master bedroom. Unlike the decorated hall or entrance, it was surprisingly quaint inside the master bedroom. A large bed sat on the far right wall; beside it was ornate coffee stands, and in the center of the room, directly in front of the entrance against the wall in front of a large window, was a study.

    Shwarz put a pause on his story and said, "Over here is my wardrobe; I keep a lot of my daughter''s old stuff stored away here."

    Both my mother and I nodded as we followed. "Anyways," Shwarz hummed as he opened the door to the large walk-in wardrobe. "After a year of absolutely backbreaking labor, my family and I planted our wheat and prayed to the gods that the harvest would be worth it. But in a twist of sick fate, over the next few weeks, everything died. Shriveled and gone."

    "A blight?" I guessed.

    Shwarz shook his head as we walked to the back. "A good guess, but no. What happened wasn''t natural. It was like the life as sucked out of everything planted and turned it all to tinder. To make matters worse, it wasn''t our only farm that was hit either. All of those who moved here with us experienced the tragedy."

    We stopped by a handful of wooden boxes stacked in the back I glanced up at my mother and then Shwarz. "I take it; that''s where this¡­ Khretenmoss came into play?" I asked.

    Shwarz smiled. "Well, there''s a bit more to it, but¡­ Pun intended, I''m getting lost in the weeds." He laughed as my mother rolled her eyes. "But yes, to make a long story short, something about this land wasn''t natural, and after a year of investigation alongside the help of the regional authorities, we learned of a dark entity living within the Blythetane."

    "The Khretenmoss, a Dark Fae," my mother said. "Horrific monsters and a terrible plague for farmers. They''re shambling parasites that feed off any living thing that gets caught in their vines."

    I shuddered. "Carnivorous plants, like timberwolves?"

    Mother shook her head. "No. Both are Fae, yes, but as mentioned, Khretenmoss are dark Fae, creatures created merely out of malice. Unlike wolves, they serve no purpose in the circle of life; all they care about is consumption."

    Shwarz nodded his head. "That is true, and the one that had moved into this valley had sucked the life out of everything. Leaving the ground dry, but when we farmers came, it learned. Surprisingly. Instead of attacking us and consuming us, the sly creature waited for us to plant our crop, then consumed it and waited for us to do it again. When you mentioned a blight, Luna, that''s what we thought at first. Little did we know we were feeding the beast."

    My mother smiled gently, her eyes widening as she seemed to recall the memory. "Gunther was lucky, my party, and I arrived when we did. When word got out what was happening, the Herbert Shol was ready to have the Hein''s Guard burn down the entire forest to get rid of the creature¡­ Not, that''d work anyway."

    My eyes widened at this point, and the thought of my mother and father battling a shambling mound of carnivorous plant matter engulfed my imagination. Now this sounds like something out of a D&D game! My mind raced.

    "What happened next?" I asked as Shwarz leaned against the crate and looked at my mother.

    "Well, that depends; it''s a long story. Would you want to hear the whole thing or the short version?" He asked me.

    I glanced at my mother, who tapped her chin and sighed. "We have a couple hours probably till your father returns, so I think we have time. But let''s look through the clothes while we talk."

    I nodded and beamed as I turned to the older man, who smirked and began to open the crates. "Well, how about we let Cailynn start?"

    <hr>

    The Spellbound Rangers

    18th Dusk Day, Eunomia, 1883 PTW

    The harsh late spring sun beat down on the three adventurers. Cailynn panted and groaned softly as she held a hand out in front of her and blasted her face with cool air. The sweat on her face and hair shot backward as the powerful gust sent her bangs flailing behind her.

    "Babe, please shoot me too," Slyran sighed and nearly dropped to his knees, his face and upper shirt caked in sweat.

    Cailynn smiled gently and nodded as she aimed her staff at Slyrann and blasted him with a gust of wind, which sent him sprawling into the grass alongside the road.

    "Oh, he really went flying this time." The heavily armored Cyrus said with a giggle as she brushed her silver bangs out from in front of her face.

    Slyran kicked and thrashed in the tall grass before eventually finding his footing and pushing himself to his feet. He spat out a few loose blades of grass and pouted as he looked at his wife. "What was that for?" He asked with a whine.

    Cailynn held her staff close to herself and said, "You asked me to shoot you, so I did!" After a few moments, her smile slipped, and she asked, "Are you hurt?"

    Slyrann shook his head. "Physically? No. Mentally? I will never recover." he joked, causing Cyrus to giggle.

    The dark-skinned woman came over to him, her heavy plate armor clinking as she stepped beside him and placed her gauntleted hand on his shoulder. Slyran tried to shrug her off, but her grip was too strong.

    "Cyrus, I''m okay¡ª"

    "Shush," The cleric''s eyes flashed a bright green, and an aura formed around her hand before flowing into Slyran. Any minor cuts or bruises he had immediately vanished. "There, all better."

    "I wasn''t hurt, though," Slyran grumbled.

    "Knowing your pride, you''d hide a broken foot from us," Cyrus said with a wink. "And you, stop blowing your husband."

    Cailynn rolled her eyes and groaned. "Phrasing, please!"

    Both Slyran and Cyrus snorted and smiled.

    Slyran winked at Cyrus. "I don''t know if I want her to stop doing that, or if she even wants¡ª"

    Suddenly, Slyran vanished from Cyrus''s sight, replaced by a heavier blast of air and his distant screams. Cyrus blinked and glanced at Cailynn, who turned around.

    "He can catch up later." She huffed as she rested her staff on her shoulder and began to walk down the sun-scorched road.

    An hour later. The trio continued along the road, the land around them transitioning from one of lush grass to brittle stone and dirt as a desert began to take shape around them.

    "Heinmarr sure has changed," said Slyran as he adjusted his magelock rifle strap. "Thirty years ago, the Kenchala Valley was¡­ lush."

    Cyrus pursed her lips. "Okren''s essence cannot be felt here," she said. "Nature''s Lord does not take kindly to the encroaching gears of industry. Perhaps he has abandoned this place?"

    Cailynn rolled her eyes. "I doubt he''s that petty, besides," Cailynn gestured around them. "We aren''t even near Johanneson."

    Cyrus shook her head. "Doesn''t matter. The pollution we Enoran''s create spreads far and wide, choking the lives of Okren''s children¡ª"

    Slyran rushed forward between the two as they walked. "Or perhaps it''s something else! We don''t know," he said cheerfully. "We''ve been traveling for months, and now we''ve stumbled onto something interesting."

    "What''re you proposing, Sly?" Cailynn grumbled.

    "A mystery!" He smirked and crossed his arms as the road began to meander up a hill. "What''s causing the land to die around Johanneson? Clearly, this isn''t natural, right? Everywhere else in Heinmarr is lush and beautiful."

    Cailynn hummed and tapped her chin as they walked. "I guess it wouldn''t hurt. The problem is, though, we won''t be getting paid for doing something on our own time."

    Cyrus glanced at Slyran, who looked back at her and smirked. "Well, we can just ask around. There''s a village near here, right? Gunther, if I recall?"

    "The old tavern?" Cailynn asked, and Slyran shook his head.

    "No, no, it''s a whole village now. A little one, but I''m sure the locals will want to know what''s up."

    "Wouldn''t a scientific investigation like this take¡­ a while?" Cyrus asked.

    "Depends," Cailynn said. "It could take a year or two, maybe more, depending on how bad."

    "Tw-two years?" The cleric sputtered. "That''s a long time!"

    The two elves glanced at the human. "No, it isn''t." They then stopped and blinked, both their eyes widening. "Oh yeah¡­ That''s right."

    Cyrus rolled her eyes as Cailynn glanced at Slyran and said, "There''s one other issue I just remembered."

    "What''s that?" He asked.

    "Well, we''re in Heinmarr for one. It is much more developed than many of the other nations in Eurion. In other words, the regional authorities may not be too keen on outsourcing to adventurers." She said as her eyes cast to the ground and she gripped her chin in thought.

    It''s been over two hundred years since the start of the Magranium Advancement. Ever since, scholars have learned how to efficiently compress and reshape magrite into smaller, usable forms. Nations across the globe began to industrialize and develop faster than ever before. Not only had this affected the industries of the world, but also its governments. No longer were peasants unequal to wizards and kings. No amount of martial or arcane training could stop the speed at which a mag-bolt pierces one heart.

    Thus, the dawn of revolutions began. Heinmarr was one of the first countries to enact reforms at the start of this new age. Having successfully quelled the revolutionaries diplomatically, the Kaiser agreed to a peaceful compromise, and thus the elected monarchy that was in place now was born, along with a wide array of changes. Law and order, expansions, growth, and the extermination of monsters were all things that came with it.

    Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit.

    The extermination of monsters is the biggest problem. Adventurers like the trio required monsters and the like to make a living. Monster hunting, being one of the most lucrative businesses out there, was originally monopolized by the guilds. Nowadays, though, a peasant with magelock could easily dispatch a ghoul or two with a simple headshot. Or even a Gizzard if they could get the drop on it, but now the new regional governments are creating their kill squads to do it themselves.

    Cailynn sighed, and Slyran shrugged. "Well, who cares? What''re they going to do, arrest us?"

    Cyrus bonked him on the back of the head with her gauntled fist. "Most likely, dummy. Unlicensed monster hunting in Branoria is illegal nowadays. I wouldn''t be surprised if Heinmarr adopted this."

    Slyran winced and rubbed the back of his head as he glanced at Cyrus. "A license? What do you mean by license? Why does everything require a license nowadays?!"

    Cyrus sighed. "Times are changing, you old geezers."

    "I''m not old; I''m fifty years old!" Slyran scoffed.

    Cailynn pouted and said, "I''m only forty-two. I''m not old!" She looked at Slyran with her big blue eyes. "I''m not old, right, hon?"

    Slyran gripped his wife by the shoulders and hugged her. "You''re not old at all!"

    The twenty-two-year-old Cyrus''s eyes twitched.

    Further along the road, the trio continued their journey towards Johanneson. With the sun now settling high in the sky as morning passes into noon, the group came to a stop when Cailynn noticed something up ahead. Coming over the hill, a train of wagons was heading their way. Normally, such a sight wouldn''t be unusual as they walked upon one of the most traveled roads to Johanneson, but what set this apart from others they had seen were the numbers.

    A large train, at least six vehicles, two coaches, and four open wagons were rolling in their direction. "Look at the wagons," Slyran said as he came up beside his wife and pointed. "They''re overflowing."

    Cailynn squinted. "It doesn''t look like merchandise either."

    They''ve seen such a sight before. Many times, the band of heroes had come across towns besieged by monsters and fae alike. These were refugees.

    As the wagons encroached on their position, the three adventurers stepped off the side of the road to make way.

    "You better be going the other way!" Shouted a gnome driver of the leading coach.

    "What''s going on?" Slyran called out to the gnome as he began to jog towards the coach and then along with it.

    "The regional governor ordered the town of Gunther to be evacuated." The gnome said this to him as Slyran continued to jog alongside it. "A dangerous monster has taken root in the Blythetane; already it''s killed folk, so you best be going the other way!" The gnome flicked the reins, and the strider pulling the coach squawked as it moved faster.

    Slyran slowed to a walk and then stopped before turning around and walking back to his party.

    "What''s up?" Cailynn asked him as he came over and glanced at Cyrus.

    "Well, I think we already have a lead." He smirked. "The regional governor has ordered an evacuation of Gunther, which is up ahead." He pointed. "Apparently there''s a monster in the Blythetane that''s already killed some people."

    Cyrus smiled as well. "Well it sounds like we might be getting a job after all." She hummed.

    Cailynn shook her head. "Probably not," she said pessimistically. "If the governor is stepping in, most likely the military is involved too."

    Slyran shrugged. "Probably, but hey, what''s cheaper? A few adventurers going to slay a monster, or an entire army? I feel like if we negotiate we can maybe take the task."

    Cailynn tapped her chin and then shrugged. "Maybe. Let''s go check it out."

    <hr>

    "That''s¡­ That''s a lot of soldiers," Slyran said with wide eyes as the group watched the battalion of soldiers setting up camp outside of the small village of Gunther from atop a large hill.

    "There has to be at least a thousand of them," Cyrus said, dumbfounded, as she ran a hand through her silver hair. "What did they find out there? A dragon?"

    Cailynn smirked and said, "Gods I hope so. If it''s a dragon then we''d be set for another five years." She chuckled.

    "Well, let''s not get greedy now," Slyran said as he took on a more serious tone. "Whatever it is, it must be serious if the army is pulling out the big guns." He pointed towards the east, where large arcane cannons were being set up. "Back in my day, we only brought out the siege engines whenever it was something huge."

    "Or they''re overreacting," Cyrus added. "The army always overdoes it in these scenarios."

    "Maybe," Slyran nodded. "If it''s anything like back then, it''s best we stay cautious. A broken clock is right at least once."

    Cailynn frowned a little but nodded. "Agreed."

    Cyrus nodded as well. "How should we go about this?" She asked.

    Cailynn shrugged once again. "I was just going to go down and introduce myself as per usual."

    Slyran smirked. "That''s the simplest route, but it''s also the quickest to being arrested if we don''t turn away."

    Cyrus and Cailynn looked at him. "Then what do you suggest?"

    He raised both hands. "Oh, no, I''m not saying we don''t do what you said, hon." He smiled at Cailynn. "I''m just suggesting that if they turn us away we do just that. These guys don''t fuck around, trust me¡ª"

    "We know you were one of them," Cyrus said as she rolled her eyes.

    Slyran chuckled. "It''s my field of expertise; what can I say?"

    Cailynn dusted off her cloak and smoothed out her skirt before saying, "Well, let''s go talk to them."

    <hr>

    As the party approached the edge of the village, a small group of soldiers stood on guard. "By orders of the regional governor and for your safety, the road is barred from travelers!" A large, burly, and uniformed orc said his with a low rumble to his voice. "A monster has been prowling these lands. If you wish to make it to Johanneson, you''ll need to traverse the Silfan Way." He stepped forward and into the center of the road, along with a few others.

    "Oh, that''s a ways away," Cailynn mumbled to herself as she smiled at the big soldier. "We apologize for intruding on your guard duty, sir," she said as her voice took on a completely different tone. Cailynn spoke slowly and with an added purr as she said, "My companions and I were hoping we could help the regional governor with this little issue." She cooed and stepped forward, her cloak parting a bit as she leaned forward to reveal her partially unbuttoned top, which displayed a bit of her cleavage.

    Slyran had to bite his tongue and try not to scoff as he watched his lover put on such a display.

    The two soldiers behind the orc immediately turned red. One of them even smiled broadly and whistled, while the orc appeared more confused.

    "You''ve come to help?" The Orc snorted. "Civilians or vigilantes are not permitted to interfere with ongoing operations, but we appreciate the sentiment." He chuckled.

    Cailynn pouted and leaned back a little as she kept her robe parted and gripped her staff close to her chest. "Civlians? Vigilanties? Do not compare us to such lowly folk." She smiled. "We are the Spellbound Rangers."

    As she said this both Cyrus and Slyran stepped forward, chests puffed out.

    "So you''re mercenaries, eh?" The orc crossed his arms as the other two behind him started snickering at the name. "Quiet!" The orc barked at them, and the men flinched and straightened up. He looked back at Cailynn. "What guild are you licensed with?"

    Cailynn frowned. "Excuse me?"

    The orc frowned and opened his mouth, but before he could say anything, Cyrus stepped forward with a card in hand. "We''re signed up with the Stalwart Shield!"

    The orc leaned forward and squinted at the card. "Ah, so you''re Brannons." He huffed.

    "Uh, not really; we are travelers," Cyrus corrected. "But we''ve been signing up everywhere we went."

    The orc huffed again and glanced at his allies behind him. "Very well, I have no guarantees the Lieutenant Colonel will want to speak to you all, but I''ll let them know some volunteers have arrived."

    Cyrus smiled. "Thank you." She cupped her hands together. "May the goddess''s blessing be with you." She then stepped back and turned to face her two elven companions, who looked at her with confusion. "I told you earlier that licenses are becoming important."

    "Since when did you get signed up, though?" Cailynn whispered as the soldiers walked away.

    Cyrus smiled and tapped her chin. "Well, since I was little, back in Branoria, I signed up before meeting you guys. Then, when we went to Frangor, I joined the Seekers Guild, and when we went to Saxonia¡­" On and on, she listed the guilds she had signed up for. Reaching into her bag, she showed them all the cards she had collected.

    "It''s not hard to join; since you two are always taking forever in towns, I get bored." Cyrus giggled. "You two should really start grabbing these as well; one of these days I won''t be here to bail you out."

    Slyran stepped forward and patted Cyrus''s pauldron before hissing when his hand touched the hot metal. "Shit, that''s hot¡­" He waved his hand and said, "I''ll think about it." He chuckled.

    It wouldn''t take long for the soldiers to return. As the large orc adjusted his rifle strap, he said, "I bring good news; the Lieutenant Colonel is interested in what you have to propose."

    Cailynn turned to face the soldier and said, "Excellent. Lead the way, and we''ll follow."

    The trio followed the soldiers into the village. Gunther was small, only housing about a dozen families and a large tavern in its center of the same name. Most of the houses already appeared to have been evacuated, yet one in particular seemed occupied, and the residents there looked like they didn''t want to leave.

    "I don''t care what the Governor ordered!" A plump woman in a black and white dress shouted into a young soldier''s face. "I''m not going to pack up my entire family and leave because you dimwits cannot deal with one monster!"

    "Ma''am, please." The soldier tried to reason. "The creature is far too dangerous to have anyone within its vicinity."

    "It lives in the woods, miles from here!" The woman screeched. "Fight it there! Why move everyone out of here?!"

    "She makes a good point," Slyran muttered softly as the trio walked by the show. "The gnome in the caravan said something similar. That the beast is out in the forest, Gunther is probably a good few miles from the Blythetane."

    "That is interesting," Cailynn muttered back. "Perhaps you''re right; maybe it is something big."

    "Careful! Careful!" A voice shouted up ahead, which caused all three of their heads to perk up. Up ahead, a large wagon was parked off the road and was hitched to a massive Dorrogan. At the back of the wagon, it could currently be seen that it was being unloaded by a group of soldiers who were placing heavy metal barrels on the ground. Slightly off to the side of the men unloading the wagon stood a half-elven man in an officer''s uniform, shouting. "That''s dragon''s breath, you twits! If you drop that, you''ll bloody kill us all!"

    "Dragons breath?" Cyrus gawked as they continued down the road. "Why the hell are you bringing that out here?"

    Slyran frowned and bit his lower lip. "I think I know why," he muttered as they finally stopped outside the Gunther tavern.

    <hr>

    A portly, well-dressed man dabbed his darkened beard with a handkerchief before leaning over the table with his knife to stab a slab of grok steak. The bulging man gorged himself on a vast feast before him at the center table within the tavern. Around him stood his guards, and at the table were his advisors, who consumed poultry compared to what he had.

    When the door to the tavern opened, the trio of heroes entered. The man belched and wiped his beared face clean. The soldier escorting the group of heroes who wished to speak to him stopped before the table and raised his fist into the air as he performed the Heinmarran salute.

    "Lieutenant Colonel Kaus, I''ve brought the visitors as you requested."

    Leaning back in his seat, Kaus dabbed at his face some more as his eyes wandered over the three. His eyes first landed on a beautiful dark-skinned woman with silver hair wearing ancient plate armor; beside her was an Elven man wearing a fine outfit armed with what looked to be a modified magelock. But what his eyes landed on and became stuck on was the stunningly beautiful elven mage in the black coat and dress. A dress that was most certainly not appropriate, the skirt was too short, her buttons undone, and leaving little to the imagination. A sight that truly made even the professional Lieutenant Colonel blush a little.

    "So you are the three who wish to speak to me," The colonel''s grumbling voice echoed within the tavern. With a heaving grunt, he struggled to raise himself out of his chair and waddled around the table. "I was told you three are the Spellbound Rangers¡­"

    "So you''ve heard of us?" The scantily dressed mage asked.

    Kaus stroked his beard and nodded as he came over to the three. "To be frank, I have. Stories of what transpired in Saxsonia have already begun to spread. You did excellent work on the Arachnai infestation, if that is true."

    The armored maiden shivered heavily upon the mention of the arachnai. "Truly horrid creatures were those things," she said, and Kaus let off a rolling laugh.

    "So it must be true." He snorted and smiled.

    The mage and gunslinger nodded. "A couple pounds of magrite and a well placed fireball did short work for the Queen," said the man with the rifle.

    Placing his hands on his belly, Kaus stood in front of them and nodded. "So I take it then; you came here to deal with our monster then?"

    The three of them nodded; however, the mage said, "For a price, of course."

    The lieutenant colonel raised an eyebrow. "For a price?"

    The three nodded, and the gunslinger spoke, "Surely, what we''re asking for would be cheaper than the amount of dragon''s breath your men are unloading outside."

    "Speaking of which," the mage said, "why are your men handling such volatile material?"

    Kaus frowned for a moment, debating whether he should even humor the woman with an answer that was fine. With a wave of his hand, he said, "We are planning on flushing the beast out of its hideout and are going to blow it to smithereens."

    The gunslinger and cleric both raised their eyebrows. "You are going to light the Blythetane on fire?" The man asked.

    Kaus nodded. "Aye, that is the plan. The beast is a Khretenmoss," he said, immediately noticing the mage''s eyes widen with shock. "It is a creature made of plants twisted into malice that blends into its environment. Already, I''ve sent men in to kill it, and only a small handful have returned."

    "They are ambush predators," Cailynn said. "However, I disagree with burning down the entirety of the forest just for one monstrosity."

    Kaus shook his head. "But that is where you''re wrong, Madam¡­"

    "Moonweaver," Cailynn said, and Kaus nodded.

    "This creature, Madam Moonweaver, isn''t your typical Khretenmoss." He tapped his forehead. "This one is smart, and¡­" Looking at himself, he chuckled. "Like me, it''s large and well fed."

    The mage sighed and glanced at her companions. "An intelligent Khretenmoss. It sounds like this one could be trouble."

    The gunslinger cracked his knuckles and said, "A bunch of sticks and weeds doesn''t sound too hard, and besides, I think the governor would prefer it if the forest wasn''t burned down."

    Kaus glanced at his advisors at the table and then back at the group and said, "If the renowned Spellbound Rangers want to take part in a hunt, I see no issue, and as a matter of fact, I''ll see to it that you are paid, if successful. You would save my men the headache and certainly the coin if this succeeds." He smiled.

    Moonweaver glanced at the man beside her, who said, "I''m down for that. How much are we talking?"

    Kaus held up a finger, turned to his advisors, and began to softly discuss amongst each other. After a few moments, he turned around and said, "Three Heinmarran platinum coins I believe is more than enough."

    "Platinum?!" The cleric gasped.

    "Sounds good to me." Said the man.

    Though the Moonweaver seemed skeptical, "Hold on, Deadeye," she said, grabbing the man''s collar. She glared at Kaus, who frowned in return. "Make it five platinum."

    Kaus and his advisors scoffed. "Don''t be absurd¡ª"

    "The Saxsonians paid us six platinum coins to deal with the Arachnai Queen and see what you have outside. I know for a fact that five is more than reasonable."

    The lieutenant colonel''s eyes twitched, and he turned around to discuss some more. After a few seconds, he sighed and said, "Fine, five platinum it is."

    The three heroes smiled and nodded as Kaus waved his hand. "You have three days. If the creature is not dead by then or you do not return, we will proceed with the operation."

    "Got it. We''ll be back before then." The Moonweaver said as she turned away. "Come on, guys."

    "Hell yeah, let''s go pull some weeds!" Deadeye high-fived the cleric as they made their way out of the tavern.

    As they left, Kaus took a deep breath and turned back to his table and advisors. "Well, gentleman, it seems our job may have gotten a lot easier." He chuckled.

 Chapter 70: Story of the Hunt Pt. 2 (Interlude)

    The Spellbound Rangers

    19th Dusk Day, Eunomia, 1883 PTW

    It has been a day since the trio began their hunt for the monster known as the Khretenmoss. Deep within the Blythetane Forest, the sweltering heat and humidity worked away at the three of them as they clambered over the fallen logs and cut their way through the thickening underbrush.

    "By the gods, this heat will be the end of me!" Slyran cursed as he hacked away at an overgrown bush with his machete. "Why is it that the rest of the region is dead but not this bloody forest?" He complained as he tossed away the loose overgrowth to create a path.

    "It''s because we''re in the Khretenmoss''s domain," said Cailynn as she stepped through the recently created path. "It uses the surrounding forest to hide; if it devoured everything, then for obvious reasons it''d leave itself exposed."

    Slyran huffed and asked, "Babe, don''t you have a spell that can clear an easy path for us?" He swung his blade against a large, low-hanging branch, blocking their path.

    Cailynn smirked and glanced at Cyrus, who appeared content even though she had visible heat waves coming off her plate. "I do," Cailynn said, "but I also enjoy watching you work yourself so hard." She snickered as Cyrus sighed and rolled her eyes.

    Slyran blushed a bit and refocused on cutting a path for them, seemingly with extra vigor now.

    A half-hour later, as the trio progressed deeper within the choking confines of the forest, Cyrus continued to keep watch with her keen, golden eyes. "Cailynn," she said softly as the party stopped so Slyran could rest for a minute.

    "Yes, Cyrus?" The mage glanced over her shoulder.

    "How are we supposed to find this Khretenmoss?" The cleric asked as her eyes met Cailynns. "The Blythetane is massive and runs along the Alter River; we could be here for weeks or even a month searching for it. We only have two days."

    Cailynn closed her eyes and nodded slowly, a gesture that Cyrus was all too familiar with and dreaded, especially when Cailynn looked back at her with a mischievous little smile. "Well, it''s easy, Cyrus. I have a plan." She giggled.

    Cyrus took a deep breath and nodded. "I hope it''s nothing¡­ Messed up."

    <hr>

    "I don''t know if I agree with this plan!" Slyran called out from the middle of the clearing, beside a massive Sycora tree. "Why am I the bait? Why can''t it be Cyrus or you?"

    Standing roughly forty gotts away in the safety of the trees, Cailynn responded, "Because you''re the least threatening of us."

    "I call bullcrap on that!" Slyran said as he clutched his magelock close to his chest and his eyes darted around the scene. "Babe, you hold a staff and dress like¡­"

    "Dress like what?" Her eyes narrowed.

    Slyran opened his mouth, then closed it, then bit his lip. "Like a lovely woman." Despite not being able to see his love, he could feel her eyes piercing into him.

    Cyrus glanced at Cailynn out of the corner of her eye and asked, "Why did you choose him?"

    Cailynn huffed and smiled a bit and said, "A number of reasons, actually. First off, Slyran is loud and makes a lot of noise." As if on cue, Slyran let off a disgruntled moan. "Secondly, his well is much shallower than ours. Monsters, like the Khretenmoss, are magical in nature; similar to dragons, they have a third sense."

    "A sense that can detect magic?" Cyrus asked, and Cailynn nodded.

    "Yep. That''s why I''m not down there. Physically, I may look less threatening than Slyrann, but to a Khretenmoss, I would appear to be a threat. So it wouldn''t bother me."

    Cyrus frowned. "But if that''s the case, wouldn''t it be able to sense us up here in the trees?" She asked.

    Cailynn frowned a little. "Ah, shit, you''re right." She cursed softly.

    Cyrus thought for a second and then smiled. "Wait, I have an idea." She pounded her gauntleted hands together. "If the creature can detect magic, what if I use a form of non-detection, the ether-dampening spell?"

    Cailynn pursed her lips in thought. "That in itself is magic; it may work, but I don''t know."

    Cyrus nodded. "It''s worth a shot." She brought her hands together. "Madam Slyondra, heed my call and help us in our time of need. Protect us from eyes abroad and hide us from those who do wrong. Non-detection." As Cyrus finished muttering her prayer, her golden eyes shimmered for only a second as the world around her and Cailynn blurred ever so slightly.

    "Let us hope this is enough," Cailynn muttered and smiled at the Cleric.

    "Guys," Slyrann called out after some time. "This isn''t funny anymore."

    The elven gunslinger sighed, kicked the dirt with his boot, and glanced around. "Why am I always the one thrown into these predicaments?" He asked himself when evening was settling in, and his stomach gurgled. He contemplated reaching into his pouch to grab his ration but knew if he was attacked while eating, not only would he be in a bad spot, but most likely his ration would get ruined. Something he didn''t wish to risk.

    Cailynn and Cyrus had also fallen silent. He knew they wouldn''t leave him here alone; they were most likely hiding. But now, the worst thing was beginning to happen: boredom was settling in. Taking a deep breath, he stretched his legs and thought of sitting down, but once again, he told himself that was a dumb idea.

    "Hey! You big mossy fucker!" Slyran suddenly shouted as his pent-up frustration began to simmer. "Fresh snack for you! Get some flame rounds that''ll cook your ass!"

    His voice echoed up into the canopy, and a few stray birds, startled by his shout, took off into the air. Though he received no response, grumbling under his breath, he sighed, decided against his conscience, and walked over to the large Sycora before planting his ass on the ground at its base. His legs were sore from standing in place for so long; a few minutes wouldn''t hurt.

    The sky was beginning to darken; the once pristine blue was now made up of dark oranges and purples. "This better not be a waste," Slyran muttered under his breath as he rested his arm on his knees, just as the snap of a branch caught his ear.

    Abruptly, the entire forest fell silent. Any birds or bugs in the area ceased all noise.

    Slyran''s eyes shot upwards just as a massive tendril resembling that of a tree''s branch shot down towards him.

    Slyran swore loudly as he dove forward, narrowly dodging the noose-like tendril that nearly wrapped around his throat. Landing on his shoulder, Slyran rolled forward before landing on his feet in the center of the clearing. Eyes locked on the massive Sycora tree, his jaw dropped as he realized this wasn''t a tree.

    "Oh, that''s right." Cailynn''s voice came from his left, where she and Cyrus hid. "I forgot. Khretenmoss''s are nocturnal predators."

    "So now you remember?!" Slyran blurted out, but the sounds of snapping bark and roots being unearthed brought his attention back toward the massive monstrosity.

    The creature was vast and nearly incomprehensible. Its body, if one would call it that, was nothing but vegetation and dirt that had somehow camouflaged itself as a perfectly normal tree. Its limbs consisted of dozens, if not a hundred, separate tendrils flailing all over the place. This thing had no face, no eyes, and no mouth. It just was.

    If he had to describe it. It was like a ball of yarn dropped in the mud.

    Without warning, a stream of fire blasted forth from Cailynn''s hiding place towards the roiling mass of weeds, striking the monster''s surface and immediately setting it ablaze. Despite possessing no visible mouth, the creature released a rumbling cry of pain. Its tendrils shot out in Slyran''s direction, snapping back into focus as the gunslinger dove from left to right, dodging each sharpened limb, though not with ease.

    "Fuck! Fuck!" The man shouted as each tendril skewered the earth seconds from where he had been before, over and over. He had no time to take aim or shoot; the creature just wouldn''t stop attacking.

    Once more, a gout of fire shot forth from the tree line, striking the creature. Dozens of flaming tendrils shot forth toward Cailynn and Cyrus''s hiding position, but just as they made contact, they were gone. Taking to the sky, Cailynn soared over the creature with her staff held outwards, her eyes flashed a searing red as she then rocketed herself towards the whirling mound of moss and flame.

    This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source.

    Meanwhile, Slyran was feeling fatigued as he endlessly dodged each attack thrown at him. He could feel his muscles beginning to lock up and burn, and it was here that he noticed it. A sharp, flaming tendril fired towards him. Bracing for impact, he knew he was about to get skewered, yet suddenly, instead of piercing pain, an invisible force repelled the tendril just as it made contact. Its physical form disintegrated upon impact.

    "Don''t stop moving now!" Cyrus shouted from behind Slyran, his eyes wide with shock at her sudden appearance.

    The armored woman held her mirror shield aloft, deflecting another tendril head-on, and with her war hammer in hand, she hoisted it up and slammed down upon another one. A flash of light erupted from the hammer''s head and exploded the tendril with holy fire. The Khretenmoss roared with agony, its body aflame all over. The creature bucked and rolled as it tried to get away, its tendrils receding into its yarn-ball-like body.

    Cyrus turned to Slyran and said, "Now''s the time; shoot it!"

    Wasting no time, Slyran quickly took a second to check to make sure his magelock was loaded with the right round. It was a flame-burst bullet. Raising his weapon, he aimed right for the beast''s core and fired.

    A deafening crack echoed throughout the evening sky as flocks of birds took off. The magical bolt of burning energy shot forth from Slyran''s gun and pierced the burning core, only to then detonate inside the creature.

    Holding her shield up, Cyrus turned her large body over to Slyran, shielding the gunslinger from the explosive eruption of flaming plant debris and charcoal that began to rain down upon them. As the smoke cleared, Cyrus lowered her shield and asked, "Are you okay?"

    Slyran cleared his throat and said, "Ye-yeah, I''m okay. Thanks for the assist."

    Cyrus smiled as she stepped back and helped the elf up. "As fun as it was watching you dance around. I didn''t want to leave you alone¡ª"

    Suddenly, a loud and anger-filled scream startled the two, and both their heads whipped toward the mound of smoldering plant matter. Standing amid the cloud of smoke and steam stood a very frustrated-looking Cailynn, her body covered in soot and organic plant matter, her once blue eyes still a searing red.

    "Which one of you killed it before me?!" She said angrily. "I was this close to its heart!" She held up two fingers to indicate how close she was. "This close!" she repeated.

    Both Slyran and Cyrus chuckled and smiled as the mage sighed and dropped her shoulders. "I did," Slyran said as he took a couple of steps toward her. "Cyrus gave me the perfect shot, and I took it." He hummed

    Cailynn took a deep breath and closed her red eyes, and when she opened them, the blue color returned, and she said, "Darn¡­" She shivered as if experiencing a cool draft. "Kraten''s getting to me¡­" she muttered. "Sorry for getting angry," she apologized as Slyran came over to her.

    He stepped over a chunk of the dead monster, yet as his foot came down, something burst forth from the mound and grasped onto his ankle.

    Slyran let off a shrill cry. "Holy shit!" he freaked and yanked his foot away.

    Instinctively, everyone drew their weapons and aimed them at whatever held onto the gunslinger. "What the hell is this?!" Slyran yanked his foot away again, this time freeing himself from whatever gripped him.

    He shuddered and stepped back before calming himself when whatever it was didn''t pursue him. "Should I blast it?" Cailynn asked, but Slyran held a hand up. He squinted at the mound of smoking vegetation, and he realized it wasn''t a tendril that snatched him.

    Taking a step forward, he kneeled and got a closer look. His eyes suddenly widened, and he shouted, "Cyrus, get over here! We have a victim!"

    Digging through the wood and vegetation, Slyran and Cyrus gripped the figure buried within the monster''s corpse and pulled whoever was free from the monster''s body. Out from within came a small child, covered in black slime and moss from what he could only assume was the creature''s guts. Cyrus laid the child on their side and pressed two fingers against their throat to check for a pulse.

    "They''re still alive," she said softly, "but their breathing''s shallow." With one hand, Cyrus began to trace the symbols of her divine magic in the air and began to mutter a soft prayer. After a minute, she pressed her hand against the boy, her palm now glowing bright green as she allowed the celestial magic to flow from her body into the kid.

    The child jerked and twitched before vomiting the disgusting tar-like slime onto the ground. Slyran had to look away and cringe faintly as the kid choked and sobbed. Looking at his wife, Cailynn kept her head lowered, and she said softly, "I''m amazed they didn''t die from the blast." Slyran nodded as Cyrus continued to tend to and whisper to the kid.

    After a few minutes, the child calmed down, and Cailynn stepped in to help Cyrus clean them off with a bit of magic. In almost no time at all, the kid was clean, save for their tattered and stained clothes. He was young, probably six or seven years old. Thankfully, with Cyrus''s magic, he was no longer harmed, though most likely traumatized.

    "What''s your name?" Cyrus asked with a big smile.

    The boy didn''t say much at first, but after a few moments, he muttered, "Albert, I-I''m, Albert."

    Cailynn took a knee beside Albert and said, "Nice to meet you, Albert."

    The boy stuttered a few unintelligible lines before finally spitting out, "Who are you? A-Are you heroes?"

    Cyrus turned to look at Cailynn and smiled. Cailynn sighed a little but smiled brightly and said with a nod, "Yes. We are the Spellbound Rangers." She placed a hand on her chest. "I am Cailynn the Moonweaver." She gestured to Cyrus.

    "I am Cyrus the Luminary," the cleric said with a big smile.

    Finally, the two of them gestured to Slyran, who was still looking away with his back turned. For a few awkward moments, nothing was said until Cailynn cleared her throat and the gunslinger spun around.

    "Oh uh¡­" He grunted. "I''m Slyran, or, uh, Deadeye." He rubbed his neck. "We should get moving," he said. "Night is almost on us."

    Cailynn and Cyrus frowned. "Don''t mind him," Cyrus said. "He can be a bit of a butt."

    The young boy giggled a little, though the sound of an owl''s hoot sent him back into a shivering mess. Cailynn stood up and held her hand out to the boy. "Here, take my hand. We''ll walk you back home. You live in the village over there, right?" She pointed with her staff. "Gunther?" The young boy nodded.

    Cyrus took the boy by the other hand. "Well, let''s go then." She said this as the three of them began to walk past Slyran, who followed beside Cyrus.

    The cleric side-eyed him and asked, "Are you okay?"

    Slyran took a deep breath and looked up as they began to walk. "I''m fine¡­ I just¡­ don''t do well around kids, is all."

    Cyrus said nothing and simply nodded as Slyran stretched. "Well," he grunted. "It looks like another successful hunt." He smiled. "I can''t wait to get back, get paid, and go the fuck¡ª"

    "Language!" Cailynn hissed.

    "Sorry¡­" Slyran blushed. "And go to sleep."

    Cyrus giggled and looked forward. "Me too."

    <hr>

    Luna Ashflow

    As my mother finished up the story she adjusted the dress on my body, and Mr. Shwarz picked up the remainder of it.

    "After they returned me home, my mother was so grateful; she had forgotten she was even angry with me." He said it with a chuckle. "She and the army folk had such huge looks of surprise." He said it with a smile. "Not only that, the corpse of that beast had soaked up so much life energy that when it died, it was released back out into the soil."

    I remained still as my mother finished buttoning my dress and grabbed a brush. I whinced heavily as she began to run it through my hair, catching all the bits that were knotted together. She frowned and began to move slower so that she could gently untangle whatever got caught.

    "That explains why everything out here is so lush now," My mother said, "Khretenmoss''s are like living composts. Us blowing it up probably sent all that fertilizer everywhere." She turned to face Mr. Shwarz. "I''m amazed you even survived the blast my husband created."

    Mr. Shwarz, whose back was facing us the entire time, chuckled. "I''m honestly surprised myself." He sighed. "Going out into that forest was one of the stupidest things I ever did. Surely, whoever was watching me that night up above sent you all to save me."

    Not thinking, I asked, "Why did you go out there?"

    "Luna!" Mother hissed at me, though Mr. Shwarz chuckled and shrugged.

    "It was so long ago, I barely remember." He sighed. "My mother and I got into an argument, probably over something stupid. I hated the monster, and I don''t know why. Maybe I thought I was invincible, but I ran out in the middle of the night without telling anyone. Maybe I thought I could go fight it." He shrugged. "The point is, it nearly got me killed."

    It sounds like when I went to the cave¡­ Though I did have that voice guiding me there, speaking of which, Mr. Master, you''ve been quiet today. I received no response.

    After a few moments of my mother brushing my hair, she pulled back and said, "And there we go. All cute and freshened up."

    I blinked and looked up at my mother, then back down at myself. "Why don''t we bring her out here so she can look in the mirror?" Mr. Shwarz said.

    My mother clapped her hands together. "Excellent idea. Come here, Luna." My mother took my hand and gently guided me out of the walk-in closet and into Mr. Shwarz''s room.

    My mother led me over to the vanity mirror as the older man stepped off to the side, giving me enough space to examine myself. The dress my mother helped me pick out was a dark gray and white dress with a fluffy skirt that reached down to my calves. The dress itself was a bit big on me, though there were plenty of strings and bits my mother was able to adjust on the fly to help fit me into it. She said this was good because I''ll grow into it as time goes on. To top off the dress, Mr. Shwarz gave me a bow similar to that of my old purple one, though this was a blue that matched mine and my mother''s eyes.

    I didn''t care for the skirt, honestly; it was so big. All the other ones I wore always went slightly past my knees, giving me ample room to move around, yet this one I felt like I was going to drag along the ground. Unfortunately, it''s all that Mr. Shwarz had.

    Even though I didn''t mention it, my mother could see it on my face. "We can maybe make some adjustments if the skirt is too bothersome, dear," Mother cooed. "Also, look at your hair; it''s so pretty. You look really good with short hair like me," she hummed.

    I reached up and ran my hand through my hair; after the thorough brushing, it was smooth and soft. I fluffed it out a bit and smiled. "It is very nice," I said, looking up at Mr. Shwarz. "Thank you, Sir!" I gave him a polite bow.

    Mr. Shwarz smiled and waved his hand to the side, "No need to thank me. It''s the least I can do. If there''s anything else, feel free to ask. I''ll do whatever I can."

    My mother nodded. "I''ll keep that in mind." She took a deep breath and stretched before looking at the grandfather clock in the room. "It''s nearly noon. Your father and brother should be coming back soon, hopefully." She muttered the last bit. "Want to go try and find them with me?" she asked.

    I smiled. "Do I have a choice?" I asked cheekily, and my mother took my hand.

    "Nope. I''m keeping you hostage today." She said it with a big smile. "And later, we''re cuddling."

    I frowned. "Wait, no. That''s not fair!" I playfully whined.

    "Do you not want my love?" My mother asked with a smile as Mr. Shwarz smiled and showed us outside.

 Chapter 71: Catching Up

    My hand gripped hers gently as Mr. Shwarz led us outside his home. I couldn''t help but feel off, though, as we left. Something just wasn''t right. The voice of the Master was gone. Or at least he was ignoring me, which didn''t make sense if he was. Before, he usually responded right away, but now he was gone. Similar to the time I saved Isa, which, come to think of it, was only a week ago, or two weeks. My mother said I''d been unconscious for five days.

    But why are all the farm folk here saying things like I was awake? What happened?

    My mother said she wanted to wait for my father to talk about what happened. Is she afraid of how I''ll react if I know the truth? Is it related to the Master?

    I sighed softly as we stepped out onto the front lawn. I shivered a little as a cool draft blew over the valley, and my grip on my mother''s hand tightened. I was concerned. Perhaps something terrible happened? I thought. Isa looked concerned earlier, even scared. Did I do something?

    My mother guided me along the road, past the front gate to Shwarz''s manor, and back down towards the field where the automaton worked. A few farmhands came down the road towards us and politely waved as we walked by. We were heading back in the direction of the guest house. It was a pleasant-looking structure perched atop a small hill, surrounded by a small thicket. Many of the trees were beginning to bloom now; even as we were climbing the hill, I could see the Blythetane popping with all sorts of colors and vibrancy. A sight that would''ve truly captivated me if not for the paranoia I was beginning to feel.

    My mother opened the door to the guest house and led me into the living room. Inside, we found Isa and the elven woman from this morning; Tiana was her name if I recall correctly. The two of them were cleaning and chatting away but stopped upon seeing the two of us come in. Right away, I noticed Isa''s expression shift from something pleasant to a slight concern upon seeing me. I blinked and shifted a bit as her gaze tore away from me and she looked to my mother.

    "Hello, Cailynn and Luna," she said softly, turning her attention back towards the coffee table she was wiping down.

    Tiana smiled happily. "Oh, you''re back so soon; are you still looking for your spouse?" She asked as she wiped her hands off on a white cloth before draping it around her wrist.

    My mother nodded, respectively, to both Isa and the woman. "Yes. Has he returned yet?"

    The woman smiled and nodded with a hum. "Mhm." She pointed towards the kitchen and the back door. "He returned with the young master. Quite a haul they brought too, they''re out back with Stephen and Marco."

    My mother sighed, and I saw her shoulders sag with relief. "Excellent, Isa, would you be able to come with me?" She asked.

    Isa paused in the middle of wiping the table and nodded slowly, and the knot in my stomach tightened. This isn''t like her, I thought. I hope she''s doing okay.

    "I''ll be right behind you," she said softly.

    My mother nodded once more, squeezed my hand gently, and looked at me. "Well," She took a deep breath. "Let''s go see your father and brother."

    <hr>

    "Aye, it''s in the paper, Mr. Ashflow!" Stephen''s squeaky voice exclaimed. "Rows and rows of Yanky armor and soldiers are on their way to Frangor! Help is truly coming!" He said it ecstatically.

    Stepping out into the backyard of the guest house. I could see my father, Varis, the bearded ginger man Stephen, and Marko the lupris standing around what looked to be a makeshift butchering station. Hanging up on the skinning rack was a creature that I had to ponder for a second to remember what it was. That is, until it hit me¡ªa fennic. A small deer-like animal, standing about two feet tall, had a dark brown and green fur coat and three eyes that disturbed me. Two on the sides of their heads, and one on top.

    I recall Momma and Isa teaching Varis and me a couple of years ago about the local wildlife and how these critters were hunted by rocs, massive carnivorous birds that lived up and near the mountains. I have never seen one, nor do I want to, as I am only slightly taller than a fennic.

    Father was in the process of showing Varis how to skin the creature as he spoke with Stephen, who was setting aside a large bucket for my father. "Sounds nice," he said as he gestured for Varis to come over to him. "But don''t get too excited, Mr. Falk. The Yanks are going to have to sail around The Thing, and there''s no telling how long it''ll take for them to get over the Westriden. If GAN really wants to help us, the Brannons and Frangorans would be spilling over the border by now."

    "From what I heard," Marco said as he took a drag from his loki pipe. "They''re caught with their pants down and are still rallying their troops."

    "Well, they better rally faster, anyways¡­" My father turned to Varis. "Take this knife, boy, and follow what I say closely."

    At this point, my mother, Isa, and I stopped before the group. Clearing her throat, my mother said, "Where were you?"

    My father tensed a little just as Varis took the knife from him. Biting his lower lip, my father turned to my mother, his eyes wide like a deer in headlights. "I, uh, decided to take our boy out for some practice and to, uh, pay Mr. Shwarz back." He gestured to the strung-up fennic.

    My mother slowly nodded, though her eyes were steely. "And you did so without telling me?"

    My father laughed nervously and waved his bloodied hand. "We-well I didn''t think it''d take so long."

    "Right." My mother huffed. "You didn''t think."

    "Cailynn¡­" He grumbled.

    "Don''t you ''Cailynn'' me, Slyran!" My mother snipped. Sensing danger, both Stephen and Marco began to make their way towards the nearby stable, where I heard a Strider roaring for food as my mother continued, "We made a deal that we''ll always tell one another where we are. Your daughter finally returned this morning, and we couldn''t find you or Varis."

    Father''s head drooped, and he took a deep breath. "You''re right; I''m sorry." He raised his head and looked at me with a slight smile. "Welcome back to the world of the living."

    My eyes widened. "Wait, what¡ª"

    "So-sorry, bad choice of words!" My father quickly apologized. "How''re you feeling?"

    I stuttered and glanced at my brother, who wasn''t even looking at me but instead at the knife in his hands. My eyes then went towards Isa, who looked reserved, her eyes not even meeting mine, before finally reaching my mother, who was looking at me calmly.

    I bit my lower lip, took a deep breath, and said, "I''m confused."

    "I bet you are¡­" He said it in a low voice. "Matter of fact," he said gruffly. "We all are." He went over to one of the wooden chairs at the edge of the workstation and grabbed a white piece of cloth that lay on it. He began to wipe his bloodied hands. Not facing me, he said, "A lot has happened, Luna¡­ Are you aware of what happened?"

    I shook my head. "No. Momma said to wait for you and Varis."

    "So you don''t know anything that happened?" He asked again, and I shook my head.

    "To me, it felt like I was asleep," I said anxiously, and the butterflies in my guts began to flutter like mad.

    Father slowly nodded; he then stopped wiping his hands and looked off into the thicket. An eerie silence came; all I could hear were the birds and bugs that were occasionally broken by the squawk of a strider from the stable.

    Finally, my father broke the silence and said, "Let''s go inside." He turned and then patted Varis on the back. "We''ll be back out to take care of the fennic, boy." Varis nodded silently and began to walk towards the door as he brushed past me without saying a word.

    Unable to control myself, I blurted out, "Di-did I do something bad?"

    My father stopped and looked at me. His eyes looked conflicted as if he didn''t know what to say. Finally, he took a sharp breath and said, "No. You did not."

    <hr>

    We made our way to the second floor of the guest house and got together in the room that I had woken up in. It was a bit crowded with all of us in there together. Father stood by the door while Mother and Varis sat together on the bed. Isa had positioned herself against the wall by the window while I sat in the chair that I had woken up in.

    "It''s been five days," Father started. "Five days ago, you helped us. Do you remember what happened on that day?" He asked me, his voice coming off to me as unsettling.

    I gulped and gripped at my skirt and said, "I¡­" Visions of Isa''s body being destroyed, the battle, artillery fire, and machine guns flashed before my eyes. I tensed up, took a deep breath, and said, "I remember the battle. The fighting, an-and you all being locked away in that glass prison."

    If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.

    Varis tensed up upon me mentioning the prison, and I looked at him. "I remember breaking the crane and saving you all."

    "What about after?" Father asked as he stepped into the middle of the room in front of me, his arms crossed, his expression hard.

    "We grouped up," I said shakily.

    "Slyran," Mother said softly. "Ease up. This is Luna."

    What does she mean by that? My eyes snapped to her.

    "Go on," my father said, ignoring my mother.

    I gulped. "We moved to the main power room, the big tower. We-we¡­ We got jumped by the commissar. He-he¡­" I looked at Isa, who was hugging herself and looking away. "He got Isa¡­ And then you¡­" I looked at my father, his face hardening.

    "What happened next?" He practically growled.

    "I¡­ I¡­" I gripped my skirt even tighter. "I tried to fight him, a-and¡­" My lower lip began to quiver. The butterflies fluttered uncontrollably, and I could feel the goosebumps rising on my skin. "I don''t know what happened after he hit me. I remember getting hit, and I felt pain, and now we''re here."

    "Are you positive?" He asked lowly.

    I nodded my head slowly. "Ye-yes, Sir." I sniffed and met my eyes with his. "Did something happen?"

    "Yes." Father brought his hand up to the side of his head and tapped his temple. "Your early warning device. The voice in your head, Isa, told us a lot about him." I gulped and nodded without saying a word. "Have you heard from him at all today?" I shook my head. "Are you lying to me?"

    I gasped. "N-No! I wouldn''t lie to you ever!"

    "Slyran, please," Mother said, and he turned to her.

    "I''m just being thorough, love." He turned back to me. "Do you sense him at all?" He asked.

    Sense? I thought. Now that you mention it, aside from Mother, Everything felt more lonely today, but maybe that''s just a placebo? I never noticed anything different when that Master was around.

    I shook my head. "I don''t know; I could never tell when he was here or not."

    "How long have you known about this voice?" he asked me.

    "Since the camping trip," I said, and Isa''s head perked up. "In the cave, I heard sounds."

    Father nodded. "I remember."

    "I heard weird noises, and I fainted when I woke up¡­ I had weird thoughts. Thoughts I learned later weren''t mine. He led me to the cave¡­ And¡­"

    "And what?" Father asked me.

    My mind was blank. I couldn''t remember; it was like I went to the cave, and suddenly I woke up on the ground before I was attacked. Like a whole chunk of something was missing; no, I knew something was missing.

    That''s right¡­ That''s right! It all makes sense now¡­

    "He wiped my memory," I said softly. "I don''t know what happened, but when I went to the cave, I suddenly woke up on the floor before you guys showed up. I know something happened, and I remember the Master always being vague about us speaking in the past or making remarks like we talked about something before, but I never remembered it. He even admitted that he had the capability of making me do things when near "places of power"." My father held a hand up.

    "Slow down, Luna," he said softly.

    "The Master?" Mother said softly as she leaned forward. "Why does that sound familiar?"

    Father glanced over his shoulder. "Have you read something like that before?" Mother shrugged.

    "It sounds familiar," Isa said as she now had her full attention on me. "It may just be a coincidence, or perhaps not, but it was long ago back in my homeland. The mage I once told you about was the one who spoke the language you had during that trip, Luna. After my elder had met him, she spoke of preparing for one simply known as "The Master." At the time, I thought nothing of it, but now. I am starting to believe these are not just coincidences."

    My mother slowly nodded, and at this point, Isa''s ears fell flat, and she sighed. "And you said he can make you do things around places of power?" She asked.

    I nodded. "That''s what I recall the Master telling me."

    Isa''s frown diminished, and her eyes dilated as she lowered her head dejectedly. "I see then." She took a deep breath. "Then I am the one who brought this on you."

    "What do you mean?" I asked along with my parents.

    "The cave I had wanted to take you all to¡ªit is said that beneath it lies an ancient Far Reacher Ruin," She said I frowned and cocked my head, as did Varis. Seeing our confusion, Isa said, "We never got to them in our ancient history studies. The Far Reachers were an empire that came long, long, long before any of us. Even the Dark Lord himself. It is said that every star in the sky was touched by them, and that they once held the power to rival the gods. It''s said that because of this rivalry, the gods smited the Far Reachers and wiped them from existence. Or at least, as much as they could. All that is left are the ruins that scatter Enora, but my point is, they were powerful; many of their ruins are considered places of power where vast quantities of ether and magrite are found." My mother slowly nodded, and Isa sighed, "And me taking you there allowed whoever this Master is into your mind."

    "Well, hold on, Isa," Father said as he held a hand out to her. "We don''t know that for sure; for all we know, whoever this man is has been linked to our daughter since the start."

    "Exactly," my mother said softly. "Luna has shown great power when it comes to magic. It could be due to his influence, or perhaps he is drawn to it."

    "As to how he got here, we''ll probably never know," Father said. "But the point is, we need to figure out who he is, what he wants, and why he wants our daughter." My mother nodded again.

    "Papa," I said, "what happened after I was¡­ beaten?"

    My father took a deep breath and said, "You nearly died." Once again, the butterflies flared up within me, and my heart began to beat heavily. "I thought you died right before my eyes," he said as his voice shook. "But suddenly you began to move. Your body rose and fixed itself, and then¡­ I realized it wasn''t you. This, Master, took over your body and unleashed something terrible into our minds¡­ I''ll be honest, I was terrified. You weren''t you; your eyes looked dead, and your voice was flat and hollow. The next thing I knew, I was having horrific nightmares."

    Isa shuddered and said, "Luna, whoever took over you holds great power."

    I gulped. "Wh-what do you mean by what happened?"

    "Luna," my father said softly as he got onto one knee in front of me. "That thing in you not only killed the commissar, but it drained that tower. Of all of its power, it consumed every bit of it before bringing Isa back to life."

    My eyes widened. "Wh-what do you mean?"

    "I died, Luna," Isa said shakily. "That monster killed me, and the Master brought me back." She gulped. "He said he absorbed the souls of the tower."

    My mind began to race a million miles per hour. "B-but wait, no, no. That was a magrite pillar, right? A-And what do you mean you died? I-I didn''t see you die!"

    "Luna," my father said as he took my hand.

    I was breathing heavily, and I whimpered a bit. "I-I don''t feel different, Papa."

    He smiled faintly. "That''s okay, sweetie," he said. "Isa''s fine."

    But she died, she said it herself. She died even though I vowed to protect her. Dammit, dammit!

    Isa came over to me and kneeled beside my father. "I''m okay, Luna. I''m still shaken up, but I''ll be fine." She smiled gently.

    I sniffed and nodded. "And what do you mean I absorbed souls? I thought that pillar was magrite, that magic rock stuff."

    My father smiled a little and said, "It was the magic rock stuff, I think." He frowned. "That Master guy never talked much when he controlled you. He said the tower was a siphon, that it took in the souls of the deceased and put them in the Rusivite machines. But he absorbed all of them. I don''t know if that means you have them or he has them, but whatever he did stopped them. The machines, I mean."

    I sat there, eyes wide. "So we won?" I asked.

    My father smiled and nodded. "Yes. We did. When the fighting machines stopped except for the behemoth."

    "But that was quickly dealt with by Alexander," Isa said.

    My eyes widened even more. "Master Alexander?" I asked, and Isa nodded.

    "Yes. He and many more soldiers came, rushing to reinforce," she said.

    My father then added, "We didn''t stay to watch the fight, of course. During the chaos, we regrouped with your mother and the other prisoners and fled as fast as we could."

    "What happened next?" I asked. "Wh-what did I¡ªor the Master do during this?"

    "He was the one who got us out." Father said softly, "Everywhere was chaos. The remaining Rusivites were fighting like rabid kreshs. Artillery was coming down around us; we almost thought we weren''t going to make it."

    "Until he teleported us out of there," my mother said in a low voice. "All of us."

    "Is that bad?" I asked.

    My mother took a deep breath and said, "Teleportation magic shouldn''t be possible. Not by any mere mortal like us, Luna. The Far Reachers Isa mentioned were known to have vast Plane Gates, as they were called, which could teleport oneself across the planes, and portals like the door on my cabin or your enigma bag were the closest Enorans ever got to touching on the subject. But raw teleportation magic¡ª" She snapped her fingers like that. "¡ªIs Apotheosis tier magic, Luna. If you remember my lesson¡­"

    I gulped. "God tier magic." She nodded slowly.

    "Whoever this master is," my father said, "he''s either a very powerful demi-being or they are in fact a god."

    "He did say once he was something of the sort," I said softly. "He never elaborated, but Isa assumed he might be like a fae being."

    "Maybe," my father said." He sighed. "But to finish the story, he teleported us back across the river, far beyond the military encampment near Heidburg, and since then we''ve been traveling."

    "And the whole time he was controlling me?" I asked.

    Everyone nodded. "He didn''t talk much," Father said. "He kept to himself, mainly just looking around in awe at everything."

    "And he kept touching stuff," my mother said with a huff. "I kept demanding he return you, but all he said was, ''In time.'' I hated it."

    "Well," I said softly, "I''m back now."

    Everyone nodded their heads, and Varis huffed. "About time¡­" He puffed his cheeks. "Why do you get up and do all the cool stuff?" He snapped abruptly.

    "Hey!" Both of our parents snapped.

    "Varis Silvan Ashflow, you watch your tone." My mother snarled. "That is not right to say."

    My brother immediately deflated, though he still held a small scowl. "It''s true, though," he said. "Luna knows all the magic; she fights the Rusivites and even kills them. She saved all of us, and now she has that cool voice in her head¡ª"

    "Enough," my mother said.

    "You and I are going to have a long talk later," my father said to him, and Varis sulked.

    I sulked as well, my head lowered. As dumb as what he said was, I could strangely relate. In my old life, my brothers had always gotten into some crazy shit growing up. Chased by cops, gang fights in high school, parties¡ªall sorts of dumbshit teenagers and frat boys in college did. I always used to resent the attention it brought them. My parents always focused on them because they were always doing shit that got them into trouble, or something would happen that was exciting that forced them to look away from me.

    It was childish in hindsight, but it was a feeling I was all too aware of. Part of me liked the attention if I''m being honest. Yet at the same time, it''s not the type of attention I wanted. I don''t like seeing my parents concerned or even scared of me. I don''t like seeing my brother looking at me with disdain or annoyance. Of course, I don''t resent him for it. He''s just a kid, after all.

    Maybe I''ll talk to him later about it.

    "Luna," my father said, bringing me back to reality. "When that voice returns, or if it does¡­" He said the last bit skeptically. "Let us know."

    I nodded. "I will, Papa."

    He smiled and reached out to tussle my hair. "On a side note," he said softly. "You look really cute in that dress." I blushed deeply.

    Despite the news of what happened, at least there was a silver lining: I was back with my family.

 Chapter 72: On the Road Yet Again

    "Whelp, I think that''s everything there!" Mr. Shwarz said with a grunt as he and one of his farmhands hoisted a decent-sized crate into the back of a wagon he had chosen to gift to us. He and his assistant stepped back away from it with a stretch. "Aside from the strider, which Alder should be bringing up soon, you got three days'' worth of food and water, which should be plenty enough to get you to the metropolis as long as you stick to the main road." He dusted his hands off on his overalls and smiled at my parents before sticking his hand out for a shake.

    My father took his hand firmly and shook it. "Thank you, Mr. Shwarz," he said, relieved. "You really didn''t have to do all of this."

    The older human smiled and nodded. "As I told Cailynn here, it''s repayment for the help all those years ago. Besides, it''d be rude of me to not help those in need who are trying to get away from all this madness."

    "Speaking of which," my mother said softly, "you should come with us, Albert; the frontline is only five days away; you never know when danger may come."

    Mr. Shwarz held up a dismissive hand and shook his head. "I thank you, but my services are needed on this farm." He smiled. "Refugees need a place to stay and recuperate, as do the soldiers. I also have a crop that needs finished harvesting." He smirked. "Besides, I''m not a young boy anymore. The road would take it all out of me, and the city isn''t really a place for me"

    My mother opened her mouth to protest but stopped, closed her eyes, and smiled with a nod. "I see, thank you."

    "Mr. Shwarz!" A younger man''s voice called from behind us. I turned to look, and one by one, each of our eyes widened and our mouths fell open. Coming over the hill towards the guest house was a younger human, and in his hands were the reins connected to a familiar, fiery red strider.

    "There''s no way," I said softly.

    "Alder," Shwarz said as he politely stepped around us and walked towards the man. "What took you so long?"

    Alder sighed, shook the reins on the strider, and said, "It''s this pesky beast. She doesn''t listen to a damn thing I say."

    Shwarz came over, took the reins from the man''s hand, and reached up to rub the ruby-colored dragon''s snout. "That''s because she isn''t familiar with you," he said softly before switching to the draconian tongue.

    I was surprised when the older man''s voice switched to something grueling and harsh as he spoke to the creature, which huffed and squawked in response. Its head raised and stared at us, and I squeaked when its eyes narrowed on me and my family.

    "Is that so?" Shwarz hummed and turned to face us. "This one is apparently familiar with all of you."

    My mother blinked and glanced at my father, who took a shaky breath and said, "That''s Ruby, isn''t it?"

    Shwarz smirked and said, "Aye. That''s what she told me."

    "She was a strider. I got off the soldiers back in our home town," he said. "When we were fleeing the Rusivites, we left her back in New Gessik. Having her would''ve slowed us down too much." He looked at the strider.

    Ruby, I never thought I''d see her again. I thought to myself as I looked over at her with my father. Her scales were scuffed and scarred in a few places, and her feathers were torn and disheveled. She had been through a lot.

    "That''s what I assumed when she told me," Alder said.

    "E-Excuse me," I said nervously, and everyone turned to face me. "What do you mean she told you?" I asked. I had known Striders could understand draconian, but I didn''t know if it went both ways or if they were even intelligent enough to speak.

    Mr. Shwarz smiled. "I take it you haven''t spent a lot of time around these beautiful creatures," he said while petting Ruby.

    "We never really needed one back in Oren," my mother said.

    Mr. Shwarz nodded and said, "I see. To answer your question, I meant just that. Striders, or, well, all dragons, are capable of speech. They''re very smart creatures, though unlike true dragons, they are only capable of speaking in their native tongue," he explained. "Land dragons and Enorans have been companions since history was ever recorded. Man''s best friend is what some folk say." He patted Ruby''s side.

    "But¡­ wait," I said softly. "If they''re smart enough to talk and such, Isn''t that like¡­ slavery?"

    A moment of extremely awkward silence fell around us.

    Mr. Shwarz let off a nervous laugh and said, "Well, I never really thought that, and I don''t think any of my striders ever really said anything of the sort. They''re intelligent, but only to the point of saying, Like, a very young kid, younger than you." He gestured to me. "I don''t even know if they would understand the concept, but I''ll be honest, I haven''t really asked them."

    My father stepped forward and placed a hand on my shoulder. "How about we save this conversation for another time, Luna?"

    Feeling incredibly anxious, I nodded my head and said, "Okay, Papa." I glanced at Ruby, who was still looking at each of us, her head cocked to the side. I shuddered. Striders were so scary-looking. Seeing her eyeing us so quizzically like a giant velociraptor made me think she was going to pounce on us.

    Mr. Shwarz cleared his throat. "Anyways, the story lines up. We found young Ruby here probably about a week ago. She was still harnessed up but had no wagon, which made me think someone must''ve let her go. Either that, or the wagon she was hitched to got destroyed. So we took her in, fed her, and treated her wounds as best we could. She''s the only spare strider I have that I''m willing to lend to you all. What do you say?"

    My father glanced down at me and Varis. "What do you think, kiddos?"

    "I don''t mind," Varis said with a grumble; he seemed to be hardly paying attention to the conversation.

    Father glanced at me. "If Ruby is okay with it, I''m fine," I said.

    Mr. Shwarz smiled and said, "Well, let''s ask her." He turned to Ruby, cleared his throat, and once again, the guttural throat sounds began to sound as he spoke the dragon tongue.

    Ruby''s head immediately snapped to attention before tilting towards Shwarz as if to listen deeper. After a few moments, Ruby also began to grunt and growl in response before hissing and clicking her teeth.

    The older man nodded a little before turning to us. "She seems willing, though I won''t lie, she isn''t happy either."

    My mother took a deep breath. "I can try to warm her up a bit as soon as we get on the road. Perhaps a few extra meals will cheer her up."

    "Aye, I have some spare kibble I can lend you." Mr. Shwarz said it with a smirk. "Food is usually the quickest way to get to a dragon''s heart."

    "Well then," Father said, "let''s get her hitched up and¡­" He trailed off and glanced at the sky briefly before saying, "It''s about noon. So we have time to hit the road and make great progress."

    With that, Mr. Shwarz nodded and clapped his hands together before motioning for Alder to help hitch Ruby to the wagon. Taking a deep breath, I watched as my parents said their final goodbyes to the kind old man before everyone climbed onto the wagon along with me behind them. With one last wave and thanks, my mother spoke with Ruby as my father flicked the reins and we began to move.

    <hr>

    It''s been a little over a day since I woke up. After my family and I caught up on what exactly happened, things had mostly been relaxed. On Shwarz''s farm, before we left, I didn''t do anything aside from relax. I had planned to speak with Varis, but it seemed he was mostly avoiding me for the time being. Father had spoken to him in private about his outburst during our conversation, and while that had calmed him somewhat, he still appeared agitated.

    Now that we were back on the road in a wagon, avoiding me was something he couldn''t entirely do. Not that I was going to intentionally bother him just yet. I had chosen to give him some more time to relax before bothering him.

    You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.

    I watched as the village of Gunther disappeared behind us over the horizon. I hadn''t had the time to explore the little village due to being on the farm the whole time, but seeing it go did leave a pit in my stomach. The brief time we were there was nice. A small pocket of peace surrounded by a sea of conflict is an oasis. Being back out on the road again, fleeing from conflict. I wasn''t ready for it. Even though we were five days away from the frontline, my anxiety dreaded the moment that Master''s voice would come into my head and announce that a Rusivite war machine was going to pop up.

    But he didn''t. He''s been quiet. Too quiet. Like that period when he helped me save Isa, he hasn''t said a word. I recall him mentioning that when he had helped me before, it took a lot out of him. I could only imagine what possessing me must''ve done to him.

    Being possessed. Something I never would''ve expected to happen to me. I honestly don''t know how I feel about it. What he did helped us all, yet it also terrified my family. Even though my agency was stripped from me, what he did led us to the best outcome. Is that an equal trade-off? Is it acceptable?

    I don''t know.

    As we ventured down the road, noon turned to evening. The world around us was once again nothing but rolling green hills with the occasional thicket and lone, pink Sycora trees. Though we weren''t alone, the road was packed full of refugees. People like us who are fleeing the conflict are beaten, disheveled, depressed, and apathetic.

    Men could be seen arguing off the side of the road with a broken wagon. Mothers and wives were trying to console their children; the elderly rested on the road, too tired to continue. All of this I could see by the dozens or even a hundred. Up ahead, campsites were being set up, and among them, I could see a man standing on top of a coach. A human was in black robes with an amice around his shoulders, his arms stretched out, and in his right hand was a large leather book.

    At the base of the coach were over a dozen people of all races on their hands and knees. Their foreheads pressed into the dirt as they appeared to pray and listen to the man''s preaching.

    "By Salvation''s grace, our heavenly father''s son shall guide us along the path to Eden. For it is he who shall return on the day of reckoning to shepherd us into the new age. As we walk this path, it''ll be up to us to seek out those who are misled and usher them along on the route of guidance, so that on that day, we shall all, as one, return to the Garden."

    "What is he talking about?" Varis grumbled as our wagon rolled past the coach.

    "It''s a priest of the All-Father," Mother said softly beside me and yawned. "It''s a newer religion that formed some time ago."

    As I watched the priest continue with his sermon, I suddenly felt my mother''s hands wrap around me, and I yelped with surprise as my mother pulled me onto her lap. "Gah! Let go of me!" I squirmed as my mother simply giggled and kissed the top of my head.

    "I missed this," she said softly, cuddling me.

    Unable to break from her grasp, I went limp and accepted my fate. Her warmth and soft figure left me feeling comfortable as I watched Isa drape her arm around Varis, who also tried to squirm away but wasn''t fast enough. My mentor pulled him close to her and rested his head against the side of her bosom. Varis blinked with surprise for a moment but then sighed, as he too knew that trying to get away from our cuddly caretakers would be fruitless within the confines of this small wagon.

    We came upon more and more refugees along the road as evening began to dip into the night. In the far east, I could see Radiance and Andoria, the two moons, taking up a large portion of the sky as they began to rise. Radiance, living up to its name, shone brightly in its full glory, making for a well-lit, clear night.

    I''ve always been fond of the moons around Enora. Radiance is the most beautiful of all. It was habitable¡ªat least I''m making an educated guess¡ªwith its visible forested continents and vast oceans and clouds. It looked like a small Earth. Or really, the nerd in me thought of Endor from Star Wars the first time I saw it.

    Back on Earth, people debated endlessly about whether life exists in other worlds. Yet here, on Enora, their answer was as clear as day, or night in this case. Hovering above them, revolving around their world, was another perfectly habitable world above them.

    "It''s beautiful, isn''t it?" My mother asked me after I noticed what I was looking at.

    I nodded. "It is," I said. "Do you ever wonder what kind of creatures, or people, might be up there?" I asked her.

    My mother pursed her lips in thought and said, "Honestly, I never thought about that. Maybe not so different than what''s down here." She hummed.

    "I doubt that," I said as I noticed Varis and Isa nodding off together. I lowered my voice so as not to disturb them. "It must be a whole different environment up there. Don''t animals and such change based on regions and what''s around them?"

    My mother cocked an eyebrow. "Well, now, aren''t you thinking big. Have you still been studying on the road?" She asked.

    I blushed. "N-No, why do you ask?"

    My mother smiled. "What you''re talking about has a name, and kids don''t learn about it till secondary school." She hummed and gazed back up at the moon. "It''s the theory of evolution. Gnomeish philosopher and artificer Jelen Papperson was the first to come up with the idea back in 1758. Back in the day, it was argued, and still is in some areas, that the gods designed all animals and people within the material plane and have been that way since their inception. But little Jelen disagreed and stated that, while yes, the gods did create us, they also left the doors open for us to shape how we live."

    I nodded. "Well, we know the gods are real," I said. "So, like, why debate and argue when we could just ask them?"

    My mother chuckled and tussled my hair and said, "Unfortunately, the gods are not so easy to speak to. Many of which do not bother us down here due to the Divine Mandate. If you recall from our studies, those are the supposed codes of laws they abide by. One of which is the intrusion rule. I''m not too knowledgeable about it as it isn''t my field, but I am aware of that rule."

    I nodded. I recalled back on the camping trip what my mother told me about the Intrusion War, also known as the War in Heaven. So the gods like to take a hands-off approach to their creation. I thought as I rested back against my mother. I was starting to feel tired, and seeing Varis and Isa already asleep was making me want to nap too.

    I felt my mother''s hand gently petting my head, and I hummed softly as my eyes began to feel heavy. "Have I ever told you how smart you are, Luna?" My mother asked softly.

    "A couple times," I mumbled.

    My mother smirked. "Well, I''m going to tell you some more. You are very intelligent for your age. A little genius. You pick up on things so quickly, and you surprise me constantly with what you know. I swear, one day when you get into university, you''ll blow the socks off all the magisters and teachers." She hummed.

    "What makes you think I''m going to university?" I yawned. "I want to stay with you guys."

    My mother dawed and said, "Well, I want to be with you too, but such knowledge should be cultivated and grown." She hummed and took a deep breath. "Besides, we elves have plenty of time. I''m not saying that once we get to someplace safe, you''re going to be going off to school. Not any time soon at least."

    "Isn''t that what you and Papa wanted to do anyway?" I asked. "To send me away."

    My mother frowned a little as I gazed up at her, and she took a deep breath and said, "We wanted to send you away to get away from all of this." She looked out over the many refugee camps we were passing. "Your father and I were hoping that things wouldn''t happen as quickly as they did. We thought we had at least a year, and at that time we''d have the wagon, a strider, everything to comfortably move away and send you off to university to find a mentor¡­ We were naive. Even if we had gotten a wagon and strider, we didn''t expect Rusimia to send that ultimatum so soon or for the Kaiser to reject it so swiftly. Because of our ignorance we¡­" Mother trailed off into silence.

    "It''s okay, Momma," I said softly. "We all make mistakes; it''s what¡­ makes us alive," I said, having almost said human. "Nobody is perfect, and even then, we''re all okay." I gestured to everyone in the wagon. "A little beat up, but we''re all breathing." I yawned. "There''s no need to worry about what''s happened; instead, focus on the future."

    I lie as easily as I breathe. I thought. If only I could say the same for myself. I''m always worried about shit from the past. As much as I hate to admit it.

    My mother smiled gently, stroked the top of my head, and said, "You''re very sweet, Luna. I can''t imagine what you''ve been through during our time away."

    I took a deep breath. "A lot." is all I said.

    Mother nodded. "Isa told me some of it; she said you were trained by Alexander Mihaljevi?, one of the few ancients." She hummed.

    "You know of him?" I asked.

    My mother giggled and said, "Everyone within my field of study knows of that goof. He''s a kind, old man. A bit of a strict teacher I''ve heard, and crude, and¡­ a lecher." She shuddered at the last bit. "But he is kind."

    I nodded. "He was friendly to me¡­ though he kept calling me Squirt." I huffed.

    My mother snorted. "That''s because you are," she said, patting my head.

    "I''m not!" I squeaked, and my mother laughed. I squirmed a bit more in her arms before suddenly Ruby let off a loud growling whine, and the wagon began to veer off course and onto the grass along the side of the road.

    "What''s going on?" My mother asked my father.

    My father, who looked dead tired in the driver''s seat, looked over his shoulder. "I think Ruby wants to rest, and frankly, so do I."

    My mother nodded. "Alright, I still feel wide awake, so I''ll keep watching for tonight. As sad as it is, I don''t want any desperate folk sneaking up on us."

    My father nodded tiredly and said, "That makes sense. Wake me up when you need to sleep, and I''ll watch as well."

    "Will do." Mother said and looked at me. "Sweetie I''m going to make room for your father and sit up front. So I''m going to need you to move."

    I whined. "But you''re so soft!" I hugged her tighter.

    "Oh, so now you want to cling to me." My mother giggled.

    "C''mon, Luna," my father said sleepily. "Why don''t you cuddle with me." He offered.

    "Never!" I spat as I got up off of my mother.

    My father pouted and turned to my mother. "She hates me."

    "She doesn''t hate you." My mother giggled as I snickered and paused when I noticed something far off to the west.

    Despite the world around us being dimly lit, the horizon was brightly lit with blue and yellow lights. "Whoa," I said, "What is that?" I asked.

    Both my parents turned to look at what I was staring at before finally my dad smiled and said, "That''s Johanneson; we''re about two days out now. Soon, we''ll be in the big city, where night and day don''t matter."

 Chapter 73: Arrival

    In all my life, in my prior life, and now, I have never really been to a big city, and by that, I mean going to one and staying there for an extended period. I once went to Detroit to visit a casino when I was twenty-one, but I had never actually walked or explored the sites. Then again, it was Detroit, so I didn''t want to.

    The tallest building I''ve ever been in was a fifteen-story hotel in Columbus, where I stayed on the thirteenth floor. I wouldn''t count that either, as Columbus is a relatively calm city unlike Detroit, New York, or any other well-known metropolis. I''ve never truly seen or been inside an actual skyscraper in person.

    So when our wagon crested over a hill on our third day of travel and I saw the glinting peaks of massive Victorian-like towers and skyscrapers on the horizon, my jaw dropped. Before us, stretching along a massive river for as far as the eye can see, was a sprawling cityscape. As something ripped straight out of a steampunk art piece, I could see massive clock towers, vast factories spewing white smoke, and in the center, atop a large hill, a gothic castle overseeing all.

    "We''re here," Father said softly. "We''ve finally made it." He glanced over his shoulder and smiled at us all. "Welcome to Johanneson."

    I stood up and moved towards the front of the wagon to get a better look, with Varis rushing up beside me. With our eyes wide in the distance, I could see what looked to be military-themed airships coming from far south over the massive river towards what looked like a large airport. Though there was more as well, as I could see what looked to be smaller, civilian airships moving across the sky above the city.

    Public transportation, maybe? I thought with wide eyes as my brother pointed them out excitedly.

    "If you think those are cool, just wait until you see the mag-trains," my mother said with a chuckle.

    Mag-levs? I thought and looked at my mother.

    "Mag-trains?" I asked her.

    My mother nodded. "Magic trains." She smiled. "They''re common within the larger metropolises, like Johanneson. They''re trains powered by magrite instead of steam. Which makes them go much, much faster as they levitate just slightly off the rail." She explained.

    Varis blinked. "So they''re flying trains?" He asked.

    My mother giggled and shook her head. "No, no. You''ll see them once we enter the city proper." Her smile widened as the farm scenery around us began to gradually convert into brick-and-mortar apartments and businesses. As expected, the streets were bustling with hundreds of people of all races, many of whom I had never seen before, ranging from goblinoids and kobold-like creatures to even avian folk and much more. Around us, I could see wagons pulled by striders, dorragons, and even small box-like automobiles on thin wheels and squeaky horns driving down the roads.

    Traffic officers stood in the streets shouting and blowing their whistles while children sprinted across the road whenever an opening appeared. Signs galore were strung up around the place on billboards, buildings, and even airships that flew overhead. Some of which were even animated, moving magical pictures that left me awestruck. Some of them even projected off of them, like holograms advertising brands of products and upcoming stage plays, but most of all, propaganda for the ongoing conflict.

    "Illusory magic," my mother explained loud enough over all the noise. "Programmed Illusion is what it''s called. They pair it with another sound based illusion to sync the sound effects with the movements. Pretty neat, isn''t it?"

    Varis and I nodded our heads rapidly as we watched one of these magical billboards playing an ad depicting a caricature of a cute akumari woman trying to reach for something on top of a shelf before suddenly a little gnome man with an extended gripping mechanism appeared to talk about his new product.

    It seems even in this world, I can''t escape capitalism. I jokingly thought as my eyes were practically shooting left and right and up and down, trying to catch a glimpse of all the imagery that was being displayed around me.

    Varis seemed to be doing the same before eventually he sat back down beside Isa while I plopped next to my mother. The sensory overload is a bit too much, especially for Isa. I glanced at my mentor and saw she was gripping her pointy ears and clenching her eyes shut. I recalled a while ago that she had told me how much she despised cities for this exact reason: too loud and too flashy.

    Another thing I noticed as well was the smell. I had remembered long ago in my old history classes that cities back in the day used to smell, yet this town in this world was clean. It was dusty, sure, and I noticed gutters along the road filled with Strider manure, yet despite the gross sight, there was no smell.

    I''ll need to ask Momma about this later. I thought.

    "Adamantine Collossus Collapse!" A young human paper boy shouted from a street corner, his voice seemingly amplified by a small megaphone in his hand. "Heinmarr prevails! Read all about it!" A large crowd was forming around the boy, and other kids working alongside him were frantically handing out papers in exchange for five silver coins, which was expensive when compared to the five copper coins my father paid for back home.

    Our wagon encroached upon the corner where the boy stood, and my father glanced over his shoulder. He motioned for Varis to tap on Isa''s shoulder to get her attention, and the serelli perked up and leaned over to him. The two muttered an exchange, and Isa nodded and reached into her satchel. She took out a few worn pieces of coin and handed them to him.

    Pulling onto the side of the road, my father called out to the boy and flicked him the coins. In a display of dexterity, the boy snatched the coins from the air with ease and motioned for his partners to toss my father a rolled-up piece of paper, which he just barely caught by its edge. With a small sigh of relief, he turned back to all of us and passed the paper to my mother.

    "It''s been so long; I thought it''d be best if we knew what the heck was going on in the world," he said as my mother took to the paper.

    "I can agree to that," she said as she unfurled the paper.

    Curious myself, I scooted as close as I could to her side and peered at the newspaper, and my eyes widened. The paper was magical, as, like the billboards, the pictures were animated. Or, as my mother said, illusions. Like an old computer gif, it displayed like a video on repeat in grayscale ink.

    On the front page, we saw the Rusivite behemoth that we had briefly seen back at the facility collapsing to the ground in a fiery heap of wreckage.

    "After weeks of a seemingly unstoppable advance," my mother read out loud to us all. "The Rusivite menace has been brought to a blundering halt along the Alter and Kenchala Rivers. Due to numerous failures in stopping the invader''s march of death, Kaiser Brikur Lirner demanded General Holser step down from his position and replace him with General Lucas May. Much of the old guard has expressed outrage at this decision brought on by the Kaiser, declaring that the young and inexperienced General May could not hold a candle to his former. Yet only time will tell if this decision will improve our chances of defending our homeland.

    In developing news, Heinmarran forces were in the third brigade of the Hein''s Guard Defense Division under the command of Colonel Elin Hass, renowned for being the first woman to hold such a high-ranking position within the Hein''s Guard, and disobeyed orders to hold the Kenchala River crossing.

    On the second day of Aquila, outside the village of Dresden, Rusivite forces woke up to being bombarded by Heinmarran artillery. Before the dust could even settle, over five thousand of our brave men and women stormed over the river to assault the fortified positions said to have held Heinmarran citizens captive."

    My mother took a moment to glance at both Isa and me as she skimmed ahead a bit before looking back up at us.

    "What else does it say?" I asked curiously as I peeked back at the paper.

    "Well," my mother said with a sigh. "It seems you''ve made the news."

    "What?" Isa gasped.

    My mother continued reading, "Starlight News was unfortunately not on the grounds to document such events in real-time; however, our renowned reporter, Sarah Reichart, arrived a day after the intensity of the battle and was able to interview a number of our brave soldiers, but the disobedient Colonel Hass refused to talk on the matter due to classified information.

    What Starlight News was able to garner, however, was that our valiant men and women were tipped off to a Rusivite weakness. It was also mentioned that a valuable asset was utilized in the field; many eyewitnesses, including Sarah, spoke to claim that on the battlefield they''d seen a young elven child healing the wounded and demolishing the invader forces with gouts of fire. When comparing numerous accounts of them explaining the same thing, a young, dark-haired girl with blue eyes and long ears was described as wearing a dress on the field rather than a military uniform. When pressed on whether the alleged child may have been a halfling or gnome, many accounts corrected Sarah in stating that the child was indeed a child. Once again, when confronted with such information, the Colonel declined, stating that no children were present in her assault on the Rusivites outside of the prisoners captured. Investigating the matter, Sarah Reichart spoke with the head cleric of the brigade''s medical unit, Celena Katz, who hesitantly declined that no such healer was present. Yet, every soldier Sarah had spoken to talk of a child prodigy, capable of healing the dying and dead without scrolls or components continued¡­"

    My mother started muttering under her breath as she continued to read more. "Afterwards, the Rusitive''s counter attacked with the Titanic Daemons¡­"

    "Daemons?" Both Varis and I said as we looked at my mother.

    My mother blinked and said, "Oh, uh, that seems to be what they''re calling the Rusivite machines." She turned the page. "There appeared to be a titanic one that was destroyed near the prison with the help of Master Alexander."

    Isa nodded slowly. "We had seen it." She bit her lower lip. "I''ve never seen something so big in my life, and I had thought a thumper was the largest creature to walk this world." She was referring to a large elephant-like creature.

    "Anything else regarding me?" I asked curiously, and my mother shook her head.

    "No, it seems you were left to the rumormill on the prior page." She smiled and patted my head. "And I think it''s best we keep it that way." I blushed and nodded.

    Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.

    "Yeah," I said, "I was just curious if there was anything else¡­" I blinked and pointed to an animated picture of a well-dressed man with a scarred face giving a speech behind a podium. "Who''s that guy?" I asked.

    My mother blinked looked at the moving picture and said, "Oh, uh¡­" She pursed her lips as I could see her mulling it over. "He''s the Global Allied Nations security chief, oh jeez, they swap these guys out regularly. Oh!" She snapped her finger. "Robert Dower, he''s a Yanky man. He''s in charge of the global peacekeeping corps."

    "So like the world police?" I asked, and my mother smiled and nodded.

    "Pretty much."

    Varis huffed and crossed his arms. "What even is this global whatever? Everyone is talking about it, and I don''t get it."

    Isa placed a hand on my brother''s head and patted him. "If you were paying attention in my class, you would know this."

    My mother smiled faintly. "It''s fine; I can explain it. The Global Allied Nations, also known as GAN, is a league of countries that united two thousand years ago against the Dark Lord. Nations alone couldn''t defend against the march of the Black Armies, and the Magus Concordium could only go so far to help others. So, in an act of solidarity, nations all over Enora set aside their differences and united against the Dark Lord, forming what we know today as the Global Allied Nations. It''s an alliance that has grown so powerful that it has eclipsed the Magus Concordium and has stood proudly ever since."

    Varis pursed his lips and asked, "Then why are the Rusivites attacking us?"

    My mother sighed as our wagon turned onto another street, one that held a large railway bridge that passed over her head. "Not every nation agreed with the Global Alliance''s goals. The Alliance has many, many rules, some of which I don''t know since it''s not my field. Though there are a few well known ones, after the Seven and the Alliance defeated the Dark Lord, he was stripped of his power and imprisoned behind the Great Wall along with the remainder of his black armies. The most important rule within GAN is this: An attack on the wall is an attack on all. It states that any person who attacks the wall and threatens to release the Dark Lord will experience the wrath of every nation on Enora."

    Varis frowned. "Then just kill him; why imprison him if there''s a chance he can get out?"

    Isa sighed. "I explained this too in class." She patted him on the head just as a roaring train passed over her head, causing her to wince. My eyes widened as I watched the locomotive screaming over its head in a blur of speed before vanishing moments later.

    My mother smirked and said, "That''s a mag-train." She chuckled.

    "So loud¡­" Isa whined.

    Varis, who was distracted by the train, shook his head, regained his focus, and said, "So why not kill him?"

    Isa shook her head and said, "Because gods cannot die, Varis."

    "Why not? They''re people, right?" He glanced between Isa and my mother.

    My mother sighed. "It''s complicated; the easiest way to put it is that gods are concepts and ideals that have taken on¡­" I could see she was trying to explain this in a way a nine-year-old could understand. "A physical body."

    It was obvious he wasn''t understanding, his head cocking to the side like a confused dog.

    My mother pursed her lips. "In a sense, gods can die, but the only way to kill one is to forget about them. Forget they ever existed, but it''s hard when you have millions, if not a billion, of people in the world who all know about them."

    Isa nodded. "Even if just one person believes in them, they will be around. Gods get their powers from belief; the more you believe in something, the stronger they become."

    I smiled and nodded, remembering my mother telling me this many weeks ago. "Yeah!" I said, "Momma said that if enough people believe in me, I could become a goddess!" I smirked smugly.

    "Bullcrap!" Varis stuck his tongue out. "Like, you could be a goddess."

    I scoffed. "I could!"

    My mother shook her head. "None of you are becoming gods, not while I''m around." She chuckled.

    Varis nodded. "I-I think¡­ I get it¡­"

    "No, you don''t," I said with a huff.

    "I-I do!" He snapped back, though it was clear he hadn''t.

    Isa sighed. "This is more of a lesson for when you''re older," Isa said. "For now. Let''s relax and enjoy the¡­ scenery." She said the last part, squinting, as she wasn''t enjoying it.

    Wanting to change the topic to something more silly and non-political, I smirked and looked up at my mom, who had returned to reading the paper silently, and asked, "Momma, how come the city doesn''t stink?"

    Not expecting this question, she blinked and looked at me. "Excuse me, dear?"

    "Why does the city not smell?" I asked and pointed towards the literal shit gutter on the side of the road. "There''s dragon poop everywhere, but I don''t smell it."

    Unexpectedly, my mother smiled widely and giggled. She rolled up the paper and shifted in her seat to face me, clearly excited to talk about this. "Oh, that''s because there''s a magical spell in play here." She hummed and rubbed her hands together. "You see, along those trash gutters there, if you look really, really closely, there are runic etchings. Etchings for one of my favorite spells."

    Curious now, I watched where she was pointing, but even with my elven eyes, I could hardly see anything within the messy, manure-filled gutters. "And uh¡­" I frowned. "What spell would that be?" I asked.

    "Lyle Magnificent''s Odor Guard." My mother purred. "A spell that has saved your father and me countless hours of tending to you and Varis when you were babies."

    My eyes widened, and my face flushed. "Oh¡­"

    Now that she mentions it, this checks out.

    "You two were very stinky babies, and well, this saved us a lot of headache!" She snickered deviously and poked me.

    "St-stop, that''s embarrassing!"

    "I know, and so is nearly gagging in front of your father!" She laughed as if she were getting revenge.

    "We''re almost there!" My father called out from over his shoulder as our wagon turned down onto another, much busier road. A loud horn from an automobile sent me nearly out of my dress as the vehicle swerved around our wagon. "What the fuck?!" My father cursed. "Watch where you''re going!" He shouted as another vehicle sped by.

    The whistles of traffic cops echoed all around us as my father grumbled and carefully maneuvered the wagon onto a lane that was designated for wagons Beside us, I could see a trolley coming down the street, packed to the brim with people, and sprinting towards the trolley, I could see kids and teenagers quickly hopping onto it.

    No one seemed to care about who was on the roads and who wasn''t, as people would j-walk in front of us or even walk along the street beside our wagon. To my amazement, it just seemed like everyone didn''t care if a speeding automobile was coming at them or not. There was virtually no road safety.

    "People are stupid, I swear," I heard my father grumbling. "Move out of the way!" he shouted towards a bunch of kids who ran out in front of our wagon. Ruby snarled and roared at the children, who just ran off, squealing towards the other side of the street.

    "Welcome to the big city," Isa said under her breath.

    "Where are we going again, Momma?" I asked, having forgotten. I knew we were going to a family member; I just couldn''t recall who.

    "We''re going to my younger brother, Aenorin, your uncle, and his wife, Saria, which would make her your aunt." I nodded slowly.

    "Do we have any other family members?" Varis asked curiously.

    Come to think of it, I didn''t know much about my own family. I''ve only ever known my mother and father, but I never heard anything about my grandparents and only a few times about Uncle Aenorin.

    My mother smiled a little. "A few, there''s your uncle Aenorin and Aunt Saria. My parents, Grandma and Grandpa Sartosi."

    "What about Papa''s parents?" I asked curiously.

    As if a switch were flicked, my mother frowned. "Your father does not like to speak of them, and before you ask, it is a long story."

    Well, that just made me even more curious. Though I nodded and relented, I left the matter alone.

    "It sounds like our family is small," I said as I shifted in my seat.

    My mother nodded. "There are possibly more out there," she said. "We elves live long lives, Luna. Many of which travel all the time; very few ever settle down."

    "We were settled down," I said, and my mother smiled.

    "Only for a little while," she said with a wink. "Eventually, once you and Varis are able to take care of yourselves, Your father and I planned on traveling again¡ªproper traveling, not adventuring."

    Understanding that I decided to ask the question that''s been gnawing away at me for a bit. "Momma, how long do elves live for?"

    "Oh, that''s a big question," my mother giggled. "It''s said that no elf has ever died of old age," she said calmly as she gazed up at the tall building around us and then at the sky. "There are elves who have lived for centuries; it''s said a few have even lived for millennia. A few of the known remaining ancients are elves who have lived a few thousand years, but honestly, we know our own kind. There are those out there, in the wilderness, away from all of this, who are far, far older than we can imagine living out their calm lives."

    With wide eyes, I took a deep breath and glanced at Isa, who simply nodded agreeingly. "From my times of study," she said, "this seems to be true. This is why elves and dwarfs are considered the elder races. Enora has truly blessed them with longevity."

    "That''s amazing," I said softly, and my mother patted my head.

    "You and Varis have such a long life ahead of yourselves." My mother smiled. "Make sure you make the best of it. Many elves get stuck in complacency, and it was this complacency that caused many of the ancient kingdoms to falter. It wasn''t until humans arrived that dwarfs and elves got their acts somewhat together." She chuckled.

    I nodded. "Okay¡­" So I''m immortal? At least, age-wise. I honestly don''t know what to say to that. I''m kind of speechless.

    "Whoa, what is that?" Varis called out as he stood up and pointed up ahead.

    "Sit down!" My father barked at him, and my eyes followed where Varis was pointing.

    Up ahead was a large central plaza, yet in the center of this plaza were tarps reaching high up into the air. The area around it seemed to be cordoned off, and men and women of various races with hard hats and overalls were coming in and out of the tarped-off area.

    "It''s a construction site," I said, and my mother nodded.

    "My brother told me something was being built here, and whatever it is, it''s large." My mother hummed.

    Suddenly, a loud bang, followed by screams and an abrupt explosion, caused the ground to heave. My heart nearly leaped into my throat, and Varis let off a startled cry and dove towards Isa as Ruby and the other striders roared and tugged violently at their reins. Suddenly another explosion came from the construction site and more screams echoed.

    A klaxon alarm began to blare as people in the streets began to panic and run for cover. My heart began to race. We''re under attack! We''re under attack! My eyes began to dart left and right. Master, are you there?! Where are they coming from?!

    Yet I received no response. The sound of sharp whistles caused my panic to rise, as flashes of imagery from the prison assault came to my mind when the order to charge was given. Yet there was no charge; instead, constables rushed towards the tarped construction site as smoke began to billow out from the gaps in the fabric and above.

    Another klaxon alarm blared. "Accident at the construction site! I repeat accident at the construction site!" A booming voice echoed. "Medics, report to the construction site immediately!"

    More constables arrived on the scene, many of whom were holding their hands in the air and shouting. "Remain calm! Remain calm; the situation is under control!"

    My mother shifted and moved up towards the front to sit beside my father, as she began to hiss and snarl in draconian towards Ruby. The strider shifted and whined before finally calming down as my father took control of the reins again and began to drive Ruby forward.

    Varis was sniveling and sobbing as Isa comforted him. Beyond the tarps, I could hear screams of agony and fear, and my heart rammed against my chest. "Th-there''s hurt people," I said to Isa. "We should go help¡ª"

    "No, Luna," Isa hissed.

    Even my mother looked over her shoulder and said, "Absolutely not. Medics are on their way, Luna."

    As we started moving, I noticed a bloodied man and woman limping away from behind the tarp. "I-I can help these people, though," I said.

    "No. You don''t need to be a hero," my mother said, "and we don''t need to be creating more rumors and attention."

    I bit my lower lip as my father led us further down the road as the blaring sound of an ambulance came roaring down the road towards us. The large, boxy truck swerved around us as there was no room to pull off to the side, and I watched as it parked outside the construction site. I closed my eyes, turned away as I balled my little fists, and remained seated in the wagon.

 Chapter 74: Jealousy

    I gritted my teeth and clenched my fists as the wagon rolled away from the construction site. Within minutes, the area was swarming with what looked like emergency workers rushing towards the site. Over the top of the construction tarps, I could see thick plumes of smoke. Thankfully, the panicked screaming died down as constables ushered people away from the accident.

    "Another accident?" I overheard a woman say this as our wagon rolled along the road. "It''s the third time this week!"

    My head perked up, and I turned towards two women in thick, heavy dresses walking along the sidewalk near us.

    "Bloody bastards, they''ll work themselves to death!" The other said it with a sigh as we continued along the way.

    Eventually, my sobbing brother calmed, his face red with embarrassment. Poor guy, I thought to myself, turning to face him. I can''t imagine what he''s been through. They were caught in the worst when Isa and I got on the boat. I sighed softly.

    "Cailynn," my father said, "Which building was it again?"

    "18th Star Lane." My mother answered, "It''s the red brickhouse between the apartments."

    My father nodded as we continued down the road.

    Eventually, our wagon began to turn off the road onto a dirt path in front of a narrow, brick house jammed between two larger apartment buildings. A small stable was on the side of the house, in a tight alley.

    "Alright, kiddos," My father said, "I think this is the place." He turned to us with a big smile.

    My mother nodded and said, "This is it. Come on now, everyone; it''s time to hop off. I''m sure Ruby is eager to rest."

    My mother stood up and gestured for everyone to do the same. One by one, we hopped off the back of the wagon, my knee joints cracking the moment I landed on hard, dirt ground, and I groaned softly as I stretched. Once everyone was off the wagon, my father guided Ruby over to the stable and began to unhitch her from the wagon. It was at this moment that the front door to the house opened up.

    Stepping outside was a tall and curvy elven woman with long blonde hair and short, pointy ears. She turned to us, her dark casual dress swaying in the air as her large, green eyes widened with confusion.

    "Hello, Saria," my mother said with a smile. "It''s been some time."

    The woman on top of the steps blinked and shook her head. "Forty years, its been, Cailynn." She glanced towards my father, who was just stepping out of the stable now and coming over to us. "Slyrann¡­" She greeted him.

    "I take it you didn''t get my letter?" My mother asked my aunt.

    She nodded and said, "We did get your letter; we just expected you to arrive sooner. Aenorin and I were fearing the worst."

    My mother smiled a little as my father stepped up and said, "We sort of got held up. Y''know traffic jams and the like." He joked, and my mother swatted him over the back of the head, and Isa punched him in the back.

    He yelped and laughed as he rubbed each area, grew a bit more serious, and said, "Things are bad out there, Sari."

    "So I heard," she said softly as she laced her fingers together and held them at her waist. "I''ve been praying for you all each night, and I''m happy that God was able to bring you here safely." She gestured for me to come forward. "Please, come inside; I''ll get some tea ready."

    As my aunt Saria stepped into her home, I heard my father mutter under his breath, "God sure did lend a hand. Whichever one he is." He then cleared his throat and said, "Come on, everyone, let''s go settle in! Make sure to thank your aunt."

    <hr>

    The interior of the house was astonishing when we set foot inside. As if stepping back into the modern world, I could''ve easily been fooled if I was told this was just a normal city house back on earth. The landing area upon entry held two stairs, one leading to a basement and the other to what looked like a living room. Between the two stairs, however, was a shrine. A small table holding a bowl of water is surrounded by twelve candles of different lengths, each one lit and flickering gently. Above the shrine was a very, very familiar symbol of an androgynous face gazing down upon the world.

    Isa told me about the symbol of the All-Father. My aunt Saria stood by this shrine, her eyes closed, and fingertips dipped into what I presumed was holy water. She seemed to be silently praying while waiting for us to enter. After a moment, she sighed softly and smiled as she took her fingers out of the water and turned to face us.

    "Make sure to wipe your feet as you enter," she said, pointing to the mat. "Up these stairs, here is the living room; please make yourselves comfortable. I''ll be in the kitchen getting tea."

    "Excuse me, Saria." My mother held up a hand. "But where is Aenorin?"

    My aunt bit her lower lip and said, "He''s currently at work at the construction site. I heard there was an accident not too long ago with him, but thankfully he''s okay."

    "Do you know what happened?" My father asked.

    "Unfortunately, I''m not allowed to disclose such information. Both he and I are on the project, and it''s company regulations not to speak of the inner workings."

    My mother and father shared a glance and said, "Right."

    My aunt bowed. "My apologies; the most I can say on the matter is that the project is highly confidential."

    "Well, if that''s the case," my father said with a big grin. You and Aenorin must be doing well." He chuckled as he glanced around the house, just as my mother elbowed his side.

    Aunt Saria smiled and giggled as she nodded. Without a word, she began to make her way up the stairs. Bending over, I began to unlace my boots as Varis went on ahead without taking his shoes off, only to be stopped and scolded by my mother.

    He huffed but nodded and sat down on the steps, removed his boots, and placed them beside the door. I felt odd stepping out of my boots barefoot. Having spent so long with them practically glued to my feet, I felt naked. Not that I hadn''t taken them off during our travels; such times were usually before rest or when I got cleaned up at Mr. Shwarz''s farm.

    Once our feet were free from the confines of our shoes, my brother and I scurried our way up the stairs before nearly dying when our sock-covered feet slid on the smooth hardwood floor. "Watch yourselves!" My father called out, snatching both my brother and me just as we began to fall. "No running, you two."

    "S-Sorry," My brother said as he was taking a deep breath and recomposing himself.

    I silently nodded, and my father released us. The living room was quaint; to our left was a large coffee table in the middle of the room, beside a fireplace with two sofas and an armchair. To our right was a hallway, which I assumed led to a restroom and the bedrooms. Directly in front of us were the kitchen and dining room, where a second fireplace had a range built into it similar to what we had back home.

    "Th-this is a nice place you have here, Auntie," I said softly as my eyes wandered along the alabaster walls, which were decorated with paintings and portraits of other elves I assumed were family and landscapes, as well as more religious iconography.

    Aunt Saria, who was halfway into the kitchen, paused and turned to face me and Varis. Her green eyes were wide. "Oh, Auntie?" She cocked her head and smiled. "That''s right." She chuckled as if having forgotten. "Thank you, and it''s a pleasure to finally meet the two of you, Luna and Varis." She hummed and turned away as she began to prepare the tea for us all.

    Varis brushed his way past me and made his way over to the living room sofas, and I chose to follow behind him. With a leap and a huff, he tossed himself onto the large couch, which I scampered up beside him. The faint smell of charcoal came from the unlit fireplace, giving the home a cozy feel as my parents and Isa sat around the coffee table with us.

    As we sat and waited patiently, I suddenly squeaked when I felt something poking my side. I turned to look and saw Varis for the first time in a while, looking at me with a sly smirk. Without a word, his eyes flicked to the left a couple of times. At first, I didn''t realize what he was doing until I glanced at the fireplace.

    "You know you can speak, right?" I whispered to him.

    He held a finger up to his lips. "Shush." He hissed.

    Confused I frowned and cocked an eyebrow at him as he motioned towards the unlit fire with finger guns. He''s not implying what I think he is, isn''t he? I thought with a sigh.

    "I''m not lighting it on fire," I whispered.

    The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

    Varis put his fingers to his lips and hissed, "Why not?"

    "Because it''s not my fireplace," I replied.

    "But I''m cold," he whined.

    "Then go ask if we can light it," I whispered while gesturing to Aunt Saria.

    "What''re you two talking about over there?" My father called over to us, causing us both to flinch and perk up.

    "Oh, uh, nothing!" Varis stammered.

    "Varis wants me to light the fireplace," I said with a smug grin as my brother gawked at me.

    My mother smiled faintly and said, "You know you can always just ask."

    Varis huffed and said, "I know, but I wanted to see Luna use her magic."

    Mother shook her head. "No magic in the house, especially anything fire related." She stood up from the couch. "I''ll go ask Saria if it''s okay to light the fire."

    Before she could even go into the kitchen, Aunt Saria was already stepping into the room. "Go right ahead," she said. "I normally don''t mind a little chill in the air, but if you''re all cold, feel free to light the fire." Aunt Saria took a seat in the armchair. "The tea should be ready in a few minutes," she said.

    My mother nodded with a smile and walked over to the fireplace. Nearby was a small box of matches, which she grabbed and used to light the fire. A brief moment of silence fell over us as we watched the flames come to life. Nobody said a thing, and I couldn''t help but feel a bit of awkwardness begin to form.

    Finally, Aunt Saria cleared her throat and said, "I couldn''t help but overhear, Luna." She turned to look at me. "But you''re able to perform magic?"

    Feeling on the spot, I blushed and shifted a little in my seat and said, "I, uh, yeah¡­" I nodded.

    "She''s very exceptional," my mother said as she returned to the sofa to sit beside my father. "For such a young age, she''s able to cast a few radiance tier spells."

    My aunt''s eyes widened. "Wait, really?"

    "Momma," I said softly as my blush darkened and my aunt looked at me with a big grin.

    "Like mother, like daughter, I say." She chuckled, and my mother snorted.

    "She''s doing much better than I ever did, if I''m being honest." She giggled, and I whined and covered my face as both adults laughed.

    I lowered my hands and glanced off to the side towards my brother; he was frowning a bit, his eyes cast to the floor. I looked at him for a second and then took a deep breath and glanced at my aunt. Nervously, I asked, "Aunt S-Saria, is there anywhere Varis and I ca-can play?"

    Aunt Saria smiled and nodded. "We don''t own any toys, but there are the guest bedrooms we have prepared. One is for your parents, but there is the one I prepared for you two after I received Cailynn''s letter. But if you want to go outside, the back yard is pretty open, if not a bit bare. Aenorin and I don''t really use it, but it is fenced in."

    My parents both looked at Varis and me as they waited for my answer. I glanced at my brother. "Want to go out and play outside?" I asked him.

    He didn''t answer right away. Instead, his gaze shifted to look at me for a second before flicking forward. Taking a deep breath, he said, "Sure." He pushed himself off the sofa and began to walk towards the kitchen, where the back door was.

    I looked at the adults and said, "We''ll be outside if you need us." I got up off the sofa, hopped onto the floor, and followed after my brother.

    <hr>

    It feels like it''s been ages since Varis and I spent some time alone with each other. Come to think of it, it''s been almost a full month since everything went to hell. Yet it didn''t feel like it. The backyard behind our aunt''s house was indeed bare. The grass was overgrown, and there was a dilapidated shed in the far corner. It was also small. Even with my little frame, I could easily run to one end of the yard and back in probably just a handful of seconds. It didn''t help that the house was also smashed between two multi-floor apartments, which made things more cramped, and behind the yard was a dirty-looking alley.

    The noise was also intense. Honking horns, shouting people, the engines of airships flying overhead, and the roar of trains screaming by. You could hardly think out here. As I stood on the back porch, I watched Varis walk out in the middle of the yard and onto a dirt patch where a hefty rock was. Bending over, he picked it up and tossed it up and down in his palm before winding back and throwing it towards an overgrown bush entangled in the fence.

    He grumbled a bit more before kicking the dirt as he shoved his hands into the pockets of the overalls he wore. I watched him for a few more seconds before finally stepping down from the porch.

    "Hey," I said softly, though he didn''t hear me. So I cleared my throat and called out once more, "Hey, Varis."

    He stopped and turned to look at me, and I froze. His expression was much, much different from inside or when we were traveling on the road. Instead of his neutral demeanor or grumpy look, he instead looked pissed.

    "Why did you come out here with me?" He asked. "Why even ask to come out here?"

    I frowned a little and ran a hand through my hair. "I, uh, wanted to hang out with you. Why do you ask?"

    "Hang out with me?" He repeated this and turned fully to look at me. "You always seem to fit in with Ma, Pa, and Madam Soza."

    I blinked. "Th-that''s not true¡ª"

    "It is, though!" Varis snapped. "It has always been like that. Ever since you started walking and talking, You always seemed to speak just like them. You''re smart like them; you act like them; it''s always when Ma or Pa say something that you seem to start acting like me."

    I blinked. What is he¡­?

    Varis clenched his fists. "Last year you said we were a team; I was the brawn and you''re the brains, but¡­" His knuckles turned white. "But you''re very strong, Luna."

    "Varis," I said softly, "that''s not true." I shook my head.

    "But it is!" He snapped his blue and green eyes red as tears began to form. "You''re very strong. You can do magic; you survived an adventure with Madam Soza; you saved me! And I did nothing! Nothing!"

    I opened my mouth to speak, but he continued.

    "Ma and Pa, they always cared for you. They always did things for you." He wiped his eyes with the sleeves of his shirt. "You could do anything; you can read super well; you can write; you can do math; and now you''re amazing at magic! What can''t you do? You even have that Master man in your head, and the two of you saved us? You''re good at everything! But me? What am I good at? I''m not good at anything! Papa wants me to protect Momma, but I can''t¡­" His voice cracked. "I can''t do anything¡­ I''m little. I''m little¡­ I didn''t even have a weapon when the monsters came." He sniffed again. "Momma never taught me magic; she didn''t even try! She focused only on you!" He jammed a finger at me.

    As if shot by an arrow, my heart twinged, and I took a step back. I was stunned. I couldn''t think of what to say.

    "How can I be the brawn when you can do anything, Luna? How can we be a team, when you do everything? I''m pointless; I''m useless!" He started to sob. "Momma and Papa, only care about you¡ª"

    "That''s not true!" I spat, finally finding the will to speak. "I never wanted this," I said to him as my own emotions began to boil over. "I never wanted to do any of this, Varis. I never asked to have the memories and knowledge that I have. I never wanted to speak to the Master; I never asked to have this life! None of us wanted this!" I sniffed as tears began to well in my eyes. "All I wanted is what you want; I wanted to live happily ever after in Oren."

    "Then why? Why are you so good at everything?" He asked as he sniffed. "Why do Momma and Papa only care about you¡ª"

    "They don''t just care about me, Varis," I said. "Papa stayed with you when we got separated; Momma stayed behind to save you all. I don''t¡­" I trailed off.

    Part of me wanted to tell the truth, to explain why I am the way I am. Yet, I didn''t. My family is already concerned with the knowledge of the Master, and I didn''t want to burden them with the knowledge of my actual past. Nor did I want to retread those grounds.

    "I don''t know why I am the way I am," I finally said. "I just am. But that doesn''t mean you aren''t special, Varis."

    "I''m not!" He spat. "The only thing Papa taught me was how to shoot, but even then, I never got the chance to protect them. They treat me like a little kid, but they treat you like an adult."

    "That''s not always true," I said. "Sometimes they do, yes, but that''s because¡­" I trailed off again. He was right. Mother and Father, on most occasions, spoke to me like adults; the same is true of Isa. Hell, just a couple of days ago, Mother was telling me in the wagon how I seemed to have grown up. I genuinely didn''t know what to say at this point. I''ve never been in this spot.

    But I have been in his.

    In my old life, my parents always paid attention to my older brothers. After I was in middle school, they always had their eyes on Matthew and Mark. The two of them were always getting into shit. Some good, some bad, yet it always garnered my folk''s attention, leaving me in the dark. So I retreated to my room. I didn''t want the bad attention they got, nor did I have the guts to do the things that gained them praise. I never had their skills. The two of them were athletic, charismatic, and smart. I was neither of those, and I resented them for it.

    And here''s Varis, my brother, resenting me. I can''t just tell him what I told him before, but what should I tell him?

    I began to step towards Varis, my vision downcast. He sniffed and choked back a sob as he wiped his eyes again. "I just want to help," He said, "I want to be useful. I want Momma and Papa to treat me like they treat you. I want to be cool; I want to do magic like you¡ª" Suddenly, he stopped as I threw my arms around him and hugged him tightly.

    "You don''t have to be like me," I said huskily as I held back my tears. "You''re right in thinking that it''s mean of Momma and Papa to only look at me; however, that doesn''t mean you aren''t special. I see it. You are strong, and you are smart. I believe in you, Varis. I love you," I said, choking back my tears at this point. "I wish I knew all the right words to say like they do in the story books¡­ But it''s true when I say that you are special. You have many talents. You ask what I can''t do, and what I say is that I can''t shoot, I can''t run, and I''m not physically strong. I-I struggle talking, and I''m a crying baby too." I sniffed and looked up at him. "But you got to remember, we are little. Momma says that we elves can live super long. So we have plenty of time to grow and learn cool stuff."

    Varis was shocked. His face burned with embarrassment and he looked away. "Bu-but I want to help now. I want to protect you all."

    I didn''t know exactly what to say: "I was fortunate to receive the powers I have." I gulped. "But, in time, we can find something. Maybe we can talk to Ma, Pa, and Isa¡­" I gritted my teeth. This was so much harder than I expected. "We''ll figure out something. We are a team, Varis. We''ll always be one, and heck¡­" An idea flashed across my mind, and I released him and looked him right in the eyes. "If Momma won''t teach you magic, then I will!"

    Varis''s eyes widened. "You will?" He asked, and I nodded.

    "You were able to do a little bit of it when we went camping. Maybe I can train you some more, but it''s not easy," I said, and Varis smiled widely.

    "You''re for real? You''ll teach me?!" He asked ecstatically.

    I chuckled lightly and nodded. "Yes. Though, we should probably check with Momma first."

    "But Momma might say no," Varis said with a whine.

    "Maybe, but¡­ if she does, then¡­ I''ll teach you anyway." I smirked. "Because you never know, she might say yes, and Momma is a better teacher than me. Though she does like to lecture a lot."

    "Gah, I hate lectures¡­" Varis sniffed.

    My smile broadened. "She does, but it''s good to know." I took his hands in mine. "Brother," I said softly. "Just know that I do care about you. I never saw you as weak or dumb, and I''m sorry if I ever made you feel that way. Know that you don''t have to be alone, and I can help you."

    Varis blushed harder with embarrassment and nodded. "Okay¡­ so when do we start?"

    Ah, the attention span of a child. I smirked. "We can do some little spells, uh, over by that shed." I giggled as the two of us went over to practice some basic motes.

 Chapter 75: Concerns

    City life isn''t what I expected in this world. Dying and being reborn in another world¡ªa fantasy one at that I hadn''t expected things to feel so normal. I''ve been in this world for seven years now, and to think I still mentally refer to it as "fantasy" is probably something I''ll never stop doing. Aside from the Harry Potter moving pictures and the large zeppelins floating around, it feels normal. In the context of this world, I guess it is, but... it feels like the time I walked around Columbus or the brief visit to Detroit, just with a different coat of paint.

    It''s been over a day since we began our stay with Aunt Saria. My little schooling session with Varis after his little breakdown went well. I''m still somewhat concerned with him, though. As much as I relate to how he feels, I know what he said is truly something he doesn''t want. Nobody wants this. I don''t want this. Whatever the Master wants me to do or why he wants me to come to this city, I want none of this. I only listened to him during those weeks of running because he knew how to keep me and my family alive.

    Last night, I tried to reach out to him. I spoke to him in my mind after Aunt Saria showed Varis and me our new room. Yet nothing. He''s gone silent again, and I don''t know when he''ll return. I remember him saying he wanted to speak when we arrived in the city, that he''d tell me more, and the anxiety is fucking killing me.

    I''ve been telling myself not to think about it and to focus on current events. Yet it''s so hard, and that''s not the only thing eating away at my consciousness. The war. I had taken a glance at the newspaper my father bought the day before. The Rusivites are tied up along the river we spent so long trying to cross, and it seems the rest of the world is going to shit as well.

    I have no idea what an Empire of Napon or a Divine Empire of Xing is, but apparently, those two began to clash, and the so-called Yankys are getting involved. Two nations I did recognize while reading the paper were the nation of Saxosonia, which was to our west or south. It''s a little weird, but the nation sort of wraps around Heinmarr on the map, connecting to the northern ocean and southern sea where a landbridge connects our continent Eurion to Aekroth, which is mostly made up of a desert known as the "Dune Sea." Well, it seems the Empire of the Burning Sun, Kossastan, declared war against Saxsonia when it launched an unprovoked attack against the border wall.

    The paper talked of the "Sand Crawler Fleet" and how it began to bombard the checkpoints; however, the northern army had anticipated such a move and, after the invasion of Heinmarr reinforced its borders. All in all, as I read the paper, all I could think of was that this world was devolving into total conflict. A great war.

    Minor nations left and right were taking sides as the major players reconvened to denounce one another. I read that the Global Allied Nations declared total mobilization, and that man I asked my mother about, Robert Dower, was the one who pushed them all to do so.

    "My esteemed colleagues,

    We find ourselves at a critical juncture in the history of our world. Conflict rages across Enora, threatening the fragile peace that we have fought so hard to maintain these past two thousand years. The Divine Empire of Xing has launched an invasion of our ally, Napon, while the Empire of the Burning Sun, Kossastan, maneuvers its Sand Crawler Fleet towards the Saxonian Border Wall. Concurrently, the Rusivite invasion of Heinmarr escalates with each passing day, causing more death and destruction in its wake.

    Yet, amidst these regional conflicts, a greater threat looms. These so-called Warriors of Light, as they refer to themselves, seek to dismantle the quarantine wall around Garlay, unleashing a darkness that could engulf us all. They believe they act in the name of righteousness, but they fail to grasp the catastrophic consequences of their actions.

    We cannot afford to stand idly by as our world teeters on the brink of destruction. In taking the first steps, Yankston has already mobilized the fifth task force fleet to Napon to assist our allies against this unprovoked assault and has also sent an expeditionary force to Eurion to aid our allies in Heinmarr. So I call upon the rest of the allied nations to do the same; we must mobilize our armies, unite our forces, and stand resolute against this existential threat. Our collective future hangs in the balance, and we must act decisively to preserve the peace and stability of Enora.

    Once again, I call upon each of you to set aside political differences and join together in a unified front against these so-called saviors of Enora. Together, we can confront these delusional aggressors head-on and ensure that light triumphs overshadow.

    Time is of the essence, and thus the time for action is now. Let''s stand together once more and show the world why the Global Allied Nations was formed. Let us show the world the strength of our resolve.

    Thank you."

    Everything was going to shit. At least, that''s what it felt like. Would anywhere be safe? I thought to myself. Are we just going to keep running and running for years on end? My mind began to wander. This war didn''t appear as if it was going to end any time soon, and I couldn''t help but think about how long it was going to be till the Rusivite''s eventually broke through, gods forbid, and arrived here at Johanneson. My parents can''t think that this city alone is safe. Are we going to be leaving here soon? I asked myself.

    "Is everything okay, Luna?" Isa asked, jolting me back to reality.

    My head swiveled around the dining room before eventually landing on Isa, who stood behind me. For the first time in ages, I saw she was wearing a comfy bathrobe and looked cleaned up. Her red hair was washed and brushed, and her skin almost seemed to shine with how clean it was. In her hand, she held a cup of coffee, which she sipped gently as she took a seat at the table beside me. When did she get that? I thought I heard no one behind me in the kitchen.

    It was early morning¡ªvery early morning¡ªand I could hardly sleep the night before due to my anxieties. Even Aunt Saria wasn''t awake. I turned to look at the paper on the table and said, "I''m fine. I just couldn''t sleep."

    My mentor nodded. "I can understand that." She took another sip of her drink. "What''s on your mind? You look concerned."

    Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

    I took a deep breath. "Everything, really." I gripped the table. "The world is going to hell; everyone is acting weird around me; Varis and I had a little fight yesterday; the Master is still silent; and the Rusivites are only a stone''s throw away."

    Isa nodded slowly as she took one last sip, set her cup down, and pushed it away. "I feel the same way," she said. "Mostly. Why did you and Varis fight?"

    I bit my lower lip and sighed. "Well, it wasn''t really a fight¡­ Do you remember what he said back on the farm when I woke up?" Isa slowly nodded. "Well, he kind of went off again when we went outside yesterday. I was able to calm him down, but I''m concerned he''s afraid in that he thinks he isn''t good enough."

    Isa nodded slowly. "I understand that children your age tend to not grasp such topics." I glanced at her, and she smiled. "With you being an exception, Luna, for your age, you show tremendous maturity. Varis, though, is young and growing. Boys like him always tend to see themselves as the main characters in their stories¡ª"

    "I don''t know about that," I said, cutting her off. "I think he''s more lonely. Not that his ego is bruised. Or well, maybe both, but¡­ He thinks you, our parents, everyone focuses on me more than him."

    Isa blinked, and her fuzzy ears twitched as she pursed her lips in thought before nodding. "I see now. So he''s jealous about the attention." I nodded. "Do you think what he says is true?" She asked.

    I hesitated but nodded after a few moments. "Yes, but I also understand why Momma and Papa focus on me. They see me as really smart; I''m a natural with magic, and now I have this voice in my head."

    "They''re also concerned about you," Isa said softly as she looked me deep in the eyes. "When I said you are mature for your age, I was not exaggerating. Even before this tragedy, your parents were afraid that you were growing up too fast, and they had no idea how to take care of you. It is one of the reasons your mother reached out to me all those years ago." She chuckled. "While I never had any kittens myself, I cared for many after my adventures. Now that this Master figure has shown himself, they are deeply terrified."

    "They don''t seem scared," I whispered.

    "That is because they are good at hiding it," Isa said. "However, do not take this as me making excuses." She reached for her cup again. "We have been so caught up in your education and the coming storm, we have been blind to what was happening with Varis." She took a sip. "I will speak to him and your parents to see if we can set something up now that things are settling."

    "Are they, though?" I asked, and Isa''s eyebrow perked up. "Settling, I mean. I feel like this is just another calm before the storm, like in Oren." I bit my lower lip. "We should keep moving, get farther away from here."

    Isa nodded. "That is the plan; however, we have no money, Luna. Aside from my spare coins, your parents lost much of everything when they were captured. Even then, the roads outside of Johanneson are treacherous as well."

    "So what''s the plan?" I asked her.

    "Your folks are still discussing, but the current idea is for your mother, father, and I to work up some light funds to afford a ticket on one of the continental rails," Isa explained.

    "Continental what?" I asked.

    "A continental rail. Eurion hosts a vast network of rail lines. Many of which only connect to major metropolises like this one." She tapped her finger on the table. "Once we can afford tickets for all of us, they plan on taking us through Saxsonia to Frangor. A trip that could take months to a year if we traveled on foot or even by cart."

    "How fast are these railways?" I asked curiously.

    Isa smirked. "You saw how fast the mag-trains are, right?" She hummed. "What could be months is cut down to only a few days."

    That''s like bullet train speed! I gawked. "That is fast!"

    Isa smiled, nodded, and hummed as she traced her finger around the rim of her cup. "Try not to worry your little head, Luna." She reached over and patted my head. "Your parents are planning on getting you and Varis out safely. For now, try to relax and enjoy the time of respite we have now." I nodded, and Isa perked up as if an idea had come to her. "Speaking of which," she purred. "Why don''t you, Varis, and I go out for a little sight seeing today?" She asked. "If we need money, I need to look for a job anyway, so this makes for a perfect excuse to go out." She winked.

    I smiled a bit. "That could be fun! I wouldn''t mind exploring around a bit." I giggled, and Isa chuckled.

    "Excellent, then." She hummed as we heard a door open down the hall. Shortly after, Aunt Saria entered the kitchen from the hallway, and I nearly fell out of my chair.

    Put some clothes on! That was what I wanted to scream when I saw she was wearing a very revealing white nightgown that left very little to the imagination.

    As if confused, the elven woman''s ears twitched as her head cocked to one side. "Oh, that''s right." She smiled and yawned. "I had almost forgotten you all had stopped by."

    Isa, who, like me, seemed stunned by the outfit, shook her head, regained her composure, and said, "I take it; like Cailynn, you are not a morning person?"

    "Not at all¡­" The elf grumbled as she glanced down at herself. "I''m used to only having my husband in the house; forgive me." She snapped her fingers, and suddenly her body began to shimmer like a mirage before suddenly she was dressed elegantly. Now standing before us in a nice black and purple suit and slacks, she walked over to the range, where she glanced over the kettle Isa had quietly used to make her coffee.

    "Just so you''re aware," Saria grumbled tiredly. "I do have this device here." She pointed to a large cylindrical device with various tubes and nozzles. "It''s a coffee brewer." She smiled dopily.

    "A what?" Isa asked.

    "It''s a machine that makes coffee quickly too." she chuckled. "I made it a few months ago; it works like a charm."

    "Shouldn''t you go get dressed, Saria?" Isa sighed. "As nice as the illusion is, Luna is right here."

    Saria giggled a little and said, "I will. I will. I just need my brew first."

    She began to turn a few of the nozzles and eye the gauge on the machine before reaching up towards a funnel that extended off it and lifting the cap. She then grabbed an aluminum container nearby and opened it, scooped out some beans, and poured them into the funnel. Below that, she grabbed the crank and turned it a few times, and I could hear the beans being mulched within. Finally, she turned a few other handles, and the machine shook and hissed as jets of steam shot out and out from a tiny little nozzle in the front. After a few moments, some fresh coffee began to drizzle into her cup.

    "That seems overly complicated," Isa said, and Saria chuckled.

    "At first, but once you learn the steps, it''s very quick." She hummed as she grabbed her cup and said, "I''ll be back in a moment." She took a drink and walked to her room.

    I blinked. "That was pretty cool, honestly."

    Isa sighed. "Perhaps artificers always make things more complicated."

    I glanced up at her. "Isn''t father an artificer?" I asked.

    Isa glanced at me. "Not really. He dabbles in it, but only when it comes to his firearms." I nodded.

    "What about Momma?" I asked.

    Isa shrugged. "I don''t believe so. I don''t know what Cailynn was up to during her time in her tower."

    I nodded. "Last time I was in there, she had a ton of little gizmos."

    Isa chuckled. "Gizmo. I like that word." She patted me on the head again. "How about you go wake your brother and let''s eat some breakfast before we go out and explore?"

    I smiled and nodded as I hopped and ran to my room to get Varis.

 Chapter 76: Encountering Friends

    I don''t know how I feel about cities. In all my time being alive, I''ve always lived in suburbia, or in this world, a quaint little home in a farming town. Due to this, I never really had any experience being around vast quantities of people and crowds, except for during the horror show that was Kassel. I don''t like it.

    The sights and visage are cool, and experiencing it from the back of a wagon was different than walking along the sidewalks beside hundreds of people. It was anxiety-inducing, to say the least; however, I tried my best to cope with the knowledge that we were currently safe. The Rusivites are miles upon miles away, and here, in the city, we can relax.

    We left Aunt Saria''s home about an hour after breakfast, which was a bowl of oatmeal and delicious fruits. God, it was nice to have something that wasn''t dried meat and crackers. When we left, the city was somewhat quiet, or at least as quiet as a bustling city can get. The streets were packed with people, but they were spacious enough that no shoulders were being bumped, and I could easily walk alongside Isa with Varis.

    As we walked, my and my brother''s eyes were darting left and right, up and down, soaking in all that we could see, especially when my eyes landed on the front display of a toy store that was chock full of animatronic action figures and scarily realistic stuffed toys.

    Varis begged Isa to take us over to the shop, and my mentor sighed and relented with a smile as we carefully crossed the road and went over to the shop. I vaguely recall a toy store back in Oren, a small little shop that my mother took us to a handful of times during the earlier years when I was a baby. The toys in this world were fascinating, to say the least, with how many of them seemed to be imbued with magic. Just like the animatronic toys from my old life, except here they were made of wood or stone rather than plastic.

    I will say, though, that they were not cheap.

    "Luna, look at that one!" Varis pressed his finger on the glass as he pointed to a large wooden true dragon. It was beautifully painted to resemble a red dragon, similar to what I had seen during the battle. Its eyes shone a bright green, and amazingly, it was moving in a surreal fashion, almost as if it were at a lower frame rate, which is the best way I could describe it. Its head and long neck craned up and down, left and right, eyes painted, scanning the scenery as its mouth opened and closed as if it were roaring.

    Isa gasped when seeing it, but not due to its quality of movement. "A gold piece! That''s about a farmer''s month of pay!"

    "But it''s so cool!" Varis pressed his face into the glass.

    "Okay, get your snotty nose off of that!" I said, tugging on him gently.

    "My nose isn''t snotty!" Varis huffed and turned to look up at Isa. "Do you think we''ll be able to buy something, Madam Soza?"

    Isa frowned a little and shook her head. "Not currently; I only have a handful of coins left," she said as my brother pouted. Isa reached over and patted him on the head. "Once your parents and I get some work, maybe we can scrounge something up, but I can''t make any promises."

    He slowly nodded and poked his side. "It''s okay, Varis; I can probably get us something," I said to him, and he blinked and looked at me.

    "You can?" He asked, and I nodded.

    "Well, get might be the wrong word, but I can probably make us something!" I proclaimed.

    Now Isa was curious. "What do you mean?"

    I puffed my chest. "Well, Momma showed me a while back at home that magic can be used to pick up stones and shape the earth. We saw it back at the river, right?" I pointed at the shop window toward some clay and stone figurines. "I can sort of do this with my pebble spell. So maybe I can learn how to shape stone into whatever we want!" I smirked smugly.

    Varis''s eyes widen. "Oh, that''s so cool! Could you teach me too?"

    I blushed a little. "Uh, well, I don''t know how to do it yet." I held my hands up. "But Momma can maybe teach me, and uh, maybe I can teach you afterwards. Or she can teach us both!"

    Isa giggled as Varis smiled and nodded his head rapidly. "Okay!''

    With a pleasant sigh, Isa motioned for us to get a move on. "Alright, children. Lets keep moving."

    <hr>

    "My feet hurt!" Varis whined. "And I''m hungry." He huffed.

    It''s a little past noon; we''ve been walking for a few hours now, taking in the sights around Johanneson, such as the World News building and the Grand Spire, which was one of the tallest buildings in all of the city. Isa told us it was one of the Magus Concordium Towers and that nearly every major city on Enora possesses one. At least those that recognize the Concordium.

    By this point, we were nearing what was called Grand Central Park. Almost like the actual Central Park, I was familiar with in my past life, it was a massive nature retreat in the center of the city, full of pink sycoras and other colorful trees I wasn''t familiar with.

    "We''ll be stopping soon," Isa said with a heavy sigh. Along with our sightseeing, we stopped off at business after business as Isa tried to find a place willing to take her in.

    To say we had bad luck would be an understatement. As to be expected from the war, the city was jam-packed with refugees like ourselves, and because of that, the competitiveness to find work had skyrocketed. Most businesses had already hired people before us, leaving us to meander our way around the city from business to business.

    Isa sighed as we stopped at the entrance of the park and paused. Stopping just behind her, I glanced at what she was looking at. At the front of the park, there was a sign half-hazard placed over the original, which said, "WELCOME TO TRENTONVILLE."

    In front of the gate was a group of Heinmarran soldiers, stopping those from entering and leaving as they began to sift through their belongings. "What''s happening?" Varis asked me.

    "I don''t know," I replied as I looked up at Isa.

    Isa said nothing as she glanced through the cast iron fence that surrounded the edge of the park and squinted. "It looks like there was a refugee camp placed here in the park."

    Moving over to the fence, I squinted as well. Directly ahead of me was a decently sized lake, and just across was a thicket of trees, to which I could faintly see that through the gaps were dozens of tents and campfires.

    "I wonder why they''re calling it Trentonville," Varis said as he glanced back up at the sign.

    "Thomas Trenton is the regional governor," Isa said as she glanced in the direction of the Gothic manor at the very edge of the park that was ever present on the horizon.

    "What''s a region governor?" Varis asked.

    Isa took a deep breath. My brother has been asking questions non-stop during our walks. "He''s like the Kaiser. But instead of the country, he runs just this area." Isa said it plainly.

    I could tell by looking at Varis that he didn''t quite understand. "He''s like the mayor in Oren," I said simply, and this seemed to click.

    ''Oh okay! So he''s a bigger mayor!" He beamed and I nodded.

    "Excuse me! Pardon me!" A man called out, and I turned to see a person carrying a large wooden box with boxes on top stumbling towards us. "Heavy load! Heavy!" Suddenly his foot caught a crack in the sidewalk, and my eyes widened as he and all of his cargo spilled forward."

    In a swift motion, I spun around, unclasped my wand, and pointed it towards the man. "Gust!" I called out, sending a torrent of air towards him. The flow of air pushed the man in the chest, sending him back up onto his feet, while the rest of the torrent slowed the descent of his belongings so that they gently landed on the ground.

    Swaying on his two feet, my eyes widened when I saw the tall, human man with long, blonde hair adjusting his circle-rimmed glasses with astonishment. "Doctor Kegan?" I asked as the man looked at me.

    "Well, I must say¡­" He said still reeling from having almost face-planted. "You just happen to show up out of the blue." He smiled. "Thankfully it''s always around pleasant times, thank you."

    Isa came over and kneeled beside the doctor as she began to help him grab his belongings. It seemed to be a mix of books, groceries, and medical supplies. "Why are you carrying so much by yourself?" Isa asked him. "No wonder you nearly smashed your face."

    The doctor laughed pathetically and said, "I was just hoping to cut down the number of errands today, that is all. Ha¡­"

    If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.

    I cocked an eyebrow. "Are you taking these to your clinic?" I asked him.

    "Yes and no." He grunted as he lifted the heaviest box. "Not the main clinic at least; I''ve opened a shop in Trentonville just the other day." He nodded towards the camp Isa and I were looking at. "Many folk from all over are taking root there, and well, not many of them have access to a clinic or a church."

    Isa smiled. "That''s kind of you to set one up so close to them."

    Doctor Kegan smiled a little. "Well, it''s all part of the business."

    Isa frowned. "So you''re doing it for money."

    The doctor scoffed. "Well, I need to make a living somehow; I don''t run a charity, and besides, my rates are cheaper compared to those scalpers over in Helmsworth district." He puffed his chest.

    Isa cocked an eyebrow. "How much do you run?"

    "Depends on the treatment." He pursed his lips. "But a routine checkup is around three coppers."

    Isa relaxed a little. "You''re going to run yourself into the red, Doctor." She nodded towards the supplies in his box. "I doubt those cost a few coppers. You might as well be doing it for free then."

    "As said, I don''t run a charity; however, I''m also not cruel." Isa chuckled and smiled as she relaxed fully beside him.

    "We''re out walking and searching for work," Isa said. "Would you like us to help you carry your stuff so you don''t almost kill yourself again?"

    Kegan huffed and stuck his nose in the air for a moment before finally relaxing and saying, "I would actually like that, thank you." He bowed his head.

    "Luna, Varis, take the books off of him." Isa said.

    "Careful with them; those are valuable medical texts," the doctor said before pausing when his eyes landed on Varis. "Oh, you¡­ You''re the little brother, aren''t you?"

    Varis scoffed. "Little?! I''m not little! I''m the big brother!"

    Isa snorted and laughed as the doctor blushed.

    "My apologies; I heard last that Luna here was looking for you!" The doctor looked at me and smiled. "I''m glad to see you found him. Did you all find your parents?"

    "Yes!" I said happily, with a shit-eating grin at being confused as the oldest. I smiled at Varis, who looked defeated, and playfully nudged him.

    "Excellent," he said calmly. "I''m glad to hear at least some happiness can be found in this tragedy." He hummed. "Well, follow me; we aren''t far from the village."

    The doctor began to walk ahead toward the soldiers by the park gates. We were stopped by the soldiers, who did a quick search over all of our belongings, making sure nothing suspicious was found. I noticed nearby was another sign displaying a trench coat figure who was hunched over dropping packages with text saying, "IF YOU SEE SOMETHING, SAY SOMETHING. SUSPICIOUS ACTIVITIES MUST BE REPORTED TO THE STATE."

    As we moved forward and the soldiers came over to me, Isa gestured for me to let them pat me down. The woman who searched me over gestured for me to unclasp the enigma bag my mother gave me, and I, the soldier, took it. She then opened the bag, and when she saw that it was magical, she raised an eyebrow at me before turning the bag upside down and turning it inside out.

    Suddenly a mass amount of items fell out of my bag, ranging from random items I grabbed from home to bones and somewhat rotten flesh from the jabbers we hunted and forgot about, as well as the creepy as hell suicide note Isa and I found.

    The few soldiers around us sat stunned, seeing all the items and the woman holding my bag glanced at me. I laughed nervously and said, "I, uh, forgot about all the dead jabbers I had in my bag. Heh, heh¡­"

    Technically, I had nothing illegal on me, though the soldier''s opinions of me were rather suspicious. Though I couldn''t blame them, if I opened a little girl''s bag and found a bunch of dead rabbits, I''d be concerned too.

    At least the soldier was nice enough to help put all my items in the bag, and thankfully she didn''t read the suspicious note. Once all of my stuff was put away, the soldiers opened the gate and allowed us into Central Park.

    The walk through the park around the lake was beautiful. Upon entering the park, it was as if all sounds of the city vanished, and for a brief moment, it felt like we were back on the road again walking through the wilderness. Varis continued to complain about his feet as we walked while Isa and the Doctor seemed to be catching up on what had happened since we parted ways.

    Up ahead, I could smell roasting meat and other foods from the campsite, and my stomach audibly growled as we entered the thicket. Moving along the path, as we came into a clearing, my eyes widened as I saw before me a sprawling tent city. Hundreds of tents sprawled out before me as people of all races and classes meandered about in absolute squalor.

    Men and women sat around fires, their clothes disheveled and filthy, and their faces caked in mud. Barrels lay scattered, some filled with dirty water, others on fire. "Holy shit," I couldn''t help but whisper to myself, and Isa''s ear twitched upon hearing me, though she didn''t say anything.

    "It''s just up ahead," Kegan said. "It has the blue cross on it. Mr. Tenorahn, the big orc man, if you recall, was kind enough to keep watch to make sure no thieves stole anything.

    "The Tenorahns are here?" I asked with a big grin, as I was happy to hear those reluctant orcs made it here.

    Kegan smiled and nodded. "Aye, they are. I offered them some work at my main clinic. They have no medical expertise, but they help with keeping tabs on my patients and, well, security, of course."

    I was a bit surprised, honestly. Last I recall, Kegan said some suspicious things about orcs during the dinner we had with them. I hope his opinion has changed.

    We made our way down the path towards the large tent Kegan had pointed us to, and sure enough, sitting on a stool was the large orc himself, Gortak. Wearing nothing but a gray tank top and black suspenders, his massive cannon-like arms were crossed around his chest.

    "Took you long enough, Nigel," Gortak grumbled before cocking his head upon seeing Isa and me. His eyes narrowed for a moment before suddenly a big smile appeared on his face, revealing his large teeth and gnarly tusks. "Ahha! I see you encountered some familiar faces."

    Kegan smiled and said, "Yes, that''s why I got held up. You see, they helped me after a, uh, accident."

    "This man thought he could carry over a hundred elems of supplies around town with this twig like arms," Isa smirked.

    Gortak let off a grumbling chuckle and said, "That''s why I said to give me a list, and I''ll go get them."

    Kegan rolled his eyes. "Yes, yes, however, I''ll admit. I am not intimidating like you and would do a horrible job protecting my own goods."

    "Not if you have a gun," Gortak chuckled as Doctor Kegan gestured for us to step inside his tent.

    "Bah, a gun. I am a man of healing, not killing!" Kegan scoffed.

    "And this is why you''re such a pushover." The orc continued to chuckle as he ducked his head inside along with us.

    The tent was very reminiscent of the triage I had seen at the military camp. It was long, maybe two dozen feet or so, about a dozen feet wide, with about six cots laid out to treat patients on. Towards the back were a small work desk and some containers to store Kegan''s supplies, which were all securely locked.

    "Thank you," Kegan said as we all placed the items beside his containers. "I''d probably still be scrambling at the gate right now if it weren''t for you all. Here." He reached into his coin purse, pulled out five copper coins, and handed them to Isa. "Take it."

    "Whoa, I, uh¡ªthere''s no need." Isa smiled.

    "You said you were looking for work, weren''t you?" Kegan asked with a raised eyebrow. "Clearly, you need money; take it."

    With a reluctant sigh, Isa palmed the coins and put them in her purse. "You''re welcome, Doctor."

    Kegan smiled and nodded before straightening up as if a light bulb had gone off in his head. He snapped his finger and said as he pointed to Isa, "Speaking of work." He smiled. "If it''s work, you need. I can offer you a job."

    Isa''s fuzzy ears twitched, and she turned to the doctor. "Is this about that clinic offer you asked about last week?"

    The doctor smirked. "Eh, you have a good memory." He chuckled and nodded. "Precsiely." He looked at me, and I gulped. "Your little healer here would be a great boon to not only my business but yourselves."

    "Doctor, I''m looking for a job for myself," Isa said with a sigh. "Not the children."

    Kegan held a hand up and said, "That''s fine. I''m offering a job to all of you. You''re strong and intelligent, and you know your way around herbs and medicine. I can take you in as a nurse and teach you what you don''t know; however, Luna is here. We know she can do practically anything to cure someone, without components or anything." He said he was smiling. "Not only will she save me money in terms of supplies and other resources, we can also treat more people. I spend less money; we all make more money. It''s a win win."

    Isa glanced at me. "What do you think, Luna?" She asked.

    I smiled. "I-I don''t mind helping people," I stuttered. "And if it helps Momma and Papa with getting money, then that''s better."

    Isa nodded. "I''ll need to check with her parents," Isa said. "However, I''ll be more than happy to take up the nursing job."

    Kegan smiled. "Excellent! With all of us working together, I''m sure we can make the people here in Trentonville feel a lot better!"

    "Hold on now," Isa said softly. "Again, I need to check with her parents."

    "Doctor! Good doctor!" A familiar voice called out from the front of the tent.

    Turning around, I gasped upon seeing an older elven man, Oscar, poking his head inside. "Are you open for business?" He called out.

    "Mr. Reynolds!" Kegan straightened up. "I''ll be opening up here in just a moment!"

    "Oscar!" I called out and scurried past everyone.

    "Luna?!" The older man stepped into the tent. "You are here! And safe!" He spoke in a usually broken Maurich.

    I ran over to him and stopped just a couple of feet. "Where is Anne? Is she here?" I asked, looking around him.

    The older man chuckled and said, "Anne is at home. Sick she is. I come to get medicine."

    "She''s sick?" I asked nervously, my ears drooping.

    Oscar smiled. "Just a wee bit." He held up his index finger and thumb. "Allergies and cold. Bad combination." I sighed with relief; it was nothing major. "It is good to see you, and I see little man! Is that your younger brother?"

    "I''m not younger!" Varis whined. "I''m the big brother!"

    Oscar laughed. "Apologies!" He chuckled.

    I smiled and nodded. "Yes, that''s my brother, Varis. Isa and I found my mom and dad!"

    Oscar reached out and patted me on the head. "I''m glad. When you have time, Anne would be happy to see you."

    I giggled and nodded as he tussled my hair. "Kegan, I wait outside. I have money to pay as well."

    "I''ll be with you shortly, Mr. Reynolds," The doctor called from over his shoulder as he placed his items away.

    Oscar smiled at me and nodded as he stepped outside. I turned and looked back at Isa, giggled happily, and ran over to her and Varis.

    Varis looked very confused as he asked. "Who was that guy, and who is Anne?"

    Isa smiled at him. "Luna made a friend while we were traveling."

    "Luna has friends?" Varis asked.

    "Hey!" I squawked at him.

 Chapter 77: Master of Confusion

    "No," my mother said flatly.

    My eyes widened. "Wh-what why?!" I was shocked, and my mother frowned.

    Isa, Varis, and I had returned from our job search shortly after noon. My mother, who sat in the living room beside my aunt Saria with a teacup in hand, took a sip and placed the cup back on the small plate she held in her other hand.

    "Because I said so," she said simply, glancing at me. "I showed you the papers, Luna; word of your actions on the front has begun to spread."

    "But they''re just rumors," I said. "No one is going to believe¡ª"

    "They will start believing once you use your abilities here," she said.

    "Cailynn," Isa said as she stepped forward. "We should let her. You and Slyran said it yourselves: the tickets to Frangor cost nearly five gold when you add up all of us. With Luna''s abilities, Dr. Kegan would be able to pay her and me five coppers a night. Not counting any expenses, we could have the tickets within three and a half months, perhaps sooner if Slyran and yourself find work."

    My mother bit her lower lip and sighed. "I understand that, Isa; my concern isn''t whether Luna works. It is that she may draw attention to herself."

    "Who cares?" I said grumpily as I crossed my arms. "More attention means more customers."

    My mother sighed and face-palmed. "I''m concerned about people like that Colonel Hass," she said, "or perhaps the Concordium."

    I raised an eyebrow. "Didn''t you want to send me off to a mage school not too long ago?" I asked.

    "That was then," she said, "my thoughts on that have changed."

    Isa took a deep breath. "Cailynn, I understand your concerns, but we need to focus on getting out of the city. We don''t know when the Rusivites are going to push over the river."

    My mother sighed. "I''ll think about it," she said reluctantly. "When Slyran returns, I''ll speak with him. Come morning, I''ll give you my answer."

    "Where is Papa anyway?" Varis asked curiously.

    Mother leaned forward in her seat. "Papa went out to find your Uncle Aenorin in hopes of finding work."

    "Where does he work?" I asked as I thought back. I vaguely recall something about construction.

    Aunt Saria smiled and said, "He works at the big construction site near the center of town. The one that had the accident."

    My eyes widened. That''s it! I forgot she mentioned it yesterday.

    "I hope everyone is alright," I said as I ran a hand through my hair.

    My aunt nodded and said, "Thankfully, there were no fatalities; however, many people did get hurt. So much so, they''ll be hosting a new hiring run here soon." She hummed.

    "Hence why your father is rushing there now," my mother added as she straightened up. "As for me, I''ll be going with your aunt here to her office."

    "Are you going to try to be one of those arti-something engineers?" Varis chimed in.

    My mother chuckled and said, "Maybe."

    "We don''t know for sure," My aunt said, "Though I think Cailynn would be able to contribute wonderfully to the project."

    Varis hummed. "What is that big thing you''re making anyway?"

    Our aunt chuckled and shook her head. "I told you all yesterday; I cannot talk about it."

    "Does momma know?" Varis looked at her.

    It was very subtle, though I noticed my mother''s eyebrows twitch a little as she actively tried to hold a blank expression. She''s probably aware of something, I thought as she shook her head.

    "No, Varis, and as Aunt Saria said, it''s a secret," she said as Varis huffed.

    "I hate secrets." He pouted.

    "Unfortunately, the world runs off of them," Isa sighed. "I''d be lying if I said I wasn''t interested in it myself, but alas, we should go along with it, kids."

    My mother nodded glanced at the grandfather clock along the wall and said, "It''s getting about that time, Saria; we should go before the streets get too crowded."

    Aunt Saria nodded and said, "Agreed. Just so you kids know, I left some snacks in the ice box as well as some ground juni. Uncle Aenorin and your father should be arriving home soon if the message he sent is correct."

    Isa nodded. "Thank you," we all said as my mother and aunt began to grab their belongings and head past us toward the stairs.

    My mother stopped by me and said, "And again, Luna, I''ll discuss with your father tonight what Dr. Kegan offered. I hope you can understand why I''m so hesitant."

    I pouted; in a sense, I did. Memories of the hospital staff crowd around me back at the triage as I was dragged around to patient after patient was still fresh. Or how one of the nurses equated me to some religious being known as a "diviner" or "divine touched."

    Which phrase was it again?

    The point was, that my abilities were unprecedented. Though at the same time, part of me didn''t care. I just wanted to help people, and hell, if I can get paid while doing it to support my family, I''m all for it. What harm could a little bit of fame do anyway?

    "I would be very careful with that line of thinking," said the voice of the Master, which startled the daylights out of me.

    Where the hell have you been?! I screamed in my thoughts as my mother and aunt were already heading down the stairs.

    The voice sighed heavily, and I noticed how tired he sounded. "I told you before. When I actively intrude in your affairs from my position, it puts quite a strain on me."

    Are you sure about that? I asked. Last time, you went to sleep just to teach me a spell, but my family tells me you were walking around with my body for nearly a week. What gives?

    The voice once again sighed tiredly, and I swore I even heard a cough. "I consumed the refined souls from the siphon and used it to save you all."

    I froze.

    "Luna?" Isa poked me in the side. "I know you might be upset, but your mother has made some valid points."

    Varis huffed. "Who cares? She''s going to be helping people!" Varis said.

    What do you mean, refined souls? I asked hesitantly.

    The voice coughed and said, "Exactly as I said, Luna. The tower was a siphon. The machine slaughtered those it consumed and siphoned their souls to form the magrite. In order to save you and everyone. I had to consume what was available."

    I was speechless; I didn''t know what to say. My eyes drifted up to meet Isa''s. "He-he''s back¡­" I said softly.

    Immediately, Isa''s eyes widened and narrowed on me, and I could see her jaw tighten.

    Varis blinked. "Who''s back¡ªoh¡­" He frowned and turned away with a huff.

    So, you''re saying I consumed the souls of other people?

    "What was left of them, yes." The Master confirmed.

    You said the souls were used to make the magrite?

    "Yes. Magrite is the formation of souls that take on a physical form. Normally, souls that have fallen out of the Current, either by accidental means or, in this case, deliberate, even though I am not entirely sure despite my years of research."

    So I ate people. All of those people¡­

    This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.

    "Luna, what is he saying?" Isa asked, visibly concerned. "What''s happening?"

    I stumbled back, my hands coming to the sides of my head.

    "It is not as bad as you think, Luna."

    "The hell it isn''t?!" I shouted out loud, causing both Isa and Varis to jump.

    "The world has used the power of souls for millennia¡ª"

    "They were people who just died!" I began to hyperventilate. "Th-they were killed, ri-ripped from the cy-cycle we-we could''ve fr-free them."

    "Their souls were diluted, Luna; there was no saving them. Now calm yourself; you''re making a scene."

    "Fuck off! Go back to being quiet! I don''t want to hear this!" Isa rushed over to me and got onto her knees as Varis took a few steps back, visibly pale and frightened.

    "As you wish, but we must speak soon."

    Isa gripped me tightly. "Luna, what''s wrong? What''s wrong, Luna?" She asked repeatedly before turning to look at Varis. "Varis, go grab your mother; she should just be down the road now!"

    Varis nodded rapidly and ran towards the stairs as Isa turned back to me. My mind was racing out of control, and my heart beat rapidly as I began to panic.

    What does he mean by consumed? Are they gone? Are they all dead forever? I didn''t want any of that?! Are all magrite souls? Is everything just dead people?! Why would he come out of nowhere and drop this on me?!

    Held onto me firmly. "Luna, you need to breathe. Breathe deeply."

    But it was pointless, as before I knew. Everything went dark, and I fell unconscious.

    <hr>

    A sea of stars and nebulae extended far beyond my sight, above me, lay the moons Andoria and Radiance, casting their glow upon me. My eyes strained as I shifted and groaned, my fingers twitching as my hands reached outward, brushing against the shards of metal and debris as I pushed myself up into a sitting position.

    This place, this room¡­ it all felt so familiar. In front of me, mounted above arches of stone, was a large black bell with a large chunk missing from its rim.

    I remember. I thought as visions of my last visit came swarming towards me. The conversation, the Man in Black, his boon, and the warning I remember it all. My talks with Charity are my dreams. I reached up, grasped the side of my head, and groaned.

    I was back in his tower, his prison. But why? Why here? He had said we had spoken before near a place of power; is that where I''m near?

    "Yes and no," his voice said to me, and my head perked up.

    Behind the bell, hovering ever so slightly off the ground, the frail, cloaked figure of the Man in Black appeared. "Why am I here? How did I get here?" I asked nervously as I pushed myself to my feet.

    "You are here because I demanded it, but if you want a more specific answer, you fainted." He stopped and brought a hand to his throat as he began to cough and clear his throat. Letting off a ragged breath, he sighed. "My power is still weak; the barrier around my prison has done much to hinder me. So I cannot talk for long."

    "I told you I didn''t want to speak¡ª"

    "And I am here to say that what you want doesn''t matter, Luna Ashflow." The Master said sternly. "Do you see why I have refrained from revealing information to you? It is because you are young and emotional that you lack practical thinking."

    "Did you bring me here just to insult me?" I growled. "You forced me to consume the souls of the dead, and now you''re berating me?"

    "I am not insulting you; I''m speaking honestly," the Master said as he began to levitate towards me. "And I told you. Those souls were diluted and gone; there was no saving those people. For that, I am sorry, but it had to be done." He sighed. "I brought you here so that we can discuss our plans going forward." He coughed once more.

    I gritted my teeth and clenched my fists. "What plans? I hadn''t agreed to anything. I don''t remember receiving a choice in this matter."

    "Did I not restore the remainder of your memories?" He asked curiously as he turned to look over his shoulder, and under his blackened hood, I could faintly see the glistening of blue eyes. "I recall giving you a choice all those months ago."

    "Yeah, sure, become the chosen one or else everyone is going to die. Really sounds like a good fucking choice, doesn''t it?" I snarled.

    "What you perceive as a threat is merely because you are ill informed. I was not threatening you, Luna Ashflow; I was merely speaking the truth." He spun around fully to face me.

    "You said you and I can stop the world from being destroyed, and maybe if I don''t help you, everything will be put at risk. So who''s going to destroy the world?" I asked.

    The Man in Black smirked. "You''ve already met them, it seems."

    The Rusivites? Charity? I thought to myself.

    "One of those two." he said, and I frowned.

    "Something tells me it''s not the Rusivites," I said softly, and the Man in Black chuckled.

    "That is correct." he said, turning to glance at the broken bell. "I think it''s time I begin to divulge some information, to extend that olive branch I offered you." He looked at me.

    "So the information is finally relevant?" I asked.

    "Some of it," he said. "I do not have much time, however, as my power wanes. You''ll need to seek out the place of power within Johanneson; there, I''ll be able to connect to you without the fear of falling dormant again."

    Are you kidding me? I thought. Just tell me now!

    "I will tell you what I can," the man in black said with a smirk. "The one who has been intruding on your dreams. That, Charity, you are aware she is not to be trusted."

    No shit. I thought, and the Man in Black''s smile widened before he fell into another coughing fit.

    Clearing his throat, his smile faded and fell into a deep frown. He then straightened up, turned away from me, and levitated over to one of the large open windows. I followed behind him, and beyond what we saw was an endless expanse of beautiful rolling hills and forests, forever shrouded in twilight.

    "I don''t even know how to comprehend what she even is," The Master said softly, "She alone rivals my power¡­ no¡­ Trumps it. The other gods cannot even hold a match to her or her siblings."

    I blinked. "Siblings?" I asked.

    He nodded. "The other eleven apostles, so they''re called. Creatures that worship a being, a¡­ God¡­ The God. Father." The Master said, his voice wavering a little as if he were disturbed. No. Scared.

    I shook my head. "Wait, what do you mean "the God," like a God amongst gods?"

    "I don''t know, Luna, and I''m being genuine. I don''t," he said softly without looking at me. "I don''t have much time to explain everything I know; all I know is that there are beings out there that extend even beyond us Divine. Where do you think we came from?" He glanced at me.

    I blinked. "I-I don''t know, gods just appear, right?"

    "That''s what we thought," The master said, "Yet we don''t know. The other gods rose from the Current, yet who made the Current? What is the Thing? These are questions I had asked for ages, and I searched and searched. Yet the other gods would have nothing to do with me, I was a man who had ascended, not created like they were. Or so I thought. I was always an outcast amongst them, yet when I dug deeper, I had learned that even they do not know where they''re from. They never questioned it. That is, until I learned of the Great Wound and the Ascension War."

    My eyes widened and my mouth fell agape. Licking my lips nervously, I opened and closed my mouth to try and speak, but no words came out until finally I sighed and said, "You are saying a lot right now. I, uh, don''t know where you''re going with this."

    The man in black smirked once again and side-eyed me. "I ask again; now do you see why I withhold information? There are events in this world that even we gods cannot comprehend."

    "So, if there''s this god amongst gods, where is he from? Why does he and his apostles want to destroy Enora? And like, if Charity is an apostle, does that mean this Church of the All Father has people who worship this God?" I rambled out my questions.

    The man in black simply took a deep breath and slowly let it out. "From what I know, God is simply from the Other Side."

    I blinked. "The what? The other side of what?"

    The master chuckled. "I don''t know," he said simply. "And that''s what terrifies me. Before I was imprisoned, I could see far, hear almost anything, and feel everything. Yet I have never seen this being, and I have never felt this power that is encroaching on our world. Neither have the others."

    "Surely the other gods are doing something right?" I stammered. "Maybe there''s other heroes out there, like the Legendary Seven!"

    "They are also terrified," the master muttered. "They wish to leave. To run away to some other reality, but it''s pointless. Father is coming, and he wants to claim everything."

    "So what? The gods are just giving up?" I was dumbfounded.

    "Yes. So it seems," The Master whispered. "How do we fight something like this? Something from the Other Side? What even is it? How vast is it? How many of them are there? How can you even begin to comprehend that?"

    I began to quiver. "I-I don''t know¡­"

    "Exactly," the master said softly.

    "If it''s pointless, then why me? Why do you and I have to be the ones to stop this?" I asked as my voice began to shake.

    "It''s not because of who you are, Luna Ashflow." The master turned to look at me. "It''s about who you were."

    "Wh-what the hell are you talking about?" I asked. "What do you mean? Are you talking about that fat, pathetic bastard I used to be?"

    "That¡­ is irrelevant to the conversation," The master said as he returned his gaze to the landscape. "I''m beginning to tire¡­ Luna, keep an eye on your aunt, and make sure that the construction is complete. When you''re able to, make your way to the heart of the city, where we can talk more. There, I''ll tell you everything I know about God."

    "What is happening?!" I cried out of frustration, and before I knew it.

    I blacked out again.

    I woke up in bed, on silken sheets, with the sun''s rays shining brightly through the window. I was alone in my aunt''s guest bedroom. The same room I shared with Varis and Isa. I rose out of bed, my body caked in sweat and my hands shaking. The nightgown I wore was drenched. Yet I could remember it all¡ªeverything. As if I had been somewhere else.

    "What the fuck happened?" I muttered to myself once again. "Why is this happening?"

 Chapter 78: Meeting

    My hand rested against my face as I sat in bed, staring down at the messy blankets before me. My breathing finally calmed, and the sweat had dried, leaving me with a cool chill. Across from my bed, I could see the grandfather clock ticking away, the time displayed on it showing that it was only a little bit late in the evening.

    Either it''s the same day, or once again, the Master time skipped me forward. I thought, almost expecting a snide remark from the Man in Black, but I got nothing.

    "What the hell was he talking about?" I muttered. I knew what he said, yet I couldn''t understand it. He didn''t even seem to comprehend what he was saying fully. A god of gods? The Other Side? For fuck''s sake, the world just went to war, and now I''m being told there''s some rogue deity wanting to destroy all of existence? But why?

    "To bring an end to pain and suffering, to rid the world of death, and finally to cease all wanton violence," Charity''s distant voice echoed in my head, and I let off a groan.

    "No more death and suffering can happen if everyone''s dead, I guess," I said sarcastically. "Guess she isn''t wrong there." I shook my head in disbelief before gripping my hair with both hands. "But why me? Why am I being dragged into this?"

    "It''s not about who you are, Luna Ashflow; it''s about who you were?" The Master''s voice said it on repeat.

    I whined. "What does that even mean, though?" I hissed to myself. "Is he talking about the guy who got shot in the gas station? Or before? Did I have a ton of lives before? If so, how many?"

    I clapped my cheeks with both hands and huffed. "Don''t fret over it; focus, Luna!" I sighed and looked toward the door. A small pang of guilt struck me as I recalled what happened before.

    I must''ve made everyone worried sick, freaking out like that. I bit my lower lip. I should get up and go check on everyone.

    I threw my legs over the side of the bed and slid off of it and onto the floor. Looking around the room, I found my dress laid over the study desk and went over to it. Taking the time to get dressed properly, I pulled on my stockings, making sure they were taught, before stepping out into the hall.

    The house was quiet. The only noise I could hear was the muffled ambiance of the city and the faint ticking of the grandfather clock in the living room.

    "Hello?" I called out.

    For a moment, there was no response, and then Isa''s voice came from the living room. "Luna, you''re awake," she said as I heard her rise from the chair, and I audibly sighed with relief.

    I did not want to be alone in this house. I stepped out of the hall and came face-to-face with my mentor, who looked worried, and she kneeled before me.

    "What has gotten into you? What was that?" She asked as she hesitantly reached out to place her hands on my shoulders.

    I took a deep breath and cast my gaze to the floor. "I''m sorry, I-I panicked when the Man in Black started speaking to me again."

    "Man in what?" Isa asked.

    My eyes widened¡ªthat''s right, I never told them I''d seen him before!

    "The Master," I said softly. "I''ve seen what he looks like, at least partially." I glanced up at Isa, who looked very confused. "He''s pale as chalk, and he wears a dark cloak and hood, and I''ve only seen the lower part of his face¡­ I''ve seen where he is, or at least, I think, a tower in a field shrouded in twilight."

    Isa''s eyes widened. "You can''t be serious¡­" She muttered.

    I nodded. "I am; that''s what he''s shown me¡­ and I know what you taught me, what momma taught me¡­"

    "The Dark Lord," Isa whispered, and I nodded. My mentor pulled back and shook her head. "No, no, this can''t be real; surely it can''t be."

    "But it is, Isa," I said, looking at her. "Back when we went camping, he manipulated me and controlled me into going to the cave. I didn''t faint when I went there; I almost died, but it was he who helped me avoid the Timberwolves; he led me to the ruin you talked about. At least a piece of it, and it was there I met him."

    "But how?" Isa asked. "That evil monster is locked away in Garlay, deep on the southern continent. How is he here?"

    I shrugged. "I don''t know; he said his prison has gaps in its bars. That he can reach out if he''s careful, and that when we''re near places of power, he can more easily communicate."

    Isa groaned. "Of all beings that could attach themselves to you, it had to be him¡­ I had hoped this was some Lord or Lady, or perhaps an Arch Fae." She groaned.

    "Lord or Lady?" I asked with an arched brow.

    "Very powerful fae, borderline deities from the Fae Wylde," Isa grumbled as she sat back on her calves on the floor in front of me.

    I nodded slowly. "He hasn''t been bad, though," I said softly. "He''s helped us this far. He saved everyone at the prison¡ª"

    "Luna, we''re talking about a diabolical man who tried to conquer the world, a man who unleashed a viral plague and killed millions in order to achieve his goals. He was a greedy man who became corrupt with power; he''d do anything. He''ll lie, he''ll cheat, and he''ll do anything to get us to trust him."

    My eyes widened as Charity''s voice rang in my head along with Isa''s words. I bit my lower lip and said, "But what can we do? He''s done nothing but help us; he helped me save you. He''s nothing like what the books said."

    "That''s because he wants you to trust him," Isa said. "Just because he has done great things so far to help us doesn''t mean we should trust him."

    "So what? Should I stop listening to him? Isa, he can take over my body!"

    "I know," Isa said shakily. "And that''s what''s fucked up; I don''t know what to do."

    I stood back, stunned, as Isa brought her hands to the side of her head, her clawed fingers scratching at her skin. "When I died¡­" She said it softly. "I felt like I was drowning; my body was being swept away as if down a river¡­ Yet I wasn''t alone; hundreds, thousands, maybe a million other people were screaming with me¡­" She began to shake. "I couldn''t breathe; I couldn''t see the surface yet. Something reached out and grabbed me. A dark silhoutte."

    "It was him," I whispered. "He saved you. He brought you back."

    "So it was¡­" Isa sighed and looked at me with a terrified look. "But we shouldn''t trust him. Gods work in mysterious ways, but many of them do so for selfish reasons."

    "I know why he''s doing this," I said. "He told me bad things are coming¡ªvery bad." I glanced around us to make sure we were alone; seeing no one, I looked at Isa. "How long was I out for?"

    "A couple hours, why?" Isa asked.

    I nodded. "I think it''ll be best to have my mom and dad around for this talk."

    "What about Varis?" Isa asked me, and I froze up.

    "I don''t want to scare him," I said quietly.

    <hr>

    The wait was stress-inducing, to say the least. I could tell by Isa''s expression as we waited for the family to return home that she was eating herself alive internally. Sitting in the armchair, she held a book in her hand, which she could hardly keep still as her hands trembled.

    On the other hand, I was not doing much better. I paced around the living room, nervously anticipating how my parents would react. Would they act like Isa? Would they reject me? What if they turn me in? Would they still love¡ª I clapped my cheeks with my hands to put an end to the thoughts.

    Calm down. It''ll be fine. I told myself and took a deep breath. Do what you used to do in the old days. I know I hate thinking about that time, but this worked. I told myself as I sat down in the middle of the floor and crossed my legs. I then closed my eyes, took a deep breath, and held it before letting it out slowly. I repeated this over and over, clearing my mind and focusing on nothing but breathing.

    "Luna?" Isa said questioningly.

    I popped one eye open. "What''s up?"

    "What''re you doing?" She asked.

    "I''m meditating," I said. "It sometimes helps calm me down."

    She pursed her lips. "I never saw you do it before."

    "I never had time on the road to do it," I said as I took another deep breath. "It helps with clearing my thoughts and anxiety." I hummed as I released another breath just as the front door below the steps began to open.

    Isa perked up as the sounds of my family returned home. I could hear my mother laughing along with my aunt, which I had never heard before. He seemed to have just finished a joke.

    "What does he mean, Papa?" I heard Varis ask our father.

    "You''ll learn when you''re older," I heard him say with a chuckle as the door closed and they removed their shoes.

    "Well, I''m glad you''re going to be working with us, Sister," The man, who I assumed was my uncle, said as he began to move up the steps. "Maybe you''ll make all those other gear heads ease off of us grease chus."

    "Well, no guarantee there, brother. They can''t be that bad, right?" She asked.

    Aunt Saria chuckled. "The foremen are always compared to slave drivers."

    "Yeah, maybe you should tell them to hold off," Uncle Aenorin said as he reached the top of the stairs. Sure enough, he looked like my mother''s brother. Hell, they looked like identical twins, save for him being a man. His shoulders were slightly broader, and his muscles were visible through his black button-up and overalls. His hair was short, dark, and mostly covered by a dirty flat cap, and sticking out beneath the cap, I could see his hair held similar blue highlight streaks as my mother''s. His face was covered in stubble and grime, and his hands were caked in oil. "No offense, dear, but you and those pencil pushers have me and the boys constantly working those twenty-four hours."

    Aunt Saria cooed and said apologetically, "I know, I know, love. I pray to the Father every day that work will lighten up, but we are behind schedule. You know I''d put myself at risk if I even showed you special treatment."

    My uncle rolled his eyes and sighed before saying softly, "I know¡­ I need to go rest. You there, little guy."

    "I''m not little!" I heard my brother huff.

    My uncle cracked a smile and said, "I''m putting you in charge tonight; hold down the castle while I go snore. Okay?"

    I heard Varis breathe in sharply, and I knew immediately he was puffing his chest out. "Aye! Will do!" Though I couldn''t see him, I could imagine him saluting.

    My father snorted and said, "Well then, man of the house, you''re blocking the stairs. Go on up."

    "You need to ask for permission first!" Varis huffed.

    "Oh, my apologies. May I please go up, sir?" My father played along, and I could hear my brother chuckling with satisfaction.

    "Permission granted!"

    As the adults and my brother finished climbing the stairs, my uncle turned towards Isa and me. For a split second, his deep, exhausted blue eyes looked at us in bewilderment before suddenly, I could see the invisible light bulb go off behind them.

    "Madam Soza and the young mistress Luna," he said tiredly as he removed his cap and placed it on his chest. "It''s a pleasure to finally meet the both of you."

    "Luna''s awake?" My mother said, her cheery tone before going too concerned as she stepped around her brother and into the living room.

    Still sitting on the floor, I looked at my uncle and then at my mother and blushed faintly. "Hello, Momma."

    "Hello, Aenorin," Isa greeted him and stood up as she turned to my mother. "She woke up just a couple hours ago."

    My mother nodded and said, "How''re you feeling, dear?"

    I opened my mouth to speak when my stomach audibly growled. "Oh, she''s just as loud as me!" Varis blurted.

    This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

    My blush darkened, and I said, "I feel hungry."

    My mother visibly relaxed and smiled gently. "Well, then everything is working out for us."

    "What do you mean?" Isa asked as my father gestured for Varis to follow him down the hall, leaving me alone with the rest of the adults.

    My mother smiled. "Aunt Saria was talking about taking us out to eat tonight to show us around the city?"

    My uncle visibly rolled his eyes. "Oh, did she now?" He then glared at my aunt. In an overly dramatic tone, he said, "Oh, the one time I see my sister for the first time in almost half a century, and I don''t even get to go eat with her."

    "Oh shut up," My aunt snipped. "You can still come with us."

    "I haven''t slept in twenty six hours; I''m practically undead. And you want to know whose fault that is?"

    "Aenorin, don''t you even start with this! We have guests!"

    My mother rolled her eyes as well before getting a smug look on her face. "Aenorin, I know a trick that''ll let you stay up longer. That is, if you don''t mind a little magic." She hummed as her smug smile grew wider.

    "Little sis, I have no interest in your spells," he said bluntly.

    My mother playfully pouted. "But, c''mon, you made it sound like you wanted to spend time with me. Just this once?"

    My uncle''s eyes narrowed on her as he squinted. "Is this another attempt at a prank?"

    "I would never," my mother said in an exasperated voice. "I haven''t done such a thing in almost two decades."

    "Don''t listen to her, Aenorin!" My father shouted from down the hall. "She''s a siren trying to lure you into a false sense of security!"

    Isa, who this entire time was trying to keep a serious expression, finally cracked and began to giggle. Even I couldn''t help but snort and laugh.

    "Slyran!" My mother barked. "I''m not! I swear, I just wanted to give you a Neki-Nap."

    "A what?" My uncle asked.

    "This." My mother said, and before he could protest, she poked him in the forehead, and his eyes widened before rolling back into his head.

    Before he could fall, my mother held out a free hand, caught him with an invisible force, and held him in a standing position.

    "Oh, that''s impressive, Cailynn; no incantation either?" Aunt Saria asked, who was, to my surprise, unphased by what just happened.

    "Yeah!" My mother beamed. "It''s probably one of my most used spells."

    I sat on the floor stunned, and even Isa stopped giggling.

    "You monster!" I heard my father shout from down the hall. ''How could you do that?" He asked clearly, feigning anger.

    My mother giggled. "There was no way I was going to let him just go to bed after seeing me again." She hummed. "His sleep schedule might be a little fuck¡ªoh, children, uh, messed up, but we can fix it later."

    After a minute, my uncle''s eyes stirred and his head twitched as he came back into consciousness and grumbled, "What the hell just happened?"

    My mother released her magical hold, and he immediately swayed a bit but was supported by my aunt, who was rushing towards him. "Cailynn, what did you do?" He asked groggily.

    "I gave you a neki-nap. A full night''s rest in just a little over a minute, you''ll feel a little stiff, but in another minute, and maybe after a cup of coffee, you''ll feel as good as new!" She hummed. "Very useful spell, especially back in university, but, uh, don''t get addicted to it. There are bad side effects if done too much."

    "I didn''t ask for this." He grumbled.

    My mother snickered. "Well, you implied you wanted to come eat with us; now you can. Now go get washed up."

    Uncle Aenorin nodded and began to shuffle towards the bathroom in the hall, just as my father appeared at the entrance and placed a comforting hand on his shoulder. "It''s okay," I heard him say. "She once made me stay up for a month straight after I angered her. The first time isn''t so bad."

    I gulped. Mother can be scary.

    "Cailynn," Isa said, "I don''t mean to intrude on a nice moment, but¡­" She glanced at Aunt Saria. "My apologies, madam, but I must speak to Cailynn privately. It has to do with Luna."

    My aunt blinked but nodded. "Okay. I''ll be in the kitchen prepping Aenorin a coffee once he''s out of the bath." She turned and walked off into the kitchen.

    Immediately, my mother''s impish expression faded and grew serious. "What''s going on?"

    Isa gestured to me and motioned for me to get up. I nodded and pushed myself to my feet as she said, "It''ll be best if all of us go to your and Slyran''s room. Except for Varis."

    "Why?" my mother asked.

    "I think it''ll be for the best, Momma," I said in a hushed voice. "It''s kind of scary."

    This seemed to make my mother look visibly concerned. Though she closed her eyes, she recomposed herself and nodded.

    "Alright. I''ll go get Slyran."

    <hr>

    "What do you mean I can''t join in?" My brother complained as my mother was closing the bedroom door.

    "It''ll only be for a couple of minutes, Varis; we''ll be back out," she said.

    "But I want to join in too; Luna and I are a team!" My mother sighed and shook her head.

    "We''re having a girl talk, Varis; no boys allowed."

    "But Papa''s in there!"

    "That''s because your father is a girl at heart."

    "Damn right!" My father said this as he sat on the bed beside me, beating his chest with one fist. "A true man knows how to be a girl when the time is right," he said with a wink. "But a man also knows when he isn''t invited, boy. Now listen to your mother. We''ll be out in a few minutes."

    Varis was visibly confused but knew he wasn''t going to win this. He huffed and turned away as my mother closed the door. Muttering under her breath, my mother then traced her fingers along the gaps of the door before a faint blue hue began to glow from wherever her fingers glided before finally flashing as she said, "Silence."

    Turning to face us, she said, "Alright. No one can hear us now."

    The cheerful feeling in the room vanished as my father and mother looked at me with serious expressions. Isa sat to my right on the bed, her eyes down. She twiddled her fingers. My mouth felt dry, and I couldn''t for the life of me figure out what to say¡ªthat is until my father spoke.

    "What happened, Luna?" He said it, not in an angry or intimidating tone, but in a soft and gruff voice. "Your mother told me you fainted earlier after having a panic attack."

    My heart skipped a bit and gripped the bedding beside me; already, I could feel myself heating up with anxiety as my skin began to itch and sweat formed. Finally, I said, "The Master returned¡­ or the Man in Black, as I remember him."

    Both my parents shared a glance, and before they could ask anything, I continued, "Back when we went camping. I remember exactly what happened," I said as I began to recount the story.

    I told them everything that happened, from how I began to have thoughts that weren''t my own. I was driven to walk up the mountain, to have the voice of the master guide me out of danger, and eventually to stumble upon the ruinous tower in the cave.

    Their eyes widen as they listen with anticipation. I continued to tell them how I entered the tower, climbed the steps of shattered bells, and eventually had the first encounter that I can remember with the Master."

    "After my talk with him, he said he had to wipe my memories." I looked at them. "He said he had to do it because he didn''t trust that I could keep his knowledge safe."

    "Yet you''re telling us now," my father said in a low voice.

    I nodded. "Now, he seems to trust me. He said he wanted to extend an olive branch."

    "A what?" everyone asked.

    I blinked, and at this moment, I had used the English word for a plant that most likely didn''t exist in this world. Not to mention, the phrase probably didn''t exist either.

    Damn the Man in Black, always using a mix of words from the old world and here. I sighed.

    Thankfully, I think I knew of a good way to spin this. "It''s a phrase he used; it means to make peace. It means he wanted to come to common ground with me and find trust."

    My mother thought for a moment and said, "Oh, I get it, like a wine ritual. When two parties exchange their finest wines," My mother smirked, and like usual, she decided to add to her fun fact. "Back in the Age of Lords, two warring families would end with an exchange. Or, when one side wished to sue for peace, they would send the opposing lord a bottle. If they received one in return, that was usually a sign that the war was over."

    I smiled a little. "Yeah, that''s pretty much what it is."

    "So let me get this straight." My father laced his fingers and leaned forward with his elbows on his knees. "You were led to a ruin; you climbed a tower, arrived in an alternate dimension known as the Infinite Twilight, and spoke to a dark hooded figure who gave you a boon. You said you were special and that you and him were going to save the world? Anything else I missed?"

    I slowly shook my head. "That was my supposed first meeting; everything seems right."

    My mother took a deep breath, leaned against the wall, and crossed her arms beneath her bosom. "I don''t want to believe it¡­"

    "But it''s true," I said softly.

    Isa looked up at my mother. "Cailynn, you know what she''s saying, right?"

    "I do, Isa." My mother sighed and shook her head. "It doesn''t make sense, though. Of all the people in the world, why my child? What does the Dark Lord want to do with my beautiful angel?"

    "There''s more to the story, Momma," I said, looking at her.

    "Go on, Luna," my father said as he placed a hand on my shoulder.

    "After the war started, Oren blew up." I gulped "When I was in that little coma, I met someone else. A being known as Charity."

    Isa''s eyes widened. "You never told me about this."

    "That''s because I forgot," I said. "Not of my choosing, though. Because of the Dark Lord¡ªMaster''s curse on me. It was due to those berries that Dr. Kegan gave Mother. They sent me into a deep slumber, so much so that I slipped into some realm and encountered her."

    "Is anyone familiar with that name?" My mother asked. "Charity sounds so familiar to me, yet I can''t recall."

    Isa pointed to my bag. "Luna, the suicide note."

    "The what?!" Both of my parents shouted in surprise.

    With my father right next to me, I flinched when he shouted, and I blushed and began to rifle through my bag. After a moment, I pulled out the crumpled sheet of paper that Isa and I found in the abandoned cabin.

    "It''s this here," I said, passing it on to my father. "When we got separated, Isa and I found this building where a man killed himself. The place was riddled with religious stuff that matches what Aunt Saria worships."

    "The Church of the All-Father," My mother mumbled as my father passed her the note.

    "Man sounds like a damn lunatic," Father whispered.

    Mother skimmed the note a few times and visibly cringed as she passed it back to me. "Truly awful¡­ Heaven? Garden? I have never heard of such things."

    "Maybe, Saria would know," Father said, "She worships this god."

    "I wouldn''t do that," I said to them. "This being, Charity, she wanted me to avoid the Master. To stop doing his bidding. She tried to get me to live a dream life after he took over my body; she told me he wouldn''t give it back, even though he did. She told me that she and her "Father" wanted to end all death and suffering, to stop all war."

    "That''d be really nice about now," my father said jokingly. "This is not the first time I''ve heard a villain say something similar."

    "That''s what the Dark Lord proposed back during the Twilight War¡ªno war under unity. At least that''s what the scriptures said," Isa said huskily.

    I gulped. "After I fainted, I had another dream with him," I said. "He knows that I spoke to Charity, and he decided to tell me part of why he''s doing this." I took a deep breath. "The Man in Black said that Charity and her Father, God, not like a god, he said they''re like The God. A god of gods." As if to add emphasis, I threw my arms into the air as if to gesture at how big he was. "Was going to come to our world from the Other Side and take back everything, and I believe he was telling the truth. The Master seemed genuinely scared."

    "Luna, I told you," Isa said. "He''s a master at deception."

    "I know, but I still believe it," I said. "The master said that all the other gods are scared and that some of them are even running away. He didn''t tell me everything, but he said he wanted to. During our last talk, he said he was too tired, but if I can make it to the heart of the city, I can speak to him there. He said there''s a place of power."

    "That''s where the construction site is," My father said, looking at my mother. "The magrite."

    "Speaking of which," I said, "Before the dream ended, he said I had to guarantee that whatever Uncle Aenorin and Aunt Saria are building, that needs to be finished, but also¡­" I shifted nervously. "He said to keep an eye on Aunt Saria. He doesn''t trust her."

    My mother frowned deeply. "How so?"

    I shrugged.

    "Well, think about it, Cailynn," my father said as he pressed his fist into his palm. "She worships whatever Luna just told us that wants to kill us all. All the reason to be suspicious."

    "Slyran, do you know how big that religion is?" Cailynn asked. "There''s churches to that all-whatever around every other block. Why her specifically? She''s my sister-in-law."

    My father shrugged, and I said, "I know, Momma; all he said is that he didn''t trust her. We don''t know if she''s bad or not."

    My mother groaned and shook her head. "By the gods, this is too much." She pinched the bridge of her nose. "Our home got blown up; we''re being invaded, and now my daughter has been chosen by some dark being. Why?"

    I lowered my head and sighed. "I asked him that. He told me it''s not because of who I am, but because of who I was."

    The room fell silent for a moment, and Isa looked at me. "The cycle of reincarnation. The Current," she whispered, speaking up louder. "At some point in one of your past lives, Luna, you must''ve been someone important, maybe to him or whatever this Father, True God being, whatever it is. You were important to them. It makes sense as to why they reached out to you directly."

    "Maybe," I said as I looked at the floor. "But I don''t think I would''ve been someone special."

    "We don''t know that," my mother said.

    "We could always find out," Isa said, "back in my homeland¡ª"

    "No." My mother said it bluntly. "Awakening someone is dangerous. It can lead to madness, and I do not want my daughter locked away in an asylum."

    "But if she can persevere, Cailynn, this could be a boon¡ª"

    "She said no, Isa," My father said, "And I am on her side on this. Awakenings rarely ever succeed, and you''ve seen what happened to Pomni."

    "Excuse me," Isa hissed, and her brow furrowed as she and my father glared at her.

    "You know I''m right." My father said sternly, "It''s the truth. Remember how she''s living life now? With all those other voices in her head¡ª"

    "Enough!" Isa turned her head rapidly away, her voice cracking. "I know! I just¡­" She took a deep breath. "Nevermind."

    "Slyran," my mother growled. "That was uncalled for."

    "Sorry," he huffed. "I just wanted to get my point across."

    My mother looked at me. "Luna, is the master present now?" She asked.

    "I¡­ I haven''t checked," I said softly.

    "Please see if you can call him here." She gestured with a roll of her wrist.

    Master, Man in Black, are you here?

    "Hardly, I see you haven''t begun your move yet." His voice was distant and shallow.

    It''s still the same day; have patience.

    "It is hard to have patience when knowing the truth is so close¡­ I cannot communicate for long, what is it?"

    "He''s present," I said, looking at my mother.

    "Can he hear us?"

    The Master hummed "I see you have an audience," the master hummed. "Yes, I can hear them."

    "He can hear you," I said, looking at my mother.

    My mother nodded and took a few steps towards me, knelt before me, and stared right into my eyes. "I don''t know why you chose my daughter in order to fight whoever these beings are. I will play along, but only because it''s my little girl you have in your clutches. However, if or when the chance arises that I can rip her free from you, I will, and if you get her killed, I will find my way to the Twilight, I will flatten your tower, and I will break every bit of you, Ousted One."

    Suddenly, against my will, my head snapped upward, and my body stiffened. My heart began to race as my head came back down and my eyes aligned with my mother''s. Isa pushed away from me, her face fearful, as my father watched with stunned eyes. Yet my mother''s face remained firm.

    And in my voice, I could hear the Master say, "I''ll hold you to those words, Madam Moonweaver; together, I am confident that will not happen."

 Chapter 79: Out to Dinner

    Suddenly, my body unstiffened, and I slumped forward as if breaching the water''s surface. I gasped for air and shook my head as my hands clutched at my head. "What the hell?!" I said it out loud as I panted. "Did you seriously have to do that?"

    "What can I say?" The Master''s distant voice said it amusingly. "I felt as if I needed to answer directly. Now, I must request that you leave me be, as I need to recuperate."

    So you felt like being dramatic? I rolled my eyes as my mother stepped back, her face stone cold, while my father and Isa leaned over to me.

    "Luna, are you okay?" My father asked.

    "Yes, I''m fine," I said softly. It''s not every day that I suddenly lose control of my entire body."

    My mother crossed her arms. "There has to be a way to stop him from doing that." She huffed. "Even if we''re on the same side, I don''t trust him as far as I can throw him."

    "You can throw me pretty far," I said jokingly.

    "Luna, now''s not the time for jokes," Isa said.

    "She gets it from me," my father said with a chuckle as he patted me on the head and tussled my hair. "When things get rough, a nice joke is always good to lighten the mood."

    "Is he still listening?" Isa asked, and I shook my head.

    "He said he needs to go relax," I said, looking up at them. "Taking over my body is tiring work for him, and the fact he did it now was merely to show off that he could."

    "A dramatic type, as to be expected." My mother sighed. "Were you conscious during that?" She asked.

    I nodded again. "This time, yes," I said, taking a deep breath. "It felt like I was forced into a spectator position. It was frightening." I shuddered.

    Isa rubbed my back as my father patted me on the head again. "Well, thank you for telling us, " he smiled. It makes me happy knowing you can trust us."

    "Of course I trust you guys," I said with a slight smile. "You''re family and capable." I lowered my vision back to the floor. "I''m tired of going at everything alone or feeling like I need to."

    I won''t make the same mistakes I made before. Back then, I had always felt like I was alone. My issues never mattered, and I would have to face everything by myself because that''s what men were expected to do. At least, that''s what I told myself.

    Yet maybe this time, in this life. I didn''t need to do that. The people around me¡ªMom, Dad, Isa, and Varis¡ªthough he wasn''t in the room right now, they could all help me. I''m just glad the Dark Lord, The Man in Black, is fine with me sharing this with them. I have no idea how things would be if he said I couldn''t ask for help.

    My father draped his arm around my tiny shoulder, and with his large hand, he yanked me into his side in a sort of side hug. "Well then, it''s a bit late now to go to this "Heart of the City." Why not focus on doing that tomorrow? For now, let''s get ready to go out." He smiled. "I did say when you came to rescue us, let''s go somewhere."

    My mother sighed and lightened up a little, and with a small grin, she said, "Well, you''re not the one taking us, dear; it''s Saria."

    He further pursed his lips and shrugged. "Well, close enough." He smiled.

    Isa, who still seemed concerned, leaned forward and said, "Hold on, what should we do about Saria? The master stated she wasn''t to be trusted."

    My mother frowned and placed a hand on her hip. "We continue as normal. Neither of us know for sure what she''s up to; we''ve only been here one day."

    "What is it that she does for work, Cailynn?" Isa asked, "The two of you traveled with her today. What''s going on at the construction site?"

    My father groaned a little, clearly bummed that the conversation was being yanked back. "I''ll be honest, Isa," my mother said as she laced her fingers and stretched both arms above her head before bringing them back down. "I don''t know. Even though I''ve been offered a job, very little has been said to me. When I went to the Arcanum Works head office building, nearly everything was under lock and key, magical and physical. Then again, I also wasn''t trying to pry."

    "Same with the construction site itself," Father added. "When I went to the workmen''s hub and spoke with the foreman, they were quite blunt in stating that not even they know what they''re building. Aenorin said that no one except the gearheads knows, and even then, based on the foreman''s words, it''s not clear if they really do."

    Isa frowned. "That seems very concerning."

    "It''s a state sponsored project," my mother said. "These sorts of things are common, and now with an ongoing war, it''s paramount that they keep it so as it might give us an edge against the Rusivites." My mother took a deep breath and clapped her hands together. "For now, I say we focus on the present. Don''t let your paranoia get to you all; seeing as I''ll be working with Saria directly, I''ll do my best to keep an eye on things."

    "I''ll be with Aenorin mostly," my father said, "so I''ll keep an eye on him."

    Isa leaned back on the bed. "I''ll do whatever''s needed of me."

    "You can stay close with Luna," my mother said with a smile as she turned to me. "Now that we''re at a relatively calm point, someone''s going to need to start teaching them again."

    I gawked. "Momma, now is not the time for schooling!" I whined, and my father laughed.

    "You and your brother both need an education, dear." My mother puffed her chest. "I don''t want either of my children to fall behind."

    "Cailynn," Isa said, "I don''t have any of my material any more. We left it all back at the house."

    My mother nodded. "I''m sure there''ll be things around here we can scrounge up. Text books, last I saw, weren''t that expensive."

    I huffed. "Varis is going to be so mad."

    "You two will get over it. Anyways, tomorrow, we''ll see about trying to figure out how to get to this Heart of the City," my mother said as we all began to hop off of the bed.

    With another sigh, I squeaked when my father tussled my hair yet again, thoroughly making it a mess at this point. "Don''t worry, your little head," he said. "We''ll make it through this. We''ve come this far, haven''t we?"

    I blushed and nodded as my heart began to beat a little faster.

    <hr>

    As we left my parent''s room, we were immediately greeted by the sight of Varis and my aunt and uncle all dressed up and ready to go. Varis looked bored out of his mind and still a bit grumpy about being left out of the conversation; however, his clothes were spotless, and his dark hair was brushed and styled.

    "Oh well, aren''t you handsome?" My mother cooed at the sight of my brother, her eyes sparkling as she kneeled beside him.

    Varis huffed and puffed his cheeks as he crossed his arms. "You took too long," he said grumpily.

    "Awe, I''m sorry, sweetie." My mother draped her arms around him and yanked him into her bust as she hugged him.

    My father stepped past me and went over to my aunt and uncle. My aunt was dressed in a fine black dress with a low-hanging collar that revealed much of her skin. Her fine black slitted skirt hung low and revealed a fine, pale, and toned leg with black stockings.

    The sight made me gulp and wonder where the hell we were going. My uncle, on the other hand, was wearing a finely tailored black suit with a lighter gray vest beneath. Around his neck, he had a large bowtie that sparkled and looked like stars.

    "The two of you are looking wonderful," My father said with a chuckle as he glanced down at his long button-up shirt and denim overalls. "I don''t know if we can match what you''re wearing."

    As if to add emphasis to what my father said, Uncle Aenorin turned to Saria with big eyes that just screamed, "That''s what I''ve been saying!"

    My aunt smiled as she pulled out a small makeup kit and began to apply some red lipstick. "That''s alright," she said calmly as she finished applying a few touch-ups and smiled at us. "I just enjoy dolling myself and Aenorin. Where we''re going, it won''t matter how you''re dressed."

    I glanced at my mother, who sighed and smiled, and then up at Isa, who looked terrified at the sight of my aunt''s makeup. "I sure hope I don''t need to "doll myself," as you put it," my mentor said with a shudder.

    Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.

    My aunt pouted. "Do you not like make up? I''m sure you''d look absolutely adorable if you let me do some touch ups and brush your hair."

    "Please don''t touch my hair," Isa said with a slight hiss.

    "Don''t mind her," my mother said. "She''s never been one to dress up."

    "Back in my homeland, we never bothered with such looks," Isa said with a shrug. "I can''t stand the idea of wearing such products and restrictive clothes."

    "It''s not so bad," My mother said, "You should try it at least once." She smirked.

    Isa rolled her eyes. "Perhaps later, but not tonight."

    "Are you all ready?" My uncle asked us.

    "Hold on for one moment," my mother said with a raised finger. She then turned to me and said, "Stand still, Luna." Before I could react, my mother raised her palm to my face and said, "Legerdemain." Suddenly, I felt a tingling sensation engulf me before a cool breeze shot up and down my body, forcing me to grip my skirt and keep it down. My mother then smiled proudly and turned to my father and repeated this same spell, and I gasped when I saw all the dirt and grime on him from earlier vanish and his hair straightened out.

    She did this to every one of us, cleaning us all up in an instant. "Why haven''t we always done this?'' I asked. "This is so much better than taking a bath."

    My mother snorted. "Like hells it isn''t. I much prefer a warm bath; this is more of a last minute ordeal. Besides, I like to preserve my ether for more practical moments." She hummed and turned to my aunt and uncle. "Now we''re ready."

    <hr>

    Ruby squawked loudly as my family and I guided her out of the small stable alongside the house and over to our wagon. The red and feathery strider squirmed and squawked in protest, as we had just woken her up from a nap. My mother cooed and hissed at her in draconian, and immediately, Ruby began to obey all of her instructions.

    "Oh wow," Uncle said with a big grin. "I never knew you were a dragon whisperer, sister."

    My mother smiled. "I learned Draconian about thirty years ago. It''s cool, isn''t it?" She hummed. It makes handling these critters all the easier when you can reason with them."

    "What did you say to her?" Varis asked as he and his father climbed into the back of the wagon.

    "I told her I''d get her a big, juicy steak!" She smirked.

    Isa cocked an eyebrow as she and I were the next to hop into the wagon. "I hope you commit to that promise," she said, and my mother chuckled.

    "I-I''ll see if I can get a steak at the restaurant," she stuttered, and I frowned.

    "You weren''t going to lie to her, were you?" I huffed.

    "No!" My mother gasped. "I just, uh, realized I don''t have the money to buy a steak."

    Uncle sighed. "Well, I guess I need to come to the rescue then." He rolled his eyes but then smiled broadly.

    "Just this once, please?" My mother smiled pleadingly, and Uncle chuckled.

    "Sure, Sister." He nodded.

    Once we were all in the wagon, Father took the reins and gestured for Uncle to come sit beside him, leaving me and Varis alone with the other three. "Where are we going anyway?" Varis asked.

    "We''re going to the Bright Bite!" My aunt said it excitedly. "It''s a marvelous place; it truly lives up to its name! It''s also the place that Aenorin took me on our sixtieth honeymoon!"

    Sixtieth? Wow, they''ve been together for a while. Then again, so have Mother and Father. I thought.

    "How long have you both been married?" I asked curiously.

    My aunt turned to me and smiled widely. "Two hundred and thirty four years." She hummed, her eyes sparkling. "This autumn will be our two hundred and thirty fifth year!"

    My jaw practically slammed into the floor, and Varis practically fainted at the number. "You''ve been together for that long?!" I exclaimed, and my aunt hummed happily and nodded.

    Thankfully, Varis said the next words before I could: "But Momma is only like a hundred some years old; how old is Uncle?!"

    "Are you implying I''m old?" My aunt huffed, though she smiled playfully. I could assume that being an elf, she was used to receiving comments about her age.

    "I''m four hundred and fifty," Uncle said from over his shoulder. "Cail is my little sister."

    My mother sighed and rolled her eyes. "Please don''t call me Cail."

    "Oh, c''mon, you used to love it back in your boyish period." Uncle laughed, and my mother groaned.

    "That was then; this is now." She pointed at the wagon as if to add emphasis.

    "Bu-but wait," Varis stammered out. "If you went there on like¡­" he started counting on his fingers, gave up, and said, "Like a million years ago, is the place still there?"

    Isa snorted and laughed, and my mother simply shook her head. I giggled and glanced at my aunt, who simply sighed but smiled. "Oh, you sweet child, yes, it''s still there. I was introduced to it then; that doesn''t mean I haven''t gone there since." She hummed. "The place has changed a lot though, but the owners passed down their recipes to their kin throughout the years, and I swear, with each new generation." She sighed. "It gets better."

    By this point, Ruby began to pull our wagon out into the street and beneath the many colored lights along the road. The sky was growing dim as the sun set, and stars began to show. Yet I noticed something¡ªa sight I hadn''t seen since my past life. The stars were gone.

    Light pollution, I told myself. Oh, I forgot such a thing existed.

    Already, I missed the view from the village of Oren as well as the countryside.

    <hr>

    Johanneson was a city that never slept. As we moved deeper within the metropolis, the world was rife with color. The animated billboards, airships, and signs were practically neon-lit, like some form of fantasy Las Vegas. Even the people were different kinds. Nearly everyone I saw was fancifully dressed like my aunt and uncle; scantily clad men and women stood on street corners offering services. I knew my parents would be furious if they found out I knew. Bars, pubs, and clubs blared loud music, and boisterous cheers could be heard from within as our wagon rolled by. To spice things up, I even saw a street fight, which was quickly broken up by constables rushing onto the scene.

    This city surely was something. My aunt and uncle seemed unphased by it all, yet even my parents and I were wide-eyed at everything. Isa, on the other hand, looked like she was going to die. Her hands clutched her fuzzy ears tightly, and she was practically in the fetal position due to all the noise.

    Gods, I can''t imagine what the world sounds like to her. I sighed. Acute hearing seems more like a curse than a blessing.

    Eventually, we arrived at the restaurant. A small building compared to the rest, standing about two stories high with a large animated sign of a portly man in a chef outfit taking a bite out of some meat before bursting with color and joy on repeat.

    "Oh, that sign is new," my aunt commented as our wagon pulled along the side of the building where other guests seemed to have parked their rides. I noticed there were even a few automobiles out front.

    "The place looks busy," my mother added. "Let''s hope we can find a spot to sit together."

    We all nodded as our wagon came to a stop, and one by one we began to disembark.

    Once my father hitched Ruby, I stuck close to both him and Mother as Varis tagged along beside us with Isa. My mother took my hand, and we followed behind my aunt and uncle as we entered the establishment, immediately my stomach audibly growled as the aroma stuck to me like a truck.

    My mouth began to water as the savory smells of roasted meat and veggies tickled my nose. The sounds of idle chatter, clattering plates, and cutlery took me back to the few times my parents took Varis and me to the Yogi''s Maw back in Oren. At the front, we were greeted by a cute, pink-skinned akumari woman in an all-white button-up uniform. She had a little white cap where her pink horns poked out from under. She smiled at us with sharp white teeth.

    "Table for seven?" The woman asked as her fiendish tail flicked gently behind her.

    Varis watched the lady with bright eyes, and I knew this was probably one of the few times he had seen an akumari, as they weren''t as common in Oren. Yet as my gaze shifted from my brother, I noticed over to the right, a little ways from us, that I saw none other than Dr. Kegan, Oscar, and Anne.

    The three of them seemed to be having a nice meal and conversation. My heart began to beat with excitement at the prospect of seeing my new friend again, and just as my eyes began to look away, I noticed beneath his glasses that Kegan''s eyes were locked with mine.

    The man smiled and waved in my direction, causing Oscar''s head to turn and look over his shoulder at us. The older elf''s eyes widened, and a big smile appeared on his face. In a loud voice, he shouted from across the restaurant. "Luna! It is nice to see you!"

    Immediately, my excitement for seeing my friend vanished and was replaced with dread. As all eyes fell on me and Oscar, despite all attention being on his, the man had no shame. "You brought your family! Come, come sit with us!" He called to us all and waved as if trying to flag down a plane.

    Embarrassment began to make its way to my cheeks as they burned brightly. My mother glanced down at me as the restaurant began to resume its business. "Luna, who is that man?"

    I gulped. "That''s a friend."

    Isa cleared her throat as the akumari greeter began to walk us towards our tables, and coincidentally, or not, we were being taken towards a window seating across from Kegan and Oscar. "That man is actually one of the reasons we were able to save you," Isa said to my mother.

    My mother''s eyes widened. "Oh? If that''s the case, I want to meet him!" She beamed.

    Isa nodded. "Luna is also friends with his niece," she said with a smile.

    "My baby has a friend?!" My mother gasped.

    "Momma!" I whined.

    "I''m so proud of you, my little star!" She scooped me off the ground and hugged me as I squealed in protest, not caring if I made a scene at this point, though she didn''t care.

    Once we were seated, a handsome waiter came over and greeted us as he handed out the menus. While he did so, I saw Oscar from across the aisle who I saw was holding Anne by the hand. My eyes shimmered with excitement as I saw my red-headed elf friend begin to walk over to our table. Despite having only been about a week, she looked much different since the last I saw her. Her hair was clean and brushed, her skin was freshly washed, and the clothes she wore were clean. She had a nice red and white dress, which popped nicely, though she looked tired.

    Oscar did say she was ill yesterday; I hope she''s recovering.

    "Can I help you, elder?" Aenorin asked with an arched eyebrow.

    "Apologies." Oscar bowed. "Wish to speak with Luna. Anne''s friend she is."

    Everyone aside from myself and Isa looked confused at Oscar''s way of speaking. "He''s a Yanky," Isa said. "He''s a friend of mine and Luna''s."

    My mother, who was sitting beside me by the window, nodded. "I''m okay if he wants to speak with us. Anyone who''s a friend of my daughter is a friend of mine." She hummed.

    My uncle and aunt shared a glance and shrugged. "Well, who are we to say no?" They smiled.

    Oscar beamed and bowed once more before turning to Anne, who looked embarrassed, and said, "Anne, say hello to kind people."

    Anne sighed and looked at me. A small smile formed on her face as her eyes flicked over to my mother and father. Then, like a light bulb, her eyes flew wide open, and her mouth fell open. It was at this moment that I remembered who her biggest inspirations were.

    "You''re the Moonweaver and Deadeye! Talon! The Spellbound Rangers! Oh my gods!"

    My mother''s warm smile faltered, my father visibly cringed, and Isa began to laugh hysterically.

    How did I not see this coming? I inwardly groaned.

    Tonight''s dinner is going to be fascinating¡­

 Chapter 80: Night Out

    My father''s lower eyelid twitched visibly as he smiled and listened to Anne, who sat on her uncle''s lap at the edge of the table after a chair was brought over for them. Anne waved her little arms as she spoke about her favorite tales from the stories about the Spellbound Rangers, and my mother giggled and smiled gently as she listened.

    Isa, who sat across from me beside my aunt and uncle, leaned forward with her elbow on the table, and her chin rested in her palm as she listened. I could hear her purring gently as her eyes focused on Anne as she hopped up on Oscar''s lap and said, "My favorite part of all is when the Spellbound Rangers battled Shul''Kirk, the Necromancer of Aeilhart. Especially at the end, when it''s said that you guys blew up his tower and it was thought that Deadeye had died in the explosion! But Moonweaver found his body in the rubble and revived him with a sweet, sweet kiss!"

    My father''s jaw nearly hit the table, and he raised a finger in protest. "Hold on now¡ª" He started but was silenced by my giggling mother as she grabbed him by the shoulder.

    "No, no, I like this version more," she said with a smirk, and I couldn''t help but giggle and shake my head as I turned back to the food on my plate. My parents had allowed me to pick whatever I wanted, and well, little old me decided to grab what stood out to me the most: a Yanky Grok-style burger. I hadn''t tried foods from other cultures in this world, aside from the few dishes Isa made that were from her homeland. Based on the description, the burger was a well-grilled grok patty with southern seasoning, whatever the hell that is, stuffed between two toasted cheese breads.

    What I got was a burger between two grilled cheeses about the size of my head. A sight that would''ve made the old me salivate. Not saying I wasn''t, but I was more or less concerned if I could eat this.

    To make matters even more complicated. Varis decided to order the same thing as me, and, well, he''s a little bigger than me. And the young bastard did the one thing that ensured I wouldn''t back down from this insurmountable challenge.

    "I bet I can eat all of this before you can!" He said from across the table in front of me. And I knew at that moment that I couldn''t lose. I refused to back down.

    Reaching out with my tiny hands, I grabbed onto the side of this gargantuan grilled cheeseburger, and like a snake unhinging its jaw. I did my best to take the largest bite that I could.

    "By the gods, Luna, you''re going to choke yourself!" I heard my aunt Saria exclaim, and beside me, my mother turned away from Anne and gasped as well.

    She then reached over to push the plate away from me, and I whined and wiggled away from her with my food. "No!" I said, "You shall not interfere with my pride!"

    "Pride of what? You''re going to choke if you keep eating like this!" My mother said as she pried the burger from my little greasy hands.

    "No! I don''t need outside help!"

    "You''re not acting very ladylike, Missy!" My mother huffed as, from across the table, I could see him. His multicolored eyes squinted at me with that smug little smile as he nibbled away at his burger.

    I squinted back. I won''t lose.

    After a minute, my mother slid my plate back over to me after cutting up my burger into bite-sized chunks. "You lose," Varis said after swallowing another bite.

    I gasped. "Nuh uh!"

    "Yes huh!" He smiled as he dabbed at this mouth like a prissy noble kid. "You had momma help you; that''s not fair. So you''re, uh, dequalified."

    "It''s disqualified you, dummy!" I huffed.

    "Hey! I''m not dumb!"

    "Calm down, you two," my mother said, turning back to us. "What are you even arguing about?"

    "Varis challenged me in an eating competition!" I pointed a finger at him.

    He smiled. "And you helped me win, Momma, thank you!"

    "You didn''t win!" I huffed.

    "Yes, I did!"

    "Nuh uh!"

    My mother sighed and wrapped an arm around me, and before I knew it, I was being yanked into her side, my head resting against the side of her bosom as she hugged me.

    "Wh-what''re you doing?" I asked and blinked confusedly.

    "Oh, I missed this so much," my mother said happily with a big smile.

    My heart melted, and I smiled as well. So did I. I thought and looked to Varis across the table, who seemed a little confused as well, but before he could do anything else, Isa leaned over and yanked him into a hug as well.

    "Gyak! Unhand me!" He squealed, and Isa laughed.

    "It looked like you wanted a hug as well." She hummed. "Do you not like hugs?"

    Varis didn''t reply; instead, as Isa pulled him close to her side and chest, he just gave up and relaxed alongside her, his muscles visibly going limp, and he closed his eyes.

    "I can''t imagine what they''ve gone through," I overheard Uncle Aenorin say from across the table.

    "A lot," Oscar said as he patted the top of Anne''s head, who was taking a break to drink her water after her excited rambling. "Out there, there is hell right now." The older elf looked at my uncle. "No place for kids."

    My uncle slowly nodded. "So I''ve heard. The papers have been doing a good job of painting a picture."

    Oscar nodded. "Indeed, but seeing with one''s eyes, much worse."

    The adults nodded their heads, and my father leaned over and asked, "So what brings you all the way out to Heinmarr, Elder?"

    Oscar smiled, held a hand up politely, and said, "Please. Oscar is my name. I am not old yet." He chuckled. "I come to see my niece." He bounced Anne on his lap, causing her to squeak and fumble with her drink a bit. "And work." He smiled.

    "Work?" My aunt Saria said as she swallowed her food. "What is it that you do?"

    "I am artificer engineer for Lambert Arms and Manufacturing." He puffed his chest and smiled as my aunt dropped her fork, and my mother''s jaw dropped as both my father and uncle glanced at each other.

    An awkward silence fell over our table as Oscar glanced around at each of us. "Something wrong?"

    You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.

    My aunt grabbed her napkin, dabbed at her lips, and shook her head. "No, not at all¡­ I''m just¡­ impressed. What position?" She asked.

    "Uh¡­" Oscar frowned. "I don''t¡­ Anne¡­ help." Suddenly, Oscar''s voice changed to that of Yanky, and he began to speak to Anne.

    Anne''s ears twitched, and glancing up, she replied in the same language. Her voice was light and pleasant as the two exchanged words. Finally, the little elf rolled her bright green eyes and said in Maurich, "Uncle doesn''t know the words. But he said it''s something like a mechanical engineer or something."

    "I help design and make Lambert''s creations," Oscar said excitedly. "Many weapons I''ve made, and many inventions I''ve helped create." He reached down with one hand to his pockets, pulled out every worn wallet, and began to dig through it. After a moment, he pulled out a weathered card and placed it on the table¡ªa card that I couldn''t decipher due to it being written in Yanky. "My credentials." He hummed happily as both my mother and aunt leaned over to examine it.

    My aunt smiled and nodded as she looked at Oscar and said, "Well, it''s a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Reynolds."

    My mother nodded as well and said, "That''s quite impressive; do you mind if I ask why your work brought you out here?"

    Oscar shook his head. "I don''t mind. I came for a trade show here." He tapped the table. "In Johanneson. I and my colleagues were here to show off latest invention. The Promethean gun."

    My aunt''s eyes widened a bit. "Are you referring to the Mithiral Arms trade show?" She asked, and Oscar nodded.

    "Yep. Lambert sent me and few colleagues in his place. Show was supposed to happen week ago but cancelled it was for obvious reason." He said with a sad sigh, and we all lowered our heads.

    "Uncle," Anne said, breaking the brief, awkward silence. "Would I be able to play with Luna tomorrow?" She asked.

    I blinked and perked my head up. "That depends, little one," Oscar said, patting her head. "I do not mind, but ask the Ashflows you must."

    "I wouldn''t mind it!" I said excitedly that the thought of hanging out with someone else who wasn''t an immediate member of my family was surely something I didn''t want to pass up.

    Anne looked at my parents, and my father glanced at my mother, who sighed. "Well, there are things we need to discuss first before I can answer that," My mother said and glanced at me and then at my father. "For instance, Luna here was offered a job."

    "A job?" Both my father and uncle said.

    Oh shit, that''s right. I thought. With all the shit going on today, I forgot my mother wanted to talk to my father about this!

    My mother nodded. "Do you remember Dr. Kegan, love? The man who helped nurse Luna back to health?"

    My father''s eyes lit up, and he smiled. "Yeah, I remember that egg head. He''s an okay guy."

    My mother nodded. "Well, he owns a clinic here in town¡ªtwo to be exact, one in the Helmsworth district, and a newer one in Tretonville."

    "So, Dr. Kegan offered you a job, Luna?" Father asked me directly, and I nodded. "Is he aware of what you can do?" I gulped, thought for a second, and then nodded slowly.

    My father took a deep breath and shared another look with my mother. For what felt like a minute, the two shared a longing look with each other, almost as if they were having a silent conversation. Knowing my mother, I wouldn''t be surprised if they were.

    Finally, my mother took a deep breath and said, "I don''t think this is a good idea, Luna."

    "Why not?!" I blurted out, causing everyone to flinch at my sudden outburst. ''It''ll help us make money, and I''ll be doing something I enjoy."

    My father''s face hardened a bit, and I gulped as he leaned forward. "Luna, keep your voice down," he said sternly. "We''re in public. Secondly, you heard your mother the day we arrived. If people start seeing what you''re capable of, we''ll be drawing a lot of unnecessary attention."

    "What attention?" My aunt asked curiously as she and my uncle shared another glance.

    "Luna''s really good at healing people!" Anne suddenly said, "She helped me after I got really hurt by those bad guys."

    "Indeed!" Oscar said before leaning down to Anne''s ear and whispering in yanky. Suddenly, Anne''s expression changed, and she looked away, guilty.

    "Oh, sorry, I didn''t notice¡­" I heard her say.

    "She can heal people?" My aunt looked at me, and both my parents had their eyes closed, and they sighed.

    "It''s a long story," My mother said, "But yes. Luna is capable of some incredible feats. We can discuss this side more later. For now," My mother turned to me. "I agree with your father, Luna; as tempting as this may be, it''s best if we keep things on the down low¡ª"

    "But why?" I whined. "Why do you guys want to stop me? I can help us get the money to buy the tickets."

    My mother groaned softly and ran a hand through her hair before she said, "Luna, I understand you want to help. But it''s for your own good¡­" She leaned down to my ear and whispered, "Isa told us what happened between you and that Colonel Hass and how she only recruited you as a tool."

    I gulped and nodded. "I know, but¡­ it worked out, didn''t it?"

    "That one time, yes." My mother nodded. "But there are others out there who may want to take advantage of you, dear."

    I frowned. "Are you saying Kegan is taking advantage of me?"

    My mother thought for a second and sighed, "Not maliciously, I hope, and it wasn''t he who I was referring to, but others."

    My father straightened up and cleared his throat before taking a drink of water. He then wiped his mouth and goatee with a napkin and said, "I just had a thought, and I''ll allow this on one condition." He side-eyed me and my mother

    I wiggled in my seat and said, "And that''s?"

    "You can work with Dr. Kegan and Isa, but only if you don''t use magic."

    Isa leaned forward. "But that''s the whole reason why he wants to recruit her," she said. "He may change his mind now."

    "And that''s his right," my father said, "but I won''t risk my daughter''s personal life because of what she can do."

    I gritted my teeth and clenched my fists. I understood clearly why, at least, the adult in me did. If word got out that a young child could cure and heal anyone without any cost, my life would immediately be uprooted. People like Hass, as my mother stated, would be all over me in no time.

    Yet at the same time, part of me was furious that my parents were the ones choosing this for me. God, dammit¡­ Dammit! It''s like the whole moving away conversation again. I just wish I had my say, but fuck, they''re right! I just want to help people, that''s all.

    I sank into my seat, deflated and having given up. Isa glanced at me from across the table and sighed. "We can talk to Dr. Kegan tomorrow, Luna; I''m sure he''ll understand and still bring you on board."

    "What about me?" Varis asked. "I want to work too! I want to help, Momma and Papa!"

    Isa sighed. "I don''t know, Varis; I''d have to ask the good doctor about that too."

    My parents nodded. "If that''s what you want, boy," my father said with a smile. "But keep in mind, work isn''t play time, and you better listen to everything Isa or Kegan says."

    "Does that mean Luna won''t be able to play tomorrow?" I heard Anne ask, disappointed, from the end of the table.

    My mother awed softly and said, "She''ll be busy in the morning, dear, but maybe come the evening she''ll be able to play, right, Luna?" My mother looked at me.

    "Ma-maybe," I said with my arms crossed.

    Curse these childish emotions; I feel all grumpy now¡­

    Though such grumpiness would vanish when my mother placed a hand on my head and tussled my hair, "Now, now, no time for pouting. You need to finish up your food." She leaned over and kissed me on the cheek. "And don''t be too upset with me, your father; we both love you and are only trying to help," she said, and I felt my cheeks light with flame.

    I nodded and said, "I''m not too mad¡­" I scooted forward in my seat and straightened up. My appetite had mostly left me by this point, but I knew skipping dinner would be a mistake.

    I glanced at Anne, and our eyes met. Her big green orbs were glistening with excitement as she waved at me, smiled faintly, and waved back.

    "I can still eat faster than you," my brother said, snapping my attention over to him.

    "Oh, don''t even start with this again!" I exclaimed and laughed along with my family.

    As dinner came to a close, my aunt and uncle went to pay for the meal as my family and I began to head out into the city nightlife to find our car. As we stepped out into the early summer air, we were hit by a chilly breeze, which sent both my mother and father shivering.

    "Yikes, it''s awfully nippy, isn''t it?" My mother shuddered, and my father nodded.

    Both I and Varis huddled close as Isa placed her hands on our shoulders. "Could be the breeze coming off the river," she said, just as I noticed something shining in the air.

    Glinting off the neon lights of signs and animated pictures, drifting along the air before me. I held out my hand just as another cold breeze blew down the street, and upon landing on my palm, I was surprised to see a speck of snow melting against my skin.

    Isn''t it too early for snow? I thought.

 Chapter 81: Forming an Onion

    "So, no magic?" Dr. Kegan said as he stroked the stubble on his chin.

    I glanced at Isa, and we both nodded as Varis pulled himself up onto a cot behind me. I looked at Dr. Kegan. "Yes. I hope you can understand why, like I said, my parents don''t want to draw too much attention."

    The doctor nodded his head slowly but sighed. "I do, though; the hope was to mutually benefit from it¡­" He hummed.

    "We have other talents," Isa added with a small smile. "During our travels, I''ve done my best to teach Luna about the basic herbs and treatments. I myself know my fair share, as you''re aware."

    The doctor nodded. "Oh, I am very aware," he said, smiling at us. "Don''t worry, my offer still stands. I''m willing to bring you both on; more hands will still go a long way."

    I pouted a little and nodded as well. Goddammit, I understand Mother and Father''s reasoning, but still. I just wish I didn''t have to worry about what people think.

    "Thank you," Isa said as she bowed her head.

    After a few seconds, she grabbed the back of my head and pushed me forward, and I yelped. "Thank you!" I said it as well, with a deep blush.

    "What about me?" Varis said from the cot as he kicked his legs. We turned to look at him, and he smiled. "Do I get to work here too?"

    Kegan raised an eyebrow and adjusted his glasses. "Hmm, depends. What are you good at?" The doctor asked.

    Varis hesitated and thought for a second. "Uh, I''m strong, smart, and, uh, Momma says I''m funny."

    "Funny, eh?" Kegan crossed his arms.

    Varis stopped swinging his legs and locked eyes with the good doctor. "Is that bad?"

    Kegan pursed his lips in thought before shaking his head. "No. It is not." He smiled. "But, I do need someone strong." He turned and pointed to the back of the tent, where he had piles of crates and supplies stacked. "I could use an extra hand sorting through my inventory."

    "Uh, I can do that!" Varis said with a big grin.

    "Excellent, then you''re hired." The doctor chuckled.

    Something tells me he just came up with that job on the spot¡­ I thought to myself.

    Varis smiled and pumped his fist. "Hecky yeah! I can''t wait to tell Papa." He giggled and beamed.

    Smiling myself, I nodded and turned to Kegan and asked, "So when do we start?"

    "Well, right now." The doctor said it with a big grin. "I''ll give you all the tour and a guide on how to do everything I''ll need you to do."

    <hr>

    My legs and arms burned with fury as I hoisted the crate off the ground and onto the rest of the pile beside me. I wheezed and whined as I stumbled back and hunched forward, my little hands gripping my knees as Varis came up behind me with a similar box in hand, which he carried effortlessly over to the pile. With a small grunt, he hoisted up onto the rest of them and turned to me with a curious look.

    "Are you alright, sister?" He asked.

    "Like heck, I am¡­" I gulped the air and sighed as I straightened my back, my knees popping as I did so. "Those were so heavy¡­" I whined. "I thought we were going to be doing doctor''s work¡­"

    Isa, who stood nearby at the desk, snorted and shook her head. "Oh, you''re not going to be doing that on day one," Isa said, looking over her shoulder. "Dr. Kegan needs to tutor you on how to be a nurse. Today we''re just helping him organize this clinic."

    "Bwah, I hate organizing!" I complained as I threw my arms into the air, and Varis nodded.

    "Yeah, me too!" He crossed his arms. "This is boring!"

    "This is work," Isa said cheekily as she wiggled a pen at us. "Remember what your father said, Varis; you have to listen to what Dr. Kegan says, and he said we need to clean up."

    "Absurd!" I pointed my finger at the air. "This goes against the verbal contract; you were there as a witness!" I exclaimed with a smirk. "He wanted me to help him on the floor, not do all the grunt work." I crossed my arms and turned my nose up into the air.

    Isa snorted and giggled as she shuffled the papers on the desk and asked, "So what are you going to do about it?"

    I smiled brightly and snapped my finger. "We unionize!"

    "Yeah! Yeah!" Varis pumped his fist in the air dramatically before stopping. "Uh, Luna, what''s an onion?"

    "A union!" I corrected him. "It''s when all the workers team up against the employer!"

    "Where did you learn this?" Isa asked, genuinely confused.

    "One of momma''s books!" I lied.

    Isa pursed her lips in thought, turned away from the desk, and placed a hand on her hip. "Oh, really?" She smirked, and I could tell she was skeptical. "Which one? I read much of your mother''s books too, y''know?"

    I gulped. "Uh, the¡­" Without a second thought, I bullshitted, "The¡­" But I couldn''t think of the best translation, "Universal Declaration!"

    I was going for the Communist Manifesto, yet that worked. I think.

    Isa''s lips parted, and her eyebrows arched. "I don''t recall ever seeing such a¡ª"

    Suddenly, the main flap of the tent opened, and Dr. Kegan walked in carrying two large bags. "Apologies, I ran into some traffic. How are things forming here?"

    "We''re forming an onion!" Varis proclaimed. "And we''re uniting against your tyranny!"

    Isa locked up and I could see her gears turning. Her eyes skipped over to Varis, and after a moment, she snorted and began laughing. Unable to control myself, I also fell into a fit of giggles.

    "Y-You''re forming¡­ an onion?" Kegan blinked confusedly. "Wh-what?"

    "A union¡ªhe meant a union," Isa said between breaths, then sighed. "The children are unhappy that things are such a mess back here." She smiled.

    "It''s awful!" Varis proclaimed. "Look at what you did to my noodly sister. She''s mush!"

    Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there.

    I blinked. "Wh-what?! I''m not noodly!" I waved my arms at him, and on second thought, fuck, my arms are noodles!

    "See! She''s also sweating too; girls never sweat!" Varis pointed at me, and I stopped and looked at myself and blushed.

    Kegan chuckled as he placed the paper bags down and said, "I know. I''m sorry for not getting around to cleaning this myself sooner. But, as said, I''m back from my errands and am here to help. However, before that," He reached into the bag, pulled out a handful of small boxes, and placed them on the desk in front of Isa. "I''ve brought lunch for you all." He smiled. "Hopefully this is good enough to stop this strike."

    <hr>

    "I was being pulled up by this big claw while Papa and some soldiers were trying to pull me down! It was super scary!" Varis recounted the tale of the prison assault as we sat around the small desk, enjoying the lunches that Dr. Kegan had bought for us. It was a collection of street-side sandwiches; the bread was black and rich, with veggies galore, and a ton of mayo slathered over the meat within, which I honestly couldn''t tell you what that meat was, but it was delicious.

    "Oh my," Kegan said with wide eyes after having swallowed his food. "What happened next?" He asked.

    "Luna came in for the rescue!" He exclaimed. "She did some crazy magic stuff, broke the glass, and sliced the giant claw! I fell super far and hurt really bad, but I made it!" He beamed.

    The doctor smiled and looked at me. "Did you really?"

    I nodded, and so did Isa. "Yep, it was really intense." I laughed nervously; the memories were still fresh. Taking note of my feelings, Isa reached over and tussled my hair.

    "Why don''t we talk about something more pleasant?" Isa suggested. "Like, for instance, hm, how are you enjoying the city?" She asked everyone.

    "I think it''s really cool here!" Varis exclaimed as he practically bounced in his seat. "I''ve never seen so many people in one place? And look at all the moving pictures; it''s totally different from home!"

    Kegan chuckled and nodded. "The city is quite lively; I''ve lived and worked here much of my life, so I''ve grown accustomed to how things are. I like it, though personally, I''ve grown to like the quiet life like where you all are from."

    "Same," I said and smiled. "The city is nice to explore, but it''s too crowded. I wouldn''t want to live here."

    "Yeah!" Varis nodded in agreement.

    Isa chuckled. "Oh? You seemed to love it here just a moment ago," I said to him.

    Varis smiled. "Well, if Luna doesn''t want to stay here, then I don''t." He wrapped an arm around me, and I yelped as he pulled me into a side hug. "I''d rather stick around her."

    I blushed faintly and said, "Thanks, Varis. That''s nice of you to say."

    Both the adults chuckled, and Kegan dabbed his lips with a napkin before looking at Isa. "What about you, Madam Soza?"

    Isa smiled at the doctor and said, "Please, you can call me Isa. And well¡­" She sighed.

    "Your keen ears must be having such a horrible time here," the Kegan said, and he smirked when Isa nodded. With a sigh of his own, he straightened his back and said, "I assumed as much. I''ve been quite familiar with Serelli; your kind is truly wonderful; however, I could not fathom how you could tolerate being in such a place as Johanneson."

    "Oh, believe me, Doctor," Isa said with a groan as she rubbed her fuzzy red ears. "This place is torture."

    Kegan leaned forward with his elbows on the table and fingers laced. "Would you like some plugs?" He asked her.

    "Excuse me?" Isa blinked, confused.

    "Plugs." He pointed to his ears with one hand. "To dampen the noise, I met a gnome tinkerer along the road before the war broke out. The little lad was an interesting fellow. He had an automobile that he was supposedly driving across all of Eurion to win a bet, but that''s a story for another time. Anyways the vehicle''s engine was so loud, and while I was checking up on him, I just had to ask, ''Good, sir, your vehicle is obnoxiously noisy; how is it that your hearing is as good as it is?.''" Kegan got up from the table and walked over to where he held his briefcase along the outer wall of the tent nearest to the desk.

    He got down and opened it, and after a few moments, he pulled out a small cloth bag and came back over to us. "He then gave me these earplugs, is what he called them. They''re these small, squishy little objects." He dumped the bag out, and in his hand, six foam-like stubs fell into his palms. "They sit comfortably in your ears and dampen much of the noise outside. It''s quite impressive, honestly. I started using them when I go to sleep, and it just knocks me right out." He chuckled. "Gnomes, I say." He held up one stub and squished it repeatedly, over and over. "They''re always coming up with the most ingenious things." He chuckled as he sat back down and handed them over to Isa.

    I watched with wide eyes. Foam earplugs? At least, from where I''m sitting, they look like foam. That is impressive. I thought with a smile as Isa examined the little objects and then tested them by putting them up to her big, fluffy ears.

    She slid each one in and blinked for a moment. "Oh, it is much quieter¡­" She looked around. "The city sounds are muffled, they fit awkwardly, and they are a bit small, I think¡­ but they kind of work."

    Kegan nodded. "I was afraid they''d be small." He perked up and smiled. "Say, why don''t I go out into town later and look around? Perhaps I can get you a fitting pair."

    Isa blinked and shook her head before removing the buds. "Oh, you don''t need to do that, Doctor."

    "Oh, it''s fine. I''d prefer my employees to be comfortable, and besides, speaking from a doctor''s perspective, I''d rather not have you lose your hearing." He chuckled.

    Isa blushed faintly. "Th-thanks." She nodded.

    The doctor chuckled happily, and at the front of the tent, the flap opened. "Excuse me," a young voice called towards us.

    The doctor perked up and turned as well, looking towards the entrance at a young blonde-haired boy, probably nine or ten years old, wearing a black suit with a clerical collar. In his hands, he held a briefcase. "Is this the Trentonville Clinic?" The kid asked in a rather calm and professional tone as he reached up to adjust his wire-framed glasses.

    "Aye, it is." Kegan said as he stood up with a confused expression. "And you are?"

    "My name is Paul Hensler." The boy bowed before straightening up and fixing his glasses again. "My father sent me here to search for a man by the name of Dr. Nigel Kegan."

    "You''re speaking to him," Kegan said, glancing back at us with an expression that read, Who the fuck is this kid?

    Paul seemed to lighten up a bit and smile pleasantly. "Excellent. I came to you in search of aid. My father has fallen gravely ill and is bedridden. Many of the other clinics across Johanneson exceed what we''re able to afford; however, rumor has it that you offer excellent services for a much more affordable price," he explained elegantly.

    "I see, well¡­" Kegan cleared his throat. "In a job like this, there isn''t really much time for breaks and such. Where is your father now, son, as in, where can I find him?"

    Paul nodded. "Not far from here, we''re currently staying here within Trentonville. I can take you to him as soon as you''re ready."

    Kegan nodded, grabbed his coat, and turned to us. "Varis, Isa, once you''re finished with your lunch, please make sure the clinic is cleaned. If anyone stops by, take down their names and conditions, but let them know I''ll be away for a bit. Luna," He faced me directly. "I want you to come with me."

    I blinked. "Oh?"

    He nodded. "It''ll be a great learning experience." He smiled.

    With excitement bubbling up, I nodded and hopped out of my chair. "Alright, sir, lead the way!"

    "Stay safe, you two," Isa said. "Luna, if anything happens, you make your way back here immediately!"

    "I will!" I said.

    "And listen to Kegan."

    "Okay Mom!" I said jokingly as I stuck my tongue out at Isa, who snorted and rolled her eyes.

    Stopping by the front entrance, I looked at the boy, Paul, who was much taller than me and Varis. Judging by his looks up close, he had beautiful blue eyes and lightly tanned skin riddled with freckles. As mentioned, he was probably ten years old, putting him about three years older than me and a year older than Varis.

    "Hello," I said softly, as my shyness immediately began to creep in. "I-I''m Luna."

    Paul looked at me and smiled as his eyes scanned me up and down. His grip visibly tightened around his briefcase. "Hello, Luna. I''m Paul." He held out one hand for me to shake.

    I nervously reached out and took his hand in mine, and I immediately felt even tinier compared to him as his hand practically enveloped mine as he gently shook it. I couldn''t help but pick up on the scent, of pinecones. The boy smelled like pinecones.

    "Is something wrong?" Paul asked as his hand released mine, and I noticed again that his other hand gripped his briefcase even tighter.

    I shook my head. "N-no. I just think you smell nice¡­" I said I felt on the spot.

    Paul''s expression shifted as his eyebrow arched, and for a brief moment, his professionalism broke as he blushed and stepped away. "Oh, uh, thank you! My-my mom¡­ pi-picked it out."

    "Alright, you two, I''m ready." Kegan came over to us. "Master Hensel, please lead the way."

    Taking this opportunity to escape, Paul straightened up, cleared his throat, and nodded. "Please follow me," he said as he stepped out of the tent.

    Taking a deep breath, I smiled and followed behind him, the good doctor.

 Chapter 82: Like an Angel

    "Our tent is just over here." Paul pointed towards a large tent in the middle of the lush green field beside a beautiful blue pond. Outside, I was surprised to see so many people, probably over a dozen, on their knees with their foreheads pressed into the dirt.

    "Are they praying?" I asked out loud.

    Kegan fixed the collar on his shirt and said, "It appears so, though it''s quite unsanitary to press their heads into the ground like that."

    Paul glanced over his shoulder at the two of us. "They''re performing the quita," he said, and both Kegan and I looked at him confused. Paul turned away and walked towards the tent, with us trailing behind. "It''s a prayer position," he explained. "Father told me that such stances increase our closeness to God, that it allows us to open ourselves to him, and in doing so, we can speak more clearly."

    Kegan nodded as we politely stepped around those who were silently praying. "Your father must be a great man if he has all these people praying for his health."

    Paul stopped before the tent flap and bit his lower lip. He took a deep breath and nodded. "My papa is a good man; it''s because of him that all of us made it out." He took a shaky breath. "Come; he is just through here," he said softly as he opened the tent flap and stepped inside.

    Upon entering, the smell of incense candles and burning sage caught my nose. In the center of the room was a small group of people. A middle-aged man with a thick, gray beard was lying sickly on a bedroll. He was wearing nothing but his gray onesie pajamas and had a loose blanket laid over him. He held a pained expression but was breathing profoundly and shuddering as he tried to compose himself.

    Beside the man was another, much younger gentleman wearing full priestly garb. He was very handsome, and his face was clean-shaven. He was kneeling beside the older man as he held a rosary in one hand and what seemed to be some form of holy book on his lap, which his sharp green eyes skimmed over as he read the open passage out loud.

    "Upon the hill of eternity, God turned to Jesiah and said, "All around you is me. Every leaf rustled by the wind, every stream that flows, every creature that crawls or flies. All of it is me."

    Jesiah looked upon Elysium with amazement, yet confusion was visible on his face. "But how?" Jesiah asked, "How can you be everything, and yet here you are?"

    For the first time since its occurrence, God smiled and replied, "Because I am the creator of all things, and I exist within all of my creations in one form or another."

    Jesiah watched as God reached toward the pear tree and plucked its ripest fruit. Jesiah dropped to his knees, his hands digging through the soft grass. "Forgive me, my lord," Jesiah said as he bowed his head just a second before looking up. "But, in turn, what am I?"

    God looked upon the fruit in his hand, turned to Jesiah, tossed him the pear, and said, "You are what you choose to be, my son, but know that I will always be with you." Jesiah¡­ Oh¡­"

    The priest noticed us and glanced up from the book. "It seems we have visitors, Father Marko."

    "My apologies, Father Kaleb," Paul said, gasping when he saw the sick man on the ground lifting his head.

    "Who are these two, boy?" The sick man, named Marko, asked, then scowled when his eyes fell on Dr. Kegan. "Is that a doctor?" He turned his head and spat on the floor. "I told you I don''t need a doctor."

    "Papa!" Paul''s voice cracked. "You''re sick, and Momma''s worried."

    "I''m not sick! I''m just injured!" The man spat back. "Do not ever raise¡ª" Before he could finish his sentence, a fit of coughs washed over him.

    Paul quickly rushed over to his father while the priest, Kaleb, reached for a soaked rag and placed it over the man''s head. "Get that off of me!" Marco weakly reached for the rag.

    "Marco, please," Kaleb said softly. "Your son is only trying to help."

    Kegan stepped forward and cleared his throat. "Excuse me, what is happening here?" He asked the question that was on my mind.

    Kaleb turned to look at Kegan and then backed toward Paul. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. "Marco, I''ll be back. Paul, look after your father."

    "Yes, Father Kaleb." Paul bowed his head.

    "Boy," Marco muttered. "The book. Josephus 2:19."

    "Yes, Papa." He nodded as Kaleb handed him what I presumed to be a bible.

    After a moment, Kaleb got up, dusted off his robes, and turned to us. "It would be best if we stepped outside and talked."

    Kegan nodded. "It''s getting a bit nippy out there, despite it being early summer."

    "Aye, it is, but it shouldn''t be long."

    Turning around, Kegan and I stepped outside back into the afternoon sun. Once again, I could see the dozen or so people praying outside. The few closest to us lifted their heads, their eyes widening, when Kaleb stepped out behind us.

    "Father Kaleb!" One of the people shouted.

    "How is he?" Another called.

    "Has Charity spared him?"

    Kaleb held a hand out to silence those around us. "Father Marco is still in a concerning position, but fear not." He then gestured to Dr. Kegan and me. "A doctor has arrived to assist."

    Kegan turned to Kaleb. "My apologies, but I have the faintest idea as to what is going on."

    Kaleb shared a look with Kegan and said, "I shall tell you shortly, but first, let us get away from all these onlookers. I would prefer some privacy."

    Kegan nodded. "Alright, lead the way then, my good sir."

    Kaleb led us around the tent and towards the shore of the large pond, a couple dozen feet away from those outside the tent. Once in a relatively quiet spot, he reached into his robes and pulled out a decent-sized glass flask of whiskey.

    My eyes widened. "Aren''t holy folk not supposed to drink?" I said, not realizing I just vocalized my thoughts.

    Kaleb paused, blushed deeply, and said, "Normally. I don''t think God would punish me for finding ways to relieve my stress." He chuckled and turned to Kegan. "Would you like some, Doctor?"

    Kegan smiled and held a hand up to decline. "No." He shook his head. "Not while I''m working, but maybe later. What is happening?"

    Kaleb sighed, uncorked the glass flask, and took a swig. After drinking, he looked at the pond and said, "Father Marco is succumbing to an infection. We were leading those from Tessle across the lake, and since this bloody war began, we''ve been safe. It was as if God himself had blessed Marco and those who followed him. Yet, when we made it to Kenchala, everything¡­" Kaleb closed his eyes.

    "Were you at Kassel?" I asked.

    With trembling hands, Kaleb took another swig, though one much deeper, and sighed when he pulled the glass away from his lips. "Aye, I was¡­" He looked at me. "Were you?"

    I nodded as well and did my best to avoid the memories. "It was hell on Enora."

    "A slaughter." He agreed. "Yet, it was one in which most of us survived. Truly, God protected us while the rest were shepherded by Salvation." He took a deep breath. "Anyway, Marco didn''t make it out unscathed. He took a mag round directly to his left thigh. At first, we thought nothing of it. I treated it as best I could, but an infection began to take hold."

    "My apologies," Kegan said as he shifted his weight from foot to foot. "But as a man of the cloth, don''t you have access to healing magics?"

    Kaleb took a deep breath, his eyes still not leaving the lapping waters along the shore. "If I was still in my church back in Tassle, then yes. I had packed as much as I could, but¡­ Heh¡­ Heh¡­" He began to laugh pathetically. "I had used most of them to treat those we found along the road. There were so many hurt people I couldn''t just leave them. Or well¡­ I could''ve, but I would''ve hated myself."

    "I understand," Kegan said. "I''d done much the same, though with my tonics and herbs." He gestured to me. "That''s how I met her."

    I nodded. "Yep, there''s nothing wrong with helping others. There''s no way you could''ve known what was going to happen next." Kaleb nodded his head silently and smiled faintly.

    Kegan crossed his arms and asked, "What about the boy''s mother? Where is she?"

    "Doris?" Kaleb glanced at Kegan. "She is out currently, trying to scrounge up whatever food we can afford. I wouldn''t be surprised if she was out looking for a doctor like yourself."

    "Speaking of which," Kegan said, "Paul said his father sent him to find me. Yet, I don''t think that man wants me or my little friend here anywhere near him."

    Kaleb sighed. "Master Paul is a nice boy, yet lying is a common flaw of his. He probably said it just so you could come along. As for Marco, he''s a good man, but he is stubborn. The man believes this is one of God''s tests, a test of Salvation."

    This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.

    "Excuse me," I said. "But that''s the second time you mentioned Salvation like a person, who are they?"

    Kaleb smiled. "Not a follower of the All-Father?"

    Of course, it''s these people. I thought as the Master''s words echoed in my mind about how this God wishes to claim our world.

    "No," I said, breathing to hide my discomfort.

    "Salvation is an aspect of God. An apostle, as we call them, he is the one who shepherds us to the Other Side when our time is up."

    The Other Side, just like Master Man said! What is it? I pondered for a second, yet before I could ask another question, Kegan noted, "As much as I enjoy a good learning session, we have a dying man to worry about."

    Kaleb nodded. "You''re right, sorry."

    "This infection, how long has it been?" Kegan asked.

    Clutching his chin, Kaleb''s green eyes focused on a point on the ground before him as he thought. After a moment, he nodded and said as he looked at us, "About two days ago, if my memory is right, though it wasn''t until last night when his health began to deteriorate seriously."

    Kegan nodded. "If it''s what I think it is, too much time may have already passed."

    "What do you mean?" Both myself and Kaleb asked.

    "No time to explain," Kegan said, turning away from us and walking back toward the tent. "I need to examine the injury for myself before I make any conclusions. Luna, come."

    I nodded. "Alright!" I started to rush behind but then stopped and turned to the priest. "Thank you, Mr. Kaleb!"

    Taking another drink of his whiskey, the priest nodded. "I''ll be there in a moment."

    <hr>

    "Don''t you dare touch me!" The older, sick man, Marco, shouted. "I''m fine; I''m going to be okay¡ª"

    "No, you aren''t," Kegan said. "I need you to lay down and don''t move. I''m going to look at your injury."

    "Bah, if Salvation wants to take me, he''ll come, till then. I''ll make it through¡ª"

    "You can keep telling yourself that," Kegan said. "But just by looking at you, I think he''s going to be showing up much sooner if you don''t let me help you."

    He lays it out straight. I thought to myself as I stood beside Kaleb and Paul at the edge of the tent.

    The young boy held the bible firmly against his chest as he watched nervously. I could see his lip quivering, knowing he wanted to say something.

    Marco bit his lower lip and turned his head away. "Perhaps he will," he said, "but I can''t afford to let you help me."

    "What do you mean?" Kegan asked.

    "I mean it literally, boy," Marco coughed and spat a disgusting glob of phlegm on the floor. "You and other pompous physicians charge us folk beyond belief. Even the local churches are demanding we cough up gold to treat the sick and injured. God is testing me and all of us."

    Kegan sighed heavily. "Just because you have no money doesn''t mean God is testing you. Now, I''m going to lift up the blanket."

    "Were you not listening?" Marco spat again.

    "I was, and frankly, I''m going to treat you anyway."

    "What?" Marco blinked just as Kegan lifted the blanket.

    "I said I''m going to treat you; don''t worry about the money," Kegan said. "Like your friend over there. I''d feel downright awful if I left you here, especially knowing you have a kid and a wife." Kegan turned to me. "Luna, come over here, please; I''ll need your help undressing Mr. Hensler."

    Marco didn''t say a word as I came over; instead, his face splayed with nothing but confusion. "Alright, Mr. Hensler," Kegan said, "I''m going to have to sit you up, and we''re going to help you out of your pajamas so that I can see the wound."

    Marco looked at each of us blankly, and I gave him my biggest smile and nodded. "We''re just here to help!" I said as he looked at us as if we were angels.

    "Please do as they say, Marco," Kaleb said.

    The older man bit his lower lip, and I watched as he visibly swallowed his pride and grunted, "Su-sure."

    I sighed, relieved that the man wouldn''t fight anymore, and helped Kegan sit him up. After a few arduous moments of undressing the man, we finally revealed the horror show I was not ready for. The wound was tightly bandaged, yet the bandages were a disgusting yellow shade and needed changing. The smell was also downright horrendous.

    It was infected, and Kegan pointed out the visible red lines going up the man''s thigh and lower torso. "It''s spreading quite rapidly, too," he said softly under his breath. Kegan began to ask Marko a few questions as he began to unwind the bandages.

    Meanwhile, I was rifling through Kegan''s doctor''s bag to grab his replacement bandages. Yet it was at this moment that the wound came into view, and I nearly vomited at the sight. It was black, red, and oozing a horrid puss.

    "I-I need to go outside," I said, quickly turning away and rushing outside before I could embarrass myself and make things worse.

    It''s the smell; oh gods, the smell is awful. It was like sniffing a rotting corpse!

    As I rushed outside, my face planted into someone. A woman yelled and grabbed the top of my head with one hand. "Excuse me," a light voice said, and I glanced up to see a pretty, blonde-haired human woman with bright green eyes looking down at me.

    "I-I''m sorry, I just need fresh air¡­" I said, breathing deeply as I stepped around the woman.

    "Who are you?" The woman asked.

    I blinked for a second and said, "Luna, Luna Ashflow¡­ I''m with the doctor." I pointed at the tent.

    "Doctor?" The woman''s eyes widened, and she went into the tent without another word.

    Okay, Luna, just a couple more breaths. Then we have to go back in¡­ I thought to myself, until, on a second thought, one much more tempting thought arose: Maybe I should heal him and get it over with. That didn''t look good; even I couldn''t look at it. A good restoration and rejuvenation will get him walking in no time¡­

    "Yeah, but," I said to myself. "Momma will get really mad."

    Who cares, though? It''s just one guy; maybe wait till everyone is out and slap him with an excellent old revive?

    "Hmm¡­" I sighed. "No. I won''t piss off my parents." I took one more breath, turned around, and returned to the tent to continue the check-up.

    <hr>

    I stood beside Kegan with Kaleb, Paul, and the woman I ran into across from us. I learned the woman was Paul''s mother and Marco''s wife, Doris. She was kind, if not a nervous wreck, about her husband''s state, understandably so.

    We had just recently finished our examination, or well, Kegan did, and the entire time, I felt like the kid having to hold the flashlight for their father. Kegan had just rounded us all up together at the edge of the tent, while Marco fell asleep shortly after we laid him down.

    Things weren''t looking good. From the wound up to the midway point of Marco''s torso, it was inflamed, yellow, and just wrong. I wasn''t a doctor, and even I knew this was serious. In my old world, this man would''ve been rushed to the emergency room long ago, yet I don''t even know if this world has such a thing.

    "So, I''m going to be straight," Kegan told the family. "This isn''t good. In any other normal circumstance, he should''ve been taken to a doctor promptly."

    "As said, Dr. Kegan¡ª" Kaleb started, but Kegan held his hands up.

    "I know you were all on the road. What I''m trying to say is that he needs antibodies," the doctor said. I do have antibiotics, but they are back in my office in Helmsworth."

    "What about your clinic here?" I asked.

    "I haven''t moved them down yet," Kegan explained. "The antibodies are in very fragile containers; I was going to save those for last." He sighed.

    "How long will it take you to get them, and how much?" Doris asked almost desperately. "We have thirty coppers in total."

    Kegan grimaced and sighed. "I''m willing to give them to you, but¡­ It''ll take me at least an hour or two to get to my clinic, and about another hour back, depending on traffic."

    "You won''t be here till evening then?" Kaleb asked.

    "Yes, and his condition is worsening by the minute," he said. "The infection is getting dangerously close to his heart."

    "Then go!" Doris said, her voice cracking as tears began to form, "Go, go; I-I''ll look over him. Just go get the cure for my Marc."

    Kegan nodded and turned to me. "Come, Luna," he said, but I didn''t move.

    "I''ll be just behind you," I said to Kegan, having already decided. "Trust me."

    The doctor looked confused but then nodded. "Alright, just make your way back to the clinic when you''re ready."

    I nodded and turned to the three beside me. "If you don''t mind, I''d like to check on something with Mr. Hensler."

    "What do you want to check?" Doris asked me as I turned and walked towards the sleeping man.

    Ah, fuck, I should''ve known they''d ask this¡­ Uh, shit, what can I say that sounds smart and doctor-like?

    "I just want to double check his vitals," I said with enough fake confidence and a broad smile.

    The three of them shared a look and then looked at me and nodded. Hell yeah, it works every time. I smiled.

    Walking over to Marco, I knelt beside him and whispered, "Hello, Mr. Hensler, it''s Luna again. I''m going to touch you; is that okay?"

    "The Kingdom of God¡­" The man muttered deliriously as he slept, "The Kingdom for All¡­ Do not make the mistakes I did¡­" I perked my head up and glanced at him, and I noticed his eyes were parted just a bit, and he was looking at me. "You''re young¡­ Live your life¡­ however you want¡­ Don''t let others dictate what you do¡­"

    I smiled faintly at him and nodded. "I won''t, now¡­ Just close your eyes. I need to, uh, check your vitals." Marco''s eyes shifted back closed, and his family began to move closer. I stood around me, grabbed his left hand, and gently placed my fingers on his wrist.

    Taking a deep breath and clearing my mind, I closed my eyes and began to mutter the incantation for restoration. "In the whispering weave of magic''s touch, threads entwine, and ailments clutch. Sight restored, and limbs made whole¡ªSlyondra''s grace, the healer''s role. Restore!" A green circle of light formed around me and began to shine. My hands began to glow as I touched his. Swirling orbs of light coalesced around me before shooting into Marco''s body.

    The older man''s mouth dropped open, and an audible sigh of relief escaped him as I watched the color return to his face. His family around me also gasped with shock and smiled gently. "I just need to check one more thing," I said as I then placed one hand on his wounded thigh and began to mutter the words for rejuvenation.

    Once again, the ground around me lit up with green light as orbs of light began to swirl into the air around me. My hand began to shine brightly, and my eyes also shone with a green hue as I continued the incantation. Finally, "Rejuvenate!" I finished as the pleasurable tingles of ether soared through my body and down my arm before exiting out of my hand and into Marco''s body.

    While I couldn''t see, I could feel the wound in his thigh stitching itself together, yet what I could see was his hair. I watched with surprise as his gray facial hair shifted in color toward a lovely dark blonde. I also noticed the wrinkles around his eyes recede, as if this man had just become visibly younger by at least five years.

    Doris choked a sob and immediately rushed forward. "It''s a miracle; I just witnessed a miracle!" She exclaimed as she dropped to her knees beside me and her husband and threw herself onto her man.

    Paul rushed over and knelt beside her mother while I smiled gently and got to my feet. Not wanting to stick around any longer, I turned and froze when I saw Kaleb looking at me with wide eyes. With two fingers, he muttered a prayer under his breath and motioned a circle in front of himself, similar to the Holy Trinity.

    "By, God. It is you." He said

    "Excuse me?" I said. "I was just checking his vitals, and well, it looks like we missed something." I said it as if the lie would still work.

    "You''re the angel of Kenchala," he said again.

    "I, uh," I laughed nervously. "I think you''re mistaking me."

    "No, I can''t be," he said. You said it yourself; you were there in Kassel. You were at the refugee camp, and I heard the stories firsthand of the young girl who cured the entire brigade."

    "I, uh, should really get going." I smiled. "Y''know, everybody gets one, so don''t get hurt again!" I said jokingly as Kaleb spoke up again, but I ignored him and quickly ran out of the tent.

    Fuck!

 Chapter 83: Idle Talk

    I rushed towards Kegan as fast as I could. My little heart was racing rapidly in my chest; I mentally cursed myself, dammit, dammit! Of course, the first time, the first time I''d be recognized! I couldn''t have left him there; Kegan said things looked terrible. What if he had passed while we were getting the medicine? I couldn''t risk it, but of course, I immediately got caught the first time I did it.

    I groaned before gasping when my face collided with the side of the doctor. Kegan grunted and stumbled forward before turning around to look at me. "Luna," he said, "what has you in such a rush?" He asked.

    I wanted to lie, yet I knew it''d be pointless. Kegan would be coming back here in the evening if I didn''t just tell the truth. Looking around, I saw we were a little ways away from the tent, and only a scattered few lurked around us, paying no attention. I gulped and looked up at him.

    "I took care of Mr. Marco," I said. "He''s cured. We don''t need to come back."

    Kegan looked at me, confused for a second, then blinked. "Wait," he said. "You used your magic?" He smiled. "I thought your parents made a deal that you weren''t supposed to."

    "He was not doing well," I said, "like you said, he needed medicine ages ago."

    The doctor took a deep breath, fixed his shirt, and said, "You''re right." He nodded. "He wasn''t well at all." He lowered his voice and motioned for me to follow him as we continued walking. "The infection was rapidly spreading; honestly, I wouldn''t have been surprised if his condition worsened while I was out getting the supplies."

    My head perked up. So, I was right?

    "Even if I got to him in time, there was still no guarantee the medicine would help him, as it''s been so long." He sighed but then looked over his shoulder. "But, because of your help, I won''t need to worry about that now, so thank you." I smiled as I felt my heart flutter, but such a flutter quickly transitioned into a sinking sense of dread when Kegan''s face hardened. "But that doesn''t explain the rush and your disturbed look. Did something happen?"

    I opened my mouth, but all that came out was an incomprehensible sound as I tried to formulate my words. "They, uh, didn''t expect, uh, me to use my magic." I laughed nervously. "Kaleb started mentioning stuff about miracles, so I, uh, ran."

    The doctor''s brow arched, and I could tell he knew something else was up, and I couldn''t help but cave. I groaned and once again glanced around. I couldn''t help but feel like I was being followed. I looked back at Kegan and said, "Kaleb recognized me. Apparently, after the Kassel incident, he stayed at the same refugee camp we went to after sailing over the river. He was there when apparently I had cured everyone in the hospital they had."

    "Like in the same room? I was there, and I never saw him," Kegan said.

    I shook my head. "No, but word spread fast all around camp after I did that." I bit my lower lip. "There aren''t many kids who can do what I do," I said. It would be best if you had thought of that before acting off your emotions, dummy. I sighed. "So it''s no wonder he knew who I was."

    Kegan took a deep breath and stuffed his hands into his pockets as we walked towards the clinic. Looking forward, he said, "I see. Well, I don''t see any harm in what you did. Genuinely, I do. You saved that man''s life, Luna. Others may see it as a miracle, and perhaps it is. Though, I don''t see any harm coming our way."

    I nodded. "Maybe, but aren''t you concerned this will attract a lot of attention?" I asked regretfully as I kicked myself. Mom and Dad are going to be so mad when they find out.

    "It may," Kegan said with a slow nod. "Or it may not. If it does, then more people who need aid will come to us, and I look forward to providing whatever I can. Perhaps, though, I''m just not one for seeing the big picture of things." He shrugged but said, "However, if you''re concerned, you can lay low. Keep that head down, and surely news of this will pass. You can work in the back with your brother."

    I pouted and puffed my cheeks. "Okay."

    <hr>

    We returned to the clinic as evening began to settle in. The sun hung low in the sky as it began to set. I hadn''t told Isa or Varis about what had happened, mainly because I feared what Isa would say and, at worst, tell my parents. I''ll admit this is not the child in me, but just myself. I had seen my mother furious only a handful of times, and I did not wish to be on the receiving end. I was not mentally ready for such a thing yet.

    The remainder of my first day at Kegan''s clinic went well. A handful of people trickled in, which the doctor and Isa tended to while I helped Varis at the back of the tent sort and organize dozens of tonics and medicines I''d never heard of. I don''t know why my brain still defaults to stuff I was familiar with in my past life; you''d think my brain would''ve rewired itself to this world after seven years, but nope. Now and again, I find myself wondering why Kegan doesn''t have morphine or some opium, only to remind myself that I''m dumb and that such drugs don''t exist in this world.

    Well, they probably do, in one way or another, but they are called something different. Most likely, though, they don''t and instead are replaced by something else. For instance, a drug the good doctor has is something called Xanatri. It looked like pieces of bark from a tree¡ªjust small, wooden shards in a vial. During one of the quiet moments of the day, I asked Kegan about it.

    "Xanatri?" He smiled. "It''s a natural painkiller; it''s bark stripped from a Xanati tree."

    "You mean Xanatri?" Varis asked.

    The doctor shook his head. "No, Xanati, that''s the name of the tree. Xanatri is its bark."

    Varis blinked. "That''s so confusing; why name two things like that?"

    The doctor snorted and shook his head. "Don''t ask me; ask the people of Xing where the tree was first discovered."

    I glanced at the bark in the vial and then back at Kegan. "So, do you eat it?" This made him laugh.

    Shaking his head, he said, "No. Say if you were having dental pain or a horrible mouth sore. You''d suck on it. The oils in the bark will soothe the pain, or you can soak the bark in water and then rub it gently on your body wherever you''re sore. It''s not as effective as sucking on it, but that''s why it''s considered a minor pain reliever," he explained. "I do have a refined variant called xanaglycena."

    Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.

    "What¡­?" Varis asked with a blank expression.

    The doctor chuckled. "It''s this." He went over to the shelf we were organizing and plucked a tonic off the top shelf. "Here are the oils from that bark, extracted and put into this glass." He held the bottle out to us. "Keep in mind that the amount of oil in the bark is nothing compared to what''s in this here. There''s enough xanatri in this bottle to put a dragon to sleep. It''s what we call in my field an anathesia, the first of its kind." He smiled. "Twenty years ago, doctors would have to operate on your awake."

    "Huh?!" Varis gasped. "You mean, they would cut me open while I''m awake, wouldn''t that hurt?"

    Kegan smiled and nodded. "It would; that''s how my father used to work." He hummed as he straightened up and put the bottle back on the shelf. "If there was no form of magic around to help you, there''s only one way to save someone, and that''s the old fashioned way. Every day, the world of medicine continues to develop; now that we have anesthesia, I no longer have to worry about causing great harm to someone while I operate."

    "Have you ever had to operate on someone before?" I asked as I returned to work while listening.

    "Oh yes," Kegan nodded. "Many times. I wouldn''t be licensed if I hadn''t performed surgery on someone."

    "Why cut someone open, though?" Varis asked, still hanging up on what Kegan had said before. "Magic is everywhere? Momma always had healing scrolls whenever Luna and I got hurt. Why risk killing someone if we can just?" He slammed his fist into his palm. "Fix them like that!"

    "Varis," I said. "That''s rude."

    Kegan shook his head. "No, no, Varis brings a valid point." He smiled. "My field has always been at odds with the clergy regarding this. Medicine isn''t just about healing people in the old and natural way; it''s also about understanding our species. What makes humans so different from elves or serelli? How do our bodies work, and how can we learn from them?

    The clergy values purity and our connection to the gods. They believe our bodies work the way they do because the gods demand it, and we should respect their design. Like how a chef keeps their family recipe a secret."

    "I take it you don''t agree with that outlook?" I asked.

    "Of course I don''t," Kegan said, crossing his arms. "But I do respect it. Perhaps it''s true what they say about us humans, and that''s it''s my nature to be curious about everything."

    "What?" Varis tilted his head.

    "Oh, have you not heard of that phrase?" Kegan smiled.

    "I don''t have any human friends," Varis pouted.

    The doctor smiled. "Human nature. It was coined nearly thirty millennia ago after the event known as the Consolidation of the Planes and First Contact. Are you familiar?" He asked.

    "Momma told us about the Consolidation and the creation of Vinland," I said with a nod and a big smile. "But, uh, what do you mean "first contact?" " Does he mean aliens? Well¡­ I guess you could argue humans were alien to this world.

    Kegan smiled. "First contact was when my kind encountered what is known as the Elder Races." He gestured to Varis and me. "The Elves, Dwarfs, Serelli, Halfings, and God Touched. Pretty much any race that lives beyond a century," he said. "When humanity first met the other races, it was noted by how curious and unfocused our kind was and still is." He smiled. "It was always in our nature to be curious, and some say that due to our detachment from the divine, our curiosity holds no bounds."

    As a former human, I agree with this. I thought with a nod.

    "Huh," Varis said, thinking. "So, wait, do humans not live beyond a century?"

    Kegan shook his head. "Not normally," he said. "It depends on where you live, how you live, and what treatments there are. This applies to all species. But we humans, here in Heinmarr last, I checked, have the average lifespan is about eighty years."

    Holy shit, that''s better than the United States back in my old life. I thought.

    Varis blinked. "Wa-wait, you''ll only live to be eighty?!" Varis gasped. "That''s younger than momma!"

    Kegan blushed and rubbed the back of his head. "I''d be happy if I made it to that age."

    "No wonder you''re a doctor then!" Varis pounded his fist into his palm again. "You''re trying to discover a way to immortality!"

    Kegan snorted. "Yes, of course." He played along.

    I guess it makes sense why Alexander prolonged his life as he did. I couldn''t imagine what it''d feel like to live in a world where almost everything else will outlive you. I guess I got fortunate this time around. I thought to myself.

    As the sun began to set fully, Kegan announced that the work day was coming to a close. We had finished organizing much of the back and grabbed our things when Isa walked over to my brother and me.

    "You two ready?" Isa asked. "The air is getting a little chilly out this evening again, so we better get moving quickly before it gets too cold."

    "Why is it getting so cold?" Varis asked. "Summer is supposed to be hot."

    Isa shrugged. "I don''t know, but sometimes the weather in Heinmarr can be funny." She patted each of our shoulders as Kegan whistled to get our attention.

    "Don''t run off just yet," He said, "I have your payments."

    "Money!" Varis exclaimed and rushed over to Kegan, who was sitting at his desk.

    "Indeed, money," he said, smiling. "As promised, each of you will be getting five coppers."

    "Heck yeah!" Varis bounced excitedly, and I couldn''t help but smile at him as Kegan handed us each of our coins.

    "Now remember, Varis," Isa said. "We''re trying to save our money for the train tickets. Don''t spend all of this at one place."

    Varis pursed his lips. "Okay. I''ll try."

    Isa smiled and tussled his hair.

    "Well, I hope you all have a nice weekend," Kegan said.

    "Wait what?" My head perked up. What day is it again?

    "Today is Field''s Day," he said. "Tomorrow is Rest Day; this clinic won''t be open as I''ll be running the one in Helmsworth. So you all will have free time."

    My eyes widened. Time off? Already? Hell yeah, I''ll get to explore more! I smiled widely as Isa placed a hand on my shoulder.

    I glanced up at her, and she nodded at me. What? What''s that supposed to mean?

    As I pondered what that was, Kegan showed us to the outside, and immediately, we came face-to-face with a small group. About a dozen people stood before us, many wearing familiar priestly garb, while the others looked like refugees. Father Kaleb and Father Marco, who were now healthy and seemingly a couple of years younger, were in the group''s center.

    "Oh, I see you''re standing," Kegan said to the priest.

    "Indeed, I am," Marco said, sounding significantly healthier. "All thanks to your wonderful companion."

    "What is going on here?" Isa asked.

    "Yeah, who are you, people?" Varis asked bluntly, and I hissed at him.

    "Apologies, Madam," Marco said as the other clergy members bowed. "I am Father Marco Hensler. Hours ago, I was a dying man, but, you see, Dr. Kegan and his assistant came to me in those fading moments. As I waited for Salvation to come and take me, I was instead greeted by none other than Charity. It was you." He pointed to me. "Who came with Charity''s offerings and granted me the generosity of prolonging my life? For that, I, and those of the church." He and the rest of the clergy bowed once more. "We offer you our deepest gratitude. May God and Heaven witness this event, and may he offer you peace."

    As the clergy bowed, I could hear Isa''s neck popping. She slowly turned to glare at me, saying between clenched teeth, "Luna, what did you do?"

    Goddammit¡­ I should''ve known this was coming. Fuck.

    I curled my lips inward, thought for a second, and said bluntly, "Man was dying, so I touched him, and now he''s alive still. What did you want me to do?"

    Isa bit her lower lip and looked at the group in front of me. In a language I couldn''t understand, she said something I could only guess was a curse as she facepalmed.

    Please don''t tell momma¡­ was all I thought.

 Chapter 84: Trapped With My Thoughts

    The commute back to my aunt and uncle''s house was quiet and immensely stressful. Even Varis, my usually happy-go-lucky brother, knew something was up. Unlike me or my family, he wasn''t aware of the consequences that my nonchalant use of magic could bring. I knew what I did was "wrong" in a practical sense. Morally, however, I felt justified in what I did. While I didn''t see the man was going to croak if I hadn''t healed him, I knew by simply looking at him that things weren''t good. To have Kegan vindicate my assumptions was all I needed to know to conclude that what I did was right.

    Of course, I''m coming at this from a biased angle, but surely, my family will go around. Yeah, the people I helped worship the same beings that the Master said are out to kill us all, but they''re still people. That''s not just the emotional kid brain in me speaking; even past me, I couldn''t sit still knowing they could snap their fingers and fix this.

    It''s just a handful of people who know what I can do. I''m hedging my bets on these strangers, but I hope¡ªI hope they keep this tiny bit to themselves. Isa asked them when we left, and they all seemed open to not mentioning it. So maybe, just maybe, this can all be swept under the rug.

    Yet, who am I kidding? I''m sure the others outside praying knew something was up the moment I left and Marco was walking again. The faceless strangers who watched me come and go will probably spread the word of a little girl who cured the saint that had led them all to safety. Only time will tell what''s to come.

    I hope Mother and Father will be more open to speaking rather than getting angry. Why am I so scared? Mother and Father aren''t going to go ballistic; they never do. I''ve only seen Mother lash out when Mr. Blaxen came to our home. She''s gotten upset and disappointed before with Varis and me, yet she was never this vulgar and violent, being my crazed brain keeps imagining her as.

    Goddamn paranoia. I keep thinking they''re going to get mad like my old parents. I love them, my old folks, yet I could never stand how they treated me or my brothers. But my current family isn''t them. I have to tell myself that. Momma has only slapped me once, and that was when I saved her. I''m still conflicted on that, but it''s the only time.

    Thankfully, or not, maybe this will just add more fire to the fire in my consciousness. When we returned to the house that evening, no one was home. Isa opened the door to the home and gestured for Varis and me to go inside. When I walked past Isa, she stopped me.

    "Luna, I''d like you to sit in your room for a bit until your parents are home," she said as her eyes narrowed on me.

    I gulped and nodded. "O-Okay," I sighed. Well, here we go again. Am I going to be grounded in my room? Forced to do chores? The one aspect of childhood I didn''t miss.

    Without putting up much of a fight, I went to my room. "Why is Luna in trouble?" I heard Varis ask. "She helped someone, didn''t she?"

    I sighed as I stopped outside the room and listened. "Luna broke a rule that your mother explicitly told her not to. "

    "Helping people?" Varis said, sounding confused. "Why is that something we''re not allowed to do?"

    Isa audibly sighed as I heard her and my brother walk into the kitchen. "You know your sister, Varis," she said. "You''ve seen how special she is."

    "Y-Yeah," he said clearly, not knowing where this was going.

    "Luna can do things many people¡ªno¡ªmost people cannot. Such people would be eager to receive your sister''s aid; however, such attention also attracts a lot of bad people. People we don''t want to help."

    I heard my brother hum, and I could imagine him nodding his head. "So, Momma doesn''t want Luna to attract bad people. Who are the bad people?"

    I heard Isa sigh once again. "That''s a jabber den I don''t want to get into. Just know that Luna isn''t supposed to be using magic right now."

    "But who''s going to teach me?" Varis exclaimed, and my heart froze for a second.

    "Excuse me?" Isa said questioningly.

    "I, uh, mean, who''s going to show me cool stuff?" Varis said in a squeaky voice.

    You rat bastard, I told you to keep it a secret! I gritted my teeth, opened the bedroom door, and stepped inside to await my punishment.

    <hr>

    It felt like torture. Absolute, unbridled torture. Trapped in this dark, foreboding room. The ceiling fan above hummed softly as it spun; the small magrite light cast a faint blue glow in the room, aside from the sounds of the city outside the bedroom window. It was utterly silent. Faintly, I could hear Isa and Varis in the other room down the hall, yet their voices were muffled.

    I was alone. All alone. A bookshelf sat in the corner. I skimmed over them, yet nothing stood out to me. All were either random history books or ones about works of artificery, which is somewhat interesting, yet there is nothing I want to read now.

    Admittedly, the urge to read all the books in this world faded a bit back when I lived in Oren. When I learned to read Maurich, I was eager to throw myself at the nearest book to gobble up all the lore I could, as if this were some video game world. In the first couple of years since then, coming up to just about last year, I had grown tired of reading. Just like in my past life on Earth, there''s just so much.

    There''s so much to learn; it''s overbearing, and thus, my mind reverted to how it was previously. I''d only grab whatever piques my interest rather than burn out on everything. All in all, I''m trying to say that nothing on this shelf interested me, and it was torture.

    The grandfather clock said it was roughly eight in the evening. The sun was starting to set still, and it''s only been thirty minutes since I''d been in this god-forsaken room. God, I''m so bored already. I whined and stretched my legs out.

    I was currently lying on my bed. I had kicked off my boots, flopped onto my back, and stared at the fan above me. Usually, I would sleep during times like this. Yet, I couldn''t. My mind was wired, and my thoughts were clear. I was nowhere close to being able to force myself into a nap.

    There had to be something to do that could pass the time. So, I decided to roll off of bed with a little grunt. I smoothed out my dress and began to poke around the room. There were two beds here, one for Varis and the one I just hopped off of, which was mine. Technically, there was a third, but it was a bedroll on the floor for Isa. Most of her belongings were laid out beside the bedding, and part of me was curious to see what I''d find within her satchel, but better judgment kicked in, and I chose not to do so.

    Let''s not get into any more trouble, Luna. I thought to myself and glanced around some more until my eyes fell upon the box below the frame of my bed.

    "What''s this?" I muttered out loud. I hadn''t seen this earlier when I first came in. I got on my knees and crawled over to the wooden box, pulled it out from under the bed, and noticed that it wasn''t just a box but a chest.

    My eyes widen with excitement, and I glance around all sides of this box. There were no signs or iconography to suggest what it was, and most of all, it had no visible lock. Curiosity was kicking in; I just had to open it. Lifting the latches, I lifted the lid and gasped at what I saw.

    Clothes. That''s a lot of colorful clothes!

    They were not ordinary clothes either. They were small people-sized¡ªlike Varis and I were small. They were fresh, comfy clothes that I could swap into rather than wearing the same underwear or shirt for days on end. I never knew I''d be so happy to see extra garments. I wanted to cry a little.

    But I didn''t. I took a deep breath and smiled widely. There were socks, panties, boxers, shirts, and more skirts¡ªpretty much enough here for Varis and me to have a few outfits to cycle through. Grabbing a cute blue shirt with frills, I lifted it and smiled widely before noticing something I hadn''t seen beneath the pile I had tossed.

    "Huh?" I blinked and reached into the box, and suddenly, my cheeks began to burn a bright red.

    Grabbing it by its strings, I hoisted out of the box a tiny black bra. Clearly, it was meant for a girl a little older and more developed than me, but I think I knew why it was here. I glanced down at myself; obviously, my chest was still growing, and I still had the pains from time to time, but honestly, fighting for my life constantly these past few weeks had made me easily forget about it.

    The tiny buds weren''t even visible through my dress, at least not this one. I''ve worn thinner clothes back home, and they were somewhat noticeable. The cups on this thing, though, made it seem like they expected me to grow into something huge! Well, I''m exaggerating a little, and also¡­ Mom is pretty big, so maybe. My intrusive thoughts butted in, and I shook my head and tossed the bra back into the box.

    This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

    "Nope! Nope!" I shook my head. "Too young, too young for those kinds of thoughts!" I clapped my hands on my cheeks. "B-Besides," I said out loud to myself. "We probably got, like, another half a decade before we need to worry about wearing these things, right?" I asked myself and glanced at the vanity mirror in the room. My eyes met my own, and I gulped. "Right?" I laughed nervously.

    Momma said elves mature pretty quickly, so maybe sooner¡­ but¡­

    I shook my head. "No, no, that was a nasty conversation." I crossed my arms into an X. "Never shall I return to that memory." I shuddered.

    Taking a few moments to relax, I looked at myself in the mirror again as my thoughts began to wander. What will I look like in the future? I asked myself, though thankfully, the degenerate thoughts were kept at bay as I thought about how I''d probably look like my mother. Varis, for the most part, seemed to be a carbon copy of our father, save for the hair and multicolored eyes, whereas I seemed to be a copy of Mother.

    If you''re going to be a copy of Mom, you''ll definitely need a bigger bra¡ª

    "Gaaah! Shut up, shut up, shut up!" I exclaimed, clamping my hands over my ears. "I thought I snuffed those thoughts out. No, no, no!"

    There''s nothing wrong with being excited about how you''ll look! It''s awesome¡ª

    "Nope, nuh uh, no. This time, I''m going to be wholesome, lovable, and cute." I stated this to no one but myself. "No, horny, no creepiness, nothing." I crossed my arms and nodded my head.

    Yet, something clawed away at the back of my mind¡ªa small, creeping voice of a mind goblin that''s always been there. Hiding. Waiting. A small aperture deep within my consciousness has ever so slowly reared its ugly head, and whenever it does, it says,

    "Stop lying to yourself."

    "Gyaaah! No!" I buried my face into the side of my bedding. "No, no!" I sat back on my rear, pulled my legs up to my chest, and hugged them. "I made it very clear, me. We are not doing anything weird or fucked up¡ª"

    "Until¡ª"

    "Err, no. Well¡­" I sighed. "Why am I even thinking out loud?"

    Because you''re bored, I thought to myself.

    I groaned. "I''m not a creep. I''m not a creep."

    Then why do I have such weird thoughts now and again?

    I whined. "Because I''m young, dumb, and got all that hormone shit momma said, it''s normal for humans, elves, and pretty much mammals in general to go through this!" I explained to myself. "I''m not a creep."

    Mentally, you''re not young and dumb, though, and you know that. My thoughts raced.

    I bit my lower lip. "Th-that''s true, bu-but I didn''t ask for that; I''m a kid again, and thus I experience everything else that a kid gets to experience."

    But that sounds like an elaborate excuse, isn''t it? How old would I be right now if I were still alive in another life? Thirty four? A thirty-four-year-old man was trapped in a little girl''s body.

    I gripped my long, pointed ears, yanked them down, and shook my head. "No! No! It''s only weird if I put it like that," I said. "I''m not him anymore. I''m not. He''s gone¡ªdead. I''m Luna now; I''m seven years old; I''m going through what every little kid goes through," I said to myself, but still, inside that dark crevice in the back of my mind where that voice sat within my subconscious remained.

    Just keep telling yourself that. It would mutter. No matter what you do in this life, you''ll be nothing but a creep.

    I shook my head again. "No, I won''t."

    Remember how you felt when you realized who you were in this life? What sex are you?

    I was about to scream when I suddenly heard a knock on my door. I jolted right and turned, relieved to have a distraction from my ruminations. "H-Hello?" I said.

    "Luna," I heard my mother on the other side. "May I come in?"

    I bit my lower lip as my heart began to race. She''s going to realize you''ve been wrong. That little goblin in my mind chuckled.

    "Yes," I said, still sitting among the clothes and chest.

    When my mother opened the door, I was surprised to see she was wearing something unexpected. She was wearing a delicate, form-fitting suit, skirt, and red tie, and to my shock, she even had makeup such as fine red lipstick and liner that made her sharp blue eyes pop.

    "Oh¡­ wow¡­" I couldn''t help but mutter as my mother closed the door gently behind her.

    She turned to look at me, blushed when she realized I was looking her over, and smiled. "Your aunt forced me to doll up before going to the office today, not something I''d normally wear." She chuckled.

    "You look really pretty!" I said, smiling widely.

    My mother awed softly and said, "Thank you. I haven''t done myself up like this since back at the Concodrium." She chuckled and crossed her arms gently as she looked down at me. "And I see you''re trying to doll yourself up too." She nodded towards her chest of clothes.

    I blushed and said, "I-I found these and was just¡­ looking through them."

    My mother chuckled and walked over to my bed, where she sat on the edge of it. "Your aunt and I went through them earlier this morning before we went off to work after you left," she said. "Both you and Varis should have enough clothes to make it through a week." She smiled.

    I nodded and glanced back down at the chest, which lazily tossed on it was the bra that was still visible. My mother snickered upon seeing me burn a bright red upon seeing it again. "Give or take a year; you''ll be wearing that." My mother giggled.

    "N-No I won''t!" I blurted out as my anxieties began to rear their heads again.

    My mother laughed even louder and nodded. "Oh yes, you are. I know this because you come from me." She winked.

    I opened my mouth to object but stopped when I realized how stupid I was about to sound. Seeing this, my mother giggled and patted me on the head. "Oooh, is someone afraid of growing up?" She smirked.

    I wiggled my way out from under her hand and shook my head. "N-no¡­ I just¡­ feel weird."

    My mother''s smile faded slightly, and she said, "There''s nothing to worry about. It''s like I said back then: I had to go through this¡ªwe''ve all had to. It''s all part of becoming a woman."

    Gah, fuck, I wish I could just tell her why I feel weird! My mind screamed. But obviously, that''d be stupid. ''Hey, Mom, did you know I''m actually some grown loser inhabiting your daughter''s body?'' How the hell could I explain that to her? It''s not the puberty stuff that''s bothering me; it''s the fact that I''m just me who''s going to experience this!

    Stop¡­ calm down¡­ Take a deep breath.

    So I did. I took a deep breath and said, "I know, Momma, it''s just¡­ I was surprised." I smiled at her.

    My mother giggled and said, "I get that." She leaned back and crossed her arms under her chest, and I gasped when she propped her covered breasts up with them. "If you''d like, I could show you how to put it on."

    "Ah-ah-ah¡­uh¡­.geh¡­" These were the only sounds I could muster before shaking my head. "I think I''ll pass on that." I looked away.

    My mother laughed again. "Oh, you''re adorable when flustered; okay, we can try later¡­" She sighed and said, "Well, let''s change the topic."

    For the love of all that is holy, please. Please change the topic, Mother.

    "Isa told me what happened today," she said, and I bit my lower lip. "I want to hear from you," she said as I put all the new clothes back into the chest. "Tell me everything."

    <hr>

    I told her everything. Down to the tiniest details I could remember. I had nothing to hide, and she surprisingly came off as approachable. Unlike past instances, telling my parents anything, for the most part, led to me getting into deeper trouble. However, my mother remained calm and listened. She never interrupted me; her eyes remained soft yet focused. She never even changed positions; her arms were still crossed beneath her chest, and her legs crossed over each other as she sat on the edge of the bed.

    I was across from her, on Varis''s bed, my heart hammering in my chest as I spilled the beans all over the floor for her. "And I ran back to Kegan, told him what I did, and he said that he feared the guy was going to die that night anyway. So, uh, I think I did a good thing."

    "And the priest Marco and his family came to thank you?" my mother asked as the story ended.

    I nodded. "Yes, he, the other priest, Kaleb, and some others I didn''t know." I gripped the bedding tighter.

    My mother nodded slowly before eventually letting off a deep groan, and to my surprise, she flopped back on my bed with her arms outstretched. "Darn it!" She audibly whined, and I blinked with surprise. "Gaaah, why couldn''t you just listen to me?" My mother whined again, like a pouty teenager.

    I blinked again with shock as my mother sat back up, uncrossed her legs, and leaned forward. "Gaah, why did I have to give birth to such a beautiful, loving, and empathetic daughter?" she said before getting up and coming over to me.

    "Wait¡­ a-are you not mad?" I asked as my mother sat beside me. Without warning, she draped her arms around me and yanked me into a hug.

    I gasped and tried to scream but was smothered by her breast going directly into my face as she cuddled me. "Of course not!" She said, "At least I''m not mad at you for saving another person. I could never be angry at you for doing something nice." She said this as she smothered me with her body. "I am disappointed that you didn''t listen, but¡­" She trailed off. "After hearing what Isa said and then what you just told me¡­ that did sound like the right call, but¡­" She bit her lower lip. "This could have unintended side effects."

    Finally, my mother pulled away, freeing me from her bosom of smothering and allowing me to breathe. Taking a couple of breaths, I said, "I-I know¡­" I took a deep breath and recomposed myself. "I-I''ll try not to do it anymore."

    My mother said nothing at first, so she got up off the bed and walked around me as she went towards the door to the room. "You know why I said not to use your magic, right?"

    "To not attract unneeded attention?" I said, and she nodded slowly.

    "Exactly," she said softly and then took a deep breath. "I knew I wouldn''t be able to stop you from using your powers. You really are a little angel, Luna." She looked back at me. "There aren''t many people, aside from your father, who can show such empathy."

    I blushed faintly and said, "I just don''t like seeing hurt people, that''s all."

    My mother nodded slowly. "The rule is still set though, Luna, but¡­ I''ll amend it. Only use your magic when necessary¡ªand I mean, necessary. If someone is dying and you can stop it, sure, but no willy nilly use. Got it?"

    My eyes lit up, and I smiled widely. "Got it!" I beamed.

    My mother turned to leave but stopped once more and said, "And one more thing, Luna."

    "Yes, Momma?" I said.

    "You have a heart of gold," she said, and my eyes widened as she side-eyed me from over her shoulder. "Don''t let anyone ever take it from you."

    With that, she opened the door and stepped out into the hallway, leaving me alone with my heart fluttering. After a few moments, I shook my head and recomposed myself.

    "D-Does this mean I can leave the room now?"

 Chapter 85: Renka

    It''s been three days since my miracle in Trentonville. To say things had blown over and life resumed would be a lie; however, the events that have occurred since then haven''t been as bad as I thought. Quite frankly, the opposite. Word had spread that the "Good Doctor and the Little Angel" had cured Saint Marko of his debilitating illness, which I initially thought odd. He didn''t have a debilitating disease that I knew of. He had an infection.

    Then I remembered what happened and how, when I healed him, not only did the gunshot wound go away, but other aspects of him seemed to refresh, for lack of a better word. Healing arts, at least how I''ve used them, don''t seem to work in a targeted sense but fix the whole thing. Perhaps he had some other issue outside of the infection that I cured? Probably.

    Regardless, the news was out, and business at the clinic began to boom. People from the refugee camp began to flock to Kegan''s clinic, and the rest of us, Isa, Varis, and myself, have been working overtime. The variety of individuals varied from those with life-threatening infections and illnesses like Marco to those with missing limbs and other issues ranging from big to small. Of course, they were asking for me to cure them.

    "Only use your magic when necessary." My mother''s words have stayed fresh in my mind since the other day. Many of the individuals who came to us could be treated without magic, and it was best that I lay low for a while. So, I mostly hung out in the back with Varis, sorting supplies or doing runs for whatever the doctor needed.

    I am not saying I never used my magic, though; there have been a few cases when Kegan ordered me to come to the front. Revealing to those I was here, and since then, I''ve treated four people who were suffering from similar infections to what Marco had. We all knew that this was only going to draw more attention, but it was here that the doctor and I shared a similar mindset: we weren''t going to let anyone die under our care.

    I would hate myself if I rejected someone only to learn they died due to my decision. Even if it was the right decision, due to that, I''ve grown to respect Kegan more and more. He was genuinely a good man, though he has shown himself to have some weird and awkward things to say about people and other races. I recalled clearly from our time together on the road what he said about the Tenorahns, which Isa quickly shut down.

    Kegan, please, I would think to myself in such moments: Stop saying cringe.

    For instance, he said the other night how Serelli would ritualistically clean themselves by licking each other. This immediately pissed off Isa, who noted that such "facts" are just stereotypes and not actual. Having lived with Isa now for four years, I''ve never once seen her lick herself. Though I have seen her lick fish at some dinners.

    Overall, he''s a great guy, but he''s horribly ill-informed about topics outside his field. This is annoying in itself, as he seems to have a strong case of the Dunning-Kruger effect. Thankfully, when corrected by Isa, he seems to own up to it in most cases.

    I hope that some of his "knowledge" about other cultures doesn''t devolve into outright bigotry. Aside from his one orc comment the other week, most of his "fun facts" have just been innocent misconceptions.

    But still, though¡­ Please don''t be a flaming racist. I prayed internally.

    Aside from that, things have gone pretty smoothly. The clinic has been receiving steady patients, and Varis and I have been busy. Isa even got a nice uniform that the doctor had given her. It was a lovely black and white dress with a little white cap; it was adorable. Varis had asked if either he or I would get an outfit, and Kegan mentioned he was working on trying to get a uniform for us, but due to our age and height, he''d need to commission someone, whereas, for Isa, he only needed to cut out a spot for her tail.

    I wonder what our uniforms would look like.

    Speaking of my brother Varis, my little training sessions with him continued in secrecy. Though mostly at night, a new routine has been established since the day I got into trouble. On weekdays after work, Varis and I are required by our parents to study with Isa. Alas, schooling has returned, and honestly, I don''t mind; my brother hates it.

    My aunt was able to scrounge up a couple of old textbooks and some portable chalkboards for Isa to use in the evening. Oh, she was elated upon seeing these. Isa always loved teaching Varis and me back at home, and upon returning to this, she welcomed me with open arms. Our first-class officially happened last night after she prepped a small lesson for us, which was also the night I planned on teaching Varis some minor spells.

    To say my brother was furious would be putting it lightly. He wasn''t screaming or complaining, but I could see a fury wanting to be unleashed in his multicolored eyes. Maybe he thought having a job would cancel the need for school, and if so, he was wrong.

    What we learned last night was something that genuinely grabbed my attention.

    "So, little ones," Isa said as she placed three heavy textbooks on the table and handed each of us a chalkboard. "I decided tonight we''re going to take a little break from history, seeing as I''ll need to prep a refresher session to get you caught up."

    "So we have nothing to learn today?" Varis asked with a glint of hope.

    Isa chuckled and shook her head. "No. We do." She winked at him. "We''re going to learn about a Void Space."

    "What?" Varis blinked.

    My eyes widened. "Wait, space? Like up above? Stars?" I beamed.

    Yo, I''m down for some astronomy! My smile widened. Space was always something I enjoyed, even in my prior life. Memories of the TV show Cosmos and Into the Wormhole flashed across my mind. Such programs in my early days influenced much of my enjoyment of sci-fi.

    Isa nodded. "Yes, Luna, we''re going to talk about the void above, or, as you said, space. Either word can be used; specifically, what we''re going to talk about is Enora''s moons. Do the two of you know how many moons Enora has?"

    Varis huffed and said, "Two. Andory and Radiant."

    "It''s Andoria and Raidance." I said, puffing my chest and smiling.

    Varis rolled his eyes. "Nerd."

    "Oi," Isa said, tapping the table in front of him with a ruler. "Be nice to your sister." She hummed before smirking and saying, "But you''re both wrong."

    "Huh?!" We both exclaimed.

    "I''ve seen only two moons ever!" I said, "What do you mean there''s a third?"

    Isa giggled. "What I asked was a trick question. For you see, Enora does have three moons, but one of which only shows itself every thirty-six years."

    Varis blinked. "So¡­ it''s hiding?"

    "You could say that." Isa smiled, opened one of the very large textbooks, and began to flip through it. The third moon is known as Renka, named after the Garlayan God of Destruction."

    I cocked my head. "Garlayan? Isn''t that the continent the Dark Lord is from?" Isa slowly nodded.

    "Indeed, Luna, I''m happy to see you''ve remembered." She smiled, and I couldn''t help but hear my heart flutter at the praise.

    "Nerd." Varis snickered, and Isa smacked the table again, the ruler startling him.

    "For millennia, it was believed that Renka was a sign of war and chaos. Anything bad, really," Isa explained. "These periods were known as the years of blood. Or, the age of the Blood Moon. For when Renka arrives, it''s light pierces the night and day for little over a year."

    "It can be seen during the day?" Varis asked.

    "Well, duh," I said, "Andoria can be seen during the day sometimes. It rises first before Radiance."

    Varis puffed his cheek. "Yeah, so."

    "So¡­?" I blinked.

    Isa tapped the table before me, pulling my attention back to her. "This is true, Luna, but Renka shines brighter. Almost like a second sun, its red light bathes the world with its energy, and what happens may surprise you."

    "What''s it do?" Varis asked, now somewhat curious.

    Isa placed both palms on the table, and as if telling a spooky story, she leaned in and said calmly, "It causes all of Enora''s magic to go wild." Our eyes widened, and Isa continued, "Back in the days before Magrite Industrialization, magisters took note of how their spells became more potent; young atherless who thought they had no power were now capable of doing great things. Something about Renka''s presence causes something within the magic of Enora to react to it, and usually in a very volatile way. Something the world learned four blood moons ago, before your parents were even born. Known as the Great Black Out."

    "Wh-what happened?" Varis asked, as I already had an idea as to what.

    Isa smiled and straightened up. She held a chalkboard and began to write away on it. "The year was 1799 on the first of Gudor, the start of the new year. The day civilization halted."

    "Huh?!" We both exclaimed, and Isa smiled and held up a finger.

    "I can''t tell the story if you two keep gasping." She giggled. "It was the age of vast industrialization, as this was also the time the first acranium engine was invented. Another lesson for the future. The world was rapidly changing with this advancement in technology. With it, mag-trains were created, new ships were born, and centralized heating and water allowed almost everyone to have easy access. Not to mention the farms; have you two both seen those harvesters back at Mr. Shwarz''s farm?"

    We both nodded.

    "All of these things stem from this." Isa tapped on the small, scribbled sketch she had made on the chalkboard of the acranium generator. It looked like a box with a sphere, and a crystal was inside it. "The arcanium generator¡ªthis single invention powers much of everything we take for granted today. Our lights, trains, heat, and even the food we eat. The ranges we cook on are all powered by these generators, but what''s powering the generators?" Isa smiled and began to sketch what looked like a big rock on the board. "Do any of you know?"

    Varis shot his hand up. "Oh, Papa told me this! Magrite!"

    Isa smiled and nodded. "Yes, Varis, magrite, the magical crystal we''ve all come to know and love."

    Ah, yes, the soul rocks. I bit my lower lip. Just thinking about it still unnerves me. I wonder if the magrite we find naturally differs from what the Rusivites are doing? I''d need to ask the Master that¡­

    "Despite using Magrite for over millennia to forge weapons of war or perform vast wizardry feats, not much is actually known about the material. What we do know, is that it can absorb vast quantities of ether, which is the energy we use for magic, and that when put into various situations, it can be manipulated so that said ether can be tapped into."

    I could tell there was a much deeper explanation than this, but Isa paraphrased for both Varis and me.

    "The arcanium energy feeds off of magrite crystals and is able to tap into this energy and take only what it needs to power everything we need," Isa said. "Are you two still with me?"

    If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.

    "Yeah, I think¡­" Varis said, "What does this have to do with space?"

    Isa smiled. "I was just about to get to that," she said. "In 1799, when Renka revealed itself once again, all of those generators died." She snapped her finger. "All at once, Enora''s power supply went out, and civilization came to a screeching halt. Trains stopped moving, ships became floating hunks of metal, lights went out, and our stoves stopped working. The machines that helped us tend our crops also stopped."

    "That sounds awful," I said softly, and Isa nodded.

    "It was a terrible year. Without the manpower to harvest the fields, many people went hungry. Without the trains to transport people, many were left abandoned. Many, many bad things happened, but¡­ we prevailed, as you can see."

    "So, how did we fix it?" Varis asked.

    Isa shook her head. "We didn''t fix it, but we adapted. Renka remained in our sky for just over a year, bathing the world in its red glow. It wasn''t until Renka finally dipped beneath the horizon and vanished once more before the engines came roaring back to life. A void scholar by the name of Roderick Ludgiver had a theory that Renka was actually Enora''s third moon, and the reason we never knew of its existence was due to it living in Enora''s shadow, literally."

    "Enora has a shadow?" Varis asked, and Isa nodded.

    "Perhaps I should''ve covered more of the void system." She said but shrugged and said, "Yes, Enora has a shadow, because the sun''s light is hitting it. Like how you make a shadow." She pointed towards the shadow on the table that Varis''s arm was casting. "Renka lives in Enora''s shadow, and just like the other moons, it travels around us in sort of a circle, which is called an orbit."

    "Orbit¡­" Varis repeated slowly, and I giggled. I was having a blast learning about these magical celestial bodies, which, while scary, was also super interesting.

    Isa nodded. "Yes. And he hypothesized that the reason why Renka only shows up after thirty-six years but only remains for a little over one is due to the length of its orbit."

    She drew a circle of our planet on the chalkboard before drawing two other circular orbits around Enora. "The closest orbit, which is really close, is Radiance. The lush, pretty moon is also the biggest. The second orbit, which is a little farther out, is Andoria. The cold gray moon. This really big one I''m drawing now that extends super far away!" She said this while extending the word "super" out a bit for comedic effect, which made Varis giggle. "This is Renka. See how big the circle is? It''ll take Renka a very long time to get around Enora; not only that, it''s also because Renka is very slow. Doctor Ludgiver stated that he believes Renka has a wide orbit and a slow¡­ velocity, which means speed; thus, a lot of the time, Renka finds itself trapped behind Enora''s dark shadow. Though, every thirty six years, Renka is able to catch up, and finally it catches a bit of that sun''s light, and Doctor Ludgiver believes that something about our sun''s light excites Renka. We don''t know what, as that''s where his theory ends, but he believes that whatever it is causes an effect on our world, and he was able to prove this."

    "How?" I was genuinely curious.

    "With lead." Isa smiled as she reached beneath the table to grab something I hadn''t noticed. She grunted and hoisted what looked to be a small but heavy lead box onto the table. "Three blood moons ago, thirty-six years after the Black Out, Dr. Ludgiver ran an experiment where he encased an arcanium generator in a thin box of lead, to the world''s amazement. The box was able to prevent the generator from shutting off."

    "Oh wow," I said with a big smile.

    "Really, a box? That''s the solution?" Varis said, sounding skeptical.

    Isa giggled. "Sometimes complicated problems require simple solutions," Isa said. "I''ll be honest, even I don''t know the specifics." She hummed just as our aunt Saria entered the kitchen, looking sleepy.

    "Lead has a density high enough that it prevents ether from penetrating it," she said. "That is why many wizard towers or artificer workshops have a small, thin layer about half a gen thick." A gen is roughly an inch. "It helps prevent would be scryers from peering into our facilities and stealing our work. This would mean that Renka has a way of manipulating the ether. An interesting topic to be discussing with the young ones." Saria smiled at Isa.

    Isa grinned, blushed a little, and said, "It was a topic I was also interested in. So the school made a good excuse to talk about it." She admitted.

    "I''m enjoying it!" I said. "Void space is interesting!"

    My aunt giggled. "Oh, do we have a future void scholar in our midst?"

    "Maybe!" I giggled and straightened up in my seat.

    "I''m a little confused, but I think it''s cool." Varis nodded.

    "What has you confused?" Isa asked.

    "Like¡­ how can something so small do so much bad stuff?" Varis asked, and I couldn''t help but laugh. "What''s so funny?"

    "It''s not tiny." I smiled.

    "What do you mean? I see the book." Varis pointed at Isa''s textbook. "Look how small that picture is."

    Isa giggled and said, "It only looks small, Varis, because it''s far away."

    "Oh¡­" He blinked, having now connected the dots. "So how big are they?"

    "Big, " our aunt said from behind us as she began to fiddle with her coffee machine. "Bigger than you or I could imagine."

    "But I see the moons every night!" Varis crossed his arms.

    "Aye, you do, but only at a distance." Our aunt began to pour herself a brew, and while the machine did its business, she turned to us and said, "The moons look close to us, but really, it is said they are hundreds of thousands of gilos away from us. Which is farther than any place in this world." She hummed.

    "But¡­" Varis began. "If it''s so far away, how come they''re so big?" He asked, looking confused.

    Poor little guy. I sighed.

    Our aunt smiled and tapped her forehead. "That''s the thing, Varis. They''re just that big."

    "Wh-whoa¡­" Was all he said, looking star-struck, and he sat back into his chair. "That''s like¡­ really big."

    "Really big." Aunt Saria repeated with a nod.

    Isa giggled. "Well, now the void has entered his mind. Voidd-blown I think, is the famous phrase Dr. Ludviger came up with." She chuckled. "Well, why don''t we start talking about something else fascinating tonight¡­" She said she was looking at the clock. "How about we discuss the void system¡­"

    The remainder of the lesson continued from there, where Isa talked about this world''s solar system. It was indeed something I was sucked into a hundred percent of the way. For some reason, I never would''ve thought that a world so engrossed in magic and, I hate to say it, fantasy, even though this is a reality, would be interested in space or science. In my past life, whenever I engaged in fantasy or D&D, such worlds seemed to reject science for the more practical use of magic.

    Yet this world, Enora, seemed to share a nice, equal balance between the two. Science and magic go hand in hand. It was truly fascinating as I listened to Isa explain the ten planetary bodies within the system, all named after the gods of this world. She told us about how, just like in my old life, the world was once believed to be flat. Many millennia ago, a wizard, of whom I, unfortunately, can''t recall the name, proved this to not be the case by flying high above the clouds and ascending Enora''s natural curve. Yet, oddly enough, much of the world just accepted this.

    It seems Enora is just home to many open-minded people.

    Which brings me back to the present. After the lesson last night, I was too tired to teach Vari''s magic, and it seemed that he had forgotten as he went straight to bed with me. However, tonight, I think I''ll give him a treat once Mom and Dad are relaxing with our aunt and uncle.

    "What''re you thinking about?" Isa snapped me back into focus, and I nearly dropped the box of vials I was carrying.

    Catching myself, I straightened up and looked at Isa in her cute nurse uniform. "Uh, nothing¡­ just, uh, yesterday''s lesson."

    Isa smiled and came over to help me with the box. We placed it on another pile of crates, and she said, "You really seemed to enjoy that lesson."

    My smile widened. "Mhmm, I''ve always found the moons and stars to be cool. Are there really ten other planets?" I asked.

    Isa nodded. "Yep, but none of them are as pretty as Enora or Radiance, at least, that we currently know of."

    I stepped back, dusted my hands off my skirt, and asked, "Do you think there is other life out there? Like aliens!"

    Isa stopped and pursed her lips. "I never really thought about it. Radiance does look lush and pretty. So if we''re talking plants, I guess so yeah."

    Makes sense. We can see the grass and trees from here, so alien life is proven in that regard.

    "But if we''re talking intelligent life, like you and me, I don''t know."

    Would the gods count? I wondered. They are beings from beyond, in a strange sense. I guess they could be aliens. The thought made me giggle. I wonder what the Master would think of that; if he''s listening, he''d comment on it.

    He did not comment on it. "Isa," Dr. Kegan said as he stepped around the table after finishing up with a patient. "We''ll be cleaning up and closing the clinic for the night. Have you finalized the documents I gave you?"

    Isa nodded. "I have filed them away as well. It should be good for you to take home." She pointed to the manila folder on his desk.

    The doctor smiled. "Excellent."

    "Wait¡­" I blinked. "What time is it?" Have I been zoned out for that long?!

    The doctor pulled out a pocket watch and said, "It''s about¡ª"

    "Freedom!" Varis ran into the clinic; he had been outside organizing the excess storage. "Freedom at last!" He panted as he came over to us and adjusted his pants. Like me, we were both wearing our new clothes; he had a nice blue button-up and denim overalls. I was wearing a black-and-white dress with a purple bow, and I chose it because it reminded me of the halfling''s dress I was gifted¡­ I think it was three weeks ago now.

    "Yes. It''s freedom time." The doctor giggled before saying, "It''s seven in the evening, the same time we close every night."

    Isa nodded. "Well then, children, gather your things."

    I nodded and turned to Varis. Together, we went over to a small shelf that carried our personal belongings, like my Enigma bag. While getting my stuff, I couldn''t help but overhear Kegan and Isa.

    "Nice work today," Kegan said. "You''re picking up on things much faster than I expected."

    Isa chuckled. "It''s not my first time doing nurse work. I''ve been around; I''ve done a bit of everything."

    "A jack of all trades, eh? Impressive," Kegan said as he grabbed his jacket.

    "Eh, I wouldn''t say impressive," Isa shrugged as she leaned against the desk waiting for us. "Being good at a bunch of different things doesn''t lend well to being great at one thing."

    Kegan shook his head. "I disagree, but is there something you want to be great at?" He asked.

    Isa thought for a second before shaking her head. "No, and that''s the issue." She smiled at him. "I can''t find what I truly want to do, hence why I''ve done a lot of things."

    "It makes sense, " the doctor smiled. Speaking of doing things," he said as Varis and I started to make our way over to them. "Would you like to go out for dinner sometime?"

    I paused as Varis kept walking forward, and I noticed Isa''s brow rise and a faint blush appear on her cheeks. "Dinner?" She said, sounding confused.

    Kegan smiled. "Yeah, if you''d like, of course. I know of a good Peshmurgan restaurant. Serves the finest kentari in all of Heinmarr, tastes like you''re actually there in Peshmurga. I''d pay for us."

    Varis opened his mouth to say something, but in a flash, I stepped forward and shot my hand over his mouth. "Grown up, talk." I whispered and pulled my brother away.

    Isa noticed this and looked confused briefly before turning back to Kegan and pursing her lips. She thought for a second and glanced at me, and I smiled. She glanced at the doctor and said, "Sure, but only because you said you''d pay for it."

    The doctor smiled and said, "Excellent!" He straightened up and fixed his coat. "Of course not tonight, but perhaps this coming Apex?"

    Isa smiled gently and nodded. "I teach the children on the work days; how about a rest day?" She suggested it as the two of them began walking towards the front of the clinic while Varis and I followed behind.

    "A rest day works for me; about Dusk''s day then?" He said that, and Isa nodded.

    "That''ll be wonderful, though I''m afraid I don''t have much to wear when going out. I''m not really one for¡­ glamor, unlike yourself¡­ no offense." She said, gesturing to the doctor''s fine clothes.

    Kegan waved his hand dismissively and said, "Wear whatever makes you comfortable."

    Isa''s smile widened, and I swore I could hear her purring. "Excellent."

    We stepped outside the clinic into the chilly evening air and shuddered. I huddled close to my brother as a draft blew over us. Kegan tightened his coat and said, "Blimey, I swear it''s getting colder by the day." He shivered. Please travel safely, and perhaps wear a coat tomorrow if this darned weather doesn''t lighten up. I swear, it''s the middle of the Aquila; it''s supposed to be warm." He sighed.

    "Aye, it is, though it''s not uncommon for Heinmarr to flip the weather on its head," Isa said. "I''m sure this is just winter''s death throes."

    "Perhaps, but it took it, sweet old time." The doctor chuckled. "Well, good evening to you all. Take care." He said it with a wave.

    "Are you not following us out as usual?" Isa asked.

    Kegan shook his head. "No. I have one last stop I need to make, and that''s in the opposite direction. Farewell!" He waved as he turned around and began walking down the park path, leaving us alone.

    I smiled widely once I was sure the doctor was out of earshot. "Isa''s going on a date!"

    "I am not!" Isa hissed, though I could see the fierce blush forming on her cheeks.

    "I thought you found him annoying?" I said it teasingly.

    "Ooh, does Isa like the doctor?" Varis said with a shit-eating grin.

    "I do find him annoying," Isa said, sounding genuinely frustrated, though her burning cheeks said otherwise, and her tail swished back and forth. "But I do enjoy his company. Nigel is a good man, a bit stupid, but I find that endearing."

    "I dunno, you seemed super mad when he said you lick stuff." I said, snickering.

    "I-I was, but only because he was incorrect about what we lick."

    "So you do lick stuff!" Varis exclaimed.

    "Yes, we do," Isa said. "In my culture, it is normal, but the way he framed it made it seem wrong. So I corrected him. It doesn''t mean I don''t like him."

    Both Varis and I giggled. "Madam Soza is going on a date this Dusk Day ~," I said in a singing voice.

    "What''s next, getting married?" Varis teased.

    "Okay, you squirts," Isa said, placing each hand on our heads. "Shut your mouths and keep walking, or else you''re getting homework."

 Chapter 86: Strange Guests

    "Spark!" The fire spark leaped from Varis''s fingertip and twirled through the air in front of us before landing on the small pile of leaves in the center of the rock ring I''d built. Swiftly, the tiny bits of kindling I''d formed ignited a small, roaring flame.

    I looked at my brother and smiled when I saw his eyes closed. As he slowly opened them, he looked at the small fire with a perplexed look. A few seconds of contemplation went by, and suddenly, his eyes widened immensely as a smile formed across his face.

    "Yes!" He shouted, and I quickly brought a finger to my lips and shushed him.

    "Quiet! Or Momma and Papa will hear us!" I hissed.

    "Yes!" Varis repeated himself, though much quieter, as he giggled and bounced. "I did it; I lit the fire!" He said. "I finally did it!"

    I nodded and flicked my wrist, silently casting a gust to snuff the flames. A day has passed, and the weekend has arrived, leaving Varis and me plenty of time off for the next two days. My mother, father, aunt, and uncle still had to work, so Varis and I were home alone.

    As for where Isa was, she had gone on her date with Dr. Kegan. Leaving both my brother and me in the perfect environment to practice his magic. Looking at Varis, I smiled as I watched him excitedly bounce up and down. "Yes, you did!" I said happily, "You''re doing wonderful, Varis. Give me just a moment, and I''ll set the fire pit back up¡ª" Suddenly, my ear twitched, and over the sounds of the city, I heard what seemed like a distant, lifeless howl.

    I straightened up and turned in the direction I had heard the noise. Varis continued to dance and giggle as he joyously celebrated his victory. "Did you hear that?" I asked.

    My brother stopped. "Hear what?" He said this as my ear twitched again, and another deathly howl reached my ears. It was a pain-filled cry, like that of a grown man, yet at the same time, it felt hollow, and with it, my blood ran cold.

    Up above, far into the sky, my eyes widened with fear as all color drained from my face. Descending from the clouds, I could see hundreds of giant Rusivite airships descending upon the city. Around us, civil defense sirens began to wail as the entire city fell into a panic.

    Screams of panicked citizens and striders began to echo as automobiles blared their horns and crashed. I rushed over to grab my brother by his hand when suddenly, the building behind my aunt''s house exploded into rubble as a fighting machine barreled toward us. My brother screamed as I pushed him towards the back door.

    "Run!" I shouted and turned to the machine, my heart ramming against my chest as my hand reached for my wand. Yet before I could pull it from its sheath, the machine lashed out with one of its metallic tendrils and battered me to the side like a toy.

    The wind forcibly ripped from my lungs. I rolled across the dirt and stopped on my side, facing the house and my brother, who stood on the back steps. His eyes filled with fear, rage, and tears. He screamed my name, thrust a hand towards the machine, and began to speak the incantation for spark, yet it was useless.

    A clawed tendril shot towards him and snatched him off the steps. Gasping for air, I reached out towards him and tried to call for him, yet no words left my lips as the machine took my screaming brother. Hopelessly, I watched as it turned away from me and began to stomp away just as the flying dreadnoughts unleashed an unholy salvo of missiles upon the city, reducing everything to rubble.

    <hr>

    "Luna! Luna, wake up; it''s just another dream!" I heard Isa''s distant voice as she shook me awake. I gasped and squirmed beneath her touch as I kicked the bedding off of me, rolled onto my back, and looked up to see my mentor learning over me in the dark. "It''s okay, I''m here," she said softly. "There''s no need to worry." She smiled.

    I sniffed and blinked as I reached up to wipe my damp eyes. "I-I''m sorry¡­" I said, sniffling still. "I-It was a really bad dream¡­"

    "Do you want to talk about it?" Isa asked softly as she sat on the side of my bed.

    I sniffed again and glanced around the dark room and towards the window. It was still dark outside, yet when I glanced at the clock, I saw it was only an hour before sunrise. I released a shaky breath and said, "I dreamt that the Rusivites made it to the city¡­ A fighting machine took Varis, and those airships, the ones that destroyed our home, began to flatten the entire city. We were both alone¡­ I tried to protect him but couldn''t; I was too small and weak."

    Isa''s expression fell slightly as she looked at me with pity. She reached out and gently began to run her clawed fingers through my hair as she brushed it. "I understand," she said, keeping her voice calm. "I''ve been having similar dreams myself."

    "You have?" I asked, and she nodded.

    "I worry for you and your family; every moment we spend here fills me with worry. It''s what keeps me going." She chuckled. "But we are safe, Luna. The Rusivites are held at the river, and they are far, far away from us. Even if the Rusivites cross the river, we''ll know days in advance when we need to go; no more surprises this time," she said as her fingers continued to comb my hair.

    The sensation made me shudder and hum happily, as the simple action seemed to calm me. Isa smiled as she watched me visibly relax a little and nodded. "Y-Yeah, I think you''re right."

    "I know I''m right." She said it with a giggle and a wink. "Do you think you can fall back to sleep?"

    I opened my mouth briefly, then closed it and shook my head. "I don''t think so."

    Isa gestured for me to scooch over on the bed, and I did so as she climbed on with me, and like before, during our days of traveling through the wilderness, she cuddled up with me. "Well, it''s a little too early to start the day," she said. "How about we lay here and have some girl talk?" She suggested it with a smile.

    "Girl talk?" I blinked, and Isa smiled and nodded.

    "Yeah, let''s chat about whatever; it''ll help take our minds off things." She hummed as she pulled me close to her body, my head now resting on her upper chest. I nodded and nuzzled happily into her chest, draping my little arms around Isa in a small hug. As I hugged her, I could hear Isa''s motor kicking on. She began to purr happily and pressed her forehead into my head.

    We stayed like this for just a moment in silence before I finally asked, "What''re you planning for your date tonight?" I smiled.

    Isa''s purring faltered, and though I couldn''t see her, I could feel her stare burrowing into my head. Finally, she sighed, and her purring resumed as she said, "I don''t know, but I do know it''s not a date." She said it with extra emphasis on the word "date."

    "You can''t fool me," I said deviously. "A late-night dinner at a fancy restaurant, just the two of you. It sounds like a date." I sang the last bit.

    Isa sighed. "What do you even know about dates?" She poked me gently in the side with a clawed finger. "You''re too young to even be thinking about that stuff."

    "I read books." I lied. Most books I''ve read have never covered such topics.

    "Of course you did," Isa said, sniffing my bullshit like always.

    "It''s true, though," I lied again.

    Isa took a deep breath and let it out slowly before she smiled and said, "I don''t know what''s going to come of it. The doctor offered me free food, and I enjoy his company, so it seemed like a nice thing to partake in." She began to comb my hair again with her fingers. "I also wouldn''t mind getting to know him more; that''s all and nothing more."

    I smiled and squinted up at her. "Sure." I winked.

    "I''m serious, Luna," Isa said, though even in the dark, I could see the blush on her cheeks.

    "Have you had any boyfriends in the past?" I asked curiously, and Isa''s blush darkened more.

    "I-I-I," she stammered, and I giggled. "That''s a very personal question."

    "You said this was girl talk," I said with a big smirk. "This is girl talk! Now tell me, I''m curious!" I beamed.

    Isa sighed. "Of course I walked into this¡­" She smiled at me, and to my surprise, she shook her head. "I''ve never had a male partner; however, I did have a girlfriend once."

    I blinked. Whoa, okay, I was not expecting that. "A girlfriend?"

    Isa nodded slowly. "In my culture back in Kazora, we were open to any kind of relationship, and back in my home land, my partner and I were quite close."

    I beamed. "Oh, that''s super cute! What was her name?" I asked.

    If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

    Isa hesitated, and her eyes shifted away from me. As her expression fell, I felt my heart deflate and realized I may have touched upon a sore subject. "I''ve spoken of her once before," Isa mumbled. "Her name was Pomni¡­"

    "O-Oh¡­" That was all I could see before taking a deep breath and adding, "If you don''t want to talk about it, that''s okay. I''m sorry."

    Isa nodded slowly. "It''s okay, Luna." She brushed my hair. "Our relationship didn''t last too long, but what we had was nice." She smiled faintly.

    "Well, that''s nice." I returned her smile

    Isa nodded. "Outside of that, though," she said, taking a deep breath. "I''ve always been traveling and doing odd jobs, but I never found the time to find romance." I nodded, and before I knew it, Isa changed the subject: "Speaking of friends, didn''t you have plans to play with Anne today?"

    I nodded. "Yeah! I''ve been wanting to introduce her to Varis," I said, glancing over my shoulder towards my brother''s bed. "Though I don''t know what exactly we were going to do, Momma doesn''t want me using magic, and both Anne and Varis love it when I do tricks."

    "Well, I''m sure you kids will figure out something. Anne has toys, doesn''t she? You all could play with those; you seemed to really like it last time," Isa suggested, and I nodded.

    "Yeah, though I don''t know if Varis would want to. Based on the toy shop we saw a few days ago, he seems to like the cool stuff. I like dragons and whatnot, which I like too! But Anne didn''t have those."

    Isa giggled. "Well, I''m sure you three will figure something out."

    I nodded slowly, and we fell into a brief silence once again. "Isa," I said softly.

    "Yes, Luna?" She asked.

    "Where do you think the heart of the city lies?" I asked her.

    Isa stopped brushing my hair. "That''s something I''ve been wondering as well," she said quietly. "My gut tells me it''s the center of the city at the Hothland Manor¡­ The castle upon the hill," she clarified when I glanced up at her. "Yet, getting to such a place would be difficult, and also feels too obvious."

    "The Master mentioned a place of power," I said. "He also talked about how the construction must be finished."

    "I think he''s referring to what your parents and relatives are working on," Isa said. "Perhaps tomorrow, you and I can do some scouting?"

    "That might be for the best," I said. "I don''t want to waste too much time nor test his patience."

    "Well, then, it''s settled. Dawn''s Day, we search for the heart." She booped my nose.

    I giggled and nodded. "Then it''s a date!" I joked.

    "No!" Isa flicked my nose, and I squealed with agony.

    <hr>

    "So who''s this Anne?" Varis asked me as we sat around the dining room table, eating breakfast.

    "Anne is a friend of mine I met when traveling with Isa," I said as I chewed and swallowed my eggs.

    "No speaking with your mouth full," my mother said, tapping me on the head as she went to the range to prepare herself a plate with a cup of coffee.

    I rubbed the spot on my head, apologized, and said, "She was injured when Isa and I encountered her when running away from the Rusivites. She had gotten shot by one of the machines."

    "She was shot?!" Varis exclaimed, and I nodded. "Ouch, that must''ve hurt."

    "Oh, I bet it was," my father said as he and Uncle Aenorin were reading the newspapers.

    I nodded. "Yeah, she was hurt really badly, but thankfully we were able to get away from the Rusivites and find a safe place."

    "And you healed her?" Varis asked, and I nodded.

    "Yep, though we didn''t become friends right away. She was really quiet for a while; I think she was just scared and trying to process what was happening." I took another bite of my eggs and waited till I swallowed before continuing. "When we made it to the refugee camp on the other side of the river, that was when she really started opening up."

    "How did she react when she learned you were our daughter?" my mother asked as she sat beside me with her breakfast in hand.

    "Oh, she went crazy, in a good way!" I said it with a giggle. "That''s when she started asking if I knew magic and such, and it was from there that we started to get along really well."

    "The two of them are really cute together," Isa said with a smile as Aunt Saria entered the kitchen.

    "I don''t mean to intrude on everyone," she said, and I turned to see she was wearing a cute grey sweater and white pencil skirt. Around her neck was a medallion that displayed the symbol of the All-Father Church. "I''m going to be having guests over in a little bit," she said.

    Uncle Aenorin lowered his newspaper and raised an eyebrow at my aunt before his eyes widened with realization. "Oh, it''s Dusk Day, your church friends?"

    My aunt smiled and nodded. "Somewhat, Lady Aussland and Doria are busy; Archbishop Vitalyevich is going to be stopping by."

    My father frowned. "A Rusimian?"

    Aunt Saria nodded. "He''s an immigrant, yes, though from far before this blasted war began. He''s a good man; he''s recently been staying in Johanneson to oversee the church."

    Uncle Aenorin turned his chair fully toward his wife. "What''s an archbishop doing stopping by our home, though? Th-this is kind of a big deal, Saria; why didn''t you tell me?"

    My aunt smiled and held her hands up. "Because it''s a surprise to me too, I was expecting Lady Aussland, but I received a message this morning that the archbishop wishes to pick up the supplies instead."

    Supplies? I cocked my head like a confused dog as I popped a sausage into my mouth.

    As if speaking on my behalf, my mother asked, "What supplies?"

    My aunt smiled. "Oh, I make crafts for the church as well as provide them with magrite shards to power the lights and set pieces for their sermons. Sometimes I even donate food, like today. Though being blessed by the Archbishop''s arrival is even a surprise to me, I wonder if he''s coming to personally thank me." She said it giddily.

    My family and I, aside from Varis, shared a look before looking back at my aunt, who beamed and said, "Don''t worry, it shouldn''t be a long visit. Though he may come inside with an entourage, just treat him as any other guest, and he''ll be out here shortly once I make the donation."

    As if on cue, a knock came from the front door downstairs. My aunt immediately shot to attention, turned towards the sound, and cursed, "Shit, they''re already here. Excuse me, I''m going to go let them in."

    "Alright," my father and Uncle Aenorin said as she turned and rushed downstairs.

    Aenorin took a deep breath. "Oh boy¡­ expect this place to get crowded," he said in a low voice, turning back to us. "Saria and her church friends always love to sit around and talk about the good book."

    "You say that like you don''t play along with them?" Said my father.

    "Slyran," my mother hissed.

    "It''s because I don''t," Aenorin said. "My folks were always followers of Margon. I personally don''t buy into the whole "one god" shtick, though Saria has never tried to force me into it, and it makes her happy, and that''s all I care about. As for her church friends, though¡­" He sighs and rolls his eyes.

    I listened as I chewed my food, remaining quiet as the front door downstairs opened abruptly. My blood ran cold. Out of nowhere, my gut tightened as I heard a bone-chilling voice come from down below.

    "Lady Sartosi¡­" The heavily accented voice purred. "It is a pleasure to finally make your acquaintance."

    "Archbishop Vitalyevich, it''s an honor to finally meet you as well, " my aunt said, sounding star-struck.

    "Please," the man''s voice cooed, "there is no need to be so formal with me. Call me by my first name, Putinov."

    My aunt struggled to stifle an excited squeal as I heard her say, "Ye-yes, Putinov, please come inside."

    Once again, a chill ran through me, and my hair began to stand on end. My mother turned to look at me and asked, "Luna, is everything okay?"

    "Something feels funny," I said softly.

    "O-Oh!" I heard my aunt. "Who''s this?"

    To which Puntinov said, "Oh, my apologies, Lady Sartosi, this is my scr¡ª"

    "Bonjour, Madame, c''est un plaisir de vous rencontrer !" A new voice entered the scene, speaking a language I did not understand yet recognized.

    A goddamn Frenchman. I thought. Is that who I''m feeling? But why? Where? How?!

    My head snapped back towards the stairs, my eyes wide as my aunt giggled. "O-Oh my! He-hello, but wh-what language was that?"

    "Maurich, Lucien," I heard Putinov growl with annoyance.

    The new voice, Lucien, cleared his throat and said in accented Maurich, "Apoloiges, Madame, I cannot help but surprise such lovely ladies with the language of my people." He chuckled. "I''m Lucien, a scribe by trade; do not mind me."

    "Do you work with the church?" My aunt asked.

    "Sometimes, I work for everyone."

    "He''s a freelancer," Putinov mumbled.

    "Well, okay," my aunt said, and I heard her begin to walk towards the stairs. "Please come in. My family is currently in the dining room having breakfast. If you''d like, the living room is open for you both to relax while I get the necessary items you requested."

    "Please, take your time," Putinov purred.

    "Thank you¡ªOh, wait! How rude of me. Would you two both like some coffee?"

    "Oh hoho! Coffee, you say?" I heard Lucien say as the three of them came up the stairs. "I wouldn''t mind a cup."

    "I am good, but thank you," Putinov said as I saw the three of them come up the stairs.

    I don''t know why my heart was racing as my fight-or-flight instincts began to kick in. As the three of them reached the top of the stairs, I finally laid eyes on the two individuals, and my eyes widened. Before us was who I assumed to be Archbishop Putinov. An immensely tall, thin, and highly pale-skinned man with a black bowler hat and trench coat, his eyes were small but sharp and were a striking yellow. His face was bony, almost as if someone had stretched skin over bone with no meat beneath, and yet, what stood out the most were the four equally spaced scars that stretched from beneath his lower left eye down to his chin.

    Behind him was another man, whom I assumed was Lucien, who had spoken French. He wore a bizarre outfit, from a kepi hat to a navy blue button-up coat with vibrant red pants and black boots. His skin was light, his blue eyes warm and inviting, and across his face, he sported an amazing bandholz beard. Held tightly in his hands was a large, black book and a pen in the other.

    "Bonjour la famille!" Lucien tipped his cap toward us at the dining table. "''tis a fine morning we''re having, though a bit chilly, I''d say."

    "Yes," Puntinov said slowly, and he smiled at Lucien. His head slowly turned to all of us, and I shrank as his yellow eyes narrowed. "A fine morning it is," he purred as he bowed and continued, "My apologies for intruding. We will not be here long." As he straightened up, his eyes focused on me again, and he smirked and finally turned away from us. "Come, Lucien, let us not bother the fine folk. Let us sit by his grace within the living room," he said, gesturing towards the All-Father symbol above the fireplace.

    "Alright, alright, give me a few moments. I just need to finish jotting the rest of this down," the Frenchman said as his blue eyes flicked towards each of us.

    "Are you writing about us?" Isa asked, her eyes narrowing.

    "Just a bit; I''m documenting everything. It''s a hobby of mine." He smiled. "Aaaand done! For now¡­" He turned away and went into the living room.

    What the hell is happening¡­ What is happening? Why do I feel scared? Why? Why?!

 Chapter 87: Tension

    The tension in the house was so thick that I felt like I could take the knife off my table and cut it. That''s how bad it was. Having noticed my discomfort, my mother said nothing but placed her hand on my shoulder and gestured for me to finish my food.

    Yet, how could I? Something about those two men felt off. I don''t know what it was, but¡­ it felt like I was being seen through. That man, Putinov, glanced towards me before he went and sat down; something about it just said, "Yeah, I know who you are." Maybe I was being paranoid, yet even my family seemed unnerved by that man.

    Were they feeling what I was feeling?

    Varis didn''t seem to be that way; he seemed oblivious to what was happening and happily chowed away at his food.

    Lucky kid. I wish I were that oblivious still.

    Though my parents, Isa and Aenorin, seemed to share a look of concern when the two visitors went into the living room, after a few minutes of awkward silence and eating, my aunt returned from her room with a few bags of goods and placed them down before the two men.

    "Thank you, Lady Sartosi," the archbishop purred in that creepy as fuck way, and I shuddered. "Your contribution will be duly noted."

    My aunt smiled and bowed deeply. "Thank you; I have more in my room. Do you have any way to carry all of this?" She asked. "If not, I can save these till tomorrow when I go to church."

    As I stuck a piece of bacon in my mouth, I watched Putinov slowly shake his head from side to side as if he were stuck in some molasses. Every action he seemed to take was just wrong, it seemed. "No need," he said. "We have a buggy outside capable of carrying these goods."

    My aunt''s smile widened, but as she turned away to get the rest, Putinov raised his pale, thin hand. "Before you go, I wanted to praise you and your home."

    My aunt''s eyes widened, and her cheeks flushed. "O-Oh?" She turned to face him.

    Putinov gestured about the room with a twirl of his hand. "I noticed how devoted you are to his will. Every room I''ve seen is adorned with his likeness, and the shrine at your door¡ªI love it, and so does he. I can feel his presence greatly here."

    I felt the sudden urge to groan and roll my eyes, yet I resisted.

    "O-Oh thank you!" My aunt stammered out. "I''ve been collecting all I could of his greatness over the years, some of which I''ve even made myself and had blessed."

    The pale-skinned man''s face twisted into a smile, an expression that almost seemed inhuman. "Well, you''ve certainly been doing a great job, except¡­" His voice trailed off, and the smile dissipated as his expression turned to a cold stare.

    Once again, the tension in the room thickened, and I and my family took notice. Even Varis set his fork down. My aunt''s face fell, and she blinked a few times. "Wh-what is it?" She asked.

    The Frenchman Lucien, who had been writing this entire time, lowered his notebook and pen and looked at Putinov. The archbishop slowly raised a bony hand towards an ornament on the wall, which I never really noticed. It was a bronze religious icon of an anvil and hammer with a roaring flame around them.

    A symbol of Margon, if I wasn''t mistaken.

    "This icon does not fit with his will, for it''s a symbol of one of the mistaken idols," Putinov said in a low, almost threatening voice. "It disrupts his balance and weakens his presence."

    "Excuse me," Uncle Aenorin said as he faced the living room. "That is the symbol of Margon¡ª"

    "I-It''s alright," my aunt said.

    "No, it isn''t¡ª" my uncle started to say, but he was stopped by my aunt, holding a hand out towards him.

    "My husband is a follower of Margon," she said.

    Putinov''s expression didn''t change. By this point, the tension was so thick that I felt like I needed a chainsaw to cut through everything, and my little heart was beating against my chest.

    "So, the household is not whole then," he said slowly, his yellow eyes shifting toward us. "Truly, this is anomalous," he said as his eyes locked on me again, and I shrank back into my mother. They then flicked back up to my aunt, and he said in a much more unmistakable voice, "Well then. I will not judge; the misguided can follow whomever they wish."

    "Excuse me?!" Aenorin snapped as he stood up from his chair. "I''ve had enough. I''ll not be disrespected in my own house! Take your shit and leave!"

    "Aenorin, please!" My aunt pleaded, though he shook his head.

    "Go!" He pointed towards the stairs.

    Putinov slowly stood up from the couch with Lucien and bowed his head. "As you wish." He reached into his coat and pulled out a thick, black book, which forced a shudder from me once more. Something about it caused my chest to stir, and I gulped. I also noticed my mother tense a little as she touched my shoulder.

    Putinov opened the book and muttered a phrase, and I noticed Aenorin hesitantly take a step back as if expecting something terrible; however, nothing came. Instead, the bags that my aunt laid before the archbishop began to levitate off the ground. He then turned to my aunt and nodded. "Perhaps I shall wait for your delivery tomorrow."

    My aunt solemnly nodded and said, "I''ll guide you to the door."

    As they walked towards the stairs, Lucien followed behind. The archbishop took a deep breath and glanced over his shoulder, and I swore as he looked at the table. He stared directly at me once again and said,

    "Fear not, for though the path before you is shrouded in shadows and doubt, I shall walk beside you always.

    In the days to come, when the third moon rises upon the horizon, and the stars align in a celestial dance, you shall find me once more.

    We shall meet again in the great halls of eternity, where time and space are but whispers.

    Hold steadfast to the chalice of my promise, and let its golden glow be a beacon in the darkness.

    As sure as the cosmos spins in the vastness of the Void Space, so shall our spirits reunite in the divine embrace of everlasting light."

    "What the hell?" My mother muttered as she touched my head and tussled my hair.

    If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.

    "That''s from the book of revelations, isn''t it?" My aunt asked as they began to descend the stairs.

    "Aye, it is," Putinov cooed. "When God and Jesiah separated, those were their parting words. A phrase that I hold dear: no matter where we are, we will always meet again¡­"

    "I fucking hope not," My uncle growled as the door shut. As silence fell over us again, he turned around to face the table and shook his head. "Come into my home, criticize my beliefs; I can''t believe he called me misguided!"

    My father nodded. "Indeed, it was uncalled for, but they''re gone now."

    Uncle Aenorin clenched his fists. "All of those religious¡­ I want to call them nuts, but that''d be wrong¡­" He whispered, "They''re so damn condescending, it drives me nuts! They always put on this nice facade, but the moment they find out you''re not part of them, they try to force it down your throat."

    "Aunt Saria doesn''t seem like that," Varis said softly as he pushed his eggs around his plate. "She''s been very nice to us."

    "Your aunt is different," my uncle said. She wasn''t always a follower of this "All-Father;" she used to be Maronite like me. She understands how close I am to the Forge Mother."

    "What made her convert?" Isa asked curiously.

    My uncle gripped the table and sighed. "An accident happened¡­ Forty years ago, around the time the religion began to spread to Heinmar, Saria was employed at Arcanum Studies. She was working on some sort of project¡­ I don''t know what; she could tell the story better. She would pray every morning to Margon to help her in her work, and well, one day. While at the facility, there was what she called a "spell cascade event."

    "By the gods¡­" My mother muttered.

    "What''s that?" I asked curiously.

    "It''s very rare that it happens," my mother said. "But it''s when an uncontrollable amount of ether is poured into a spell. Think of it like a broken flood gate or a dam. Wizards throughout history have been known to die when such rituals lose control."

    So, like a reactor meltdown. Got it¡­ Wait a second, how can I cast such weak spells so powerfully? If I lose control and put too much magic into a spark spell, could I detonate like an atomic bomb? I, uh, don''t like the thought of that¡­

    My uncle nodded. "That''s exactly what happened. They were running an experiment that went out of control; she said they some how tore open a fabric in reality, and nearly everything and everyone got sucked into it."

    "Wait," Isa said, "I know this¡­ The Altstein incident back in 1903."

    "I''m surprised," my uncle said. "Heinmar tried to cover it up."

    Isa nodded. "I''ve been known to be good at finding information in my time." She smirked, though it faded immediately. "I''m happy to hear she survived it."

    "Wa-wait so¡­" I blinked. "A hole got cut up in reality, and everything sucked into it?" I was trying to wrap my head around the story; it was like a black hole got ripped open, but my mother also told me teleportation and portals don''t exist aside from a few rare structures or small items like my bag or her magic door.

    "I don''t know the details," my uncle said. "Saria doesn''t like to talk about that day too much. It brings up too many bad memories; all I know is that, after that incident, she changed."

    "Alstein was a town in the northern province of Oberwald just north of us, Luna," Isa said. "During my travels, I learned from folk that Heinmar had been experimenting with replicating the Far Reacher superstructures."

    Super what? Huh? I''ve been in this world for seven goddamn years. I''ve never heard of such a thing. It sounds more like a science fiction story than a fantasy. Forerunner race, crazy technology¡ªthis is a goddamn rabbit hole I need to go down later.

    Isa continued her little history lesson by asking, "Remember the plane gates your mother told you about?" I nodded. "Ruins of those gates are scattered across Enora; two of those are still functioning to this day. One lies in the capitol of Branoria, Brennon. The second is in the Capitol of Yankston, Union City. These are the only two forms of teleportation that exist in Enora and for years, the nations of the world have been trying to replicate these amazing pieces of arcane machinery with no success."

    My uncle nodded. "She knows more than me, that''s for sure." He laughed.

    Isa smiled. "I''ve been studying the Far Reachers for as long as I can remember." She chuckled.

    I nodded. "So, to get the facts straight," I said, "Aunt Saria worked for a company that was trying to rebuild these ports, tore a hole through space-time, and after surviving, converted to this religion?"

    My mother patted me on the head. "Such a critical thinker she is." She smiled.

    My uncle nodded. "Yeah, it sounds¡­ suspicious when you put it like that."

    "I wonder if she saw something," I said, but before I could entertain that thought, the front door opened and shut, and I heard my aunt climbing up the steps.

    When she reached the top, I could see she was red in the face with embarrassment. She looked at my uncle and said, "Aenorin, I am so sorry. I-I didn''t know h-he was going to criticize you, and I just¡­"

    My uncle held a hand up. "It''s fine," he said softly. "He''s gone now. Let''s just sit down and enjoy the remainder of our breakfast."

    My aunt nodded slowly, walked to the open seat beside him, and sat down.

    Once again, the awkward tension was back¡­

    <hr>

    Breakfast finished without any other issues, and when the time came that I was free to do whatever the hell I wanted, I got the fuck out of there as fast as possible. Where did I go? The backyard is where I went. I just needed fresh air to clear my head after all of that. It''s moments like this that make me wish the damn Man in Black wasn''t having his beauty sleep. My mind was swimming with everything that had just happened.

    First off. The Frenchman, Lucien About. From where I''d come from in my past life, it wasn''t uncommon for me to encounter people who spoke French. Just under a hundred miles from where I lived was Canada, and a few of my old internet friends were from there, and both knew a bit of French. The two used to always fuck with me by talking shit, knowing I couldn''t understand them.

    So I''m not alone¡­ I thought. Other people were reborn from Earth in this world. I didn''t know what to think. Part of me was elated that there was someone else I could bond with, yet another part of me, a much quieter part, was bummed about it. It made me feel less unique.

    Who am I kidding? I''ve never been exceptional. I chuckled as I sat down on the stone stairs, my eyes drifting towards the overgrown shed.

    I couldn''t believe how open the guy was about it, too. He was walking in here, speaking a language he knew no one would understand. That''s like if I just walked up to my family and started speaking English, like how I accidentally did it during our camping trip.

    Since then, I haven''t spoken English in¡­ ages. I''m not counting the dreams I''ve had.

    I want to leave that life behind me. I want to start over, be someone different, be Luna, and be a girl in a new world. Live life, have a childhood crush, grow up, travel, learn magic, and who knows? Maybe find a wife or husband; perhaps even get pregnant and have kids, for Christ''s sake. Okay, maybe not the last bit. I don''t know what that''d be like or if I''d enjoy it.

    The point is, I want a normal, new life.

    Yet, I keep having these intermittent nightmares about my past. I have that creepy Charity woman wanting to stick me into some Matrix to relive a happier version of it. Now I have someone from that past showing up¡­ And now that scarred archbishop is looking at me weirdly¡­

    Wait a second. Scarred man¡­ and a man speaking a language from Earth¡­

    It hit me. The camping trip, the talk at breakfast before we left Oren. Isa said she saw a scarred man in her village in Kazora who spoke English and was a wizard. The archbishop had a grimoire; he did a spell, and his face was all fucked up. I didn''t hear him speak English, but he had a man who spoke a language from Earth. Was that him?

    Isa said that after the elder spoke with that man, her elder began to work with the Rusivites when they colonized her home country, and Putinov is a Rusivite. My stomach started to form a knot, and I gulped.

    The Rusivites might be involved with this crazy cult. Perhaps they will be my enemies after all¡­

    When the back door opened behind me, I turned to see my mother smiling at me. "Luna, there you are," she said as Varis wiggled out from beside her and hopped onto the back porch.

    "Your little friend is here!" Varis said, tossing his arms towards my mother as if presenting something to me.

    "Who?" I blinked out from behind my mother, and to my surprise, I saw Anne poke her head out.

    "Hello, Luna!" She beamed. "Uncle finally found the time to bring me over! I hope I''m not interrupting."

    I blinked a couple of times, and then it hit me. I forgot Anne was coming over today!

 Chapter 88: Backyard Magic

    I couldn''t believe I forgot that Anne was coming over today. It''s been in the talks since the night when we went out to eat and met up again. My parents had taken a liking to Mr. Reynolds, and my mother chastised me for referring to him by his first name and saying that elders should always be referred to by their last names. This surprised me a little, primarily when the other adults, aside from Isa, kept referring to him as "elder." Oscar looked older, for sure, but not by much. Whereas my parents, if I had to guess in human years, looked to be in their early to mid-twenties, Oscar looked no older than a forty-year-old man.

    My jaw nearly slammed into the floor when Anne told me her uncle was over five hundred years old. Five hundred¡­ I shouldn''t be shocked by this; for real, I shouldn''t. Yet, I couldn''t help it. Alexander claimed to be over two thousand years old, a number so large I can''t even comprehend it. If he were born on Earth, he would''ve been around since the damn Bronze Age and witnessed the rise of the friggin internet.

    Five hundred years isn''t much, but my tiny brain was going wild even then. Five hundred years, that''s like¡­ what the Renaissance? Friggin nuts.

    I would be lying if I said I enjoyed Anne''s visit. Or, well, let me clear that up. I wanted her to stay as I enjoyed seeing her again, but I had outside issues that made it hard for me to appreciate that¡ªmainly being the archbishop and the Frenchman who showed up at the house. They were already gone, having left shortly before I came outside, yet that feeling of dread still lingered within me.

    That man matched Isa''s description at our camping trip¡ªthe man who had supposedly spoken to her tribe¡¯s elder in English. That was years ago, though, so this might be a coincidence, but I don¡¯t think so. I¡¯d need to talk to Isa and see if she reached the same conclusion as I did. Yet, that still didn¡¯t explain why I felt so anxious¡ªno, scared around him.

    The way he looked at me¡ªhis small yellow eyes¡ªit was like he knew who I was. I saw it right through me. Maybe I¡¯m just being paranoid. Fuck, I wish the Man in Black was here to talk to me. He¡¯d know what the hell is up, I hope.

    ¡°So, like this?¡± Anne said to Varis as she held her hand in front of her face, her index finger and thumb pinched together to form a small circle while her other fingers remained splayed.

    ¡°Yeah! Just like that,¡± Varis said excitedly. ¡°Now, Luna said to clear your head, think about nothing, and just blow!¡±

    I snapped out of my stupor and looked at my friend and brother by the old rundown backyard. I had briefly asked them to leave me alone for a second as I collected my thoughts. Anne seemed disappointed, but when Varis offered to show her the magic I¡¯d been teaching him secretly, she immediately brightened up and ran off with him.

    It was nice seeing the two of them hitting it off so quickly. I watched as Anne blew through the gap in her fingers after muttering the words of the Gust spell, and to my surprise, a cool breeze shot forth from the circular gap and battered the fence. Nothing too fierce, but strong enough to make the chainlinks rattle.

    Anne¡¯s eyes immediately flew open, and she shuddered due to the residual ether flowing through her body. She spun around to face Varis and me. ¡°Luna! Luna!¡± She called over to me. ¡°Look look!¡±

    ¡°Shhh!¡± Varis shot a finger to his lips and shushed Anne. ¡°Secret! This is a secret!¡± He warned her; the adults didn¡¯t know what we were doing back here, and if news got out, I was showing the other kids spells, though primarily harmless spells... Okay, I relent¡­ Gust can be a little dangerous if used in such a way, but I thought teaching them fire spells would be a bit much. The point is if Mom and Dad learned what I was doing. My ass would be sore come the next day.

    I took a deep breath to clear my mind from what was bothering me and took a moment to try and enjoy the present. Isa and I planned to scout the city tomorrow, hoping to find its ¡°heart¡± to speak to the Master again. I¡¯ll leave the worrying for then. For now, I want to keep enjoying being a kid again.

    I got up from the porch steps I had been sitting on and shuddered when a natural, cold breeze blew into the yard. Frick! I shivered and clutched my arms. It¡¯s freaking summer now; why the hell is it so cold?!

    While my parents had gotten Varis and me new clothes, none were suitable for cooler weather, mainly because it was the start of friggin summer! At least, it was supposed to be. This is the one thing I hate about Heinmar; it reminds me of Ohio¡ªthe state where Mother Nature was severely bipolar. One day, it¡¯s hot as hell, and you''re sweating all over everything, and then the next day, the weather plummets thirty degrees, and all the sweat turns to ice.

    I hate the winter. I hate cold weather, and I¡¯m starting to hate this summer more than I do already!

    ¡°You did very well, Anne!¡± I praised her as I walked over to the two. ¡°For your first time, you really gave that fence a good push.¡± I smiled.

    Anne was beaming from ear to ear as she practically jumped up and down. ¡°I did magic! I actually did magic; I could be a wizard!¡±

    ¡°We could all be wizards!¡± My brother exclaimed, and it was my turn to silence him.

    ¡°Keep it down, you two,¡± I said, lowering my hands as a gesture. ¡°Momma and Papa will get really mad if they hear us.¡±

    ¡°Why?¡± Anne asked, confused, as she cocked her head to the side, causing her long, red bangs to shield most of her face.

    ¡°Because young kids like us shouldn¡¯t be practicing magic like this without supervision, and my parents don¡¯t have time to supervise us,¡± I partially lied. It was true that my mom would instead be supervising us while we practiced. The other reason, though, was my sheer power regarding my spells.

    Already, I¡¯d blown my cover at Dr. Kegan¡¯s clinic when I healed Saint Marco, and thankfully, word of that incident has been slow to spread. If word got out that a seven-year-old girl could cast spells on par with a celestial mage, I¡¯d be drawing unwanted eyes from every direction.

    Did I agree with this?

    It isn¡¯t very easy. On one hand, I know where my parents are coming from. Keeping me safe and secure outside the eyes of individuals like Colonel Hass was good for me and my family. However, seeing an old man die before me when I could so easily snap my fingers and fix him felt morally justified. In hindsight, I could¡¯ve asked the Hensler family to step outside. I''m not saying that would¡¯ve worked, but I could¡¯ve. I still feel that using my healing powers for those who need them is worth the risk.

    This is why I¡¯m pleased that my mother agreed to let me use my magic when such a situation arises. Practicing simple motes in the backyard is not such a time.

    Anne thankfully understood my simple explanation and nodded. ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll be a little more quiet.¡±

    Varis crossed his arms and nodded. ¡°Alright.¡± He looked at Anne. ¡°Wanna try again?¡±

    Anne¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°Yeah!¡±

    I guess I can act as the supervising adult. I thought.

    Practice went on without a hitch. Mostly. Okay, there was a little problem. It''s just a small one, though. I don¡¯t think anyone will notice. At least, I hope not. Because if it does get found out, my ass will be grass.

    You see, in the backyard of my aunt and uncle''s house, there¡¯s this old, rundown rundownthink I mentioned before. It¡¯s a nice shed. About seven feet high and five feet deep. There is enough space to hold some outdoor tools. It¡¯s a bit rundown, but it is used often and has seen better days. It had a window on the left-hand side when looking directly at it. Emphasis on ¡°had¡± a window.

    The magic was fabulous. Fantastic; the spell went off without a hitch. As to the outcome, I think you know where I¡¯m going with this.

    Anne was excited¡ªI mean, really, really excited to do this again. She was practically vibrating with excitement; I swear, it was like my old phone whenever I got a notification. She was so ready for me to give the go-ahead; she was just waiting for me to fire the starting pistol.

    The objective was simple. Varis and I had set up a small stone ring at the end of the yard and placed a small pile of twigs in the center of it. For obvious reasons, I didn¡¯t want to create a fire or anything, so instead of blowing out a flame, I instructed Anne to blow away the twigs.

    What I failed to see behind me were these little garden decorations my aunt had. As mentioned before, the back of the yard, which led into an alleyway, was a little overgrown. The fence was covered in vines, and the small garden area that used to be used was reclaimed entirely by nature. Amongst this old garden were these garden gnomes. I mean, actual garden gnomes. They almost looked like the little bastards I used to see sold at my local Menards. You know, like the guys in blue shirts with pointy red hats? Like, literally, one-for-one recreation. It was kind of spooky, to be honest.

    You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.

    Those guys. Those guys were behind me, and the small fire pit was covered in twisting vines and camouflaged.

    ¡°Alright,¡± I said. ¡°I know you''re excited, but it¡¯s like I said. Emotions, good or bad, influence how the ether reacts in your body.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s the fuzzy feeling, right?¡± Anne asked with anxious excitement.

    I nodded. ¡°Yep, that bubbly fuzzy feeling in you is your well releasing ether. At least that¡¯s what Momma and Master Alexander said. When we feel excited or angry, that causes the ether to get excited and rush out of us. Which can be good or bad, depending on what we want.¡±

    ¡°Okay!¡± Anne giggled, and I was unsure if she caught on to what I said.

    ¡°You understand me?¡± I asked, and she paused, tilted her head a little, and looked at me.

    ¡°I think so,¡± she said bluntly, and I sighed.

    ¡°Take a couple deep breaths and clear your head; focus on the twigs there.¡± I pointed to the fireplace. ¡°And begin to recite the incantation, and then hold your hand up in the gesture. When you finish, blow; don¡¯t think about anything else. Try to keep your excitement down, and just imagine a breeze pushing the twigs.¡±

    Anne nodded and sucked in a deep breath to calm herself. She shuddered and wiggled as she widened her stance and assumed the position. I turned to my brother, who stood off to the side and gestured for him to step back and out of the way, and he did so.

    Anne began to mumble the incantation once more than I had taught her, and she held her hand up to her lips. I could see her trembling a little with nervousness, and I bit my lower lip. Part of me had flashbacks to when I had blown away my father¡¯s tent and ruined our delicious coffee.

    I¡¯ve yet to forgive myself for that.

    Then, I began to reconsider what we were doing. Anne was facing the shed. If she blew now, and if such a blast was as powerful as my first time, she may damage the shed. Then again, I¡¯d seen her do this once already, and it wasn¡¯t bad.

    My thoughts were too slow. I was too busy second-guessing myself and not acting when Anne finally finished the incantation.

    ¡°Gust!¡± She said and blew into her hand, and a mighty blow so strong that I saw the air ripple and distort.

    The ground exploded into dust and debris, and one of the little hidden gnome statues¡ªof course, the one with its pants down mooning¡ªgot hoisted off the ground. It did three flips in the air and slammed into the glass window, shattering it entirely as it flew into the shed like a cannon.

    Varis and I stumbled away from Anne as we inhaled some of the dust and debris. I turned away and bent forward, coughing heavily. ¡°Can¡¯t breathe!¡± I heard Varis squeak out as he fell onto the ground and rolled, clutching at his throat.

    I cleared my throat heavily, spat a disgusting glob onto the ground, and could finally suck in fresh air. I pounded my chest a few times, probably not good for my developing breasts, and gulped as much fresh air as I could.

    ¡°T-Too strong!¡± I gasped.

    ¡°I-I¡¯m sorry!¡± Anne said, ¡°I-I couldn¡¯t help it, y-you were so close, a-and I felt n-nervous.¡± I waved a hand at her as I bent over my knees, and after a few moments, I straightened up.

    ¡°I-It¡¯s okay,¡± I said, taking a deep breath and finally composing myself. Meanwhile, my brother continued to writhe on the ground as if he were dying.

    I knew he was just overreacting.

    ¡°I was nervous too the first time,¡± I said as I went over to my brother and kneeled beside him. ¡°Having an audience can be scary,¡± I said as I turned to my brother, who reached out and grabbed me by my collar.

    I squeaked as Varis yanked me down and said in a hoarse voice, ¡°Luna... I-I don¡¯t think... I¡¯ll make it...¡± He choked out.

    Anne gasped and covered her mouth. ¡°Oh my gods, I¡¯m sorry!¡± She squealed, and I sighed.

    ¡°Tell... Momma... I-I...¡± Varis, always being the dramatic one, croaked and pretended to play dead as Anne dropped to her knees.

    Staring at my brother, stone-faced, I rolled my eyes and bopped him on the head. ¡°Stop it, you dolt; you¡¯re scaring Anne!¡± My brother yelled, and his hands shot to where I bonked him, and he rolled away from me, giggling.

    He rolled onto his stomach and pushed himself to his knees, still clutching the part I bopped, and he shouted, ¡°I¡¯m alive! Luna saved me!¡± He then threw himself at me, and I cried out and tried to dodge, yet this frail little body of mine was not as fast as him.

    Varis wrapped his arms around me, which might as well have been steel beams; I couldn¡¯t pry them off, and he pulled me into a body-crushing hug. I choked as I felt my back audibly pop as my brother crushed my little body as he said, ¡°Look, Anne, Luna cured me!¡±

    ¡°Gyak! Yo--ouch! Ba-Bastard!¡± I choked out as I tried to wriggle free.

    Varis gasped, ¡°Oh, that¡¯s a naughty word, Luna!¡±

    ¡°Sh-Shut up!¡± I grunted as Varis finally released me, and Anne giggled.

    ¡°You two are adorable,¡± she said, looking a little calmer now after all that just happened.

    I nearly crumbled to the ground, my back feeling like it had just been shattered, but I caught myself and straightened up with a grunt as my back cracked again. I sighed and blushed a little, and said, ¡°You mean I¡¯m adorable? He isn¡¯t.¡± I jutted a thumb at Varis, who scoffed.

    ¡°What do you mean? I¡¯m adora--¡± He stopped himself. ¡°I¡¯m cool!¡±

    I snapped my finger and said, ¡°Exactly, you¡¯re cool, but not adorable.¡±

    Varis opened his mouth to abject but stopped before he could make himself look dumb and said, ¡°Thank you.¡± Then he crossed his arms.

    Anne giggled some more and glanced back at the mess she had accidentally made. The ground that once held the fire ring was gone. Even the grass was gone. It was just a big dirt patch. The rocks and twigs were nowhere to be seen.

    God, I¡¯m surprised none of us got blasted by shrapnel. I thought of it with relief.

    ¡°I, uh, think I went too strong,¡± Anne said, now sounding nervous again.

    Seeing her expression fall again, I stepped in and hastily said, ¡°It¡¯s okay. The first time I did this, I blew up my father¡¯s tent.¡± I giggled, though I left out the part about how I ruined the sacred coffee beans. ¡°It all just comes down to power management.¡±

    ¡°Power... management?¡± Anne blinked.

    Oh boy, I thought. I don¡¯t know if I can explain this well enough.

    So far, what I know is magic is tricky and straightforward. Based on my brother and now Anne, and of course, what Mother told me, anyone can do magic. This world isn¡¯t like Harry Potter or other stuff that I¡¯ve seen, where magic isn¡¯t limited to particular people. Somewhat.

    Mother has told me that there are people who are ¡°atherless¡± folk with Wells that are deemed ¡°shallow.¡± That doesn¡¯t mean that they can¡¯t use magic; it just means that they get tired out more easily or cannot use higher-tier spells. That doesn¡¯t mean, though, that they cannot learn or do it.

    Magic is as simple as meditation. You clear your mind, imagine what you want to happen, and then focus on your well and imagine what you want to happen. Of course, there are dozens of factors that come into play here. Such as your state of mind, stance, how well you know the incantation, and your hand gestures, to name a few.

    These little variables help the caster focus on what they want to happen, and as such, they can channel their ether more easily. At least, that¡¯s how my mother and Master Alexander explained it to me. I knew they were dumbing things down considerably for me, and there are also a ton of other aspects of it that haven¡¯t even been mentioned yet.

    Such as if all of these are important. How come I, and others like Alex and my mother, can cast spells without saying an incantation? Or even making the fancy hand gestures? For instance, I can now cast gust by simply saying "gust,¡± and I don¡¯t even need to do the little OK sign with my fingers. I can just do it.

    And I can¡¯t even tell you that because I don¡¯t even know it. Magic has just come naturally to me, and part of that, I think, is due to the Man in Black. I have nothing to compare this to, but I think that ¡°boon¡± he gave me all those months ago has something to do with this.

    Once again, another thing to add to my list of questions for him.

    ¡°Yeah,¡± I finally said to Anne, ¡°it¡¯s a bit of a deep topic. But, uh, I don¡¯t have a good way to explain it,¡± I admitted.

    God, I hate this. Having the mental capacity and maturity (for the most part) of an adult is agonizing when it comes to talking to other kids my age. The stuff that my parents explained to me (for the most part) has stuck with me quite easily, and I understood, which sure as hell made their lives a lot easier, but Anne. I don¡¯t even know where to begin explaining magical practices to her on a level she understands.

    Varis was an exception. He was dumb (he¡¯s my brother; I can get away with saying this) but also smarter than most kids his age. Isa and my mother have done a good job of teaching us. He was also surprisingly focused during the handful of sessions I had with him.

    Maybe I¡¯m just being an asshole. I thought,  I don¡¯t know how learned Anne is, and I shouldn¡¯t assume she won¡¯t understand.

    ¡°You can try,¡± Anne smiled and fixed her skirt as she sat down on the grass and tapped a spot next to her for me to sit.

    I took a deep breath and sat down. ¡°Alright.¡± I sighed. ¡°As we know, we have the well deep inside us, right?¡± Anne nodded. ¡°Inside that well is ether, which is controlled by our state of being. So how we feel, our situation, our focus, and so forth.¡± Anne nodded slowly. ¡°All of this is important because it¡¯ll help us direct how our ether flows and how powerful it¡¯ll be. Too excited or too scared could lead to you putting too much ether into a spell, and thus it¡¯ll cause what happened here.¡± I gestured to the dirt patch, and it was at this moment I saw it.

    Anne nodded her head and said, ¡°Okay, I... I think I get it. Luna?¡± She looked at me. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±

    I hadn¡¯t noticed it, but I was pale as a sheet. ¡°Th-th...The window.¡± I pointed at the shed, and Varis gawked as well. Before us, the shed window was shattered, and faintly, through the other side, I could see the gnome baring its white ass at us, its pointed head speared into the wooden wall.

    ¡°I don¡¯t think Mom or Dad heard it!¡± Varis said quickly. ¡°They would¡¯ve come rushing out here if they did.¡±

    I gulped nervously. ¡°Ye-yeah... we can... we can. Uh, Varis, help me grab some of the vines and leaves; we can cover it!¡±

    ¡°Should we?¡± Anne asked, who now looked incredibly guilty. ¡°Maybe if we¡¯re honest, they¡¯ll let us off?¡±

    I turned to her. ¡°While that is morally the right thing to do,¡± I said, ¡°if Momma and Papa know I¡¯ve been doing this with you guys.¡± I sliced my finger across my neck, and Anne squeaked and covered her mouth. ¡°I¡¯m a goner.¡±

    ¡°Exactly!¡± Varis said as he grabbed a few heavy leaves. I mean, these leaves were huge, about the size of his torso. They grew on some kind of shrub or giant weed. I¡¯ve seen them often around town, especially when he went camping. Varis hoisted the big green plant and impaled it onto broken shards on the window.

    ¡°There! They¡¯ll never notice!¡± He stepped back with his hands on his waist to admire his handy work.

    To say it was ¡°hidden¡± in itself would be a lie.

    Woe is me...

 Chapter 89: Caster

    I was in luck¡ªfor now, at least. The shattered window had not been discovered. Varis, Anne, and I covered it with overgrowth that was slowly consuming the neglected backyard. So far, it looks great. The broken window couldn¡¯t be seen, and I doubt my aunt even knew that she had garden gnomes, so the missing one should hopefully not be missed.

    Emphasis on hopefully.

    After we had finished cleaning up our mess, I noticed that it was sometime in the afternoon. The sun hung high in the sky, and despite its bright and shining light, I did not feel the warmth it appeared to give off. Quite frankly, it felt chillier than when I first stepped out here.

    A cool breeze blew over us, and I shivered and clutched my arms as I turned to Varis and said, ¡°I think I¡¯m going to cut magic lessons short today. It¡¯s too cold.¡± I shivered once again as the breeze picked up.

    Varis also shuddered and nodded in agreement. ¡°Okay, Luna, why is it so cold?¡± He asked. ¡°You¡¯re smart!¡± He added.

    I rolled my eyes and shook my head with a shrug. ¡°I dunno, Heinmarr¡¯s weather always fluctuates. Remember how last winter wasn¡¯t so cold?¡±

    ¡°Fluctuates?¡± Varis repeated this and tilted his head.

    I sighed. ¡°It means to change drastically. Sometimes it¡¯s warm, and then next thing we know, it¡¯s super cold.¡± I tried to explain.

    ¡°I get it!¡± Anne blurted it out as my brother shrugged.

    ¡°Sure. Lets go.¡± Varis pushed past me and made his way over to the door, and I turned to follow but stopped when I noticed Anne wasn¡¯t following.

    ¡°Are you coming?¡± I asked her.

    She blinked and asked, ¡°Am I allowed?¡±

    I pursed my lips and once again shrugged. ¡°I don¡¯t see why not, c¡¯mon.¡± I motioned for her to follow, and her face lit up with joy, and she nodded and followed along.

    <hr>

    The house had been cleaned out ever since I went outside after the archbishop and the Frenchman left. My aunt and uncle left for work, and my parents were just getting ready to leave, though not for work-related reasons. Father stated he was going to the central bank deep in the city to see about getting our family set up with an account, which confused me at first.

    I had safely assumed our family had already been set up with a bank, though, thinking back on it. I don¡¯t recall my parents ever going to a bank back in Oren, and I also don¡¯t think I ever saw one. Curious, I asked my father this while he was lacing his boots.

    ¡°Nope,¡± he said simply, ¡°Oren didn¡¯t have a bank. The merchants talked of setting one up and planned to.¡± He grunted as he straightened his back and stretched. "But we all know what happened now.¡± I nodded as I glanced at Varis and Anne, who were in the kitchen scribbling on some loose pieces of paper my mother had given them along with some crayons.

    ¡°So you and Momma just kept the money at the house?¡± I asked, and Father nodded.

    "Yep, we had a safe in our room where we kept it all.¡± He stood up. ¡°Personally, I¡¯d love to do that again.¡± He chuckled. ¡°I was never really one for dealing with people behind desks all the time; I hated it back in the army, and I still do now.¡±

    You and I both. I giggled.

    ¡°Well, I hope it goes smoothly!¡± I beamed, and my father returned the smile and tussled my hair.

    ¡°I¡¯ll have your mother with me to make sure I don¡¯t blow a gasket,¡± he said as my mother nodded.

    My mother then cleared her throat and said, ¡°We shouldn¡¯t be gone long. Perhaps in a few hours, Isa will be in charge; till then, the three of you better behave.¡±

    ¡°We will, Momma!¡± Varis called from the kitchen, and I nodded as well.

    ¡°I¡¯ll make sure Varis doesn¡¯t do anything dumb,¡± I said with a big grin, and my brother scoffed.

    ¡°I never do dumb stuff.¡± He huffed, and I snorted. ¡°It¡¯s true!¡±

    It felt good to be a kid again. I could forget about my worries during that brief period of my parents leaving and being left alone with Anne and Varis. Isa was there, though she kept out of our way and tended to herself as she got ready for her totally unrelated date with the doctor. We hung out in the kitchen, drew with the crayons, and chatted away about random stuff that we kids seemed to enjoy, such as magic, stories, and books.

    It reminded me of my days back in school in my old life when I used to talk about video games and TV shows with my friends on the playground or at lunch. It felt nice. As a kid again, I thought I would hate interacting with other children. Back when I was an adult, I couldn¡¯t stand children; I found them irritating, loud, and obnoxious, and sometimes Varis could still be that, yet he knew when to tone it down. I appreciated that.

    I did like it, though. When I was interacting with kids my age, it was like something in my brain just switched. I went from acting like an adult to instantly being a kid again. When Anne pulled out the dolls that she and I played with at the refugee camp, my eyes flew open with excitement as we sat down in the kitchen and began to play again.

    Varis was initially a bit apprehensive about playing with dolls, but eventually, he caved in when he saw how much fun we were having and joined in. Time flew by faster than I expected because, before I knew it, the front door opened, and my parents returned, looking as tired as ever.

    ¡°We¡¯re back!¡± My father shouted up the stairs.

    ¡°Hello!¡± We all responded in kind as my parents kicked off their shoes and climbed up the stairs, and my mother gasped when her eyes fell on us.

    We removed some of the couch cushions and pillows with Isa''s permission and created a little fort. It was mighty fine, if I say so myself, though I¡¯ll admit I am a bit biased due to me being the main architect behind it all. For instance, I had taken one of the bedsheets from our room and used that as a sort of ceiling tarp rather than a heavy cushion that could fall on us. I think that was pretty clever.

    My mother did not seem to think so, but what does she know about fine architecture?

    ¡°What is this?¡± She asked, puzzled.

    ¡°It¡¯s a pillow fort!¡± Varis said. ¡°It was Luna¡¯s idea!¡±

    My mother blinked and glanced over at all the crayon drawings that were also scattered across the floor. ¡°Why are these strewn across the floor?¡±

    ¡°Uh,¡± Varis blinked and said, ¡°We were drawing earlier.¡±

    I poked my head out of the fort and said, ¡°Varis threw a pillow, and it hit the table!¡±

    ¡°Nuh uh!¡± He said.

    ¡°He did,¡± Isa said, stepping out of the hallway after leaving the restroom. I was surprised that she was dressed in a fine button-up shirt and pants with a red bow around her neck. Her short, red hair was nicely brushed, and to add to my bewilderment, she even had a tiny bit of makeup around her cheeks and eyes.

    She looked to my parents, who were also stunned, and said, ¡°I allowed the children to make their little fort with the promise they would clean it up without complaints.¡± She fixed the little bow around her neck.

    ¡°Isa,¡± my mother said softly. ¡°You look pretty.¡± She smiled, and my mentor blushed.

    ¡°Thank you; from what I know of Nigel, I didn¡¯t wish to be outdressed,¡± Isa said with a slight giggle and then looked at all of us. ¡°Alright, children, as per our agreement. You are to clean up this mess now that your parents are back.¡±

    ¡°Aw, we just made this like twenty minutes ago!¡± Varis complained.

    Anne and I giggled and said, ¡°It¡¯s been longer than that, but c¡¯mon.¡± I patted my brother on the back. ¡°We can make one in our room; we can even have it go under the beds!¡±

    ¡°Please do not destroy your room,¡± My mother said with a sigh, though my father chuckled and rested a hand on her shoulder.

    ¡°Let them have their fun,¡± he said, then paused and glanced at the clock. ¡°Anne,¡± he said, and Anne¡¯s ears twitched. She turned to look at my father. What time did your uncle want you to return home?¡± he asked.

    Anne, who seemed shy around my parents, rubbed her hands together nervously and said, ¡°Around nine o¡¯clock, which I think is around sunset.¡±

    I followed my father¡¯s gaze and read the clock; it was around eight in the evening. Anne was currently living in Trentonville along with many other refugees. From where we were staying now, a wagon ride there and back would take about an hour, depending on traffic, which was always backed up in this town.

    I could see on Anne¡¯s face that she knew where this was going, and her eyes fell to the floor, and I couldn¡¯t help but pout as well. ¡°If that¡¯s the case, then we should probably get you back to your uncle,¡± my father said, and both Anne and I shared a look and sighed. "Oh, don¡¯t get sad now; you¡¯ll make me feel guilty,¡± my father said with a shake of his head. ¡°The two of you can always meet up again.¡± He walked over to us. ¡°Come on, I¡¯ll help you two clean up.¡±

    <hr>

    After we had cleaned up the living room, my father offered to give Anne a ride home with Ruby and our wagon. Not wanting to leave my friend so soon, I offered to go along with them. Since Isa was going in this direction anyway, she also joined in on the ride, and before we knew it, we had a small group riding through town.

    Once again, Johanneson''s nightlife blew me away. Magical neon lights, moving, brightly colored advertisements, and even music echoed down the streets. Once again, it was like journeying into a completely different world. What I didn¡¯t enjoy, however, was how fucking cold it was. I don¡¯t mean to swear, but for real. You have a cold, and then there¡¯s fucking cold. And Johanneson was fucking cold.

    I¡¯m talking, my hand trembling, and my face burning cold. My parents had some blankets in the wagon, and Anne and I wrapped ourselves up tightly as our wagon rolled down the cobblestone streets of Johanneson. Isa sat up front with my father, the two of them also sharing a blanket, as Ruby squawked and hissed as she pulled the wagon. I couldn¡¯t speak draconian like my mother, but I guessed she also complained about the cold.

    When we neared Central Park, the place where Trentonville was, we noticed something even more concerning. It began to snow. Like actual god for real snow. At the beginning of summer. It wasn¡¯t heavy snow, but only a light dusting. The snow also wasn¡¯t sticking when it touched the ground; instead, it melted instantly.

    I didn¡¯t have a thermometer, nor could I read one anyway, as I still hadn¡¯t been taught that. Though if I had to guess, it felt like a solid forty degrees¡ªthat¡¯s in Fahrenheit, by the way, as God intended.

    ¡°Papa, why is it cold?¡± I openly complained, and my father shuddered and then sneezed into the crook of his arm.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know, sweetie,¡± he said, and I could tell by his tone that he was also confused. He glanced up at the sky. ¡°Perhaps the gods thought winter was too short this year. Perhaps they¡¯re making up for last year''s being too warm?¡± He glanced over his shoulder.

    ¡°They have a weird sense of humor,¡± I said as I huddled close to Anne.

    Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original.

    ¡°Aye, they do.¡± My father chuckled.

    Isa shivered as well and said, ¡°I had noticed since the night I went out to eat that the weather has been getting more and more dreary. Perhaps a wind current from the north is blowing a storm from Rusimia our way?¡±

    ¡°If that¡¯s the case,¡± My father said he was scratching his chin and goatee. ¡°Then that¡¯s just really unfortunate timing.¡±

    A scary thought just came to my mind. What if it¡¯s a Rusivite spell? Magic being what it is, it wouldn¡¯t surprise me if the Rusivites or even Heinmarr had wizards that could control the weather. Like in Dungeons and Dragons, there¡¯s that ¡°Control Weather¡± spell. What if that¡¯s what¡¯s happening?

    ¡°Could it be the Rusivites controlling the weather?¡± I asked, unable to hide the bit of fear in my voice.

    Isa couldn¡¯t help but snort for some reason and shake her head. ¡°No. I would be shocked if that were the case.¡±

    ¡°Why?¡± I asked.

    Isa opened her mouth but then hesitated and glanced at my father. ¡°Luna¡¯s smart,¡± my father said. I¡¯m sure she¡¯ll understand if you explain it. As for Anne...¡± He glanced back at us, and I looked down at Anne and noticed she was fast asleep and leaning against me under the cozy blanket. Well, that makes it easy.¡± He chuckled, looked back at the road, and pulled on the reins as we stopped at an intersection.

    Isa turned back and said, ¡°If the Rusivites used such magic, it would be in violation of what is called the ¡°Arcane Codes of War¡±.¡± She said that, and I blinked.

    A type of Geneva Convention?

    ¡°Are those like rules?¡± I asked, and Isa nodded slowly.

    ¡°Yes. I¡¯m not an expert on them, but I¡¯m sure your aunt will have some books about them back home.¡± Isa turned to face me fully. ¡°What I do know is this. Many years ago, during the Reformation Period, the Magus Concordium and the Global Allied Nations decreed these codes, which outlawed the usage of Astral tier magic and higher during times of conflict.¡±

    Unfortunately, I have no idea what an ¡°Astral¡± tier spell is; I know my healing magic is in the ¡°Radiance¡± tier. I¡¯d need to ask my mother for a specific list.

    Isa continued, ¡°The rule stated specifically that such magic that is used on the battlefield is considered ¡°overkill¡± and a crime against Enorans.¡± She paused when she noticed my look of confusion and said, ¡°Such spells they¡¯re referring to, Luna, are spells that could greatly alter the climate and nature of Enora. I¡¯m talking spells that could create hurricanes, tornadoes, or even create or destroy mountains, as well as necromancy. All forms of necromancy are outlawed.¡±

    Oh, sweet Jesus, I¡¯m not surprised that¡¯s outlawed; the idea of armies raising the dead to keep on fighting unnerves me. But if that¡¯s the case, aren¡¯t the Rusivite fighting machines a form of necromancy?

    ¡°What about those fighting machines?¡± I asked Isa. ¡°We learned that...¡± I trailed off the prison memories, and Kassel flashed across my mind, and I took a deep breath. ¡°Those machines are powered by souls.¡±

    Isa bit her lower lip. ¡°I thought of that too, and I think that could possibly hold ground in the courts. Though that also could be spirimancy, as we saw, which is not covered by the Arcane Codes of War as such rules were written before its discovery.¡±

    So it¡¯s a loophole. Rusimia discovered a new form of magic, learned of its destructive capabilities, and now unleashed it upon us all. Great.

    ¡°The Codes,¡± Isa went on, ¡°also outlaw all usage of mind magic. Any spells that can alter a person''s way of thinking or free will are heavily discouraged. Such magic was already outlawed in nearly every nation, but codes solidified it.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s stopping Rusimia and the ¡°warriors of light,¡± I said with a cringe. ¡°From breaking these rules?¡± I asked.

    Isa¡¯s face tightened, and she bit her lower lip and looked at my father once again. He nodded without a word, and she sighed and looked at me. ¡°Mutually assured destruction. Whoever casts the first ¡°mega spell,¡± as some folk call it, the gloves are off. That is why, Luna, when we were at the front, there were no wizards.¡±

    I held up a finger. ¡°There was Master Alexander, and I recall some mages during the assault.¡±

    ¡°Lesser mages,¡± Isa added, ¡°people who are most likely Aetherborn or sorcerers.¡± She was referring to the class specification that mages are granted during training.

    Mother had briefly explained this to me before, and Alexander clarified it during my brief training period under him. The list went like this: Atherless, Etheric Initiates, Aetherborn, Astral Sorcerers, Ethereal Archons, Celestial Magus, and finally Apotheonic Aegis. Mother told me she was an Ethereal Archon, whereas Alexander was a Celestial Magus. Both of them are immensely powerful magisters capable of ungodly violence, which I¡¯ve only seen a piece of.

    There had only ever been one Apotheonic Aegis to ever live on Enora, and that was the Dark Lord, my sleeping friend in my head. That would explain why Alexander didn¡¯t fight during the assault, and instead, I was chosen. Alexander could¡¯ve easily wiped that fort off Enora''s face; hell, he probably could¡¯ve done it while training me without anyone knowing he did it.

    But due to the Arcane Codes of War, he couldn¡¯t. Doing so would allow Rusivite mages, who are also as powerful as Alexander, to do the same to us. It¡¯s like they¡¯re living nukes. I thought with a gulp.

    ¡°The nations of the world are afraid that the unchecked use of magic, like what was used during the Twilight War, would cause great and irreversible destruction to Enora,¡± Isa concluded. ¡°That¡¯s why I doubt the Rusivites are using weather magic on us.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯d blast ourselves back to the stone age,¡± I muttered, and with that, Isa solemnly nodded.

    ¡°Magic is wonderful, Luna, but it¡¯s also horrifically destructive.¡±

    <hr>

    The practically sleeping guards at the gate of Trentonville told us we had to keep our wagon outside the park and that they¡¯d keep an eye on it. Of course, they searched it to confirm we weren¡¯t Rusivite collaborators or smuggling something that didn¡¯t belong in the makeshift village, and once they concluded everything was fine, they allowed us through.

    Isa, however, was not coming along. Instead, she would hitch a ride from a taxi and head towards Dr. Kegan¡¯s clinic in Helmsworth. So we bid her farewell, and my father and I walked Anne back home. Along the way, my father idly chatted with us, asking the usual questions about how Anne enjoyed her stay and what we did.

    I had to stop Anne from almost spilling the beans about me teaching her magic when she explained to my father how she did wind magic. I stepped in and clarified that it was all imaginary and that we were larping as wizards. My father laughed at this, and for a split second, I saw his eyes flick towards me. I feared he might have caught on, yet he didn¡¯t press it further, though my legs were still weak from fear.

    Eventually, we made it to the center of Trentonville, which was still lively despite it being nearly nine in the evening. Barrels and campfires riddled the place, where refugees huddled around and chatted. I could smell barbeque in the air, and my stomach growled audibly, and I remembered I had forgotten to eat dinner.

    That¡¯s when I noticed them. Eyes. All around me. I noticed people''s eyes looking at me as we walked down the stone park path that cut through the village. I could hear folk muttering, and I saw a man doing what looked like the holy trinity, like what the priest Kaleb had done.

    Ah, shit. I thought as I focused on the road ahead, trying not to pay them any attention. The word about what I did was spreading even more. I guessed.

    I felt my father¡¯s hand clutch my right shoulder as he pulled Anne and me close to his side. Looking up at him, I could tell he also noticed the attention we were receiving, which was not surprising based on his background.

    ¡°Move it,¡± he said under his breath, and he began to walk faster.

    A few minutes later, we reached Mr. Reynolds''s tent at the northern edge of the village, and Anne excitedly rushed in and shouted something in Yanky, which I assumed was her greeting him.

    I could hear Oscar on the other side gasp with surprise and greet her back in his native tongue as my father and I stood outside. Yet, to my surprise, I heard a third voice, a woman¡¯s voice, speak in Yanky. There was a brief exchange, and my father patted me on the back and gestured for us to go when the tent''s flap opened, and both Oscar and a mysterious woman stepped out.

    The woman was human, wearing an olive green suit and skirt with a bright white button-up beneath and a black bowtie. On her upper left breast, I noticed patches and medals I couldn¡¯t recognize, and on her right shoulder was a blue and white flag with a four-pointed red star. It was clear to me that this woman looked like she belonged in the military, but not the Heinmarr military.

    She was light-skinned, and her face was cute and smooth, though her eyes were sharp and green. Her expression at first was quizzical as she stepped out and brushed her short blonde hair out from in front of her face.

    After my father and I briefly had a staring contest with her, the woman¡¯s face softened, and in fluent yet accented Maurich, she said, ¡°My apologies if I startled the two of you. I will be on my way.¡± She then reached for a peaked cap that was strapped to her belt and placed it on her head. I saw embedded just above the peak the golden visage of a flaming bird soaring upwards.

    I didn¡¯t notice that behind my father and me, two armed soldiers in similar olive-colored uniforms stepped out from the shadows and began to follow the woman, who began to walk in the direction we came.

    ¡°My apologies,¡± my father said, looking at Oscar, who was currently smoothing out his shirt. ¡°Did we intrude on something?¡±

    Oscar laughed and shook his head. ¡°No. No. We just finished. Kind lady that one is.¡± He hummed.

    ¡°Who is she?¡± I asked curiously.

    ¡°Lieutenant Pearson,¡± Oscar said with a smile as he tussled Anne¡¯s hair as she clung to his leg. ¡°Yanky officer.¡±

    My father blinked. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect the Yanks to be here already,¡± he said in a hushed voice, and Oscar nodded.

    ¡°Yankys arrive tomorrow; they will.¡± Oscar¡¯s voice was hushed. ¡°Arrive at airport with expeditionary force,¡± he said as my father¡¯s eyes widened.

    ¡°Finally,¡± Father said with a big smile. ¡°Help is finally arriving! That¡¯s great news!¡± My father clutched my shoulder and squeezed reassuringly.

    Oscar nodded. ¡°Aye. Soon, Yanky weapons will push those Rusivites back!¡± He pounded his fist into his palm and chuckled.

    ¡°But why was she talking to you?¡± I asked, unable to help the nosey feeling I had.

    ¡°Luna,¡± my father said, shaking his head. ¡°That¡¯s none of our business.¡±

    Oscar shook his head and held a hand up. ¡°It is fine.¡± He hummed. ¡°As said,¡± he looked to me. ¡°I work for a big company, renowned artificer I am.¡± He said it with a smug smile, and Anne rolled her eyes. ¡°Yanks want me back home; Lt. Pearson, help arrange a flight for Anne and I.¡±

    I don¡¯t know why, but hearing that made my heart quiver, and I looked to Anne. ¡°You guys are leaving?¡± I asked quietly, feeling my mood deflating. I knew it was dumb of me to be sad; they were getting a chance to fly out of here. Yet, at the same time, Anne was probably my only friend and losing contact with her again so soon was disheartening.

    Oscar seemed to notice my reaction, and his face fell a little as he nodded slowly. ¡°Aye. Unfortunate, yes, but practical. Heinmarr, no safe. Not with war happening.¡± Anne also seemed saddened by this, judging by her reaction. I assumed she knew this was coming and hadn¡¯t said anything.

    ¡°But,¡± Oscar continued as he kneeled in front of me. ¡°Gone we will be, but not forever.¡± He smiled and glanced up at my father as Oscar reached for his pants pocket. ¡°I have gift. If I may?¡± He looked at my father again, smiled, and nodded as a sign of permission.

    ¡°A gift?¡± I asked with widening eyes.

    ¡°Yes.¡± Oscar nodded with a big smile. ¡°Just for you. What this is is rare item. Keep close; do not lose it. I made it just yesterday.¡± He pulled out of his pocket what looked like a large locket about the size of the palm of his hand, which, compared to me, meant I had to hold it with both hands.

    It was bronze and textured, with nothing fancy etched into it. Yet, along the middle section was a small crevice that led to a hinge, signaling to me that it could be opened. Oscar then showed me it could be done by pressing a small button on the bottom of the large locket. When it swung open, I was amused to see it was a mirror, which showed my reflection, and god, I wish I hadn¡¯t. I didn¡¯t realize it till now, but my eyes were red and moist. Fuck.

    ¡°It¡¯s a mirror,¡± I said softly and smiled. ¡°Thank you--¡±

    ¡°No mirror.¡± Oscar shook his head and then frowned as he began mumbling to himself. ¡°What word... uh... Anne?¡± He looked at his niece, and the two exchanged some words in Yanky.

    Anne then looked at me and said, ¡°Uncle said it''s an ¡°image caster¡± or ¡°caster¡± for short.¡±

    Image caster? Wait... like, phone? Face time? Huh?

    ¡°For communication,¡± Oscar said, ¡°think message phone.¡±

    Even my father¡¯s eyes widened, and his jaw went slack. ¡°Elder, this is¡ªthat¡¯s a bit much,¡± he said in a hushed voice. ¡°We can¡¯t take this; we couldn¡¯t afford anything like th--¡± My father was cut off by Oscar¡¯s hand waving him away.

    ¡°Bah, it is fine.¡± The much older elf smiled. ¡°Such device is elementary. Soon, all kids will have them.¡± He chuckled, pulled out a second one, and handed it to Anne, whose face lit up. ¡°Use these to keep in touch. Careful though; they are not, uh, unbreakable.¡±

    My heart fluttered as I held this magic cellphone in my hand. I blinked and rubbed my eyes with my arm. ¡°This is really nice,¡± I said softly. ¡°Thank you, Mr. Reynolds.¡± Oscar''s smile broadened. Curious about how the device worked, I asked, ¡°How does it work? Does it have a limit?¡±

    Oscar nodded and then began to explain the device to me. I¡¯ll translate what he said as best as I can. The caster worked very much like a phone¡¯s FaceTime on my old device. Essentially, there were two mirrors, one on the base and another on the lid. The lid mirror, of course, reflected my image, whereas the base one would show the person I was speaking to. The device contacts the other person by me speaking a ¡°command¡± word, that word being "contact,¡± and then I say the person¡¯s name.

    What¡¯s crazy is that the device knows other languages and can even interpret who I¡¯m trying to contact, even if I mispronounce their name. How does it do this? I don¡¯t know; Oscar wanted to explain it, but I couldn''t get it with his broken Maurich and the complexity of magical programming.

    The caster also had essentially a battery. A small magrite crystal about the size of my fingernail was stuck beneath the base mirror, which Oscar showed me was removable. The magrite he predicted should hold a charge for at least five years, which stunned me upon hearing it.

    I wish my old phone held a charge for that long. Holy crap.

    All in all, it was quite a valuable item. Of course, the item was limited to only contacting people with such a device. How the hell could this thing determine who carried what? I had no clue. It was all just ¡°magic¡± to me. There probably was an explanation, but I¡¯d need to hear it from someone who could speak fluent Maurich. Even then, I doubt I¡¯d understand; I know my limitations.

    I gripped the caster firmly in my hands. ¡°Thank you,¡± I said again, regretting not bringing my enigma bag. ¡°I¡¯ll hold onto this forever.¡± I beamed and looked at Anne. ¡°And I¡¯ll contact you every night!¡±

    Anne beamed. ¡°Same!¡±

    ¡°Not tonight,¡± Oscar said. ¡°It¡¯s bed time.¡± He turned to Anne, who immediately pouted. ¡°Tomorrow, you can speak all you want.¡± Anne nodded and then smiled at me, and I beamed right back.

    My father sighed. ¡°I better not catch you talking to her all night through that thing,¡± my father said. ¡°If I catch you not getting sleep, you¡¯re going to be in big trouble!¡±

    ¡°I won¡¯t!¡± I squeaked.

    That was a lie.

 Chapter 90: Vision

    Despite being given a magical phone to communicate with Anne, I couldn¡¯t help but feel a little down that she was already leaving the city. It made sense; of course, the country is going to hell, so it¡¯s best to get out when you can. Perhaps it was the child side of myself that hoped that I could enjoy more time with her; the bit of what I experienced today was great, and I wanted to cling to it longer. But alas, it was not to be.

    After my father and I dropped Anne off, we returned to Ruby and the wagon, and I shuddered as another cool breeze blew over the city. The snow that had been dusting us the entire time picked up a little, and I audibly complained as my father sighed and pulled me close to his side as we walked.

    ¡°We¡¯ll be back at the house soon,¡± he said as he squeezed my shoulder and then stopped when we both heard the sound of a bellowing horn.

    It sounded like a screaming train, yet louder, much, much louder. It was coming from high above, and we both turned our heads toward the sound just as it bellowed again. It was hard to see the sky with the towering buildings and overcast, but faintly, I saw something dipping down from the clouds. On its hull, I noticed red and yellow blinking lights that flashed every few seconds, and immediately, I felt my heart sink.

    It¡¯s the flying dreadnoughts, I thought as I felt my anxiety rising.

    I noticed my father¡¯s grip on my shoulder tighten as well, and as I looked at him, my anxiety only grew worse as I saw his face share a similar look. Another horn roared, and a second vessel descended from the clouds above, this one much larger and more illuminated as the lights on its sides came on. To my relief, I saw a symbol of a flaming bird¡ªthe same symbol the Yanky woman had on her cap.

    Both my father and I sighed with relief as we caught this at the same time. ¡°It looks like the Yanks are arriving here sooner than expected,¡± he said under his breath. ¡°It seems like they¡¯re coming in to land at the airport now that I think about it.¡± He chuckled. ¡°Nothing for us to be worried about.¡±

    ¡°Papa,¡± I said, ¡°Isa said you and your mother have been to Yankston. What¡¯re they like?¡±

    My father chuckled. ¡°Oh, that was about twenty years ago.¡± He hummed as he patted me on the back and gestured for me to keep walking, and I did so. ¡°Yankys are interesting people,¡± he said as we walked. ¡°Being on the other end of the world, they aren¡¯t like us in any way, but that doesn¡¯t make them bad or strange. Honestly, it¡¯s refreshing. Most are loud, friendly, and most of all, hot-headed.¡± He chuckled. ¡°From what I''ve seen, people from Yankston can be immensely loyal, like Mr. Reynolds, but piss them off and you¡¯ll be in a load of trouble.¡± He hummed. ¡°Your mother and I have some friends from Yankston, people we met on our travels with Isa...¡± He trailed off. ¡°We haven¡¯t spoken to them in quite some time now that I think about it.¡±

    ¡°Let me guess,¡± I mused. ¡°You haven¡¯t spoken to them in twenty years?¡±

    My father bit his lower lip. ¡°Yeah.¡± he said with a curt nod. ¡°It seems time has gotten away from me again.¡± He laughed nervously.

    ¡°Seems to be a common thing with us elves,¡± I said with a roll of my eyes.

    My father raised a finger in protest. ¡°Hey, when you live as long as your mother and I, things just tend to slip by.¡±

    ¡°You guys aren¡¯t even that old,¡± I smirked. ¡°A hundred years for us elves is like still being a child compared to Mr. Reynolds.¡±

    My father blinked and shook his head. ¡°Like you have much to say, little girl!¡± He said he was slightly offended. "Gods, I can¡¯t believe my own child called me a kid,¡± he muttered.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t say that!¡± I protested.

    ¡°You didn¡¯t have to; now shush, papa is mad,¡± my father said with a slight smirk.

    ¡°Aw, don¡¯t be mad!¡± I said, unable to hide my smile, as I leaned against him as we made our way out of Trentonville.

    <hr>

    It was around 10:30 at night when we returned to my aunt and uncle¡¯s house. After we parked the wagon, I assisted my father in unhitching Ruby and walked the red-scaled strider back to her little stable.

    Even now, after seven years in this world and seeing these creatures all over the place, land dragons, and, well, dragons in general, still astonish me. Land dragons alone looked like dinosaurs, and I¡¯ll have you know, back in my old life (and still now), I love dinosaurs.

    Now that I think about it, I thought while my mind wandered as we got Ruby into her stable. Does this world have its version of dinosaurs? Like, if gods exist in this world, was evolution even a thing?

    Another question I guess I could ask the Master. He did say he had been researching the origins of the gods; maybe he knows the origins of all life.

    After Ruby was tucked away, My father gave me a slab of salted juni, which was sort of like pork. I¡¯ll note that it doesn¡¯t taste as good as actual pork. It¡¯s good in its own way, but, and this will sound weird to some, it doesn¡¯t contain that good fattiness that pork has. Like Juni bacon, it honestly tastes more like turkey bacon; it¡¯s good, sure, but it doesn¡¯t have that white, bubbly, fatty goodness that bacon normally has. Isn¡¯t that the whole reason why people enjoy bacon?

    What I¡¯d give is some good old-fashioned bacon. While I¡¯m at it, a cheeseburger. An honest-to-god cheeseburger. Grok burgers are a thing and groks are awesome. They¡¯re like large bull-like creatures, except they''re huge; they have four eyes and gnarly horns. The problem is that they have more muscle than tasty meat. They also don¡¯t taste anything like a cow; instead, it¡¯s more like venison. Which is great; I like venison, but damn, a lovely grilled burger with lettuce, tomato, and maybe even some grilled onions.

    Fuck. It¡¯s thoughts like these that make me miss Earth. The food there, especially some of the old American cuisine... If Charity ever visits me again in a dream, I¡¯d probably ask her to generate another fake dinner again. My mouth is watering. I should¡¯ve eaten dinner earlier.

    What was I saying? Oh, right.

    Ruby excitedly accepted my treat for taking us around town so late and devoured the piece of salted meat in two bites. She was gentle about it; she took it from my hand gently, but when I was in the clear, she turned into a ravenous monster by whipping the meat into the air, catching it in her mouth, and chomping away at it. Once she was done, she leaned in over the small fence and tapped me on the head with her chin as a sign of thanks.

    I giggled and rubbed her scales and feathers on her face before stepping back, as my father said we should get inside due to the cold. I was initially concerned about Ruby and the weather, but my father assured me that dragons, while they may not seem like it, can handle cold weather just fine.

    When we got into the house, I was more than relieved as the temperature shot up by at least thirty degrees. So much so that I shredded the blanket that was wrapped around me, and I tugged at my collar. If only this shirt was a button-up, and I would more than happily unbutton the first few. I sighed as I kicked off my boots.

    If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.

    ¡°There you two are!¡± I heard my mother call down from the steps as my aunt Saria also peeked over the edge of the railing. Her cheeks were a bit red, and I noticed she was smiling happily down at us as she raised a half glass of wine to us.

    "Greetings, my nightly explorers; I hope the roads were alright,¡± my aunt said.

    My father sighed. ¡°They were; Luna and I just got caught up talking with Mr. Reynolds, is all. How are things here?¡± He said as he took his boots off and motioned for me to climb up the steps first, which I did as he followed behind.

    Reaching the top of the steps, I noticed only my aunt and mother were awake. ¡°Where¡¯s Varis and Uncle Aenorin?¡± I asked.

    ¡°Both of them are asleep,¡± my mother said. ¡°It¡¯s way past your bedtime, and your uncle was too tired from work.¡±

    Damn, she¡¯s right, it is bedtime. I pouted as my stomach audibly grumbled and my mother¡¯s ears twitched.

    ¡°Did you eat dinner?¡± My mother asked.

    I sheepishly shook my head. ¡°I-I got too distracted with Varis and Anne; I forgot to eat when Isa said we should.¡±

    My mother sighed. ¡°Of course--¡±

    Suddenly, my tipsy aunt snapped her finger and straightened up. ¡°Speaking of dinner!¡± She blurted. ¡°Mr. Rosewall is going to be hosting a dinner party for everyone this Apex.¡± She was referring to Apex Day, which is in the middle of the week. ¡°Everyone working on the project is invited.¡±

    Both my father and mother looked at each other. ¡°We weren¡¯t told this when we were hired,¡± my mother said.

    My aunt giggled drunkenly and took a sip of her wine. ¡°That¡¯s because I didn¡¯t hear about it until today¡¯s meeting. Shhh, don¡¯t tell anyone else.¡± She winked. ¡°The announcement isn¡¯t going to be until Sail Day,¡± she said, referring to the day at the start of the work week. ¡°I can¡¯t wait; it¡¯ll be wonderful.¡±

    ¡°Is this just a typical dinner party?¡± Father asked, looking at my mother and then at my aunt. ¡°I won¡¯t say no to free food, but I don¡¯t have anything to wear.¡±

    My aunt shook her head. ¡°Informal wear is fine,¡± she said with a hum. ¡°Mr. Rosewall understands that many of the refugee workers won¡¯t have appropriate attire. It¡¯s also not just a typical dinner, as he¡¯ll be making an announcement. An announcement I won¡¯t spoil.¡± She winked again excitedly as she took another drink.

    ¡°Can we bring the kids along?¡± My mother asked, and my aunt nodded.

    ¡°All close family members are invited.¡± She hummed and swirled her wine around in her glass. ¡°But shhh,¡± she shushed us. ¡°I¡¯m too excited and tipsy; I don¡¯t want to spoil too much.¡± She giggled some more as my mother rolled her eyes, and my mother nodded and looked at me.

    ¡°Alright, Missy,¡± she told me, ¡°let''s get you something to snack on, and then it¡¯s bedtime.¡±

    ¡°Okay,¡± I said, pouting, as I didn¡¯t feel tired at all. ¡°Before we do that, Aunt Saria.¡± I turned to my aunt, and she looked at me while humming pleasantly.

    ¡°Yes, Luna?¡± She took another sip from her almost empty glass now.

    ¡°Who¡¯s Mr. Rosewall?¡± I asked curiously.

    My aunt broke eye contact with me and gazed up at the ceiling for a moment before turning to her glass as she swirled the remainder of the liquid around in it. ¡°Mr. Rosewall, well, he¡¯s none other than the richest man in all of Heinmarr, if not one of the few in the world.¡± She smiled. ¡°Mr. Magrite is what some people jokingly call him. I think he and his family originally came from Yankston." She shrugged. "Now he''s here and has helped build and fund nearly every major project within Heinmarr, and he owns Adamantium Builds and Automaton Wonders. The two companies your parents and I work for now. He¡¯s truly a kind gentleman; for a human, he¡¯s done so much in his little life; it¡¯s honestly impressive.¡± She hummed.

    ¡°I¡¯ve heard of him before,¡± my father said, crossing his arms. ¡°Last I heard before the war, Adamantium Builds was going to construct a mag-line to our village.¡± He smiled. ¡°Much of the farmers weren¡¯t happy when they heard Mr. Rosewall was buying up land.¡±

    My aunt groaned and rolled her eyes. ¡°Farmers complain about everything!¡± She sighed. ¡°First it was about automatons; now they¡¯re moaning about factories and trains.¡± She slumped in her seat. ¡°They all just want to stick to the old ways and never think about the future.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s because most races, like humans, don¡¯t live long enough to see the future,¡± my mother said as she got up and smoothed out her dress. ¡°And I don¡¯t fault them for that; I bet if our lives were as short as theirs, we¡¯d be thinking the same way. Anyway,¡± she said, clearing her throat before changing the subject. ¡°Come, Luna, I¡¯ll make you a jam sandwich.¡±

    <hr>

    The air raid siren howled over the sounds of gunfire and bombs. An explosion detonated outside as the shock wave blew out the windows of the house as shrapnel tore through the brick walls and plaster. I had taken cover beneath my bed, my hands trembling as I covered my quivering head.

    I could hear the roaring of airship engines as the Rusivite fleet carpet-bombed the city and, following behind, the thumping legs of fighting machines. Machinegun fire began to crescendo as the machines drew closer, and I stifled a sob as I tried to wrack my brain on what I should do next.

    There wasn¡¯t anything I could do. The city was under siege. Everywhere was chaos. The enemy was above us and coming from the east. Going outside now would be a death sentence. Across from me, I could see Varis also cowering beneath his bed.

    Where is Momma? Where is Papa? Or my aunt and uncle? Isa?!

    Another eruption shook the house, and I was practically deafened as debris plowed through the ceiling above, shattering the plaster and splintering the wood as rubble slammed into the bed above me. One of the bed¡¯s legs snapped, and the furniture tipped forward, thankfully not crushing me but instead alerting me that this room was no longer safe.

    Through the dust and smoke, sunlight shone through the now open ceiling above as I began to panic and crawl my way over to Varis¡¯s bed, and it was here that I saw what had happened. One of the apartment complexes beside my aunt¡¯s home had been struck by a bomb, and the resulting debris crushed part of our shelter.

    We need to go; we need to go somewhere!

    ¡°Blasted all,¡± A voice I hadn¡¯t heard in ages said, ¡°The Heart. You need to reach the heart and stop dallying!¡± Just then, I began to hear a whistling noise.

    ¡°Where is it, though?!¡± I shouted out loud just as a whistling turned into a screech before slamming into the floor beside mine and my brother¡¯s hiding spot.

    Both of us cried out, and I rolled away as what had landed beside us was a rounded, blue bomb.

    ¡°No--¡± I started to scream before everything went white, then dark.

    <hr>

    ¡°Gyaah!¡± I shot up from my bed, screaming.

    ¡°Waaaah!¡± Varis also screamed and rolled out of bed, startling me as I cried out as well and dove from my covers.

    ¡°What in the world?!¡± I heard Isa shout as she swiftly shot up from her bedroll on the floor. ¡°Children! Children!¡± Isa held her hands up to calm us as both Varis and I sat on the floor, panicking.

    Taking deep breaths, I tried to calm myself as I wiped the tears from my eyes and quickly looked around our room.

    The ceiling is intact; I hear no bombs, no guns. We¡¯re safe... We¡¯re safe... I¡¯m safe.

    I took a deep breath and composed myself; however, my brother, whom I could hear, was still sniveling and sobbing. Oh, God... I thought as I felt guilt immediately washing over me. Isa went over to Varis after noticing I had calmed myself. Seeing this, I got up and also rushed over to my brother.

    ¡°Varis, I¡¯m so sorry,¡± I said, and Isa turned to me.

    ¡°Are you okay? What happened?¡± Isa asked. ¡°Was it a vision? A nightmare?¡±

    Before I could say anything, Varis leaned over and hugged me without saying a word. I blushed and hugged him back. ¡°B-Both... maybe...¡± I looked at Isa just as the door to my room flew open, and my father rushed in, wearing nothing but a white shirt and loose underwear. He held what looked like a metal statue in his hand at the ready as if he would beat someone down. Behind him, my mother came in with magical lights drifting around us, illuminating the room.

    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± He asked seriously as his eyes darted about the room.

    Isa looked at me as I patted my brother¡¯s back, and I gulped. ¡°I-I think... I think I had another vision."

 Chapter 91: Turning Point II

    I told them everything about my dream and the message the Master had sent. As I explained it all, I could see my father¡¯s face gradually beginning to pale as his eyes widened with fear and realization.

    As my aunt and uncle poked their heads into our room to see what was happening, my father said, ¡°The airport; they¡¯re going to strike the airport soon.¡±

    My mother was in the middle of explaining everything to my aunt and uncle when she heard what my father said, and she turned to him. ¡°How in the world would you know that?¡± She asked.

    My father turned to her and said, ¡°Because that¡¯s what I would do.¡±

    ¡°Excuse me?¡± My uncle said it tiredly, though my father ignored him.

    ¡°Think about it,¡± he said to all of us as he looked over each of our faces. ¡°The Yankys are landing their troops and supplies right now, and most likely more are coming in later today. If I were some big-shot Rusivite leader, I¡¯d be salivating at the idea of sucker punching my enemy when they hadn¡¯t even unloaded everything.¡±

    Varis whimpered and tightened his embrace around me, and my father noticed this and bit his lower lip. Realizing he was just scaring my brother even more, he sighed and shook his head. ¡°Sorry,¡± he started to say, but my mother held a hand up.

    ¡°No reason to be sorry, dear; we can discuss this in our room.¡± She turned away from Father, approached my brother and me, and kneeled beside us. ¡°Hey, it¡¯s okay.¡± She cooed softly as she lightly hugged Varis from behind and reached around to pull me in as well.

    My brother choked a sob and turned to nestle into my mother. I simply leaned into her while my arms loosened around my brother. I didn¡¯t know what to say or do, for that matter. My mind was running a mile a minute.

    He¡¯s right. I thought as worry began to settle in. At least, tactically, it¡¯d make sense. The Rusivites, as we know them, can practically strike anywhere they want with those massive pods, and the airships they have built look way more advanced than the brief glimpse I had of the Yanky ship. If the Rusivites knew the Yankys were here, I''d attack as well if I were in their position.

    My mother released Varis and me and pulled my brother close. She cooed softly to him and whispered briefly in his ear as he began to calm down. Meanwhile, Isa and my father came over to me and helped me up off the ground and back onto my bed.

    ¡°How¡¯re you feeling?¡± My father asked in a hushed voice.

    ¡°I¡¯m okay,¡± I said. ¡°Just scared.¡±

    My father nodded and glanced at Isa, who said nothing, before going over to my aunt and uncle, who were still confused. ¡°It¡¯s okay to be scared,¡± Father said. But I need to know, Luna, was there anything else that you can remember?¡± He asked.

    I shook my head. ¡°No, everything I told you is all I know,¡± I said, and he took a deep breath.

    ¡°You and Isa were planning on going out today, were you?¡± He asked.

    I blinked. How would he know that? I hadn¡¯t told anyone.

    As if reading my mind, he said, ¡°Isa told us yesterday. I bring this up because I want to come with you now.¡±

    My eyes widened. ¡°Don¡¯t you and Momma have work?¡±

    My father shook his head. ¡°No. Yesterday and today are our off days. I want to come with you in case something happens. Your mother will be with Varis. Besides, three people searching is better than just two.¡±

    I pursed my lips and asked, ¡°Do I have a choice?¡±

    ¡°No.¡± My father said it flatly before giving me a shit-eating grin. ¡°Your mother is capable of taking care of Varis far better than I can, but unlike your mother, I like to think I¡¯m a pretty good tracker. So if we need to find something, I¡¯m your guy.¡± He winked.

    I smiled a little and shrugged. "Well, if I have no choice, then I might as well bring you along.¡± I rolled my eyes playfully.

    My father scoffed. ¡°Hey, you don¡¯t need to sound so reluctant. I make great company.¡± He chuckled and tussled my hair.

    I was thankful my father came over when he did. He was a nice distraction from the worries plaguing my mind. I just hope this premonition was a dream and nothing more. Based on my prior dreams, The Man in Black has never fully predicted the future one-for-one. Everything has been vague predictions if that¡¯s the right word. This means there¡¯s a possibility that an attack may not happen.

    As for my father¡¯s prediction, I hope there isn¡¯t a Rusivite commander gunning for employee of the year.

    <hr>

    ¡°It could be anywhere at this point!¡± I groaned as I flopped back on the sidewalk bench. Isa sat beside me, and Father leaned against a nearby lamppost. We had just recently gotten off a tram; today, we chose to use Johanneson¡¯s public transportation rather than take Ruby out, as Father wanted to leave the strider behind with Mother and Varis in case they chose to leave the house. Since Mother can speak Draconian, Father thought it¡¯d be best since the two could more easily communicate.

    The tram system wasn¡¯t so bad. Hell, it was kind of great. So far, walking and using transportation have been very reliable and surprisingly quick. It was a little past noon, and the sun sat high in the sky above us. It was a mostly clear day with hardly any clouds in the sky, and continuing with the weird weather this past week; it was chilly. Not too cold like how last night had gotten, but if I had to guess using freedom units, I¡¯d say it was about fifty-five degrees Fahrenheit, give or take a few points.

    Sweater weather is what my old mother used to call it in my past life, which is honestly my preferred climate. At least it used to be. I wasn¡¯t a big guy anymore, nor did I have a hoodie I could throw on. Nope, instead, I had the body of a small child, which a simple breeze could whisk away at any moment. Every time the wind blew, I was practically shivering.

    Thankfully, my father had brought a small blanket I could bundle myself in, and as I went out, my aunt was kind enough to lend my father some money just before she left for work. So while we were out searching for this ¡°heart of the city," we also did some clothes shopping. Mainly outfits meant for cooler weather.

    Which was hard to find, mind you, because it was technically summer. Most shops around here that sold clothes were only stocked with warmer weather options. Most places we stopped at stated that they¡¯d either sold off the remainder of the stock elsewhere or had donated it. Knowing my luck, one hundred percent lines up.

    Anyway, what was I going on about?

    Oh yeah.

    We were looking for the heart of the city. After I told my parents and Isa what I had seen in my dream, there was no way I would go back to sleep. None of us could, except for Varis. The poor kid was so terrified by me waking him up screaming and then hearing what I said that he just couldn¡¯t handle the stress. At some point, he cried out, and Isa tucked him back into bed while my parents and I hung out in the living room.

    We discussed in great detail what we had known so far.

    The Man in Black, who wishes to be called the Master, is the Dark Lord. Or at least, that¡¯s who we expect him to be. Secondly, he has chosen me for some reason because of someone I once was to help with stopping ¡°God¡± from destroying, claiming, or doing whatever he wants with our world. However, his powers have been significantly weakened due to his having possessed my body, and he needs to rest. To speak again, I must reach the ¡°heart of the city¡± to find a place of power to speak with him. He also mentioned that the construction needed to be finished and that I should watch my aunt.

    That¡¯s everything we know so far regarding what the Man in Black wants. The issue is that ¡°the heart of the city¡± isn¡¯t as straightforward a location as you¡¯d think. Having taken a ride on the wagon with my father and Isa, we traveled to the city¡¯s core, just below the Oberstein. I should mention that was the apparent name of the gothic castle atop the large, central hill in Johanneson. It¡¯s the most center the city could get, and yet I got nothing.

    It could be that the Master wants us to go into the castle, yet Oberstein was possibly the most heavily guarded place in Johanneson. Two blocks around the city had been cordoned off as soldiers dug in and fortified streets and buildings in preparation for a siege, a sight that did little to calm my already fraying nerves.

    When I saw this, my father assured me we should avoid this place unless absolutely necessary. None of us were in the mood for pissing off the local government.

    The second place we had gone to search was the construction site near Trentonville. In the same place where I had witnessed the accident when we first arrived, there was a problem. Just like the Oberstein, the construction site was heavily guarded, not to the level of the governor¡¯s manor. Constables and lightly armed soldiers patrolled up and down the blocks that surrounded the site, and Isa pointed to the rooftops of buildings housing barely visible snipers.

    Whatever it was they were building here, it was clearly necessary.

    Which finally led us to where we are now. Sitting on a bench alongside a busy road. Lost on what to do next. I pouted and huffed as I crossed my arms and sank into my seat. Beside me, Isa took a deep breath and said, ¡°It¡¯s here somewhere, Luna; we were all expecting this ¡°heart¡± to be in an obvious location, maybe this master was referring to something else.¡±

    ¡°Something a bit more out of the box?¡± I mused as I leaned back into the bench.

    ¡°Excuse me?¡± Isa said with a blink and a tilt of her head.

    ¡°Thinking outside the box,¡± I said. ¡°It¡¯s a figure of speech.¡±

    ¡°I never heard of it,¡± my father said, and I pursed my lips.

    Oh shit, I thought. This wasn¡¯t the first time something like this had happened, even to this day, seven years later. I still bring up phrases from my prior life that either don¡¯t exist in this world or are worded differently.

    ¡°It¡¯s something the Master said before, and I liked it,¡± I lied with a wave of my hand. ¡°It means what Isa just said. We¡¯re looking for something obvious when, in reality, it isn¡¯t. So instead, we need to think ¡°outside the box.¡± I think.¡± I explained, and both Isa and Father nodded understandingly.

    Isa crossed her arms and said, ¡°So, you¡¯re suggesting we try looking in places we wouldn¡¯t expect?¡± She arched an eyebrow, and I nodded.

    ¡°Yeah, exactly. Like...¡± I pursed my lips. ¡°What would the heart of a city be?¡± I asked.

    My father cursed softly and said, ¡°I wish I had brought your mother along now. She¡¯s good at these sort of mind games.¡± He chuckled. ¡°If we take it literally, a heart is what keeps us alive, right?¡± My father pondered as he gripped his chin in thought. ¡°It¡¯s what pumps the blood through us and gets us moving--¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s it!¡± Isa blurted so loudly that an old couple behind us yelped with surprise and scurried away. Even I nearly flew out of my seat as I recoiled and turned to look at her. ¡°A place of power,¡± she said. ¡°A heart that keeps everything going. He¡¯s talking about the arcanium plant.¡±

    ¡°You mean those generators you taught us the other day?¡± I asked, blinking.

    Isa nodded excitedly. ¡°Yes. Every metropolis has one. A large sprawling plant that powers everything we see and the lights,¡± she said as she gestured to the street lamps and magical moving signs. She then facepalmed and said, ¡°I¡¯m astonished I didn¡¯t connect the dots immediately.¡± She sighed and looked at my father. ¡°Slyran, you¡¯re a genius.¡±

    ¡°I am?¡± He asked, eyes wide with shock, then shook his head and smirked. ¡°I am!¡± He repeated it more confidently.

    I smiled as well, relieved that I had a capable mentor. There is no way in hell I would¡¯ve figured that out. Or, well, not as quickly. ¡°Great,¡± I said happily. ¡°Where is it?¡±

    Isa¡¯s excited smile faltered a bit. ¡°I...¡± She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. ¡°That¡¯s the problem. I don¡¯t know,¡± she said, lowering her voice so only my father and I could hear. ¡°Arcanium plants, within the last few blood moons, have started being constructed beneath the surface in large underground bunkers. Mostly for security reasons and as a secondary measure in case the lead lining doesn¡¯t stop Renka from shutting off the generators.¡±

    ¡°I thought you said the lead does stop it, though,¡± I said, and Isa nodded.

    ¡°It does, but paranoia can be a hell of a driver," Isa said. ¡°Most likely, if I had to guess, the plant would be constructed beneath the city or somewhere nearby, and, uh... heh...¡± Isa nervously chuckled, and my blood ran cold. ¡°Such a place would be under heavy guard and surveillance.¡±

    ¡°Especially with an on going war,¡± my father added with a groan before muttering, ¡°Wouldn¡¯t be the first time I broke into a heavily fortified compound.¡±

    Well, fuck me, My mind raged. How in the world does the Master expect me to get into such a place?! I¡¯d instead go up against the goddamn castle than an underground nuclear power plant. It¡¯d also be a plant guarded by Heinmarran soldiers and possibly even mages, or god knows what the army cooks up.

    Seeing my concern, Isa hastily added, ¡°This is just a theory, Luna. There¡¯s the chance the heart could be elsewhere.¡±

    I slowly shook my head. ¡°I don¡¯t think so,¡± I said. ¡°What you suggested seems like the most obvious choice. It¡¯s the place that provides all the power for the city; it alone is probably a place of power. So it makes sense.¡±

    ¡°It does,¡± my father said, ¡°but, again, we don¡¯t know for sure. Till then, I say we keep our options open.¡±

    Isa nodded as a large truck bounced along the road past us, blaring its horn when a group of oblivious kids ran across the street in front of it. The driver slammed his foot on the brakes, and to my surprise, I saw that the driver, as he stuck his head out to shout at the rascals, was a small, and I mean very small, bald man. Probably no more significant than two feet.

    How the hell is he driving that thing? I thought distractedly before shaking my head as I came back to reality. ¡°Uh, maybe we should discuss this stuff in a more private spot?¡± I suggested it before shivering when a cool breeze came down the street and blew over us.

    The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

    Isa shuddered as well and said, ¡°Agreed. Let''s put a pause on the search for now and let''s go get you a nice coat.¡± She smiled and patted me on the head.

    <hr>

    Shopping for clothes, or shopping in general, was challenging¡ªfor girls, at least. Back in my old life, when I was a man, it was simple. I would walk into the store and find a simple pack of briefs or a plain, blank shirt. I would then check if they would fit me and then buy them. Simple as that. Now, I will honestly say I was no fashionista; my idea of ¡°fashion¡± back then was whatever felt comfortable.

    I never really went anywhere. When I did, I had one or two outfits, but usually, they were some baggy jeans, a loose shirt, and maybe a hoodie. When it came to fashion, time was so much simpler.

    Now I had to worry about other things, or really, I didn¡¯t, but those around me did. We weren¡¯t even trying to buy clothes or other outfits. It was only a coat. I only needed a comfy, warm, soft coat. Isa thought otherwise.

    For someone who claimed they hated dressing up, she sure as hell had quite the taste when it came to dressing up. Father, on the other hand, shared the same opinion as me. He just wanted to go in, grab something my size, and go.

    Isa, no. The colors had to match. The theme had to fit. It also had to be cute because what I was wearing was adorable, so the coat also had to be cute. I swear, we spent at least as much time hopping between shops looking for a coat as we did trying to find the goddamn heart of the city. At least it felt that way.

    In the end, though, around four or five in the afternoon. We finally settled on something Isa thought I¡¯d like, which I liked a lot. The coat was surprisingly light despite its thickness; it was made out of some kind of wool, or a wool-like supplement of this world, and it was soft. Like, really soft¡ªso soft I could cuddle with it in bed. It was dark gray, almost black, depending on the lighting, and matched well with my outfit for the day: a nice dark blouse and gray skirt.

    I loved it. I feared Isa would try to make me wear something very frilly and overly cute. Not that I don¡¯t like such things; I¡¯ve tried and worn some super cute stuff back home a handful of times, but I don¡¯t think I have the courage yet to be publicly cute. Besides, mundane can be cute too, if worn correctly, and I think the coat Isa got me proves that.

    The store assistant, a kind, short-haired, half-elf woman, would not stop fawning over me as she helped Isa pick out the coat. It was discounted because it was considered ¡°out of season,¡± which I think my aunt would be happy to hear when we returned the change. When we were standing at the desk getting everything rung up, I noticed the small skirt pocket on my dress began to vibrate.

    I was startled initially, but I quickly remembered I had stuffed the caster Oscar had given me into it when we left. I had thought about contacting Anne during a quiet moment during our search to talk, but I was so caught up in running around town that I forgot. However, it seemed like Anne was doing me a favor by calling instead.

    Excited to speak to my friend, I asked my father if it would be okay to answer, and he smiled and gave me the go-ahead. Eagerly, I took out the caster and flipped it open, and to my delight, I watched as my reflection on the base mirror shimmered and changed into a fiery red-haired elven girl.

    ¡°Anne!¡± I said it excitedly, and I watched as the other girl¡¯s face lit up.

    ¡°Luna! It¡¯s you!¡± She exclaimed.

    ¡°It¡¯s also you!¡± I responded as I clutched the device in both hands and wandered off a little away from Isa and Father, though not so far that I was out of sight.

    ¡°This is so cool,¡± Anne said as she pulled her caster closer to her face, which to me looked like I was zooming in on her eye. ¡°I didn¡¯t think this would work. We¡¯re actually talking to each other!¡± She giggled.

    To Anne, a device like a caster would seem otherworldly, even magical. Which it was. Having had a smartphone for over a decade, face timing on this device wasn¡¯t anything new. Even though I had gone seven years without a cell phone, having this little magic device in my pocket felt oddly comforting. I hadn¡¯t realized how naked I felt not having a phone in my pockets now that I thought about it.

    "Yeah, it¡¯s really neat,¡± I said casually as Anne pulled the... would you call it a camera? Do these things have a camera? Well, no. It¡¯s a mirror, but I guess it acts as a camera. I think I''ll call it that for the sake of describing it.

    Anne pulled the camera away from her face and looked at me, and I could see faintly behind her; she seemed to be in a crowded building. I could hear voices all around her, many of which were muffled, and those I could understand were in a language I didn¡¯t know. YYanky, I presumed.

    ¡°How is your flight?¡± I asked curiously. ¡°Or, did you start flying yet?¡±

    Anne shook her head. ¡°No. Uncle and I are still at the airport,¡± she said, turning the camera on the caster to show me Oscar, who was sitting in a chair beside her with one leg over the other and a book in his lap. He seemed so engrossed in reading that he hadn¡¯t noticed Anne showing him to me. I saw her hand reach over and smack his side, and the older elf jerked as he snapped back to reality and turned to her.

    He spoke in Yanky, but judging by his tired expression, it seemed like he said, ¡°The hell do you want, kid?¡± Though when he noticed the caster in her hands was displaying my little face, his expression immediately brightened up, and in broken Maurich, he said, ¡°Luna! Nice to see you. I hope you¡¯re having a good day.¡± He wiped his hand over his crusty, tired eyes.

    ¡°Hello Osc--I mean Mr. Reynolds--¡± I stopped when he waved a hand dismissively.

    ¡°Oscar is fine,¡± he said with a big smile.

    Hearing that made my heart flutter, and I nodded. ¡°I¡¯m doing okay, Oscar. I¡¯m out shopping with my father and Isa.¡± I turned my caster and panned over the shop with the camera so he could see.

    ¡°Oooh, pretty store,¡± I heard him say. "Well, I hope you get what you want.¡± He chuckled.

    ¡°Oh, I am.¡± I beamed. ¡°A nice coat to combat this cold weather.¡±

    The man nodded. ¡®It has been chilly. Too chilly, hasn¡¯t it?¡± I nodded. ¡°Hopefully back home. Things will not be so bad, eh?¡± He chuckled and glanced at Anne, who took the caster back. ¡°It was nice seeing you.¡± I heard Oscar''s voice drift away, as what I assumed to be some sort of voice proximity was now too far to pick up.

    ¡°We¡¯re going to be waiting a little longer before we go home,¡± Anne said with a small smile. ¡°Uncle said the soldiers needed to unload the... Strella craft, which I think is what he called them.¡±

    I blinked and tilted my head. ¡°What¡¯s that? Some kind of big airship?¡±

    Anne nodded. ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s a Yanky ship; they¡¯re super big!¡± Anne turned to her uncle, who was out of frame and began to speak in Yanky. Her voice sounded so different when she swiftly switched from one language to another; it was pleasant. Honestly, the Yanky language sounded cool.

    I should probably find some time to learn it when things calm down. I thought, If they calm down.

    ¡°Uncle said I could show you,¡± Anne said excitedly as I saw her and Oscar stand up. The view vanished as she turned the caster to look at the floor, and I could assume the two of them were walking towards a window. Suddenly, the view shifted as Anne brought the caster up and practically pressed the screen against a large glass window, and I had to squint. The sun was right in my eyes now.

    The view on the small device showed a large airfield, yet not the kind of airfield you¡¯d expect from an airport on Earth. To my knowledge, turboprop aircraft weren¡¯t something I knew existed then, and Heinmarr¡¯s infrastructure wasn¡¯t built to support such long runways. Instead, imagine a helicopter port. An entire airport that is built for vertical takeoff and landing craft, such as airships.

    The field outside the airport was cluttered with massive aircraft, some of which seemed impossibly large to be flight-worthy. Most of the airships had the symbol of the flaming bird, which I¡¯m assuming now is a phoenix, on their hulls, signaling them to be Yanky ships. I wanted to say out loud that they looked like spaceships. All of the airships looked like something out of a dieselpunk sci-fi comic I¡¯d seen online or in some video game.

    Much cooler than the Rusivite ones I saw flying over my hometown, but much, much smaller. Anne¡¯s finger then appeared and tapped on the glass to point out the one they¡¯d be flying on, which honestly didn¡¯t help. The angle at which her finger appeared on the screen was crooked, and it looked like she was pointing at another craft and not the one she intended.

    Part of me wanted to point that out, but I didn¡¯t want to embarrass her, so I went along with the show. ¡°That big ship there, that is the one we¡¯re going to be flying on,¡± Anne said, tossing the camera away from the outside so I could look back at her face. ¡°Have you flown before?¡± she asked as my father called out to me.

    Before I answered Anne, I turned to look at my father and Isa, who were ready to go, as Isa came over to me, holding my coat. ¡°Everything¡¯s all set, Luna; are you ready to go?¡± Isa asked.

    I nodded and said, ¡°I am, but give me just a few seconds, please.¡± Isa nodded politely, though my father was running out of patience, but kept his mouth shut.

    I turned back to Anne and shook my head. ¡°No, I haven¡¯t flown... Not intentionally.¡± I added quickly at the end.

    Anne snorted and said, ¡°Neither have I; I¡¯m actually kind of nervous.¡± She shifted in her spot.

    ¡°Oh, I''m sure you¡¯ll be fine.¡± I smiled. ¡°Those ships look really cool,¡± I said unhelpfully. I¡¯ve never flown in my past life either; honestly, I was terrified at the prospect of flying, probably because I also feared heights.

    Anne smiled. ¡°Yeah, they are; did you know they also have dragons that ride on these?¡± She asked, turned the camera again to face outside, and pointed to a large aircraft at the edge of the field. It was a gargantuan and long vessel that was larger than many of the buildings near it. If I had to guess, the craft must be slightly larger than a Boeing 737, though I haven¡¯t seen a Boeing in seven years, so I wouldn¡¯t be surprised if I¡¯m forgetting.

    ¡°Uncle said those big doors on the side of it are where the dragons go in and rest,¡± she said with a smile. ¡°Then, when they¡¯re needed, the doors open up and dragon riders jump out of them mid-air to fight the Rusimians!¡± She said it excitedly.

    ¡°So it¡¯s a flying aircraft carrier,¡± I said under my breath, and I gasped when I noticed Isa looking over my shoulder and also watching.

    Isa giggled, pulled away, and made a slashing motion in the air, signaling to me to cut the call.

    ¡°Aircraft carrier?¡± Anne repeated, and I chuckled.

    ¡°Uh, yeah, I just came up with it. That¡¯s really cool, Anne,¡± I said, trying to cut the call. ¡°I¡¯ll need to go though; Isa and Papa want to get going.¡±

    ¡°Aw, can you walk and talk?¡± She asked as she began to pull the camera away from the window, and that¡¯s when it happened.

    Suddenly, the view on the camera went white¡ªso much so that I gasped and had to yank my face away from the caster as my eyes blinked away stars. A loud roaring sound came through the small magic device, and I thought I could hear screaming.

    ¡°What the hell is happening?¡± Isa gasped, and my impatient father blinked and focused as he rushed over.

    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± He asked, having not seen what Isa and I had just witnessed.

    The mirror on my caster began to come to me, and I clutched it tightly. ¡°Anne, Anne? Can you hear me? Anne?¡± My heart began to race. The caster¡¯s picture only showed the floor and what looked like broken glass. Over the loud rumbling of what must¡¯ve been an explosion, I could hear screams and panic.

    I heard voices and people shouting in the Yanky language. Then came another explosion. Then another.

    I heard the man cough and sputter, and suddenly, the caster¡¯s view shifted and shook. Soon, I was relieved to see Oscar¡¯s face suddenly appear. ¡°Luna?¡±

    "Oh, thank God, Oscar!¡± I said, ¡°Where¡¯s Anne?¡±

    Oscar winced and flinched when another explosion echoed in the background. ¡°Alive, unconscious. We go, you go!¡±

    Before I could say anything, my father snatched the caster from my hand. ¡°Elder, what is happening?¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re under attack!¡± Oscar snapped at my father, though probably not intentionally due to the stress, but then he added, ¡°Duh! We rush to cover. You should as well! Will keep in touch!¡±

    The caster¡¯s mirror then shimmered, and soon, my father was looking at his reflection. My blood ran cold. I was speechless; I didn¡¯t know what to do or say, yet soon, I wouldn¡¯t have to as the ground heaved beneath our feet and the lights within the clothing store flickered. The half-elf clerk screamed with shock as the ground trembled once more and merchandise began to fall from the shelves.

    ¡°We need to go!¡± My father shouted, grabbed my and Isa¡¯s shoulders, and pushed us towards the door. ¡°Go!¡± He shoved us out the front door and onto the sidewalk.

    Around us, confused and unaware citizens piled into the street or poked their heads out of apartments and business windows, wondering what the hell was all the ruckus. Those with a slightly higher level of awareness quickly rushed past those who had no idea what was happening. We could hear the rumbling explosions from the opposite end of the city, where the airport was, and nearby, maybe even a few blocks from where we were, I could see thick plumes of smoke from between skyscrapers.

    There¡¯s no way it¡¯s artillery, no fucking away, I thought. The Rusivites had yet pushed over the river, and the Kenchala was at least a hundred miles or so from Johanneson.

    My father quickly ushered us down the sidewalk, briskly walking toward home. As we rounded the street corner, I could see on his face that he regretted not taking Ruby along. I could see that expression change as we saw just how piled up and clogged the streets were now with curious and scared pedestrians.

    ¡°Why aren¡¯t they going to cover?¡± I asked nervously, my fear taking hold despite how hard I was trying to keep it at bay.

    ¡°Because they don¡¯t know,¡± Isa answered for my father. ¡°Word either travels lightening fast in cities or at a crawler''s pace,¡± she said, referring to a slug-like creature. ¡°We should keep moving and keep your voices down; if the streets begin to panic, things will get far, far worse.¡±

    Then I saw it. High above us all, piercing a cloud that streaked across the sky, was a flaming cylinder that came screaming down from the heavens above before plowing into the city¡ªjust a couple of blocks away from us. The ground lurched once again as if an earthquake had struck the city, and immediately, everything went to hell.

    The people left and right by the dozens began to scream and run in every direction as the horror of what was going on began to settle in. Before I could react, I felt myself being lifted off the ground as my father gripped me tightly. He then grabbed Isa by her wrist and shouted.

    ¡°Run!¡±

    My father and Isa began to bolt down the street, dipping around and pushing past those who got in our way while I gripped on for dear life. I couldn¡¯t concentrate; my mind was blank, and the thoughts I did have couldn¡¯t register as I was once again locked into a state of shock and confusion.

    Above in the sky, falling from heaven, I could see another cylinder descending upon the city, but it wasn¡¯t alone. Behind it, by the dozens, I could see black dots and contrails trailing behind them. There had to be at least forty or fifty dots descending from the sky, and I could hear them¡ªa faint buzzing sound getting louder and louder and louder until the cylinder struck the city, this one so close that my father was lifted off the sidewalk and fell as windows around us shattered.

    The city once again was filled with a chorus of screams as my father turned onto his back to save me from being smashed as he landed on his shoulder with a sickening thud. He cried out in pain before gritting his teeth and rolling on top of me, just as I noticed the wave of shattered glass about to pour onto us.

    Without a word, I held out a hand and cast a shield. The invisible bubble wrapped around me, Isa, and any lucky individual I saw near us as the shards of broken glass began to rain around us.

    ¡°Fuck, my arm...¡± My father panted as the raining shards of glass finished slamming into the earth around us, and I felt confident in dropping my bubble. Around us, I could hear sirens beginning to wail, some of which were fire engines, others ambulances, yet the worst of all was the civil defense alarm.

    ¡°Air raid, air raid!¡± An emotionless, disembodied voice declared alongside the Klaxon alarm. ¡°All citizens are to seek immediate shelter!¡±

    Oh, thanks; I didn¡¯t know that! I wanted to shout at the disembodied alarm, yet my sarcastic humor dissipated when I noticed that the buzzing sound that was coming from the dots in the sky was no longer a buzzing sound.

    Instead, it had morphed into a horrific, shrieking roar.

    ¡°By Magron¡¯s Flame, what are those?!¡± I heard a man shout.

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter what they are; get down!¡± another man shouted as the crowd screamed, and everyone around us dove. I was happy that my father and I were already lying down.

    I threw the bubble up once again for protection just as a massive object came screeching overhead above the rooftops with a deafening roar.

    What the fuck was that? I asked myself; it went over so fast, I hadn¡¯t gotten a look at it. It didn¡¯t sound like a monster of any kind. At least, not a biological one of any kind.

    ¡°What in the hell was that?¡± Isa asked the question we all had in a panicked voice as she got to her knees after a few seconds.

    ¡°Whatever it was, it isn''t friendly,¡± My father grunted as he pushed himself to one knee while still holding me in one arm. Yet I could see his right arm was limp.

    "Papa, your arm--¡± I started, but he shook his head.

    ¡°Not now,¡± he said. ¡°We can take care of it when we get to safety.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s coming back around!¡± a stranger screamed, and all three of our heads twisted to the sky. It was here that I finally got a good look at what it was.

    Screaming high in the sky was a machine I hadn¡¯t expected to see for at least another few decades. An airplane. More specifically, a fighter craft of sorts. It was small in size, probably about half the size of a bus, and was a dark green color with yellow symbols on its wings that I couldn¡¯t make out. Yet, to my surprise, I saw no propeller of any sort on the craft, at least not on the front.

    Instead, on its rear, I thought I saw something akin to a propeller, and my eyes widened. It was a pusher craft. They can fly now?!

    ¡°Down the alley!¡± My father grunted as he pushed himself to his feet with Isa¡¯s help, and we quickly rushed down the street towards a large alley to our right, just as the aircraft came screaming overhead once again before banking hard to the right in the direction of the initial explosions that started the chaos.

    My father pressed his back against the brick wall and slid down it as he released me. Isa poked her head out of the alley and watched the sky. ¡°It went in the direction of the airfield,¡± she said, her feline ears twitching. ¡°I hear more of them that way.¡±

    ¡°They¡¯re bombing it to dust,¡± Father said with a cough, looking at me. ¡°Luna, can you...¡± He motioned with his eyes toward his busted arm.

    I nodded and crawled towards him.

    ¡°Slyran,¡± Isa said as I began to mend my father''s arm. ¡°I take what I said back. I don¡¯t want you to be a genius.¡±

 Chapter 92: Air Raid

    I clung to my father as tightly as I could. My father guided us quickly down alleys and back streets that were mostly sparse, save for the handful of confused and terrified citizens who were stupidly poking their heads out their windows to see what the hell was going on. The attack on the city was precise and chaotic at the same time, and it was all about causing as much damage as possible.

    The city had been pounded by four gigantic cylinders similar to what I¡¯d seen when coming down from the Duskland mountains. Now there was a swarm of pusher aircraft that I never even knew existed in this world, bombing the absolute shit out of the airfield. I couldn¡¯t see the battle taking place on the opposite end of town; occasionally, as I clung to my father, I could see faint dots of these aircraft buzzing their way up into the air before banking around to dive back towards the field before disappearing behind clouds of smoke and buildings. I could, however, hear how intense the battle was raging.

    Anti-air weapons, originally made to fight dragons and other flying monsters fired their guns into the air blindly. I could tell due to bolts of energy shooting off into the air constantly going wide and nowhere as the small craft speed outpaced any slow-flying dragon or bird. They were practically invincible, from what I could tell.

    That is until the sky exploded. Now, what I¡¯m about to describe is something a bit odd and hard to put into place. Have you ever played with a camera on a phone? Stupid question, I know. Pretty much everyone had a mobile phone back when I died. When playing with that phone, have you ever messed with the filters? What about the negative filter? You know the one¡ªthe one that makes every color the opposite. Everything turns into blacks, whites, blues, and other weird colors, and everything looks freaky and monochromatic.

    Yeah, that¡¯s what I saw. In real time.

    It was like the world had suddenly engaged a negative filter for a brief second. Everything hung as if the universe had encountered a lag spike in a video game. My brain screamed as this roaring sound shook the city for only a microsecond, and then, as if someone snapped a finger, everything returned to normal, and my father crumpled forward. Thankfully, Isa was able to catch him as we all slumped against the wall of a shop in the center of an alleyway.

    ¡°What the hell was that?!¡± My father gasped as if the air had been ripped from his lungs.

    My head ached with a migraine as I groaned and rested my head against his shoulder as Isa panted and said, ¡°I have no clue. Yanky magisters probably,¡± she said, and if the universe wanted to prove she was correct, a Rusvite aircraft came roaring overhead. We all immediately dove, just as a blinding streak of lightning shot out from a nearby rooftop and towards the craft and licked its rear. There was a blinding blue flash, and I clenched my eyes shut as the aircraft exploded into a blue and red fireball and debris.

    ¡°Hell, we need to keep going.¡± My father took a couple of deep breaths. ¡°My head is killing me.¡± He groaned, and I took a deep breath.

    ¡°I might be able to help,¡± I said, placing a hand on the side of his head and muttering the incantation for resilience that my mother had been teaching me to help treat my chest pains.

    After a second, my father sighed and smiled at me. ¡°That does help,¡± he said. ¡°Make sure you treat Isa and yourself.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll be fine,¡± Isa said, and my father shook his head.

    ¡°No. I need you at one hundred percent,¡± he said, and Isa frowned.

    ¡°Slyran, trust me--¡± Father held a finger up to her and wagged it.

    ¡°Ah, ah! Cut the bullshit; I can tell by your ears you¡¯re feeling that migraine too,¡± he said, and Isa frowned as Father set me down and allowed me to move on my own.

    I stumbled a little and groaned as my head ached, but after taking a few seconds to massage my temples and mutter the incarnation, I sighed as the pain began to steadily ease up. With a deep breath, I turned to Isa and gestured for her to kneel in front of me. Reluctantly, she did so, and I placed my hands on the sides of her head and began to recite the verse.

    ¡°Resilience,¡± I said softly, and my hands gleamed faintly as the healing ether transferred from my body into hers. Isa sighed faintly and smiled as she muttered her thanks and stood up. ¡°Alright,¡± she said and looked at my father. ¡°Slyrann, how far are we from Aenorin and Saria¡¯s residence?¡±

    My father curled his lips in, his mouth turning into a straight line beneath his well-groomed goatee. He turned to Isa and blinked a couple of times before shaking his head and saying the horrid words, ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡±

    Isa¡¯s eyes narrowed on him, and immediately he held a finger up again and said before she could react, ¡°But I will find out.¡± He dropped his hand back to his side just as another distant explosion caused the city to tremble and a chorus of screams to echo with it.

    The sounds of combat and so many screaming people caused my anxiety to flare to a degree I was having trouble tolerating. One would think that, having gone through so much already, I should be used to this by now, and maybe some people would¡¯ve. I am not one of those people. Every boom and every cry made my hair stand on end. So many people were getting hurt and dying, and yet here I was, in an alleyway with my father and homeschool teacher.

    I wanted to go out there and help people, but part of me also wanted to run. I was conflicted. I was almost paralyzed. Yet I knew I couldn¡¯t do either; I had to be right here with my father and Isa. Already, I had helped my father twice; I had fixed his broken arm from when he first fell and now his migraine. I was helping, even if it wasn¡¯t the way that I wanted to.

    You¡¯re no hero, Luna. I told myself. You¡¯re just a young... A young girl who¡¯s a prodigy with magic. That¡¯s all. I repeated it in my head, trying to calm myself. It wasn¡¯t working.

    While I was trying to compose myself, my father and Isa were having an animated discussion on how to get back home, and finally, my father clapped his hands together. ¡°Sounds like a plan,¡± he said, turning to me, and I flinched as another, much closer explosion erupted a few blocks away. ¡°Luna, are you okay?¡± Father kneeled in front of me and placed a hand on my shoulder.

    I nodded and gulped. ¡°I-I think so; j-just scared,¡± I admitted and stuttered.

    My father smiled sadly, and seeing those pitiful eyes made what little ego I had die. I took a deep breath and said in a slightly more confident tone, ¡°I¡¯m okay.¡±

    My father sucked in some air as well and sighed. ¡°Okay,¡± he said. ¡°We¡¯re going to be heading back out there.¡± He gestured towards the open streets. ¡°I¡¯m going to need to carry you some more.¡± I nodded as he stared me in the eyes. ¡°Luna,¡± he continued, ¡°you¡¯re not going to like this, but we cannot stop. If you see hurt people or folk calling for help, we have to keep moving.¡±

    I gritted my teeth and broke eye contact. It sucks, but he¡¯s right. I told myself inwardly. Any moment left in the open leaves us with the possibility of something bad happening. Such as a Rusivite gunning for more war crimes to add under their belt, or perhaps collateral damage from a bomb. Or worse, if those cylinders contain fighting machines, we could be caught by one of them. It sucked, but it was true.

    I slowly nodded my head, and my father sighed. Relief at the knowledge he wouldn¡¯t have to argue with me lifted off of his shoulders. ¡°Okay.¡± He smiled and squeezed my shoulder. ¡°Let''s get going then.¡±

    <hr>

    Thankfully, I didn¡¯t have to worry about seeing dead or injured people along our route home. Aside from a few stray bolts shot from the aircraft weapons and a bomb that it dropped going off course, there was very little damage to the portion of town that was traveling through. Most injuries I did see were people with minor cuts and bruises from small vehicular crashes or diving for cover every time an aircraft flew overhead. This just hammered home the idea that Father¡¯s prediction was right¡ªthe Rusitives were targeting only the airfield, mostly.

    I say mostly because as we pushed our way through crowding spectators and rushed down the street, I noticed plumes of smoke over the building''s tops in the direction of Trentonville. Isa noticed this as well, and I saw as she gulped and looked at me, and I could read the concern written across her face.

    Either a bomb had landed in the refugee camp or, worse, a cylinder.

    To make my mental state even more of a shitshow. As my father hurriedly carried me through the city streets, my fears of what happened to Anne and Oscar began to bubble up. At first, I was shocked by everything going on; it hadn¡¯t officially clicked that they were experiencing the worst of it. They were at the airfield, and they were being bombed right then and there. I clenched my eyes at the thought and shook my head as I clung to my father tighter. Oscar said he¡¯d keep in touch; he said Anne was only unconscious; maybe they could make it out or find someplace safe.

    Maybe.

    <hr>

    Oscar Reynolds

    Oscar knew the universe hated him. In reality, hate wasn¡¯t the appropriate word. It despised him, and you know what he thought? Fuck the universe; the universe is my bitch. When in reality, it was more or less the opposite. The universe loved to bend Oscar over its hardened knee and spank the absolute shit out of him. It really made sense; Oscar¡¯s entire career is based around fucking the universe and its laws of physics. Within the artificer community, it¡¯s common knowledge that magrite, ether, and all of its magical capabilities go against the confirmed laws of physics. No one knows why ether can bend the known universe and what some scholars are referring to as ¡°space-time,¡± and many suspect there¡¯s probably some other form of rules that Enorans just hadn¡¯t caught onto, and because of that, the universe hates it.

    Oscar knew this. He knew this very well. Trouble came to him no matter where he went; he hadn¡¯t noticed it till last when he was visiting his mother and father for VE-Day, which was a Yanky holiday for ¡°Victory for Enora,¡± which celebrates the defeat of the Dark Lord. It was a common family get-together; everyone from siblings, cousins, nephews, and relatives he never knew he had all got together. Especially for elves, such get-togethers can get a bit out of hand to the point where you don¡¯t even know half the folk or half the people you hadn¡¯t seen in like three hundred years, and oh boy, whenever that happens, Great Grandad Kelver gets furious. He always nags about how the ¡°youngins¡± are always too excited to run off and never check in on their elders, and that they should be considerate and see how the ancient ones are doing.

    Anyway, it was because of his stupid, arrogant, boastful ass that he got himself into this mess in the first place. At the party, he told his mother about how he and his team at Lambert Arms and Manufacturing had been invited to the Heinmarran Arms Trade Show. It would¡¯ve been the first time in over two hundred years since he last set foot in Eurion, and it was this knowledge that excited his older brother Kasper and his sister-in-law Antonia.

    "Oh, you should come visit us, Oscar,¡± Antonia said with a pleading look in her eye.

    ¡°Aye, set the wrench down and come sit by our fire,¡± his brother said. ¡°Anne would be ecstatic to meet you.¡±

    ¡°Oscar,¡± his mother then chided. ¡°You have yet to meet your niece?¡± She then shook her head with a tsk, a motion that sent a chill down his spine. In his younger years, such motion would follow a wooden spoon across his back. ¡°Have you no love for your family?¡± She then looked at him sadly, an expression that sent his heart deep into his stomach.

    Oscar tried to argue that he had been busy and didn¡¯t have time to visit family, though his mother would have none of it. In Elven society, seniority always comes first. The eldest elf always carried the final say in many situations, and Oscar knew it would be pointless to continue arguing with his mother.

    Seeing as Oscar would be traveling to Heinmarr, more specifically Johanneson, he wouldn¡¯t be far from his brother and sister-in-law¡¯s home. Thus, because Mommy Reynolds told him to, Oscar went to visit his brother¡¯s family. Which, honestly, wasn¡¯t bad. It was a mild smack from the universe. Going to see his relatives wasn¡¯t so bad, except for the fact he had to meet his niece, Anne.

    Oscar was never good with kids. Or at least, he thought he never got along well with them. They always seemed to get on his nerves, or maybe he just lacked the patience. So when the universe decided that it was time for Kasper and his wife to go on a lovely vacation to Branoria and offered to pay Oscar to watch over their daughter, he was stunned. Oscar could¡¯ve refused his older brother¡¯s request, but once again, society would¡¯ve frowned upon such a thing, and his reputation amongst his family would¡¯ve been tarnished.

    In times such as this, Oscar hated his own culture, but more importantly, the universe. However, it was here that the universe decided to ease slightly on Oscar because it was such an event that forced him to interact more with Anne. When it came to kids, Anne was quite intelligent for her age, and not only that, she stuck mostly to herself. Like most of his relatives, Anne was raised and taught the native language of Heinmarr, Maurich, but also her ancestral language, Yanky, and a touch of ancient Common.

    Oscar knew several languages as well: Yanky (his native tongue), Rusimian, Frennon, and the tiniest amount of Maurich and Common. So he had nothing to fear when it came to any form of language barrier when dealing with the kid. So things seemed to be going well for old Oscar when he accepted the offer to watch over Anne. And you know what? Things seemed to be going well, until the universe decided that enough was enough and threw a Rusivite cylinder outside the village of Dredsten after a bloody war kicked off. The universe truly hates Oscar Reynolds, and this is only a small, but juiciest, taste of what the universe has thrown at this man.

    And of course, the universe wasn¡¯t done. Today of all days, the one day that it seemed like he could get his niece out of this blasted hell hole of a country when his countrymen came to yank his ass out of the fire along with his niece to take them home, the universe turned and stared him in the eyes and uttered one word.

    ¡°No.¡±

    Fuck the universe.

    When the UPS Master of Air was converted into a miniaturized star before Oscar¡¯s eyes, not only were he and Anne blinded, but the shock wave of the detonation of the airship¡¯s arcanium engine nearly collapsed the terminal. It was due to Oscar¡¯s quick reaction that Anne didn¡¯t get a face full of glass when the old man yanked her away from the window.

    Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions.

    He hadn¡¯t realized at first what he had seen. Only that something skimmed across the sky before barreling into the master¡¯s envelope and puncturing its hull. The explosion was deafening, the heat immense; Oscar¡¯s ears rang, and his head was racked with a migraine. All he could see were splotchy colors and vaguely blurred shapes when he opened his eyes. He felt his body being pressed against something hard and stiff, and his brain gradually began to compose itself. He realized he was lying on the floor, and clutched against him was Anne. She wasn¡¯t moving.

    Panicked Oscar straightened up, blinked the blurriness from his eyes, and checked on his niece. Placing two fingers against her throat to check her status, he sighed with relief when he felt a steady pulse. She was only unconscious. Then another series of explosions snapped Oscar back to the present, and he glanced outside the shattered windows to see small and swift machines zipping over the airfield as they flew towards other Yanky airships sitting defenseless on the tarmac.

    Oscar didn¡¯t have the time to ponder what those strange flying machines were and quickly grabbed ahold of Anne and shook her. She did not respond. Cursing softly, his ears twitched when, over the panicked yells of other refugees and airport personnel, he heard a familiar voice.

    ¡°Anne, Anne? Can you hear me? Anne?¡± It was Anne¡¯s friend, Luna''s voice, Oscar grunted as he shifted over to see the caster he had made the other night lying haphazardly on its side. The outer frame was damaged, the mirror cracked, and he was amazed it was still working.

    Reaching for it, he picked it up. ¡°Luna?¡± He said it in a pained tone, wishing he had studied more of the Maurich language.

    The young, dark-haired elf¡¯s face lit up, her blue eyes practically shimmering. "Oh, thank God, Oscar!¡± She exclaimed, and for some reason, the first thought that came to Oscar¡¯s mind was him wondering what god she could be thanking. ¡° Where¡¯s Anne?¡± She then asked.

    Just outside, another Yanky airship detonated, and Oscar knew it was the ship¡¯s magazine as the explosion was massive like that of the first. He flinched and dove as the flash once again sent his vision swirling. He blinked once more and cursed himself mentally for not learning the language better, as he wished he could tell the young one more. So instead, he opted to state what he could.

    ¡°Alive, unconscious. We go, you go!¡± He said more so to himself than Luna as he pushed himself to his feet, lifted Anne off the ground with one arm, and held her tightly to his chest.

    Suddenly, Luna¡¯s face vanished from the caster and was replaced by the visage of the youngin, which was Slyrann. ¡°Elder, what is happening?¡± The boy asked, and Oscar couldn¡¯t help but feel a pang of frustration at such an idiotic question.

    ¡°We¡¯re under attack!¡± He barked just as another airship exploded, and he flinched.

    "Everyone, please report to the emergency shelter!¡± Shouted a Yanky officer, and alongside them, a Heinmarran translated.

    Unable to contain his frustration, Oscar glared at Slyrann and said, ¡°Duh!¡± But he immediately felt bad afterward and said, ¡°We rush for cover. You should as well! I will keep in touch!¡± He then closed the caster, or at least as best as he could, as the hinge jammed partway when he tried to shut the lid, but it was just enough to end the call.

    Stuffing it into his pocket, he gripped Anne tightly to his chest and ducked with a startled yelp. Just a torrent of energy bolts tore through the ceiling and peppered the interior with shrapnel as an aircraft strafed the building. The bolts were large and destructive, more powerful than the auto guns the fighting machines carried.

    Knowing he didn¡¯t have the time to ponder the destructive design of the Rusivite weapons, Oscar kept his head low and began to rush to... where? Where could he go? The Rusivites were in the air, dropping bombs on anyone and everything. Rushing outside the building could be suicide, and staying indoors risks the entire building crumbling on his head.

    His eyes darted around the open terminal. Much of the building had cleared out by now, save for a few stragglers and people who weren¡¯t so lucky. A few gruesome images caused by the recent strafe sent a cold chill down Oscar¡¯s spine, and as he looked forward, he noticed the Yanky officer he had heard earlier.

    A young human woman in a drab green dress uniform stood on top of a chair, waving her arms towards the few remaining citizens. The emergency shelter! Oscar¡¯s eyes widened, and he inwardly chastised himself. Shaking his head, he bent over and snatched his single travel bag off the ground, holding Anne in his arms as he rushed towards the woman.

    Oscar was one of the last to exit the terminal, and just in the nick of time, a second aircraft strafed the building as heavy bolts of ether tore through the concrete and shattered windows just where he had been standing.

    The woman led them towards a heavy yellow emergency door and opened it, revealing a set of brightly yellow stairs leading deep into the terminal basement. Behind them, a loud crash could be heard as something burrowed through the concrete and metal ceiling, and before they could see what, the woman closed the door just as something exploded outside.

    The ground heaved, and terrified screams filled the basement as dust and debris sprinkled from the ceiling. Magrite-powered lights that were strung along the ceiling flickered and pulsed as the world around them trembled with each successive explosion, before suddenly, they all went out. Panicked murmurings and sobbing could be heard all around as Oscar¡¯s elven eyes quickly adjusted to the darkness, allowing him to see only in grayscale.

    ¡°I think we¡¯re safe,¡± the yanky officer muttered in her native tongue.

    Oscar took a deep breath and said, ¡°Aye, I think so.¡± He breathed out slowly as he began to take slow, careful steps down, and his eyes flicked over a few Heinmarran warning labels on the walls. Though Oscar was poor when it came to speaking Maurich, he could read the language well¡ªat least well enough to understand it.

    The signs were not something he¡¯d expect to see in an emergency bunker. ¡°Ma¡¯am,¡± he said, looking back towards the soldier, who was blindly flailing her arms around to find the stair rail. Humans always looked so goofy walking in the dark that Oscar couldn¡¯t help but think. ¡°This sign here says this is a maintenance entrance.¡±

    The woman found her purchase on the rail and gripped it tightly as her other hand fumbled with one of her dress pockets. ¡°That¡¯s correct. We expected a potential attack like this, though not to this degree or with such technology; this tunnel supposedly connected to the airfield¡¯s arcanium generator.¡± Just as she said, the woman yanked out of her pocket a magrite torch.

    Essentially, what she held was a circular gemstone embedded in a metallic frame. Attached to the frame was a button she clicked with her thumb, and Oscar had to sharply turn away as the circular crystal began to shine a blueish-white light in a cone, illuminating the staircase.

    ¡°Finally, I can see again,¡± The woman said happily. ¡°C¡¯mon, let''s get the hell away from this lead door in case it blows inward." Oscar said nothing and nodded in agreement.

    Knowing his relationship with the universe, that door would be a death sentence.

    <hr>

    It makes sense now. The bunker was a Renkan shelter housing the airfield generator, just like Lily said it was. Lily is the name of the officer who helped guide Oscar and Anne down into the shelter. First Lieutenant Lily Sheffield, or simply Lieutenant Sheffield. The bunker was crowded with people, mostly army personnel, though there were a handful of civilians, including Oscar and the airfield staff.

    The term bunker was also used rather loosely. In reality, it¡¯s a maintenance tunnel that, as mentioned, led to the small arcanium reactor. A bunker would suggest a place of long-term stay with food, water, and maybe even a bathroom. The Heinmaran forces and Yanky did convert most of this into a bunker of sorts, though if any of the staff were to pull Oscar aside and ask him to review the place, he¡¯d give this bunker a one out of five-star rating.

    Though that¡¯s just him being an ass. The place was the best they were going to get, for now. The place was dark, damp, and depressing, for an obvious reason, of course. Most of the soldiers down there were doing their damnedest to keep calm, though a few were already buckling under the pressure. The civilians weren¡¯t doing any better, and seeing a few soldiers cracking only made things worse.

    Lieutenant Sheffield was quick to get those men and women into working order. ¡°On your feet!¡± she barked to a few trembling yankys who were cowering with their rifles against the wall. She swiftly kicked their boots and jutted with a thumb upwards as she glared at the elven woman and halfling. ¡°I need every ablebody ready--¡±

    ¡°But, Ma--¡± The halfling tried to interrupt but was silenced.

    ¡°Don¡¯t ¡°but¡± me, Pepperson,¡± Sheffield spat. ¡°We¡¯re the Global Expeditionary Force!¡± She declared. ¡°Not to mention Yankys. Wylde tamers. Most of us dealt with tougher shit back home,¡± she said, referring to the Wylde Lands, a portion of the continent still claimed by the Fae. ¡°We were sucker punched. Damn, Rustys caught us when we weren¡¯t looking,¡± she snarled.

    ¡°What¡¯re we supposed to do against those... things, ma''am?" The elf woman asked. ¡°They blew up the Master and the other ships; th-the dragons were probably also caught in the blast. We have no air power!¡±

    Oscar bit his lower lip as he listened to the soldiers while he carried Anne over to a small, clear spot in the tunnel. He gently laid her down and smiled faintly when he noticed her eyes were moving beneath their closed lids. Hopefully, in a few minutes, she¡¯ll be awake.

    Sheffield admittedly didn¡¯t have an answer for the cowering soldiers. ¡°I don¡¯t know what we can do yet,¡± she admitted. ¡°Most we can do now is assess the situation and adapt.¡± She turned towards the few dozen people crammed down in the tunnel. ¡°Is there anyone else down here in charge?¡± She called out. ¡°Any other officers?¡±

    One hand rose; it was a dwarven woman. ¡°Second Lieutenant Kegstone, ma''am, you¡¯re the highest ranking officer here,¡± she said. ¡°Most of the command was stationed at the first terminal before the attack, which was connected to the Master of Air...¡±

    Oscar turned to see Sheffield standing stiffly at the edge of the tunnel. Though the woman was doing wonders at keeping a hard look, he could read in the human¡¯s eyes that she was deeply concerned. He had seen the Master of Air detonate when it was impacted, and nearly everything around it had been vaporized in the blast. Anyone who has been in the first terminal is most likely sub-atomic particles or buried beneath heaps of rubble.

    ¡°Right.¡± Sheffield recovered and nodded. ¡°Are there any casters down here? Preferably divine in case we need healing.¡±

    Everyone shook their heads; a man towards the end, though, shouted up the tunnel. ¡°I might be able to help.¡± Everyone shuffled and looked to see a priestly man straightening up. ¡°I am Father Achland, a preacher of Slyondra. I served aboard the Master of Air with the crew; much of my supplies are gone, for obvious reasons, but I do have a small handful of scrolls and medical supplies on me in case of an emergency.¡±

    Sheffield smiled. ¡°Excellent, Father, well consider now to be a prime emergency.¡± The priest nodded. ¡°Is anyone hurt now?¡± She asked everyone.

    Oscar was going to open his mouth to mention his niece but stopped when he felt a small hand grabbing his arm. Turning, he gasped and smiled when he noticed Anne looking up at him, confused.

    ¡°Uncle?¡± She muttered in Maurich. ¡°Wh-what¡¯s happening?¡±

    In Yanky, Oscar responded. ¡°We¡¯re safe now. Right now we¡¯re underground in a tunnel; no Rustys can get us down here.¡±

    Anne smiled a bit with relief and nodded slowly. Then she stopped, blinked, and said in yanky, ¡°What about Luna? Is she okay?¡±

    Oscar froze for a second. How was he supposed to know if Luna was safe or not? What is he supposed to say? Should he lie? No, that¡¯d be stupid. Taking a deep breath, Oscar shrugged. ¡°I don¡¯t know, little one. Right now, I¡¯m focusing on our safety.¡± He reached into his pocket and pulled out the damaged caster. ¡°I do have this, though; we can use it to contact her.¡±

    ¡°Call her,¡± Anne said. ¡°I need to know.¡± She tried to push herself up, but Oscar held a hand out.

    ¡°Not right now,¡± he said. ¡°We don¡¯t know what¡¯s happening outside, and right now I don¡¯t want to distract her.¡±

    Anne opened her mouth to protest but stopped. She was a smart girl for her age. ¡°It¡¯s not fair.¡± She huffed, and Oscar blinked.

    ¡°What¡¯s not fair?¡± He asked.

    ¡°Everything.¡± She pouted. The girl was smart, but she was still a child. ¡°Momma and Papa always had me learning and reading; I never got to go out and play. I never got any friends, a-and, now I have a friend, but...¡± she sniffed. ¡°She might be in trouble! I-It¡¯s like the world doesn¡¯t want me to have friends!¡± Anne¡¯s eyes began to tear up, and Oscar took a deep breath.

    He hated it when she cried, not because it annoyed him but because it broke his heart. ¡°I know, Anne,¡± he said. ¡°The universe hates me too.¡± He reached out and gripped her shoulder. ¡°But the universe can suck it,¡± he said with a wink. ¡°The best we can do right now is work with what we have. Luna is a strong girl, smart too¡ªvery smart¡ªand she even has magic. You¡¯ve met her family; they¡¯re those people from your books, right?¡± He smirked as Anne said nothing but nodded. ¡°Then you know they can handle anything,¡± he said, his smirk turning into a smile.

    This seemed to ease Anne¡¯s worries, as she smiled as well and nodded with a bit more energy. ¡°Yeah. You¡¯re right.¡± She said she was coming back to her old self.

    ¡°I need a situation report asap!¡± Sheffield shouted to the soldiers in the tunnel. ¡°Anyone who knows even the slightest of what the hell is happening, I need you up here.¡±

    Anne winced. ¡°That lady is loud,¡± she whispered to Oscar.

    Oscar chuckled. ¡°She needs to be,¡± he said. ¡°She keeps everyone listening to her. Don¡¯t worry, she¡¯s on our side.¡± He patted Anne on the head as a small handful of soldiers pushed their way through the crowd to meet up with the woman, clearing enough room through the tunnel that Oscar found the little spot he and Anne were at to be spacious enough for him to take a seat beside her.

    As he sat down in the dark, he noticed someone shifting up beside him and plopping on the ground next to him with a hefty groan. ¡°By the gods, I swear the universe has it out for me.¡± The mystery man said it in yanky.

    Jokingly, Oscar responded, "Oh, you too?¡± He turned to see the man. He was a large, plump human in a formally fine suit, now scuffed and dirty. He had receding blonde hair with a nice bushy mustache and bulbous nose, which his delicate circle-rimmed glasses perched upon. His eyes were small yet pleasant, with a nice shade of blue, which he noticed when the soldier¡¯s torches shone their way.

    The large-bellied man chortled and turned to Oscar. ¡°Aye, I guess so. I apologize if I came off as insensitive.¡± The man held a thick hand out to Oscar, and the elf¡¯s eyes widened. The man¡¯s hand was large enough to palm his entire face.

    Oscar took the man¡¯s hand, and to his surprise, his grip was firm yet also gentle. ¡°Not at all; the universe and I go way back. So I understand the feeling.¡±

    ¡°I bet,¡± the man said, and Oscar noted the man¡¯s voice held a southwestern drawl.

    What¡¯s someone from the Wylde doing out here? He had thought to himself.

    The big man continued. ¡°Assuming you¡¯re much older than me, you must have quite the experience with the universe.¡± He snickered and then ran his other hand through his sweaty, receding hair. ¡°The name is Terry. Terry Rosewall.¡±

    Oscar¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Terry... The Terry?¡±

    ¡°Ayuh,¡± Terry nodded with a broad smile. ¡°One and only.¡±

    Oscar stuttered a little before remembering he should introduce himself. ¡°I-I¡¯m Oscar. Oscar Reynolds. I-If you don¡¯t mind me asking, Sir--¡±

    ¡°Please, call me Terry.¡± The human chuckled.

    Oscar cleared his throat. ¡°Sorry, if you don¡¯t mind me asking, Terry. What brings you here?¡± He was stunned that such a man would even attempt to come to a war-torn country. Terry Rosewall, the owner of Automaton Wonders, is one of, if not the wealthiest, people in the world. Renowned in the artificer community as the one pushing forward industry in what the community referred to as the ¡°Great Leap.¡± This man had single-handedly revolutionized Yankston¡¯s industrial sector with his crazy inventions and money.

    "Oh, just sightseeing,¡± Terry said, and Oscar stared at him, stunned. ¡°I¡¯ve always wondered what war does to a--I jest, I jest!¡± The man laughed when he saw Oscar¡¯s expression. ¡°Humor helps keep me sane under stress,¡± he said, waggling a finger around them as he gestured towards their predicament. ¡°I came here for business reasons.¡±

    Oscar tilted his head. ¡°Business?¡± He asked, and the man nodded.

    ¡°Yep. Earlier last year, I began branching out some of my companies and happened to land some opportunities here.¡± He said it joyfully. ¡°A splendid opportunity to help expand Heinmarr¡¯s industries and grant thousands of new opportunities.¡±

    ¡°And how¡¯s that going now?¡± Oscar asked slowly, and the large man deflated.

    ¡°Not too good now. Many of my workers are now stranded, and many of them are abandoning my projects.¡± He sighed.

    ¡°So that¡¯s why you came here? To what... stop them?¡± He asked.

    Terry shook his head. ¡°Not at all! Or well... partially.¡± He admitted. ¡°I came to finish my latest work and offer those here a ticket out of here.¡±

    ¡°A ticket out of here?¡± Terry smiled and nodded.

    ¡°Exactly. I have a way to get every one of my people out. I had just gotten off my airship when everything went to hell.¡± He sighed.

    Oscar nodded slowly and slumped back against the wall as he rested a hand on Anne¡¯s lap. ¡°Ah, well, that¡¯s unfortunate.¡± He said this as Terry perked up.

    ¡°It is, but it¡¯s not over yet. There¡¯s still a chance my project will finish, and everything will be alright.¡± He hummed.

    Oscar perked an eyebrow. ¡°What makes you think that? This city is being pounded into rubble right now.¡± He was confused at how such a jolly man could be, well, jolly during a crisis like this.

    ¡°That¡¯s because I haven¡¯t explained the full picture yet. A simple set back--¡±

    ¡°Simple?¡± Oscar frowned.

    ¡°A tragedy, yes, but in the grand scheme of things, this...¡± He gestured to the ceiling. ¡°It''s only a setback for what my people are doing outside.¡± he hummed.

    ¡°And what¡¯s that?¡± He asked curiously.

    ¡°Saving the city.¡± He said it with a twinkle in his eye.

 Chapter 93: Mysterious Benefactor

    It felt like an eternity, though in reality, the air raid only lasted about fifteen to twenty minutes, yet despite such a short time, the destruction was immense. The sky was thick with plumes of black smoke. Around us, people panicked and scrambled to their homes as quickly as possible. At the same time, my father clutched me tightly against his chest as both he and Isa shoved their way through the current of terrified citizens rushing away from the direction we needed to go.

    A helpful stranger who hoped to deter us from where we needed to go grasped my father by the shoulder. ¡°You don¡¯t want to go that way, Mister,¡± he said, out of breath and visibly scared.

    The human¡¯s eyes looked like they were about to burst from his skull as they flitted left and right. ¡°One of their cylinders landed on Kleinweil Road, destroying the entire street and bank it did.¡±

    My father jerked as another pedestrian rammed their shoulder into us as they pushed by, and he cursed loudly. ¡°That¡¯s not far from Saria¡¯s house,¡± he said before looking at the man. ¡°Thank you, but our home is in that direction.¡±

    ¡°Then I suggest going through Altstedt, Mister!¡± Human said quickly as the panicked current swept him away from us.

    I whimpered softly and tightened my grip around my father¡¯s neck slightly. The thought of a cylinder landing near Mom and Varis deeply unnerved me.

    Without saying anything else, my father pushed on ahead, with Isa following behind. Further up the road, we could hear whistles from constables as law enforcement guided people away from the direction of the cylinder.

    ¡°The area up ahead is too dangerous; you need to turn away now!¡± a half-elven woman shouted from the top of a wagon in the middle of the road toward a large group of civilians who, like us, were going toward the Rusivite construct. She was dressed in a constabulary uniform, a dark blueish-gray button-up suit, and pants, yet adorning her head was a black helmet with a white asterisk painted on it.

    At the base of the wagon were other constables with similar helmets and symbols, and I saw them holding large, scary-looking rifles tightly in their hands.

    ¡°The army has the situation under control,¡± the woman assured the skeptical crowd. ¡°But until then, the Kleinwell district is under evacuation!¡±

    ¡°Evacuation...¡± Isa said it just loud enough for us to hear, and Father turned to her. ¡°It¡¯s possible the others at the house may have fled already.¡±

    ¡°To where, though?¡± Father asked, growling as he glared at the armed barricade in the middle of the road.

    Isa shook her head. ¡°I don''t know now; I¡¯m just speculating.¡±

    Father gritted his teeth. ¡°We don¡¯t have time for speculation; we need to act.¡± We turned away from the barricade. ¡°Isa, you¡¯ve been around town more than I have. Do you have any idea which route we can take?¡±

    Isa shrugged. ¡°Slyrann, I¡¯ve been around, but that doesn¡¯t mean I retained everything.¡± She tapped her forehead reluctantly. ¡°If I had to guess, I¡¯d go off what that stranger said; Altstedt district might be one of our best bets.¡±

    Father audibly ground his teeth together, which I couldn¡¯t help but think wasn¡¯t a good thing to do. My mind sure does think of stupid shit during times of crisis. ¡°That¡¯ll take us at least another twenty minutes on foot.¡± He sighed.

    Isa shrugged. ¡°It¡¯s the only way that we know.¡± She motioned for Father to follow. ¡°That district is in the direction of where Nigel took me last night, so I still know the route. Hurry, before the authorities cordon off the entire district.¡± She quickly began to rush in the direction we had just come from.

    With a heavy sigh, my father shared a slightly hopeful look. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Luna, I¡¯m sure your mother and brother are alright.¡± Yet I could see in his eyes the concern he felt.

    <hr>

    ¡°By order from the regional governor, all citizens are to seek shelter and remain indoors within twenty minutes.¡± An emotionless, disembodied voice echoed throughout the city. ¡°I repeat, by order of the regional governor, all citizens are to seek shelter and remain indoors within twenty minutes. Any citizen caught outside will be at risk of being accused of collaboration and will be prosecuted or, worse, executed.¡± The voice fell silent for a moment before repeating itself once more.

    My heart sank into my stomach as the butterflies roared to life within me, and I began to tremble. ¡°Ex-executed?¡± I gasped as my father and Isa stopped briefly in an alley to catch their breaths.

    I clung to my father tightly as he gripped my sides and pushed me off gently so that I would let go. Releasing my arms from around my father¡¯s neck, he placed me on the ground and cursed. ¡°Twenty minutes? What the hell? We¡¯re fifteen minutes from the house.¡± He sucked in deep breaths.

    ¡°Governor Trenton isn¡¯t messing around,¡± Isa muttered. ¡°The military, especially the Yanks, must be fuming about this attack.¡± She peered outside the alley; the section of town we were in, Altstedt, was a much older and poorer part of Johanneson. If I had to use a flavorful word for it, I¡¯d call it a ghetto. I said flavorful, not lovely. The place looked horrible¡ªunlike the bombed-to-shit kind of horrible, either. Like abandoned, Detroit levels of abandoned. The cobblestone roads were cracked, broken, and littered with potholes. The windows in shops were either cracked or so covered with grime you couldn¡¯t even see through them, and the trash¡ªso much trash¡ªpiled up that it made the place seem like rats ruled the streets rather than people. That is, if this world has rats, or if they¡¯re rat demi-humans, then I probably sound a bit specieist.

    Point is. Alstedt was a dump. A dump, which thankfully, even the army had avoided, or at least hadn¡¯t gotten to cordoning off this section yet as my father, and Isa was able to us this far unopposed. My father straightened up and sighed as he looked down at me and said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Luna, we¡¯re almost home--¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t say that,¡± I said, and he blinked, confused. ¡°You¡¯ll jinx us.¡±

    ¡°Jinx?¡± My father cocked his head like a confused dog, and I internally cursed myself again for using words unfamiliar to this world. Thankfully, I had a card up my sleeve.

    ¡°It¡¯s a word the master uses,¡± I lied. ¡°Something about the universe¡¯s cruel sense of humor.¡± This was more or less my belief, not his.

    ¡°The universe has a sense of humor?¡± Isa said as she pulled her head back into the alley.

    I shrugged and nervously said, ¡°It¡¯s like an omen thing. I-It¡¯s fine.¡±

    My father nodded. ¡°I think I get what you¡¯re saying.¡± He smiled. ¡°We had a similar saying in the army back in the day called the screw up faerie.¡±

    If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.

    This made me smirk, and my father¡¯s smile widened. ¡°Anyways,¡± he said, ¡°I can talk more about that later. Are you two ready?¡± We both nodded. ¡°Alright, let''s go then.¡±

    <hr>

    Oscar Reynolds

    The universe, like always, had a weird sense of humor. Or, it was an asshole. Probably the latter. The universe just loved to fuck with Oscar, as bad things just seemed to keep happening over and over. Like the universe had slapped a piece of paper on his back that read, ¡°Kick the idiot,¡± and he just couldn¡¯t get that damned thing off of him.

    But now and again, it throws him a bone. Not because the universe is loving and benevolent, but because it¡¯s a sadistic asshole. It would be no fun for the universe if little Oscar were to give up because all the bad things kept happening to him. So, it decided to throw him a bit of hope so that he would get excited and energized again, allowing the universe to crush his hopes and dreams again. So yeah, in Oscar''s eyes, fuck the universe.

    By this point, one would think that Oscar would avoid all the red flags sent his way, that maybe he would grow a few brain cells, and that he would notice that the universe was just playing him again. Alas, Oscar knows that, while he does have a degree and is on paper listed as intelligent, he is not. So deep down within the Yanky maintenance tunnel turned emergency bunker, he was not surprised when Anne¡¯s caster began to vibrate, signaling an incoming call.

    Oscar was speaking with Terry when Anne squealed with excitement and relief when her caster began to vibrate. The childish noise yielded a tone of looks in their directions from soldiers and other civilians, and Oscar smiled at them and turned to Anne.

    ¡°What is it?¡± He asked her, Yanky.

    ¡°It¡¯s, Luna!¡± Anne exclaimed as she opened the partially broken device, and her face fell. ¡°Huh?¡± She cocked her head.

    ¡°What is it?¡± Oscar turned his entire body to face her and leaned forward to see what perplexed her.

    Anne said, ¡°It¡¯s not Luna; it¡¯s this.¡± She pouted as she turned the caster so Oscar could see its screen.

    The screen showed only a black space, yet ominously, in ghostly white words, it said, ¡°Pass to Mr. Reynolds.¡± Oscar scowled. This wasn¡¯t right. First, casters, especially his casters, are not designed for text-based communication; second, there is no visual of the sender; and finally, someone else would have to know that Anne possessed such a device. If someone else knew, this was deeply concerning.

    As Oscar was deep in thought, the ghostly white text shifted and reformed. ¡°Do not fear, Mr. Reynolds.¡± The text read: ¡°I am a friend. Please, go down the hall away from everyone else.¡± Now Oscar was terrified. How would the sender know where he¡¯s at? Are they in the room with him now?

    He glanced over his shoulder; everyone else had returned to what they were doing previously. Only Anne and Terry were looking at him. ¡°Is something wrong, Oscar?¡± The wealthy businessman asked.

    The text quickly changed to read, ¡°This is a private matter. Please. Go alone; all will be disclosed soon. You must hurry.¡±

    Oscar closed the caster partially to hide it from both Anne and Terry. ¡°An unexpected call,¡± Oscar said, standing up. ¡°I¡¯ll be back; it¡¯s a private matter.¡±

    ¡°But you said only Luna can call me,¡± Anne said, and Oscar cringed. Moments like this made him wish Anne was oblivious and innocent like most children. He took a deep breath and said, ¡°You¡¯re right.¡± He nodded. ¡°Hence why it¡¯s unexpected, dear. Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll go make sure this gets fixed up.¡± He said he hoped this would get her to stop pressing the issue further.

    It worked. Anne nodded, huffed, flopped back on her rear, and pulled her legs up to her chest. ¡°Okay.¡±

    Terry, however, now seemed skeptical as his small blue eyes narrowed on Oscar. ¡°Forgive me, Mr. Rose--Terry, I mean, could you watch her for a few minutes while I take this call? I know it¡¯s a lot--¡± Terry waved a hand aside.

    ¡°Do what you need to do, Oscar. Children are no hassle for me; besides, Anne looks to be the well-behaved type.¡± He chuckled and patted his stomach. ¡°You may go.¡±

    Oscar smiled, nodded, and turned to walk down the long concrete corridor. Once he was about twenty garos down the hall, far from anyone to hear, he opened the caster and looked at it. How would he communicate with someone he can¡¯t see and speak only in text? He wondered.

    ¡°I¡¯m alone now,¡± he said in a hushed voice, and immediately the swirling text reacted.

    ¡°Excellent.¡± It read.

    Oscar gulped; this was creepy. ¡°Who are you?¡± He asked.

    ¡°Who we are is not important.¡± It said, and Oscar blinked.

    ¡°We?¡± He muttered to himself.

    ¡°Think of us as a mysterious benefactor,¡± it continued.

    ¡°Mysterious benefactor? What can I do to benefit you?¡± He whispered now, wondering if this was some kind of magister¡¯s prank. If some cooky wizard was messing with him, now really wasn¡¯t the time for such games.

    ¡°If you accept,¡± the text read, ¡°you¡¯ll not just benefit us, but everyone. The city will be saved, and the Rusivites will be repelled. But you must hurry; time is of the essence.¡±

    Oscar scoffed. "Sure, that sounds like a scam.¡± He cocked an eyebrow at the caster as he shook his head. ¡°This is no time for games; please stop wasting my time with fairytales--¡±

    ¡°These are not fairytales, Mr. Reynolds,¡± The text hastily rewrote itself to say: ¡°Information we possess will do wonders in helping this city not fall; however, we can only disclose such information if you accept this request.¡±

    ¡°Why me?¡± Oscar asked. ¡°There are plenty of other capable soldiers and mages in Johanneson.¡±

    ¡°Because,¡± the text read. ¡°You have qualifications that match our requirements, and we have the gumption to get you through this.¡±

    ¡°I have a child with me,¡± He responded, surprised by the mysterious benefactor¡¯s flattery. Though he assumed this was only for manipulation.

    ¡°The child, Anne,¡± The text wrote, which scared Oscar. How do they know Anne¡¯s name?

    The text continued, ¡°You will remain safe if you accept the offer.¡±

    Oscar¡¯s blood ran cold. ¡°Is this a threat?¡± He asked.

    ¡°No.¡± The text responded. ¡°This is a fact. We mean you no harm, but the Rusivites want you all dead.¡± Oscar bit his lip after all the horror he¡¯d seen in the country that he believed in.

    ¡°Okay. But why me specifically, and cut the flattery?¡± He added. ¡°What do my engineering and artificer skills bring to the table? With the construction going on, there¡¯s hundreds of artificers in this city.¡±

    ¡°Easy, Mr. Reynolds. You are the only one who has a suitable caster.¡±

    Oscar blinked. ¡°Then I¡¯ll pass this--¡± he started to say but stopped as the text swiftly changed.

    ¡°We would kindly ask that you don¡¯t. There is one other reason: you are a Yanky. Our operation requires our agent to be of Yanky descent.¡±

    Oscar¡¯s mouth began to go dry as his mind began to race. Was this a psyop? Maybe the Rusivites found a way to possess his device. Such magics do exist, like the communication dampeners he helped design back home for the troops. Perhaps the Rusivites found a way to dampen and take control entirely?

    ¡°I can see you are concerned, Mr. Reynolds,¡± The caster wrote, and Oscar¡¯s eyes snapped back to the screen. ¡°We are on the same side; this we can promise you. Please answer soon, for we do not have enough time.¡±

    Oscar bit his lip. ¡°One final question,¡± he said before asking, ¡°How much time?¡±

    ¡°Two hours,¡± the text read. ¡°You must hurry; please make a choice now.¡± The word was now vibrating as if frustrated.

    ¡°What about Anne, or any others? What if I need help?¡± The text swirled together into one mass and spasmed for some reason, almost as if annoyed, before rewriting itself.

    ¡°Allies you can trust can be told of this, but only those you can count on. After you have accepted the operation,

    Oscar felt a little relieved at that. Maybe this mysterious benefactor might be legit or not. Maybe not. Knowing him, this is some fucked up prank, and he¡¯s about to start babbling like a madman. ¡°I need time to think,¡± Oscar said, and the text freaked out once again before viciously writing.

    ¡°YOU DO NOT HAVE TIME. NONE OF YOU HAVE TIME!¡±

    ¡°Margon¡¯s flame, calm down!¡± Oscar hissed. ¡°I-I just need, like, five minutes.¡±

    Suddenly, the text turned to numbers, and he realized it was a clock counting down. A five-minute timer.

    ¡°You¡¯re fucking kidding me,¡± Oscar muttered under his breath, and in tiny letters beneath the timer, he saw a single word.

    ¡°Nope.¡±

 Chapter 94: The Asshole Friend

    Oscar Reynolds

    ¡°You¡¯re kidding me,¡± Lieutenant Lily Sheffield said with a roll of her eyes. ¡°Mr. Reynolds, if you would excuse¡ª¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not kidding!¡± Oscar said as he held his hand up to halt her, though another soldier stepped forward to stop him. Oscar immediately backed off, and in a quieter voice, he said, ¡°This plan will work; you just have to believe me.¡±

    ¡°I believe you are alright,¡± the woman said. Looking at him, Oscar began to smile but stopped when he said, ¡°But that doesn¡¯t mean I like it one bit. You¡¯re telling me there¡¯s a secret passageway in this maintenance tunnel that''ll lead all the way to the Arcanium Reactor Plant, and you want us to overload the damn thing?¡±

    Terry stepped forward to back Oscar up. ¡°Lieutenant Sheffield, I understand your apprehension, but please, trust the artificer and myself. Both of us are experts in this field.¡± Oscar side-eyed the large man, Terry, who may be an expert (or at least had worked with experts), but Oscar¡¯s knowledge focused more on firearms and machinery. Not spell theory or reactions. Sure, he could figure out how a reactor is put together, but how does it work? No way.

    Terry continued, ¡°We¡¯re not planning on overloading the reactor to the point of runaway containment, but we¡¯re looking to create a controlled pulse. You¡¯ve heard stories of the front; you know how the Rusivites are using autonomous machines, most of which are powered by¨C¡±

    The lieutenant waved a hand. ¡°I have been briefed on the Rusimians tactics, Mr. Rosewall, and I know very well what you¡¯re planning.¡±

    Both Oscar and Terry blinked and shared a look. Before the meeting with the Lieutenant and after Oscar finished speaking to their ¡°mysterious benefactor,¡± which he chose to refer to simply as ¡°Ben.¡± Oscar accepted Ben¡¯s request and was immediately assaulted by a massive amount of information.

    Whoever Ben was, their plan was simple. Underneath Johanneson is a labyrinth of tunnels, many dating back to the Twilight War and beyond. Most of the tunnels are unused, and Ben said that even the Heinmarran government is unaware of their existence. Ben noted that one tunnel, in particular, connects to the maintenance tunnel they¡¯re in and leads down a winding path towards the arcanium plant beneath Johanneson, specifically to the reactor control room.

    At first, Oscar was confused and didn¡¯t believe Ben was telling the truth¡ªthat is, until Ben started producing evidence. Blueprints of the reactor, ancient maps of the labyrinth, as well as the exact steps that they need to do to manipulate the arcane machine to generate what Ben referred to as an aetherophasic pulse, Oscar had no idea what the hell that was, but it sounded like artificer wizard bullshit he''d read somewhere in his long life.

    Ben explained quickly that the pulse would dispel all ether within a forty-gilo radius. Large enough to envelop nearly the entire city. It took Oscar a few seconds for the gears in his head to turn to realize what this meant, and when it clicked, he immediately rushed to Terry and explained everything. He had feared the kind and wealthy businessman would think he was insane; instead, the man thought he was a genius.

    ¡°You do?¡± Both of the men asked the lieutenant.

    "Yes, I do; you should know this, Mr. Reynolds.¡± She flicked a wrist at him. ¡°I am aware that you work in the arms industry; haven¡¯t you heard of AM Fields?¡±

    Oscar blinked. ¡°Uh, ma¡¯am, my field is ether weapons¡­ I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re¨C¡±

    ¡°Anti-magic fields,¡± she clarified. ¡°Like what those wizards do in fights to stop one another from casting spells or some shit. I don¡¯t know the fancy technicalities behind it all, but I do know that we had been shipped out here with portable AM field generators¡ªsomething about a resonance pulse that causes magic to go nuts.¡±

    Terry¡¯s eyes widened, and he turned to Oscar. ¡°That¡¯s perfect then,¡± he said happily, though Oscar looked at the officer with a skeptical look. ¡°If that¡¯s the case, then we won¡¯t need to go through with the initial¨C¡± The woman held her hand up.

    ¡°Hold your reins there, Mr. Rosewall. Keyword there was had.¡± Sheffield sighed and shook her head. ¡°They were on the master right before it was blown up; it¡¯s very likely those things are particles now.¡± Her eyes flicked back up at Oscar. ¡°What you want to do, Mr. Oscar, is to turn one of Heinmarr¡¯s few Arcanium plants into a giant AM generator.¡±

    Oscar felt Anne¡¯s caster vibrating in his pocket, and he slowly nodded. ¡°Yes. The Rusivite¡¯s automatons run on magic, or at least some form of it. I can set the reactor to release a resonance pulse strong enough to deactivate them before they even wake up.¡±

    The officer slowly nodded her head before staring daggers into Oscar¡¯s eyes. ¡°That¡¯s a good plan, except for the fact that doing so would also render us all inept. The pulse would disable the machines, but it¡¯ll also disable all of our machines and possibly even our weapons.¡±

    Oscar nodded. ¡°I know that, ma''am, and I know that isn¡¯t entirely true¨C¡±

    ¡°And how would you know that?¡± She asked, cutting him off. ¡°You said it yourself that this isn¡¯t your field of expertise, and what about you, Mr. Terry,¡± she said, looking to the wealthy man, who was now the one looking skeptically towards Oscar.

    ¡°To my knowledge, Madam, you are correct. Such a resonance would not discriminate. Everyone would be affected.¡± He agreed with her.

    Here was the moment, Oscar thought to himself. Ben said they were okay with him telling people about them, while Oscar wasn¡¯t fully trustworthy of anyone here. He needed allies. Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out the caster he held and presented it.

    ¡°I know because of this. It¡¯s a communication device I call a caster; some of you may have seen these back home. They¡¯re a newer invention,¡± he said as the Lieutenant, a few other soldiers, and Terry looked curiously at the scuffed device. ¡°Think of it like a wizard¡¯s orb, but for your pocket.¡±

    Lieutenant Sheffield cocked an eyebrow. ¡°Like a wizard¡¯s orb, does it give you cryptic messages about the future?¡± She joked.

    Oscar couldn¡¯t help but snort. ¡°Sort of.¡± He flipped it open. ¡°Ben. Introduce yourself.¡± The small group of soldiers began to mutter. Sheffield¡¯s eyebrow arched even higher, and she looked at Oscar as if he were a madman.

    Suddenly, the black glass began to shift as swirling white lines formed into words on the glass. ¡°Hello,¡± it read and played along, ¡°I am Ben. Think of me as a mysterious benefactor, Lily Sheffield.¡±

    "Ooookay, that¡¯s creepy,¡± the woman said, breaking professionalism briefly as she pulled away. ¡°I am Lieutenant Sheffield to whoever you are.¡± She glared at Oscar. ¡°This better not be some joke.¡±

    Oscar shook his head as the text shifted on the caster. ¡°Our apologies, Lieutenant Sheffield; this is not a joke. Time is of the essence.¡± The text swirled to show the countdown, which displayed one hundred and five minutes and was decreasing. ¡°In less than one hundred and five minutes, twelve shells will awaken and cause great havoc in this city. If you wish to save the lives of hundreds, perhaps thousands, you must act hastily and with discretion.¡±

    ¡°With discretion?¡± The woman. ¡°I should report this right away¨C¡±

    ¡°With all due respect,¡± Oscar said, silencing her with a raised hand. ¡°We don¡¯t have time. The map that Ben showed me has many twists and turns, and even for an elf like myself, it¡¯s pitch black down there, so we¡¯ll need plenty of torches. If we leave right now, and I mean right this second, we¡¯ll have only minutes to spare when we arrive.¡±

    The swirling text on the caster shifted to read, ¡°Mr. Reynolds is correct, Lieutenant. We do not have the time. I humbly request that you trust us. Johanneson does not have much time.¡±

    Sheffield¡¯s lips drooped into a frown as she looked at the magical device. ¡°Say I do trust you,¡± she said, ¡°and we do go through with this. Rendering the city inert would allow the Rusivites, who were not affected by the pulse, to attack us. What then?¡±

    The caster audibly vibrated in Oscar¡¯s hands, and he flinched a little as the swirling text seemed to spasm as if frustrated before calming. Everyone shared a nervous glance as the letters rewrote themselves. ¡°Excellent observation, Lieutenant Sheffield,¡± The text appeared slowly, and Oscar couldn¡¯t help but feel as if it were being condescended. ¡°You are correct in being concerned; however, we can assure you that there is nothing to worry about.¡±

    ¡°So you¡¯re telling us to just trust you?¡± She scoffed with a roll of her eyes. ¡°A cheshire is more believable than you,¡± she said, referring to a feline-like fae being.

    The caster vibrated once again, this time more intensely, as the text hastily wrote out, ¡°Lieutenant. The resonance I plan to release¨C¡±

    Oscar¡¯s eyebrow arched when Ben said ¡°I¡± and not the usual ¡°we¡± or ¡°us.¡±

    ¡°--will be potent enough to temporarily disable the city''s functions for roughly four hours, thirty-seven minutes, and thirty-two seconds. With the Rusivites having finished their air raid, they will need to pull back to the nearest air fleet, which is roughly thirteen hundred gilos from where you¡¯re at, taking them nearly two and a half hours of flight time. They¡¯ll then need to refuel, rearm, and conduct any needed maintenance. I should also mention that they¡¯re leaving right now. So, doing the math, by the time¡ª¡±

    ¡°I get it! I get it!¡± Sheffield groaned as she waved her hands. ¡°By Merlin¡¯s beard, you don¡¯t need to be a dick. I get it.¡± She sighed. ¡°How the hell do you even know this?¡± She asked Ben but also glanced at Oscar.

    The massive blurb of text on the glass vanished, and in its place, Ben wrote, ¡°I am unable to disclose that information. Just know that we are on the same side.¡±

    Sheffield pinched the bridge of her nose and turned to her fellow soldiers. Oscar cleared his throat and said, ¡°Ma¡¯am, I know it¡¯s a lot to take in, but I think Ben is telling the truth. If those monsters wake up, hundreds or more will die, and the city will be thrown into chaos. Ben here, whoever they are, they¡¯re giving us a chance.¡±

    ¡°Or,¡± Sheffield said, staring into Oscar¡¯s eyes. ¡°They¡¯re setting us up for failure.¡±

    Oscar couldn¡¯t argue with that. He shrugged. ¡°Possibly, but¡­¡± he said, turning over his shoulder to look at Anne, who was sitting idly against the wall nearby. Seeing her uncle looking at her, she smiled meekly and waved at him. Oscar gave a polite wave with his free hand and turned back to the soldier. ¡°I don¡¯t want to put my niece in any other danger.¡±

    Lily groaned and closed her eyes as she thought for only a few seconds. Opening her eyes, Oscar noticed her expression had relaxed, and she nodded, ¡°Alright. Coleman, Jax.¡± The two soldiers behind her stiffened to attention. ¡°See if you scavenge up some torches. Johnson and Archer, you two stick with Mr. Reynolds and Rosewall and try to find this secret path this Ben fellow speaks of.¡± Oscar smiled as Sheffield turned to look at him, their eyes meeting as the two stood there momentarily.

    Oscar smiled faintly. ¡°Thank you.¡± He bowed his head.

    ¡°Don¡¯t thank me yet, Mr. Reynolds.¡± Her eyes narrowed. ¡°I and my men will be keeping a close eye on you and that Ben fellow.¡±

    ¡°I understand,¡± he said. ¡°I know this a lot, but it may be our only chance.¡±

    ¡°Or, we¡¯re digging our own graves,¡± The lieutenant muttered under her breath. ¡°Why do I have to have the highest rank here?¡± She lamented to herself as she brushed past Oscar and Terry.

    Oscar sighed once the soldier was further down the corridor and turned to Terry. ¡°I never expected this to be how my business trip would turn out.¡±

    Terry snorted and patted the elf on the shoulder. ¡°Ha, first time?¡± He winked, and Oscar frowned and looked at the man, confused.

    <hr>

    Luna

    ¡°Slyran, move your ass!¡± Isa hurried my father as he gripped me tightly and ran down the road.

    ¡°I¡¯m going as quickly as I can. I can see the house!¡± he said, pointing with one arm towards the small house between the apartments.

    With time cutting it close, we only had about a minute left before the enforced curfew would be in effect. Not knowing how such a curfew would be enforced in this magical world, judging by Isa¡¯s and my father¡¯s reactions, I feared that some magical trap would be activated the second the clock struck zero.

    My fears were probably exaggerating what would happen, but I never expected planes or giant War of the Worlds robots to invade. Hell, let alone be reincarnated. Anything could happen at this point. What surprised us all, though, was the front door to the house flying open, and my mother frantically waved us all inside just before we reached the front yard.

    How the hell did she know we were coming?

    My father and Isa quickly rushed up the steps with me and through the front door without questioning it. Shutting the door behind us, my mother threw her arms around the three of us and hugged us all tightly. My father kissed my cheek and pulled away, only to stop when my mother grabbed his chin and kissed his lips for only a few seconds before pulling away.

    A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

    ¡°Are all of you okay?¡± She asked.

    ¡°We¡¯re fine; I took a few bumps, but I¡¯m okay,¡± my father said, bouncing me into his arms. ¡°The little one here kept me going.¡± He smiled.

    Relieved to be safe, I jokingly said, ¡°Father is very clumsy.¡±

    ¡°Oi!¡± He scoffed and kissed me on the head. ¡°Shut your mouth.¡± He winked, and I giggled.

    I heard a shuffle from upstairs, and our heads turned to see my brother Varis standing above us. His face was hardened to my surprise, yet I could see his eyes were faintly red as if he had been crying.

    ¡°Varis!¡± I squeaked and wriggled in my father¡¯s arms, and he set me down on the ground. Once I was free, I clambered up the stairs and threw my arms around him. Yet, to my surprise, he didn¡¯t hug me back. Confused, I pulled away from him and looked at him. ¡°Varis?¡± I said it questioningly.

    ¡°Why are you always getting into trouble?¡± He said it in a low voice and puffed his cheeks.

    Confused, I tilted my head. ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    ¡°Wherever you go, bad stuff happens!¡± He exclaimed, and I could hear our family groaning down the steps.

    "Varis, that isn¡¯t fair,¡± my father began, but my brother shook his head.

    ¡°But it¡¯s true!¡± He huffed. ¡°Luna¡¯s like one of those¡­ uh¡­ magnet things.¡±

    I frowned. ¡°I¡¯m not a trouble magnet!¡± I lightly bopped his chest. ¡°Meanie. We almost got hurt out there, and this is how you treat me.¡± It was my turn to puff my cheeks.

    Seeing my reaction, Varis softened, reached out with a hand, and patted me on the head. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± He sighed and smiled. ¡°I¡¯m happy you¡¯re okay,¡± he said before yanking me into another back-breaking hug. ¡°Next time, take me with you!¡±

    ¡°Gyak!¡± I gasped as the air was forced from my lungs, and my back audibly popped.

    ¡°Varis!¡± My mother scolded. ¡°Let her go,¡± she ordered, though a faint twinkle was in her eye as our parents began to come upstairs.

    Varis chuckled and released me as I groaned and wobbled where I stood. Regaining my balance, I sighed and moved out of the way so my parents and Isa could move past me. ¡°Where¡¯s Aunt Saria and Uncle Aenorin?¡± I asked as I peeked into the living room and kitchen.

    ¡°Gone,¡± My mother said, the twinkle fading from her expression. ¡°Before the attack, she left, saying she was going to meet up with that arch-shithead¡ªI mean bishop.¡± She cleared her throat and blushed while Varis and I giggled at my mother¡¯s loose vulgarity. ¡°Aenorin had to work¡­ I don¡¯t know if they¡¯re okay or not, but¡­¡± She trailed off as she collected her thoughts. ¡°It¡¯s good the three of you returned because¡ª¡±

    ¡°Oh, oh!¡± Varis waved his left arm into the air as if he were in school. ¡°The letter, the letter!¡±

    Father and Isa frowned. ¡°What letter?¡± They both said to share a look.

    I pursed my lips and said, ¡°Did we get mail?¡±

    My mother sighed and nodded. ¡°Sort of, it¡¯s more like you got mail,¡± she said, looking directly at me.

    My mouth fell open, and I tilted my head. ¡°Huh?¡±

    <hr>

    We gathered in the dining room. A loose sheet of parchment was in the center of the table, around bowls of partially eaten oatmeal my mother and brother must¡¯ve had before the attack. Yet, there is no ordinary parchment. It looked like a piece of torn paper as if ripped from a book; on it was what looked to be a hastily scribbled message directed not to me but to my mother and a ¡°Dreamer.¡±

    To whom resides in this residence,

    The ones you wait for and the dreamer will arrive at precisely three thirty. The foolish one you know as Saria will reach the Ewigkeit plant in ten minutes as of the dreamer reading this message. To reach the plant, you¡¯ll need to travel northeast towards Helmsworth. When reaching Heinland Road, travel east towards the edge of town. Moving now by strider, you¡¯ll reach the plant¡¯s tunnel entrance in about twenty minutes. Do not worry about qualifications; there will be no guards. Move hastily, Dreamer, or else the enemy will grow.

    A Friend.

    ¡°What the heck?¡± I muttered under my breath as I read the letter not once but twice. My eyes darted from left to right, and then, without warning, my skirt pocket began to vibrate. The caster I had used to contact Anne just before the attack began to buzz hard. The sensation caused me to jerk, and as my hand reached for my pocket, my family¡¯s eyes widened a bit as I frantically dug the magical phone from my pocket and opened it.

    ¡°Anne?¡± I was expecting to see my friend, yet all I saw was darkness. But then, white lines began to appear, and my heart began to quicken as the lines began to morph and shift themselves into words.

    ¡°What is taking you so long?¡± The words read: ¡°You were supposed to read it once and start moving!¡±

    My eyes widened, and I was slackjawed. ¡°Whaaa?¡± was all I heard coming from my mouth as my mind failed to form words. It was like my brain had short-circuited; my father and Isa came over to my side, and my mother looked at me equally confused.

    ¡°You¡¯re going to catch bugs with your mouth hung so loosely, knife ear; you need to move. Now.¡± Then, in all caps, ¡°NOW!¡±

    ¡°M-My caster is yelling at me!¡± That was all I could say, as my mind was still reeling from all of this.

    My father carefully reached down, plucked the device from my hand, and said, ¡°Who the hell is this? Who are you?¡±

    ¡°Of course, a blubbering child is what we have to work with,¡± the mysterious individual speaking through the device lamented. ¡°Of all times, why couldn¡¯t they be older?¡±

    ¡°That child is my daughter, asshole.¡± My father growled, not caring for Varis, and I could hear him curse. ¡°Who are you?¡±

    ¡°Ugh, fine, I guess we can settle for you.¡± The caster wrote as I nervously stretched on my tiptoes to see what they were saying. ¡°We do not have time to explain. All you wannabe heroes need¨C¡±

    ¡°Wannabes?¡¯ My father scoffed.

    "Well, it¡¯s true,¡± the device scribbled. ¡°Anyways, you have roughly forty minutes before everything goes to shit. And we need you to get your little dreamer moving. Like¡­ now¡­ right now¡­ NOW! NOW!¡±

    ¡°Papa, what¡¯s happening?¡± I asked.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know, Luna,¡± he said. ¡°Is this that Master guy? The Dark Lord?¡±

    ¡°Ha!¡± The caster vibrated as it wrote as if it were laughing. ¡°Pssh, please. Nah, I¡¯m better than that guy. He¡¯s such a loser, anyway. Chop, chop. You¡¯re running out of time.¡±

    I shook my head. Why does it keep saying we or I?

    Isa leaned forward. ¡°Are they the ones who wrote the letter?¡± She gestured to the paper.

    ¡°Wooow!¡± The caster scrawled and buzzed. ¡°Give that cat some nip. They¡¯re kind of smart! Yes! Who else, you idiots?! Do you want to all die? Tick tock!¡± Suddenly, the text swirled, and a countdown timer appeared in its place, showing thirty-nine minutes and counting down.

    ¡°Cailynn,¡± my father growled. ¡°I¡¯m about to throw this thing out the window.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t!¡± I blurted. ¡°That¡¯s mine. I don¡¯t want to lose it.¡± I sighed. ¡°Mr. Caster thing,¡± I said, ¡°we can¡¯t leave because the army has a curfew.¡±

    ¡°Pssh, please. Nothing stopped you from breaking the rules before. Rules and laws, heh, they¡¯re all just¡­ suggestions.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t think this is a nice guy,¡± Varis mumbled.

    The text swirled once again as it began to write quickly as my father read, ¡°The local guard and soldiers are scrambling. Panicking, really, many high ranking Yanky officials who were meant to take over operations were killed in the recent attack. Soldiers are struggling to cordon off sections of the city. The section you are all in is here.¡±

    ¡°Holy shit!¡± My father gasped as he showed us the caster screen, and on it was a massive map of the city, almost like that of a GPS, and a blinking pink dot was smack dab where we are now.

    On the display, the caster wrote, ¡°Where you are situated now, only a single defense batallion is stationed in your district, which extends to this size.¡± A massive purple area taking up the southeastern part of the city flashed. ¡°The battalion has yet to fully block off the borders of this district, but if we keep her lolly gagging and playing fucking twenty questions, you¡¯ll run out of time, and everyone will DIE.¡±

    My brother whimpered and shrank away as my mother wrapped her arm around him and hugged him gently. ¡°Slyran, I don¡¯t like this.¡±

    ¡°Neither do I,¡± he said.

    "Well, that¡¯s because you aren¡¯t supposed to like this,¡± The being in my caster wrote. ¡°None of us like this. But it¡¯s the truth. If you don¡¯t get that little dreamer, Luna, to that pathetic excuse for a power plant, Everyone is dead. EVERYONE. Sheesh lo weese. I swear mortals are getting weaker and dumber by the day.¡±

    ¡°Why are you such an asshole?¡± My father asked.

    ¡°Why are you asking stupid questions? Take the facts I gave you. And move!¡±

    My mind was spinning. So much was happening I couldn¡¯t comprehend, and this time, I¡¯m not blaming my little kid''s mind or body. Judging by my parents'' reactions, even past-life adult me would¡¯ve been just as confused. Almost an hour ago, our city was bombed. My mother got a mystery note, and the second I read it, this thing was talking to us.

    My mind couldn¡¯t help but wander back in time to when I used to play video games. It¡¯s been a while since I thought about those, and I couldn¡¯t help but make the connection as if we just triggered a cutscene. It was so jarring; it was like whoever this was knew. Well, they did. The paper had the exact time, to the minute, to when Father, Isa, and I would arrive, as well as the times at which my aunt was supposed to arrive at the plant, and then this thing was messaging us.

    Were we being watched? Was this guy nearby? I saw no one coming in. The thing mentioned the Dark Lord as if they were a friend or maybe even an equal; well, no. They said they were better than them, but fuck, I used to say shit like that when jokingly referring to my friends.

    Maybe they were one of the apostles.

    ¡°Papa, can I see the caster?¡± I asked, and he hesitated for a second and passed it to me. When I grabbed it, I saw whoever was messaging us was angrily scrawling.

    ¡°Oh yes, the dreaming child has more questions¨C¡±

    ¡°Caster guy¨C¡±

    It suddenly erased the text and wrote in all caps. ¡°THAT¡¯S NOT MY NAME!¡±

    ¡°You never told us your name, dumbass,¡± I said, forgetting my parents were right next to me.

    My mother gasped, ¡°Luna¡ª¡± though my father held a hand up to her, indicating he¡¯d let this one slide.

    ¡°Dumb¡­ ass¡­?¡± The text was written slowly.

    I had a feeling it was about to go off on me. Before it could, I continued, ¡°Is this related to what the Master wants me to do, and does this relate to stopping the apostles?¡±

    The caster didn¡¯t respond immediately.

    ¡°Hello?¡± I said anxiously.

    ¡°Yes! By the universe, yes, it does! Go get yourself a snack, little one, because you just connected all the dots!¡± It wrote as little stars and confetti lines appeared on the small caster screen. Then suddenly, it went black, and in its place, small text appeared: ¡°Indeed. Now, if you wish to waste all of our time here and possibly our lives, I suggest you get moving. Saria and Arch-shit-head are nearing the plant¡¯s entrance.¡±

    I blinked, disregarding that the thing used the same insult my mother had for the archbishop. ¡°Okay,¡± I said, looking at my family. ¡°I have no idea what¡¯s going on, but this seems to be related to the Master.¡±

    ¡°This has to be some kind of trick,¡± my mother said, shaking her head in disbelief. ¡°Whatever this thing is, it¡¯s asking for trouble.¡± She bit her lower lip, her eyes shifting from the device to me. Her face showed me that she was dreading the idea of me running out there again. ¡°I should go; Luna, you stay¡ª¡±

    ¡°Negative, Nancy,¡± The caster buzzed and grabbed my attention. ¡°The little dreamer here needs to go. Not taking her will make matters difficult.¡± I turned the caster to show my mother, and she cursed.

    ¡°You¡¯re kidding me?!¡± She gripped her fists.

    "Sadly, it¡¯s not comedy hour; no jokes. Only facts and time that is running out.¡±

    ¡°We know!¡± my father barked, his frustration getting the better of him. "You can¡¯t just spring all of this information on us and expect us to decide.¡±

    "Well, surely, soldier boy, you¡¯ve had less information in the past and made things work.¡±

    ¡°You know nothing about me,¡± my father growled.

    ¡°That you know of.¡± The caster wrote, and to my utter shock, it added a winky face at the end. A fucking winky face.

    My father looked at me. ¡°Luna, please, let me throw it out the window.¡±

    I nervously chuckled and shook my head. ¡°Sorry, but I think¡­ I think we should put our trust in this.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re kidding me?¡± Isa spoke up. ¡°Luna, whatever this is, it can¡¯t be trusted.¡±

    ¡°The master couldn¡¯t be trusted at first, and look what he did for us,¡± I said. ¡°He got us out alive because he knew stuff we didn¡¯t. Who¡¯s to say this¡­ caster guy isn¡¯t the same?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not my name!¡± It was written again.

    ¡°Then what is it?¡± I growled at it.

    ¡°A friend. Please, call me friend."

    ¡°No.¡± I gritted my teeth.

    ¡°Comrade?¡±

    ¡°Nuh-huh.¡±

    ¡°Amigo?¡±

    I reared my head back. Mother fucker is speaking Spanish?

    It then wrote: ¡°A bit too on the nose; how about, Ami?¡±

    ¡°You just shortened it!¡± I said.

    ¡°No, dummy. It¡¯s French for¡­ friend.¡±

    ¡°Fine, whatever¡­¡± I said, then jolted. ¡°Wait, French?!¡±

    ¡°What the hell is French?¡± My father asked.

    I gripped my chin and began racking my brain. ¡°The man from earlier, that Lucy guy¨C¡±

    ¡°Lucie¨C!¡± The thing started to write before quickly erasing itself. ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    ¡°I caught that, you jerk!¡± I growled. ¡°Okay, now I know something. You and that blue coat guy,¡± I said, recalling that Lucy guy wearing a blue outfit. ¡°You guys work together?¡±

    ¡°If I said yes, would that get you moving?¡±

    ¡°He was with the archbishop!¡± I nearly shrieked, and my family stepped back. ¡°You expect us to trust you if you¡¯re working with him?¡±

    ¡°HEY, KIDDO!¡± Ami wrote back in all caps. ¡°I never said I was working with them. I have information you don¡¯t; either we can sit here and keep playing Akinator or any other form of twenty questions. Or you can, I don¡¯t know, get off your ass, trust me, and help save the city! DUH!¡±

    It then switched back to the countdown timer. Thirty-five minutes and counting down.

    ¡°We need to make a choice,¡± I muttered, and the thing in my hand buzzed.

    ¡°Finally!¡± It wrote.

    ¡°Luna, things out there are not going to be easy,¡± my father muttered.

    I nodded. ¡°I know. Yet, the Master wanted us to go through anyways, and well¡­¡± Whoever this was. They seemed to know what they were talking about and could help. Besides, they knew how to reach the heart. ¡°Ami here." I shook the caster. "if that¡¯s what they want to be called.¡±

    ¡°Si.¡± it wrote.

    I continued, ¡°They provided us the directions, and they seem to know about the inner workings of what the military is doing¡­ Ami,¡± I said, ¡°do you know the safest and fastest route?¡± I asked, hoping whoever they were could use that map trick again.

    ¡°Yes, but due to your blah blah blahing, we¡¯ve lost the most efficient route. Now, we¡¯ll need to use the second best route. If you go right NOW, we can get there in about twenty five minutes, which is cutting things too close.¡±

    I gulped and looked at my father. ¡°I say we get Ruby ready, and without the wagon.¡±

    ¡°We don¡¯t have a saddle for her,¡± my mother said, and my father held a hand up.

    ¡°I think we can make due, dear,¡± he said, looking to Isa. ¡°If we take just Ruby, then only one of us can go with you, Luna.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s fine,¡± I said, biting my lower lip. ¡°Momma, I want you to come.¡±

    My mother¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Me? I-I should be the one who¡¯s choosing who goes¨C¡±

    ¡°It doesn''t matter, Cailynn; you make the most sense anyway,¡± my father said. "You know more about magic than any of us here. Where you guys are going, I think that knowledge is paramount.¡±

    ¡°Agreed,¡± Ami wrote on the caster. ¡°Though your knowledge of magic is quite¡­ primitive, The basics you all know will help.¡±

    ¡°Why are you such a jerk?¡± I asked as my parents briefly bickered.

    ¡°Because,¡± Ami replied, ¡®it¡¯s only natural that someone of my standards should feel such a distaste for having to lower themselves down to mortal levels. Except for you, you¡¯re cool.¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡± I bit my lip, shook my head, and shrugged. ¡°Okay, whatever¡­ my brain hurts.¡±

    ¡°Already?¡± Ami wrote. ¡°We haven¡¯t even started yet because of your squabbling.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re working on it!¡± I growled.

    What the hell has my new life become? Can¡¯t I just go back to living an everyday life again?

 Chapter 95: Before the Storm

    Oscar Reynolds

    Wielding a piece of rebar Oscar watched as a soldier he knew was Sergeant Archer slammed the hunk of metal into the dented panel on the wall. The metal screeched and groaned as the dent pushed deeper into the hollow exterior behind it. The edges popped freely, enough for the Yanky man to grip his fingers along the edges. The sergeant grunted as he tried to yank it away from the wall. The sturdy metal panel groaned but did not yield.

    The human stepped back and sighed as he wiped the sweat off his forehead''s dark skin. ¡°Corporal.¡± He nodded towards the younger man, whom Oscar knew as Johnson. ¡°Take the rebar there.¡± He motioned with his head towards the bar he just slammed the wall with. ¡°I need you to use it like a crowbar; jam it in that gap, there will ya.¡±

    ¡°Aye sir.¡± The younger human nodded and snatched the bar up off the floor, wiggled it into the small gap they made, and began to wrench it.

    Oscar stood off to the side, watching the two men work on the section of the tunnel wall. Ben had shown them through the caster that beyond this wall was a network of tunnels that even the local government wasn¡¯t aware of. To be honest, Oscar was skeptical about that, despite Ben being adamant that Heinmarr truly didn¡¯t know. Yet, if that were the case, how come the construction workers who built this place never found them? If this section of wall here leads to a shallow cavern, surely someone would¡¯ve found out.

    That¡¯s when Ben blew Oscar¡¯s mind. ¡°Beyond that wall, it leads to an illusive field.¡±

    ¡°A what?¡± Oscar hissed under his breath as he sat beside Anne. The young girl was so overcome with emotions that she became exhausted and fell asleep. The poor girl had gone through so much in such a short time, so much so that she had barely even had the chance to process what was going on. Not just the attack, but everything; this blasted war had already taken everything from her.

    The scrawling text reshaped itself on the caster as Ben explained, ¡°A simple explanation for you would be that it¡¯s an illusion. Underneath the city lies a large, illusive field concealing much of the remnant tunnels. To say that Heinmarr is unaware of them would be a teensy lie.¡±

    ¡°A teensy lie?¡± Oscar scowled at the device.

    ¡°Heh,¡± Ben wrote, and Oscar¡¯s scowl deepened. ¡°It¡¯s nothing major,¡± the mysterious benefactor continued. ¡°The portion that is known about is the power plant itself.¡±

    Osar¡¯s eyebrows rose as his scowl was replaced with surprise. Terry, who sat on the other side of Anne against the wall, peered over. ¡°What are they saying?¡± Terry whispered.

    Oscar held a hand up to Terry to silence him, and he continued to read what Ben wrote: ¡°The Ewigkeit plant is a former Far Reacher facility repurposed.¡± The text around that word trembled, ¡°into what you know as an arcanium powerplant.¡±

    Oscar¡¯s eyebrows arched high¡ªso high, in fact, that the muscles on his forehead strained. The words of this mysterious benefactor were not something Oscar didn¡¯t catch onto. The way they spoke seemed distant, such as how they described the illusive field they mentioned and now the power plant. ¡°That you know as¡± was a phrase that just didn¡¯t seem right.

    Whoever Ben was, they didn¡¯t seem like someone from Heinmarr or Yankston, for that matter. The way they spoke reminded Oscar of those cool science-fiction books he started to read before coming to Heinmarr, Raiders of Andoria, he recalled the book. It told the story of powerful aliens who lived on Enora¡¯s second moon by propelling huge canisters like the Rusivites, but not with magic. Instead, they used some kind of chemical propellant the author was infatuated with. It was interesting, if not a bit far-fetched. How could something so massive fly off a rock into the void without magic?

    Oscar shook his head. His mind having wandered off, he forced himself back into the present. ¡°You¡¯re telling me the power plant is a far-reaching ruin?¡± He whispered, and this made Terry¡¯s eyebrow arch, though not with surprise like Oscar, no. It was the kind of expression someone gave you when you weren¡¯t supposed to know something, and that made Oscar uneasy.

    ¡°It was a ruin,¡± Ben wrote. ¡°The place has been gutted and tampered with; it hardly resembles the grace it once held. But that¡¯s beside the point. All you need to know is that the local government and the Rusvites aren¡¯t aware that the ruins beneath are quite expansive. The Illusive Field left behind by the Far Reachers is powerful; the only reason the power plant section was exposed is due to a resonance node dying out. The rest of the ruins still appear as nothing more than compact dirt and stone.¡±

    Oscar blinked slowly. ¡°So, if this is magic, how come no wizards or artificers noticed it?¡± He asked with a bit of waning skepticism.

    ¡°Simple,¡± Ben wrote. ¡°Many of this world¡¯s wizards and artificers are not capable of understanding or even glimpsing such capabilities. What you know as magic is nothing but a little party tricks.¡±

    ¡°Party tricks that are capable of flattening cities and powering killer machines, sure.¡± Oscar rolled his eyes. Not only was Ben foreign, but he also seemed insensitive.

    ¡°Sure, let''s go with that. Oh, look at that. It seems your two burly simmites have cleared the best. You all get moving!¡± He said referring to the soldiers as two ape-like creatures.

    Looking at the two soldiers who had pried the panel off the wall, Oscar was surprised Ben could even see them despite the caster facing him. He didn¡¯t question it, though, as the two soldiers placed the busted panel and rebar on the floor. They stuck their heads into the gaping black hole in the wall; a stale draft of air was coming from the gap.

    Cpl. Johnson pulled his head out of the hole and gestured towards the magrite torch strapped to Sgt. Archer¡¯s belt. Passing the magical light over, the corporal stuck his head back into the unknown and shone the light around.

    Oscar¡¯s attention was drawn back down the corridor to his left, where he noticed Lt. Sheffield and two other soldiers, a dwarf and an elf, whom Oscar remembered to be Jax and Coleman, approaching them. ¡°Archer, Johnson, what¡¯s the situation?¡± The lieutenant said this as she stopped before the man.

    The three of them exchanged brief Yanky salutes, which were flat palms facing the floor with fingertips just before their eyes. ¡°The way is clear, ma''am,¡± Sgt. Archer said, looking to the corporal. ¡°Johnson here was just taking looksy to see what¡¯s there.¡±

    ¡°Pardon, ma''am,¡± Johnson said, ¡°but there isn¡¯t shit.¡±

    Hearing this, Oscar¡¯s heart skipped a beat as the lieutenant turned and glared directly at him. Quickly catching his composure, Oscar shifted to his knees and got to his feet. ¡°Ben explained that we won¡¯t see anything at first,¡± he said, ¡°He said there¡¯s something called an illusive field, an illusion, making it appear that way.¡± His mind then reminded him of a critical piece of information, and he hastily said, ¡°The draft we feel coming from that hole is a prime indicator. If there¡¯s nothing there, we wouldn¡¯t be feeling it.¡±

    The corporal blinked for a second and nodded. ¡°Aye, you got a point there,¡± he said slowly, smiling as the others began to nod.

    ¡°But, if that¡¯s the case,¡± Sheffield looked to Oscar. ¡°Why would there be an illusion under the city?¡±

    Oscar explained everything Ben had told him to this point. ¡°You¡¯re for real?¡± The dwarf named Jax asked. ¡°Far Reacher ruins, less than twenty garos beneath the surface? No way you dumi¡¯s wouldn¡¯t have noticed it, illusions or not.¡±

    The elf, Coleman, rolled his eyes. ¡°Oh, but you dumari would?¡± They asked using the native name for the dwarf race.

    ¡°Aye! We dumari know the underworld better than any of you sun bathers¨C¡± The young human lieutenant groaned as Sheffield made a slashing motion in the air.

    ¡°Would you two cut the species rivalry crap for two seconds?¡± The two soldiers immediately shut up and went to attention. ¡°We don¡¯t have a lot of time, and whoever Ben is, they somehow know what the hell is going on here more so than our own people. Does anyone here have a weapon?¡±

    Most of the soldiers down in the bunker were those unloading the airships; many of those who were on duty were either stationed near the ships when they were attacked or outside along the airfield perimeter. Many of which were caught in the initial strike. Aside from her sidearm that Oscar saw, only the other two humans, Archer and Johnson, held rifles.

    ¡°Just these, ma''am,¡± Archer nodded to his and Johnson''s slung rifles. ¡°A couple of others have guns, but I dunno if we should leave them defenseless with the civilians.

    ¡°Agreed.¡± She sighed and nodded. ¡°Alright, you two take the lead then,¡± she said, and Oscar couldn¡¯t help but raise a hand like a schoolboy trying to get their teacher¡¯s attention.

    ¡°Excuse me, but why should we be concerned?¡± He was unfamiliar with ancient ruins and the like.

    The soldiers glanced at him with a mix of amusement and pity. ¡°Mr. Reynolds,¡± Lily Sheffield spoke softly, ¡°I take it you¡¯ve heard the stories of old adventurers and the like?¡±

    He has; his niece was obsessed with the Spellbound Rangers, and it was right there that he began to connect the dots. ¡°Ancient ruins are home to monsters and other dangerous critters?¡± He guessed.

    The soldiers nodded. ¡°Ayuh,¡± they confirmed. ¡°Most known ruins had been cleared out years ago, but if this place is untouched, we¡¯re bound to find something ghastly down there.¡± She shuddered, not trying to hide her uneasiness, which Oscar knew probably wasn¡¯t good for troop morale, but he couldn¡¯t blame her.

    ¡°Okay,¡± Oscar said, looking back at Anne, who was still asleep. The two had already spoken about what was going to happen, and Anne wasn¡¯t happy. Ben had made it crystal clear that Oscar was to go on this little trip, and he was conflicted; part of him genuinely wanted to go. To do something, and, of course, see the Far Reacher ruins. Like, seriously, untouched ancient precursor ruins? Oscar wasn¡¯t familiar with the history of the Far Reachers, but he had seen glimpses of the old technology that had been brought to his lab and workshop for study. As an artificer refusing to go would be painful, and Ben also said he needed to.

    He wanted to bring Anne, but like the soldiers just confirmed for him, it wouldn¡¯t be safe. Anne has seen danger; she¡¯s been in danger, and he didn¡¯t want to drag her through more of it. Mr. Terry offered to watch over her, and as much as Oscar appreciated the gesture, the two had just met. Instead, Lieutenant Sheffield offered, or really ordered, one of her men to watch over his niece.

    Unfortunately, the poor halfling Lily ordered is now stuck as a babysitter. He told himself he¡¯d be back, though; it wouldn¡¯t be long. At most, he¡¯d be back in the evening. Only a small handful of hours. Right?

    He looked back at the soldiers. ¡°Promise me I won¡¯t be eaten by an arachnai or some giant underground lizard, okay?¡±

    Before the group of soldiers could respond, his pocket, where Ben was resting¡ªhe now referred to the caster as just Ben¡ªvibrated. Taking out the device, he opened it and read what Ben had texted him: ¡°Arachnoids and lizards aren¡¯t what you should be worried about. The ruins below once housed an armory; such facilities would¡¯ve had extensive security measures installed. Most of which are probably no longer functioning.¡±

    ¡°Huh?!¡± Oscar exclaimed as he held Ben away as if his mere presence were revolting.

    ¡°What is it?¡± Lt. Sheffield asked, and Oscar showed her the text.

    ¡°A blasted armory?!¡± Jax gasped as the others stared wide-eyed. ¡°Far Reacher weapons?¡± The soldiers looked at each other animatedly and began chattering as Ben vibrated aggressively.

    ¡°Calm down, you stick wielders!¡± The text bounced and flared. ¡°Many of the weapons there are most likely long past their use by dates, and even then, they are far out of our reach. Before you go running in there, thinking you¡¯ll find some new toys to whack your enemies with, think about it. We mentioned that the place had extensive security measures; if there is anything you should be worried about wandering those labyrinthine halls, it¡¯s autonomous shell units.¡±

    The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

    ¡°Autnomous¡­ shell units?¡± The lieutenant muttered, and even Oscar pursed his lips.

    ¡°Like the Rusivite machines?¡± he asked.

    ¡°Sort of.¡± Ben said, ¡°What the Rusivite use is extremely crude and primitive.¡±

    "Oh, sure,¡± Oscar rolled his eyes. ¡°Crude and primitive; I didn¡¯t get that when one tried to kill me and my nie¨C¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t say they weren¡¯t effective,¡± Ben replied slowly as the text appeared on the glass. ¡°What most likely stalks the halls below are Far Reacher creations. The Rusivites appear to be trying to mimic what they had done; however, they haven¡¯t fully figured out how to condense the power source down to a much more manageable size, hence their machines are big and bulky. Down below, you¡¯ll most likely encounter humanoid defense units.¡±

    Corporal Johnson pinched the bridge of his nose. ¡°I think I know what they¡¯re talking about,¡± he said, and the lieutenant nodded.

    ¡°Ayuh,¡± she said, ¡°I heard stories about battalions back home in the east encountering smaller ruins filled with aggressors in the fae. Yet, I never heard about them being some kind of¡­ autonomous shell.¡±

    Ben vibrated. ¡°As much as I would love to keep giving you all a wonderful history lesson, time is ticking, and we are running out of time.¡± Oscar noted that Ben referred to himself as I instead of we again.

    ¡°They¡¯re right,¡± Sheffield said. ¡°Archer, you¡¯ll take the lead with me beside you holding the light. Johsnon, I change my mind. I want you watching our rear with that rifle. Jax, you¡¯ll be a torchbearer for Johnson. Coleman, make sure Mr. Reynolds here doesn¡¯t trip on his shoelaces.¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡± Oscar blinked and gazed down at his feet, and sure enough, his right boot laces were undone. Cursing under his breath, he dropped to one knee to lace them together while wondering when the hell did his laces came undone.

    <hr>

    Luna

    Ami is a fucking asshole. I mean just a straight-up prick, a douch nozzle. Just a stinking wet towel, I¡¯ll tell you. An absolute shit smeller and a cunt¡­ Okay, I had to get that off my chest. I have never, ever worked with or spoken with someone I just wanted to kill but couldn¡¯t. In my old life, I worked retail and did tech support. I knew what it was like to deal with difficult customers. I liked to think I had a tolerance meter that was at least manageable. This guy, though, if they were a guy I didn¡¯t know, I just couldn¡¯t stand them.

    Making fun of and teasing me is one thing. I used to get it a lot. I learned how to just tone people out. But to insult my family, oh no, no, no, no. That¡¯s crossing a line, but what stinks is that we needed them. Whoever this Ami was, they knew their shit. I mean, they knew it to a T. Pop it under a microscope, and they can point out what that shit is. They were smart. Almost too smart, it seemed.

    Let me explain. Shortly after, Ami decided to pop out of nowhere and ruin all of our collective days. They told us what was happening. My aunt Saria is a dumbass. She¡¯s a nice, lovely, and kind aunt. But a dumbass. I can agree with Ami on that. Trying to get this information out of Ami was like a dentist trying to yank the teeth out of a patient who wasn¡¯t strapped down and had nothing to numb the pain. Constantly fighting and arguing until relenting.

    It wasn¡¯t until we finally listened to them and began to move that they started to talk or write in this case. I¡¯m not going to recount the entire conversation because it was extremely irritating, and I want to spare anyone the suffering I had to endure during those infuriating minutes.

    According to Ami, which my mother begrudgingly admitted to being correct, at least the portions she knew of my aunt. My aunt is a high-ranking employee of Automaton Wonders, which I already knew about; however, what I didn¡¯t know was that she was working on something known as Project Eternity. Which my mother confirmed and was shocked that Ami knew of this; apparently, my mother had recently been informed about this secret project after being hired as a contractor of sorts with my aunt¡¯s backing.

    Apparently, this whole project was supposed to be a big secret that Heinmarr had been working on long before the war. A project that my mother worked on back when she was with the Cocordium. I still don¡¯t know the full details because Ami was a prick, and we didn¡¯t have enough time to get a full explanation. All I needed to know was that whatever was being built near the center of the city was important¡ªso important that it could potentially shift the war in our favor¡ªbut also to stop whatever this crazy fucking cult was doing. I know they¡¯re a ¡°church¡± and an ¡°official religion,¡± but so far, everything I¡¯ve heard and seen about them sounds like a cult.

    So in a way, we¡¯re killing two birds with one stone here. Anyway, my aunt is a dumbass. That guy that my family and I all got scared by¡ªthat Arch-dip-shit, as my mother lovingly called him¡ªapparently, according to Ami, that was supposed to happen. I dunno how, I dunno why. Ami was once again being an asshole and leaving out information since they kept acting like everything was on a need-to-know basis.

    All they said was that my sensing that guy was bad news was deliberate, and that in itself scared me. I knew the Master had the power to take control of me, and that alone scared the shit out of me, but Ami made it sound like they made me scared of that guy.

    Does Ami have the ability to control me too? Who else just wants to control me like a fucking puppet?!

    Arch-dip-shit was not a good guy, and according to Ami, he never would be. Ami made it clear that man was my enemy, and I¡¯m emphasizing my part. What made my aunt a dumbass was that she liked Mr. Arch-dip-shit, no, she loved that man. Not in an affair-type way; she practically worshipped the guy, trusted him with her life, and such. So much so that when she went to deliver the rest of the goods from the other morning, the two of them went on a little walk. When the attack happened, my aunt went to the arcanium plant, because that plant is connected directly to the Project Eternity construction site. Which is reasonable; she wants to make sure her work isn¡¯t going to get blown up or have a nuclear meltdown, whatever.

    What isn¡¯t so reasonable is taking Mr. Arch-dip-shit with her. I¡¯m not smart, and I¡¯m not going to use my child''s brain as an excuse. I was never intelligent. I was a normie. But even I, a certified normie, can realize that taking a civilian to a secret project site, a government one mind you, is not a smart idea. Prioritizing your faith over your career, while sure, in a spiritual sense, to some might seem good, is, in my opinion, just stupid.

    Maybe in my past life, if god, or gods, or even if there was a god, that¡¯d be dumb. In this world, though, where the gods are physical beings to a degree, maybe faith over career is a legit option, but at least do it if you¡¯re going to get something out of it¡­ What was I talking about?

    Oh, yeah. That¡¯s what Ami and I agreed upon. That whole conversation lasted nearly the entire trip. Most of it was my mother, and I wanted to scream at the little asshole in the caster; the rest of it was Ami interrupting themself to tell us when patrols were coming.

    How did they know when and where patrols were coming?

    I dunno. Ami wouldn¡¯t say. I assumed it was similar to how the Master can view the world, but the Master made it clear they can only see and sense a small area around me because of them being in my head, or I dunno, using me as a TV antenna. I don¡¯t know how magic works, and my mother was unsure as well.

    Ami, to my knowledge, was not linked to me via my brain or whatever it is the Master has. To me, they just looked like a silly little toy in my hand. The point is, we were able to make it through the city unscathed. When we made it to the districts untouched by the cylinders and air raid, Ami alerted us that we were beyond the cordon and that stealth was no longer paramount; however, they urged us to go faster.

    This was an issue because the streets were jampacked full of scared and curious civilians. We had to take Ruby down a series of back roads and alleyways to get to where we needed to go. I also have to say, Ruby rocks. This strider, this poor girl that we abandoned, warmed up well with us again, and she asked no questions either. With my mother being able to communicate with her, Ruby did as asked to the best of her abilities.

    I hope when things ease up I can get her something delicious. As long as she doesn¡¯t hit me with a barrel again.

    ¡°You are nearing the plant.¡± Ami wrote. "Incredibly, you have two minutes to spare. Do not worry about gate guards; they are dead. You should not find any resistance up ahead; just keep moving and follow the map¨C¡±

    ¡°Excuse me, what?!¡± My mother blurted as she pulled on Ruby¡¯s reins to slow her as we stepped out onto a large and open cobbled road leading out of town. The road transitioned into dirt, and about a few dozen yards away, I could see a large stone wall with razor wire on top.

    ¡°Go back a bit,¡± My mother snapped her eyes, glaring at the caster. ¡°What do you mean they¡¯re dead?¡±

    The caster vibrated, and the text aggressively reformed in an agitated-like manner. ¡°What else would I mean, oh wise wizard? You¡¯re supposed to be the smart one here; I mean, as I said, they¡¯re dead. The Archbishop killed them; I told you he¡¯s not a friendly man.¡±

    ¡°Shit!¡± My mother growled.

    I was scared, though I tried to keep a straight face and took a deep breath to stop my hands from shaking. ¡°Momma, we knew this wouldn¡¯t be safe or easy.¡±

    ¡°Luna,¡± my mother said, ¡°An arcanium plant has dozens, if not a hundred, soldiers. Probably even mages defending the place.¡±

    ¡°They did.¡± Ami wrote unhelpfully. ¡°Mrs. Ashflow,¡± Ami added respectfully. ¡°Putinov is a capable wizard despite his outwardly clerical appearance. I do not have time to disclose everything, so I¡¯ll be brief. That man is far older than he looks and is blessed with power that even you may not be capable of stopping, as is Luna. She might as well be a small bug.¡±

    ¡°So you¡¯re sending us to our deaths?!¡± It was my turn to nearly screech.

    For the first time, Ami didn¡¯t make a rude remark or joke. ¡°That is not my intention, but if you act carelessly, you may die. Again, I cannot disclose everything because we simply lack the time. All you need to know is that the two of you won¡¯t be alone. I am doing my best to pull as many strings as I possibly can to get you the help you¡¯ll need. You just need to act quickly. The gate further down the road is unlocked; proceed forward towards the large vault and go down the ramp. You may need to leave Ruby behind as the interior is too small for her once you pass the airlock.¡±

    ¡°Why can¡¯t you be this open all the time?¡± I couldn¡¯t help but ask.

    ¡°Because seeing you get pissed off is funny to me,¡± Ami replied curtly.

    My mother said what was on my mind: ¡°So you¡¯re just a dick.¡±

    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t be me if I wasn¡¯t one!¡± Ami replied with a smiley face.

    ¡°He¡¯s a jerk, and he loves it,¡± I said, looking up at my mother. ¡°You gotta respect that.¡±

    With a sigh, my mother rolled her eyes. ¡°Sure,¡± she said with a light chuckle, flicking Ruby¡¯s reins. The strider grunted and began to take us down the road towards the large metal gate that was ajar.

    Something didn¡¯t feel right. Even though we were on the edge of the city, I felt like there should be people around. Sure, the attack must¡¯ve scared them, but even in the central portions, hundreds were milling about. Yet here, it was abandoned. Or so it felt.

    Approaching the metal gate Ruby used her snout to push open the heavy gate I shuddered when I felt something, like a ghost passing through me. My body felt cold, much to my surprise. I heard nothing. The sounds of the outside world vanished like the snap of a finger, or, well¡­ No. The sounds weren¡¯t gone, but muffled.

    ¡°Momma, it¡¯s quiet,¡± I said, looking up at her.

    ¡°We passed through a sound barrier,¡± she said, looking towards the large buildings and towering shafts that looked like smoke towers you¡¯d see in a factory. ¡°This plant probably gets a lot of activity; being so close to the city, people would get pissed about the noise. So it doesn¡¯t surprise me that the artificers and mages erected a barrier to calm the whiners.¡± She chuckled lightly, though her face grew serious. She looked over her shoulder at me. ¡°Luna, stay behind me, okay? Your father told me how good you were during your rescue mission, so I trust you to do your part, but¡­¡± She took a deep breath.

    ¡°I understand,¡± I said to her. ¡°I won¡¯t get in your way, and I¡¯ll focus on keeping us safe with my bubble and healing.¡±

    My mother smiled. ¡°Sounds like a good plan¡­¡± She sighed. ¡°If only your father was here, he always made for a good backup defender.¡± I vaguely got an idea of what she was referring to adventuring parties back in their day were composed similarly to what you¡¯d think of as a D&D or MMO party, except they didn¡¯t use terms like "tank,¡± not only due to language reasons but also because back in the day tanks did not exist. Instead, tanks were known simply as defenders. Unfortunately, with how this world has evolved, such party compositions don¡¯t work anymore. At least in open combat.

    A man with a shield who can take a few big hits from a monster can do little against a hailstorm of bolts of energy fired from a firing squad. Even with magical buffs like bubble and other spells, I¡¯ve been on the receiving end of a rifle before, and the memory of almost losing my arm is still fresh in my mind. Yet, in a tight situation like this, a small party going into a dungeon, or in this case, a magical nuclear power plant, a party composition with a defender would be nice.

    But alas, Ruby can only carry so many people.

    At the center of this compound was a large, concrete-like structure that was sort of shaped like a trapezoid. Its front held a massive vault door on wheels; it was opened, and inside was dimly lit with magical blue light. Drawing nearer, we saw that the interior led directly into a massive ramp with rail lines built into it, where a tram of sorts I assumed would bring people in and out of the facility. Yet, no tram was in sight. On the left and right sides were pedestrian walkways for those who didn¡¯t want to take the ride, and from what I could see with the light, the decline seemed to stretch for about fifteen yards or so before flattening out and going beyond my line of sight.

    That¡¯s when we heard it.

    Gunshots echoed from inside, and rapid retorts from what I recognized to be Heinmaran lever actions were followed by a different gun. A gun I hadn¡¯t heard in years. A gun that made me have flashbacks to when I died for the first time. Guns in this world are different from guns back on Earth. I¡¯m no expert, so understand if I get some specifics wrong. All I know is that guns back on Earth rely on powder that explodes and causes the bullet to go flying. I know there¡¯s more to it than that. Give me a break.

    Guns on Enora¡ªwell, they¡¯re more like something out of science fiction. Father explained it to me way back when he taught Varis and me how to shoot, and from my time hunting with Isa, she told me a little more. Enoran guns are magical and don¡¯t rely on any form of black powder or any powder. Instead, each ¡°bullet¡± is actually a small piece of magrite. As a refresher, magrite is a magical crystal that practically powers everything in this world, and I, unfortunately, learned the truth that they¡¯re souls that failed to be reincarnated. The Master told me these souls are old and diluted and thus can never be saved, but the thought still kind of unnerves me.

    I hope I never get turned into a bullet or a lightbulb after I die.

    Anyway, whenever a gun is fired, the magrite crystal is pierced, causing it to rupture. Magrite is extremely volatile, but when broken in a controlled fashion, the energy released from it can be harnessed. In this case, the gun forces the unleashed energy down the barrel of the gun and shoots outwards in a searing bolt. If I had to describe it, it¡¯s like plasma. The bolt of condensed energy still abides by physics, of course. The explosion of the crystal is what causes the gun to kick slightly, and the bolt of plasma, from what I¡¯ve seen, is still affected by gravity of sorts, so there¡¯s still ballistics involved. My point is, the weapons don¡¯t have that satisfying, or terrifying if you¡¯re on the receiving end, crack of a gun.

    Instead, it¡¯s like something out of a science fiction story, like I said before. There¡¯s a sharp snap sound followed by a ¡°choom.¡± The guns also leave behind a smell¡ªthe same smell that most magic leaves behind as well¡ªozone.

    Yet, what I heard down in that tunnel. That was a gun-gun. Like one from Earth. It was sharp, it was loud, and it only fired once before I heard a woman screaming.

 Chapter 96: The Ruin

    Oscar Reynolds

    With anxiety building in his chest, Oscar was the last to dip his head into the hole and crawl into the cool and musty interior of the cavern beyond the makeshift bunker wall. Coughing after inhaling a cloud of kicked-up dust, he spat to the side and groaned as he got to his knees and peered back at the gaping hole. On the other side, he could faintly see Anne still asleep against the wall as a nearby soldier named Amy Greene stood by to watch over her. The thought of leaving Anne with strangers did not sit well with him, yet the being known as Ben assured him that the little girl would be safe and that he was needed for this little operation.

    Though he still couldn¡¯t shake the uneasiness inside, if anything happened to her, his brother and sister-in-law would hate him until the end of days. That¡¯s why he made a deal. With himself, of course. If anything seems to go sideways, he¡¯s out. He¡¯ll turn around and rush back to Anne as quickly as he can. Would he seem cowardly in front of everyone else? Hell yes, though unlike the soldiers he was following, he doubted they¡¯d care; honestly, they¡¯d probably prefer it if he stayed out of their way.

    With that little plan in place, he got to his feet, though he had to bend his knees as his head nearly came into contact with the low-hanging ceiling. At least the entrance¡ªthe cavern he and the soldiers crawled into¡ªwasn''t that big. It was large enough to fit the six of them, though it was cramped, and everyone except for the dwarf Jax had to be hunched over. The interior stretched outwards by at least six or seven strides before coming up to a dead end; they all got a good glimpse of it when Sheffield shone her magrite torch upon it.

    ¡°There really isn¡¯t anything here,¡± the lieutenant said as she side-eyed Oscar from over her shoulder.

    Oscar gulped. ¡°Ben said there was what they called an illusive field,¡± he said as he recalled the term their mysterious benefactor used. ¡°If you recall, I described it as an illusion.¡±

    The lieutenant nodded slowly. ¡°I remember, Mr. Reynolds, however,¡± she said, holding a bare hand out towards the rough stone wall before them. ¡°You can¡¯t tap on illusions.¡± She wrapped the back of her knuckles against the wall. ¡°This little cave is just an airpocket and nothing more.¡±

    The soldiers shared a glance, and Jax cleared his throat. ¡°But what about the draft? I still feel it, and from what I can see¡­¡± The dwarf trailed off as he walked towards the wall that shouldn¡¯t be there, according to Ben, and looked around. ¡°I see no gaps or crevices yet¡­¡± He popped two fingers into his mouth and pulled them back out, now slick with saliva, and held them up. ¡°Aye, it¡¯s steady.¡±

    ¡°Perhaps¡­¡± The elf Coleman began in a slow draw. ¡°Are there holes we cannot see with our naked eyes?¡± He suggested.

    ¡°Unlikely,¡± The dwarf said this with a shake of his head and pressed his hand against the wall. ¡°I¡¯ve spent my fair share of time within the undermines, and I¨C¡± As Jax went to lean against the wall, the moment his body weight rested against it, he phased through with a startled cry and vanished within the formerly solid wall.

    Immediately Johnson and Coleman yelped with surprise as Sergeant Archer and Lieutenant Sheffield stared with a seemingly calm expression though their eyes said otherwise. Though Oscar had a feeling nothing was as it seemed, he too was unable to express his shock when the dwarf vanished from reality, or so it appeared.

    ¡°Corporal,¡± Sheffield called out. ¡°Corporal, can you hear us? Are you okay?¡± She stepped towards the wall as they all stared in stunned silence, listening, hoping they could hear Jax on the other side. If there was another side, such a thought disturbed Oscar greatly.

    Then they heard it. Or him, for that matter. Jax¡¯s voice was muffled, distant, and dreamlike. Hearing the dwarf on the other side, the lieutenant pressed her ear against the wall Jax had gone through before gasping and jolting back as if having been shocked. Her left hand clutched her cheek briefly before pulling her hand away to look at it.

    Oscar and the other soldiers crowded around her. ¡°Are you alright?¡± Oscar asked as he felt Ben vibrating in his pocket, though he ignored him briefly.

    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m good¡­ It shocked me,¡± she said, rubbing her cheek and ear again. ¡°Like¡­¡± She started again and reached out towards the wall.

    ¡°What the hell are you doing?¡± Coleman sputtered as he reached out to stop her, but stopped when Sheffield glared at him. ¡°You said it shocked you!¡±

    ¡°I did,¡± the lieutenant said, her hand now hovering over the wall. ¡°Though that wasn¡¯t the right word¡­ Its¡­ You know that feeling when you¡¯re swinging a stick around and you slam it so hard into something it makes your hands hurt?¡± She asked everyone. The men around her all shared a glance¡ªa look that they all could relate to. Every young kid, especially boys playing soldier, knew that feeling well. Sheffield continued, "Well, it felt more like that. The wall¡¯s vibrating really, really fast.¡± She pressed her hand onto it and kept it there now. ¡°I didn¡¯t notice it early when I knocked on it, but¡­ holding my hand now.¡± She knocked again on the wall. ¡°I feel it now.¡±

    Jax¡¯s muffled voice called out again, though Oscar couldn¡¯t understand the poor dwarf. Sheffield turned towards the wall, leaned into it, and shouted, ¡°Hold tight, Jax! We¡¯ll be coming through shortly!¡± Though admittedly, she and the others weren¡¯t too sure about that.

    ¡°How in the hell do we get through this?¡± Coleman asked, ¡°Sprint towards it and hope we¡¯re worthy?¡±

    Archer snorted as he took a few steps away from the wall and rolled his shoulders. ¡°And maybe get free passes to a wizadry school?¡±

    Once again, the caster in Oscar¡¯s pocket vibrated, but this time with an increased intensity. No longer being able to ignore it, he pulled out the device and opened it. Already Ben was writing with clear frustration, ¡°Push through the damned thing, you moronic imbeciles! I swear, you guys see one little magic trick, and it¡¯s like the discovery of fire all over again. Just move!¡±

    ¡°Sheesh, calm down; I get it.¡± Oscar muttered with a roll of his eyes.

    ¡°What is it, Mr. Reynolds?¡± The lieutenant asked.

    Taking a breath, Oscar straightened up. ¡°Ben said we just need to simply push through it..¡±

    Ben hastily wrote, ¡°Indeed. The wall, while it feels real, is not. It¡¯s a powerful ocular and material-based illusion that is projected at a resonance¡­¡± Oscar turned his attention away from the caster. As curious as he was to learn how the damn thing worked, Ben was right in that they didn¡¯t have the time.

    Sheffield nodded slowly. ¡°Alright then. Archer,¡± she said, looking at the sergeant. ¡°Stay behind me. Coleman and Johnson, keep an eye on Reynolds, and follow behind.¡± The two men nodded as Sheffield turned to the wall. ¡°Mr. Reynolds, if I bounce off this wall like a dumbass, we¡¯re going to have a stern talk.¡± Before Oscar could respond, the soldier crouched down for half a second before rushing forth. In an instant, she jarringly phased through the wall in such a way that Oscar¡¯s mind couldn¡¯t understand what he¡¯d just seen.

    Shaking his head, he glanced at the two other soldiers in front of him, who simply shrugged. ¡°Well,¡± Coleman gulped as his pointed ears twitched with a bit of nervousness. ¡°I¡¯ll go next.¡± Just like the lieutenant before him, the elf ran forward and shifted through the wall.

    Now alone with Corporal Johnson, the human man glanced at Oscar and smirked. ¡°I¡¯ve broken through plenty of walls in my career; I never thought I¡¯d be going through one like a ghost,¡± the man said as he rolled his shoulders. ¡°C¡¯mon.¡± He motioned for Oscar to come over to him.

    Muttering under his breath, Oscar said, "Well, it isn¡¯t a real wall¡­¡± He stopped himself when he noticed the soldier rolling his eyes. The man pointed at the ground beside him.

    ¡°We¡¯re going through together; there''s no point in keeping the other waiting.¡± Oscar felt a twinge of nervousness once again in his chest, and he hesitantly glanced back at the hole the soldiers had made earlier. Part of him debated going back to Anne, though he unfortunately wouldn¡¯t have the luxury of waiting for long as the soldier grabbed his wrist and pulled him towards him.

    With his mind made up for him, Oscar positioned himself beside Johnson and stared at the wall. Every instinct in his body was telling him that running at a solid wall was incredibly stupid. ¡°You¡¯ll make yourself look like a dumbass,¡± his conscious cried.

    ¡°Maybe I¡¯ll wake up from a stupid dream,¡± he thought to himself.

    That did little to calm his nerves. With a firm slap to his back, Oscar gasped as Johnson bolted forward, and without a second thought, Oscar followed behind him as the two men rushed towards the fake cavern wall.

    <hr>

    The wind was knocked from his lungs as his body made contact with the cavern wall. Every fiber stung for only a microsecond as his body whacked what his brain thought was solid rock, before suddenly said rock began to shimmer and morph. The world around Oscar parted like water he was submerging into; what he thought was stone clung to his form, as if trying to keep him on the other side, but was released once he was sufficiently away from the faux material.

    The world on the other side was dark, damp, and chilly. By the gods, it was chilly. Oscar took in heavy gulps of cold, stale air and sighed as he shook away the goosebumps. As his vision adjusted to the near pitch blackness in front of him, he noticed behind him a very faint, dim light. He glanced over his shoulder, and his eyebrows raised in astonishment. Behind him was nothing. Not like nothing, as in, there was no body or no objects there. It was a black abyss, yet at the base of this abyss was a thin streak of white light that shone brightly. It¡¯s light, like a faint candle that hardly illuminates anything.

    ¡°Finally,¡± the dwarf Jax said with a raise of his arms. ¡°Took you dumis long enough.¡± He rolled his eyes.

    Johnson snorted. ¡°What can I say? I wanted to enjoy the sights.¡±

    ¡°What sights?¡± Archer rolled his eyes. ¡°Dust and stone?¡±

    ¡°That and the magical fake wall of infinite darkness.¡± The corporal waved his hand at the black void.

    ¡°Cut the idle talk,¡± Lieutenant Sheffield said. ¡°Mr. Reynolds, why aren¡¯t our torches coming on?¡± She waved her magrite torch around, and before Oscar could respond, the light suddenly came on, blinding Sergeant Archer, who cursed loudly and recoiled away from the light.

    ¡°Shit sorry!¡± Sheffield gasped as Ben vibrated in Oscar¡¯s hand.

    Oscar glanced at the caster as the magical, and now illuminated, text appeared: ¡°The illusive field temporarily subdued the ether in all of your magical devices. No fear, as you see, they¡¯ll gradually come back on.¡±

    Oscar read what Ben said out loud to everyone, and Sheffield bit her lip. ¡°There aren¡¯t any more fields like that, or potential AM fields here, are there?¡±

    Ben didn¡¯t respond right away, and Oscar felt his gut sink. Finally, Ben responded, and Oscar wished he hadn¡¯t. ¡°Probably,¡± the mysterious benefactor said.

    ¡°Probably?¡± Sheffield scoffed with disbelief. ¡°I thought you knew everything down here?¡±

    Ben hastily wrote back, ¡°I never said that! This Far Reacher ruin has been down here longer than any of your species. Even I am unaware of how well maintained certain security apparatuses are until we go deeper.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not really reassuring,¡± Archer muttered as he finished rubbing away the splotches of color from his eyes.

    "Well, forgive me, Darell, but if I wanted to be a ray of sunshine, I¡¯d do nothing but make up happy lies, and doing so would make me wish to vomit.¡± Oscar blinked as he read this out loud and looked up.

    ¡°Who the hell is Darell?¡± He asked, and Archer blinked repeatedly with a shocked look on his face.

    He shook himself back to the present and looked at Oscar. ¡°That¡¯s my¡­ first name. How the¨C¡±

    This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.

    ¡°Questions later,¡± Sheffield said. ¡°Ben, please try not to withhold any information like that in the future.¡± She then shone the light of her torch towards an eerie crevice ahead of them, just wide enough to squeeze through. ¡°Archer, you take the lead; I¡¯ll be behind. Oscar, you and Ben will be in the middle with that fancy map and tell us where to go. Johnson and Jax, you two watch the rear.¡±

    ¡°What about me, ma''am?" Coleman asked.

    Sheffield pursed her lips. ¡°You stick by Mr. Reynolds; make sure he doesn¡¯t step on some sort of booby trap.¡±

    At another time, Oscar might¡¯ve been offended by such a phrase. He hated it whenever people assumed he wasn¡¯t up to a task or perhaps even a danger to himself. Nowadays, he was more than happy to let someone take the lead, and he sure as hell didn¡¯t trust himself inside an ancient ruin, let alone a Far Reacher ruin.

    ¡°Yes, Ma¡¯am.¡± The soldier saluted, walked towards Oscar, and patted him on the back. ¡°Stick close to me, sir, and keep that little jerk in your hands safe.¡±

    ¡°Oi!¡± Ben vibrated intensely in Oscar¡¯s hand. ¡°I am not a jerk!¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s debatable,¡± Oscar muttered. ¡°Ben, can you show us the map of this place again? If you¡¯re able to.¡±

    ¡°If I¡¯m able to?¡± The caster repeated. ¡°Of course I am. Who do you take me for?¡± Oscar didn¡¯t bother answering as the caster shifted from text to a simplified overhead map. The once dark background shifted to a textured appearance that resembled old parchment, like an ancient map he¡¯d seen on scrolls. He had no idea why Ben went so far as to stylize the display, yet part of Oscar found it amusing if unnecessary.

    In fancifully written letters out of view of the main display, Ben wrote, ¡°Proceed ahead for another thirty garos. The path may appear to end in another dead end, but to the bottom right, you¡¯ll find an old maintenance hatch near the floor, partially obscured by a stalagmite. Hurry, for you¡¯re already running out of time. If we move now and with haste, we should be able to arrive in time.¡±

    Oscar relayed this to everyone, and Sheffield nodded. ¡°No time like the present; let''s go.¡±

    <hr>

    Partially obscured was an understatement. That hatch was fully obscured. Also, Oscar wondered, How the hell did Ben know about the stalagmites that covered the old hatch? He had assumed Ben was some sort of powerful wizard or even artificer that was scrying through the caster, or even one of them, or both. Oscar wasn¡¯t a master at the arcane arts, but as an artificer, he at least knew the limits of such capabilities. Seeing as he had to work with magic daily to get the damn mystical stuff to talk with technology, Whoever Ben was, they were powerful. Like, very powerful. Or maybe they¡¯re a one-trick pony.

    Oscar didn¡¯t know. What he did know, however, is that Ben wasn¡¯t entirely right about everything. The stalagmites are the first red flag. Ben had reassured the group that the maintenance hatch would only have a single stalagmite in front of it large enough so that they¡¯d need to awkwardly squeeze past. That wasn¡¯t true. There were at least multiple sharp and scary-looking rocks surrounding that thing.

    It wasn¡¯t a major obstacle. Thankfully, Jax and Coleman had their standard issue entrenching tools, which were made for digging dirt and were strong and sharp enough to chip away at the nasty things but took up valuable time. Not only that, it was loud. Oscar had expected the entrance to a Far Reacher ruin to be vast and beautiful. A massive sprawling door big enough for fully grown dragons and pillars lining a hallway, but no.

    Instead. What they found was a large wall made of some sort of metal. It wasn¡¯t a metal Oscar had ever seen, and Ben briefly explained it to be some sort of lightweight alloy composed of adamantium, mithral, and something else he couldn¡¯t recall. The metal appeared to be a sort of blueish purple and was shockingly dust-free. It looked no older than when it was put here, or so he thought. He had asked Ben while the men worked on clanging away at the stone, and the mysterious benefactor vaguely mentioned something about a pulse wave that keeps most surfaces clean.

    Oscar was aware of such a spell. Visage was what he knew it to be. It was an enchantment. It allowed wearers of material to consciously change their clothes'' appearance; however, it was an illusion. So if he was eating a sloppy meal and dribbled some steak sauce on his shirt, he could mentally hide it from everyone, but at the end of the day, his shirt still had steak sauce on it, and he had to go get it washed.

    Ben sarcastically congratulated Oscar on his astute assumption before immediately telling him that he was wrong and shouldn¡¯t try to hurt his brain''s understanding. All he needed to know was that the Far Reacher ruins had a special way of staying clean.

    Aside from that little fact, Oscar wasn¡¯t impressed. Ben reminded him that they weren¡¯t going through the front entrance; as a matter of fact, the front entrance was gone. ¡°What do you mean it¡¯s gone?¡± Oscar asked the caster as a chunk of stalagmite was tossed away from the guys and landed in front of him before rolling away.

    ¡°I mean exactly that, Mr. Reynolds.¡± Ben said it without sarcasm.

    ¡°What I mean is, was it eroded away?¡± He asked.

    ¡°Eroded away?¡± Ben repeated it slowly. ¡°Ha!¡± they wrote. ¡°Nuh-uh. What you know as the Far Reachers would never develop anything that could be whisked away by nature of all things. Like they could do anything to what the Far Reachers built, haha!¡±

    Oscar raised an eyebrow. ¡®You seem to speak highly of these Far Reachers,¡± he stated. ¡°Do you¡­ study them or something?¡±

    ¡°Study¡­ them?¡± They repeated his words once more. ¡°You could say something like that; sure, let''s go with that.¡±

    Oscar frowned at that, as he had an idea where this was going. Oscar liked to think he had a good poker face, though inside he could feel his heart racing a bit as an idea came to mind. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re¨C¡±

    A loud clang followed by crumbling rubble and a heavy thud drew his attention toward the far right corner of the room, where the maintenance hatch was. With a loud groan and stretch, the dwarf, Jax, straightened up and declared, ¡°That¡¯s the last one. The path is clear, Lieutenant.¡±

    Sheffield, who had been sitting off to the side this entire time, straightened up. ¡°Excellent. Are we able to open the hatch?¡± The dwarf turned towards the metal panel on the wall, where an embedded handle could be seen. ¡°Looks like it¡­¡± He leaned down and grasped the handle.

    Immediately, Oscar felt his gut surge with fear as he reached out to stop the dwarf but halted when the hatch squeaked once and then swung open silently outwards. Oscar sighed as part of him mentally kicked himself from panicking at the thought of it possibly being trapped.

    ¡°Pathway cleared,¡± the dwarf said as he stuck his head into the hole. ¡°A bit tight, even for me,¡± he said. ¡°If there¡¯s any danger inside, they most likely would¡¯ve heard us clanging away.¡±

    Sheffield nodded. ¡°Best we keep being careful then. Archer, you take the lead again.¡± The man nodded and unslung his rifle as he stowed his entrenching tool.

    ¡°Will do, but I don¡¯t think this rifle is going to be much help in there.¡± He glanced at the cramped hole. ¡± Sheffield unholstered her pistol and flipped it around so that she held the grip out towards him as she held the barrel.

    ¡°Take this then.¡± She said as she also handed him her magrite torch. Once everything was squared away, Sheffield turned to everyone and said, "Well, has anyone else ever been in one of these places?¡± She jutted a thumb back at the metal wall, and everyone shook their heads. She smirked. ¡°It seems like it¡¯s our first time; well then, stay focused, everyone. No time for sight seeing.¡±

    <hr>

    Just like the exterior. The tunnel was surprisingly spotless. Oscar had expected his sinuses to go nuts within an ancient ruin. He thought his sensitive nose would crinkle at even the slightest bit of dust going in when he breathed, yet, that didn¡¯t happen. Instead, it was spotless¡ªalmost too sterile. The air had a faint smell of chemicals, yet he couldn¡¯t quite nail what kind. Perhaps engine oil? Magrite? Probably magrite, the place had a strong ozone smell.

    It also wasn¡¯t quiet. When they were still in the cavern, Oscar heard nothing from within the hatch. Now that he was inside, he could hear a faint, deep rumbling. As he crawled over the metal panels in the tunnel on all fours, he could even sense vibrations, and he knew for sure that wasn¡¯t coming from the soldiers around him.

    The ruins were not dead. The active, illusive field should¡¯ve given that away, but now that he was inside, He knew for sure that this ancient facility was still doing whatever its original purpose was.

    It was a labyrinth. The tunnel constantly twisted and turned, with many exits leading somewhere else, yet Ben made it very clear they were not to make any detours. Oscar had lost track of how many times they had gone left, then right, then left again, left, and left, and finally another right. It was confusing. If it hadn¡¯t been for the handy, simple, yet stylized map Ben had provided them, Oscar would¡¯ve never been able to figure out where the hell they were going.

    It wasn¡¯t until about the twenty-minute mark that the boredom turned to fear. ¡°Gods, my knees are killing me.¡± Coleman complained. ¡°Are we almost there yet, Mr. Reynolds?¡±

    Oscar groaned at the question. ¡°Ben says we¡¯re only a quarter of the way.¡±

    ¡°A quarter? I feel like it¡¯s been multiple gilos since we¡¯ve crawled. How big is this place?¡±

    ¡°Coleman,¡± Archer growled from over his shoulder. ¡°Either you cut the complaining. Or I¡¯m turning this trip around.¡±

    ¡°Bullshit you are, Sergeant,¡± Lieutenant Sheffield said with a sigh. ¡°We have a mission. Cpl. Coleman, if I hear you bitch one more time, I¡¯ll put you on guard duty in the cave.¡±

    The corporal bit his lower lip. No way in hell did he want to be alone in a dank cave. ¡°Aye ma¡¯am¨C¡± A loud, heavy thud came from somewhere beyond the wall of the tunnel, and everyone fell silent.

    Oscar¡¯s heart nearly lept into his throat when a second heavy thud, followed by another, and another came from somewhere outside but nearby. It was metal on metal, and whatever it was, it was heavy. Ben vibrated in Oscar¡¯s palm, and he glanced down at the caster.

    ¡°Stay quiet.¡± Ben wrote, and without any form of sarcasm, he added, ¡°Ten gotts from your position in the main hall, there is a patrolling autonomous shell. The guard is armed and aware of your presence.¡± Oscar¡¯s blood ran cold as all the color drained from his face. ¡°Do not fear,¡± Ben said. ¡°I am doing my best to blind it to your presence. Move, but do so quietly.¡±

    Oscar tapped on Sheffield¡¯s right thigh, who was in front of him. Getting her attention, she glanced partially over her shoulder as he held the caster up towards her. Letting her take it so she could read what Ben wrote, her face also paled briefly. She passed the device back to Oscar and then held up one finger and began to make hand signs toward the other soldiers.

    Oscar wasn¡¯t familiar with the gestures, but he got the idea. One bad guy on the other side of the wall moved quietly. The others nodded briefly, and as quietly as they could, they began to crawl forward. As they began to move, the thing on the other side of the wall let off what sounded like a bellow and began to speak in a language Oscar had no idea, with a metallic voice.

    Ben vibrated once more, and Oscar glanced at the caster as they continued to crawl ahead of the metal monster. ¡°Disregard the last order; move quickly.¡± Ben vibrated. ¡°Like now! Move NOW NOW NOW!¡±

    ¡°It knows we¡¯re here!¡± Oscar shouted.

    A lot of things happened just then. The moment Oscar alerted everyone, a blinding light engulfed the entire tunnel, and his upper back was seared with agony as he felt his flesh being cooked. Behind him, Coleman shrieked for only a second as the sound of screeching metal overcame whatever noise the corporal made.

    Archer and Sheffield wasted no time looking over their shoulders at whatever the hell was going on and began hastily crawling forward as quickly as they could. Oscar moaned with pain as his upper back felt raw and throbbed, though as adrenaline began to kick in, he ignored it and pushed forward.

    The monster beyond his sight bellowed something once more as Oscar heard Jax shout something in his native tongue. A loud crack of a rifle sent Oscar¡¯s already racing heart into overdrive.

    ¡°Jax!¡± Sheffield screamed from up ahead. ¡°Move it!¡± She ordered though the dwarf didn¡¯t respond as the rifle barked again. The metal monster shouted as Oscar briefly glanced over his shoulder and immediately regretted doing so. Back where Cpl. Coleman had been was now but a charred corpse of what was once an elf, the wall gone and melted. Molten slag could be seen dripping from the thick line of whatever the monster shot and tore through. Behind Coleman¡¯s corpse was Jax, his face red with rage and his hands burning as he clutched Johnson¡¯s rifle that he had traded.

    ¡°Move!¡± Johnson shouted as he pushed Jax forward. ¡°We need to move!¡± The man pleaded.

    Jax shouted slurs and curses in his native language as he shoved the rifle through the newly opened window and fired at the monster. ¡°Mr. Jax!¡± Oscar tried to shout, but it came off as a painful wail. ¡°We need to run!¡±

    The dwarf wasn¡¯t having it, though. The man¡¯s eyes were red with rage as he cranked another round into the rifle and went to fire again. But couldn¡¯t. The metal sheet in front of the dwarf tore open as a massive gauntleted hand clamped around his face and violently yanked back. The dwarf¡¯s body became a ragdoll as the soldier was aggressively torn out of the tunnel, rifle and all.

    Johnson screamed as he watched his comrade being torn away from him, yet he quickly regained his composure. Once Jax was out of the way, he scrambled over Coleman¡¯s corpse and scurried forward. When he passed the molten window, the metallic hand of the creature shot toward him at an alarming speed.

    ¡°Duck!¡± Archer shouted, and both Sheffield and Oscar plunged forward as the human fired the pistol at the massive metal hand reaching for Johnson¡¯s leg.

    The magrite bolt slammed into the monstrosity''s arm with impressive force and caused the creature to jerk. Yet, despite that, it might as well have been a wet towel, as the machine recovered immediately, but that¡¯s all Johnson needed. Scurrying away at the last second, the machine¡¯s metal palm slammed into the base of the tunnel floor.

    ¡°Go! Go!¡± Johnson screamed at Oscar, who wasted no time in letting the man shove him.

    Pushing through the agony, Oscar barreled forward behind Sheffield and Archer. Behind them, he could hear the autonomous unit shouting along with a new noise. A high-pitched hum that grew louder and higher in pitch as if building up to¨C

    ¡°Duck!¡± Oscar shouted this time, and without question, everyone dove into their bellies as the entire tunnel was engulfed in a blinding light. Searing heat sang over them as super-heated metal began to rain down on them, causing everyone to shout and scream in pain. They had to move fast; everything was becoming too hot, and they were about to be cooked alive in there.

    ¡°We need to leave!¡± Sheffield shouted.

    ¡°On it!¡± Archer replied through gritted teeth. Up ahead, only a handful of gotts was another hatch. The problem was that it opened up in the hall, directly where the monster was.

    Fuck it. The man thought. He¡¯d rather die seeing the thing than be cooked alive where they are now. Crawling forward, he lunged out, grasped ahold of the handle on the hatch, and shoved it open. Without wasting anyone else¡¯s time, he shouted, ¡°Here!¡± and dove out into the hall.

    One by one, each of the remaining four flopped onto the cold, metal floor. A little way down the hall just where they had been their assailant could be seen. Getting onto his knees, Oscar panted as he looked at the creature and gulped. It was humanoid. Yet it had the build of an orkani. Large, broad shoulders, arms thick as torsos, and the height of two men. It was massive.

    Clutched in one arm appeared to be a weapon, possibly the device that melted Coleman and the tunnel. Strapped to its leg, it had some sort of melee weapon. A baton or a scary knife, Oscar couldn¡¯t tell from this distance. Whatever it was, the thing was large, scary, made of metal, and was now looking at them.

    ¡°Lieutenant, what do we do?¡± Archer panted.

    Sheffield gulped and made sure her rifle was primed. ¡°We run.¡±

 Chapter 97: Distraction

    Oscar Reynolds

    Shots echoed down the hall as Oscar stumbled forward down the pristine yet dimly lit corridor of the Far Reacher ruin. Ruin was a bold word. Really, it should¡¯ve just been called a Far Reacher ¡°base¡± or ¡°facility.¡± Nothing about this place was ¡°ruined.¡± Oscar had no idea why such thoughts were running through his head as he fled for his life. His mind really did wander into weird areas during times of distress.

    The remaining four survivors had one thing going for them, though, or well, two things, actually. First, whatever that ¡°autonomous shell unit¡± was, it was slow. Very slow. The thing was big and tall, but its pace was more of a lumbering giant. It did not run; it did not jump; it merely walked. Ben tried to explain while they fled that it was most likely due to the automaton''s internal workings having degraded over the millennia. Still, Oscar ignored much of that useless blah, blah, blah. All he and the remaining survivors needed to know was if they could get away.

    So far, yes. They could at least outpace the monster, but could they shake it? No. The blasted thing was persistent; to make matters worse, the thing had a gun. Like the Rusivite fighting machines, it was some sort of heat ray-like thing. It worked like their magrite torches; it shone a bright light; the only difference was that this light melted and scorched anything it touched. What stopped that thing from just killing everyone the moment they spilled into the hallway was range. Their lucky asses were only spared because Oscar could guess the automaton¡¯s weapon had a range of roughly thirty gotts, at least its effective range. When the monster first shone the light on them when they were a somewhat safe distance away, Oscar¡¯s skin immediately began to flare and burn as if he had received a serious sunburn, but he wasn¡¯t dead.

    The second thing the motley crew had at their disposal was Ben. Their mysterious benefactor, whoever they were, mostly knew what was happening. With how kinetic things had gotten, the crew had little time to contemplate who this Ben person was. All they knew, and all they cared about, was that whoever they were. They knew their shit and where to go. It wasn¡¯t perfect, though; Ben could only communicate via vibrating the little device Oscar had known as a caster and could only communicate by writing.

    Oscar wished¡ªno, he prayed¡ªthat Ben could somehow alter the device and speak plainly. The person or thing speaking to them already hijacked the device. There is no way the caster could communicate the way it is now. So why couldn¡¯t they just do it again but change it to speech? Again, Oscar¡¯s mind wandered as he and the others conducted a fighting retreat down this labyrinthine facility''s wide-spanning yet clean corridors.

    Point is. While Ben couldn¡¯t verbally speak, the information he did have was invaluable. Because of him, the group could stay ahead of the monster as they twisted and turned down the corridors until eventually stumbling into a massive circular room with a large tower in the center extending downwards into an inky, black abyss.

    Oscar recognized immediately what sort of room this was. A panopticon. Or at least that¡¯s what it resembled. The room was gargantuan. The facility''s walls were lined with thin strips of blueish-white light; he hadn¡¯t had time to examine them, but he assumed it was magrite. The light gave the interior a faint blueish hue that allowed him to just barely see the other edge, which stretched at least fifty garos out. Equally spaced along the curving walls were doors leading to gods knew where, and to his right, about a dozen garos away, was a bridge that reached out to the central tower.

    Behind them, they could faintly hear the echoing footsteps and the shouts from the automaton. Doing the math in his head, based on the speed at which they ran here and the pace that thing was going. They had maybe two minutes before it arrived.

    Everyone was out of breath and was hunched over their knees. ¡°Dammit!¡± Sergeant Archer swore as he kicked the floor.

    Corporal Johnson gulped the stale air and shuddered. ¡°They were both in front of me¡­¡± He whispered. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry¡­ I¡¯m so sorry,¡± he said, trembling.

    Lieutenant Sheffield briefly shared a painful look with the other two humans but then clenched her eyes shut. She shook her head and said, ¡°I know shit sucks right now, but we need to keep our heads cool.¡±

    Johnson briefly gave his superior officer a fierce look, though Sheffield looked at him calmly. ¡°We knew the risks coming down here,¡± she said, ¡°though none of us could¡¯ve predicted that thing would do what it did. The best we can do is to keep moving and fighting.¡±

    ¡°Lieutenant,¡± Sergeant Archer said, taking a deep breath. ¡°We¡¯ve only been in here for less than an hour, and we¡¯re already down a third of our team. We only have a rifle and a pistol. We can¡¯t fight that thing.¡±

    ¡°We won¡¯t fight it,¡± Sheffield said as she motioned for everyone to move. The footsteps were getting louder as the thing drew near. ¡°Oscar,¡± she said to the remaining elf. ¡°Which way does Ben want us to go?¡± She asked.

    Oscar took out the caster and glanced at it. Ever since shit hit the fan, the being speaking through the caster had toned down their snarkiness reading what Ben had already written, and he relayed it to the group with a pained grimace coming from his back. ¡°They say to proceed along this path and continue through the door with the flickering light.¡± Looking up, he spotted the door about half down the bend and pointed to it. ¡°That one.¡±

    ¡°How the hell do they know about?¡± Johnson asked with a nervous twinge. ¡°Can they see us in here?¡±

    Sheffield shrugged as she began to pick up the pace and motioned for everyone to do the same. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t doubt it now come on.¡±

    <hr>

    The pain in Oscar¡¯s upper back and arms was excruciating now that the initial adrenaline high had died down. To make matters worse, a muscle in his left leg around his knee joint was aching heavily with every step. He hadn¡¯t even known there were muscles there, and whatever it was, he had pulled it at some point.

    Oscar thought we should have asked that priest to tag along with us. He had some scrolls that could fix us. No. He stopped himself. The people back at the makeshift bunker would do better if they had that priest. Not to mention Anne was there too, and gods forbid if something happened to them. A priest treating those, even a few, would be best.

    If they brought that man along, he probably would¡¯ve been killed along with Coleman and Jax. The fact that any of them survived was a miracle. How did they even survive? Oscar bit his lip and shook his head. There wasn¡¯t time to ask questions like that. He had to focus. The universe was giving him a break right now, though he¡¯ll need to talk sternly to the universe about what a ¡°break¡± should be. For now, he¡¯ll have to suck it up. He¡¯s been through some crazy shit throughout his long life, and while this may be one of the top shit moments, it isn¡¯t the top.

    That would be the time his strider, Audrey, and he was caught in a rockslide in the eastern mountains of Yankston during the start of the Great Migration. Poor Audrey didn¡¯t make it, and he was trapped deep within the Wylde. The fae were not welcoming towards him and other pioneers. Thankfully, he was able to negotiate peace when he¡­ there he went again, his mind wandering.

    Focus!

    ¡°Continue going forward till you reach the door with the solid red light,¡± Ben wrote as a blinking red icon appeared on the caster¡¯s map display. ¡°Be warned that opening the door will result in an emergency alarm. Any autonomous units in the area will be alerted to your actions, so you¡¯ll need to move quickly.¡±

    ¡°Fuck.¡± Sergeant Archer cursed at Oscar, who was reading off Ben¡¯s messages. ¡°So you¡¯re telling us to give away our positions?¡± He asked, though, to Ben, not Oscar.

    ¡°Yes,¡± Ben replied without any snarkiness. ¡°But only temporarily. I am trying my best to obscure the senses of those units near you, but without access to the primary control center. My own senses are limited.¡±

    The party was making their way down a wide corridor big enough for a train, which Oscar thought may have been its purpose. He noticed that embedded into the ground was a small groove, almost like little tracks. Like everything else in this place, it was vast, stretching far beyond his line of sight and seemingly infinite. As he limped along, Oscar glanced at Archer, who was biting his lower lip, and the human glanced towards his superior officer.

    ¡°Mr. Reynolds,¡± she said tiredly but kept her face stern and focused. ¡°Can you ask Ben if there¡¯s a way we can take over this primary control center?¡±

    Oscar didn¡¯t need to relay the question to Ben; the mysterious benefactor was already responding. ¡°Ha!¡± It was written unhelpfully. ¡°No way, dummies.¡± Oscar wanted to snap at the asshole hiding behind the magical device but held his tongue as Ben continued, ¡°The Primary Control Center is deep, and I mean DEEP, within this facility. To get there, we would need to backtrack to the panopticon and descend at least forty levels¨C¡±

    ¡°Forty?!¡± Sheffield and Johnson gawked as Archer simply shook his head.

    Oscar held up a hand to stop them as he continued reading Ben¡¯s response, ¡°The control center is also sealed by a hyperresonance barrier, which you primitives would know as a force field, as well as over a dozen autonomous shells¡ªblah blah.¡± Ben didn¡¯t actually say ¡°blah blah.¡± Oscar didn¡¯t want to bother reading the wall of text Ben dropped on him.

    ¡°It¡¯s impossible,¡± Oscar said bluntly, skimming the rest before Ben wiped it to complain that he wouldn¡¯t let the obnoxious individual finish. ¡°Ma¡¯am,¡± Oscar cleared his throat and grimaced as the pain was becoming unbearable. ¡°I know I¡¯m not a soldier, but if you don¡¯t mind, I¡¯d suggest we keep with the original plan. Ben has been helpful so far; I¡¯m sure once we get that door open, he¡¯ll do his best to keep those murderous death machines away.¡± He then glanced at the caster in his hand. ¡°Right?¡± He said it with heavy emphasis.

    Ben didn¡¯t respond right away, and Oscar gulped nervously. ¡°Right, sure. Let''s go with that,¡± Ben said, and Oscar¡¯s teeth clenched.

    ¡°Ma¡¯am,¡± Archer coughed and pointed. ¡°Red door upahead.¡±

    Getting distracted before he could respond, Oscar glanced up and saw what Archer was pointing to. Far ahead, about fifty gotts, was a massive red door, or to put it into perspective. It was a massive vault door that seemed to slide open along wheeled tracks. On it was an alien script that Oscar couldn¡¯t read. He¡¯s seen Far Reacher texts in the past but has never made heads or tails of them. There have been guesses for sure, such as context clues like ¡°Exit¡± or ¡°Restroom,¡± or at least those who hoped those were restroom signs.

    The ancient text has never been deciphered. Magical means of translating or even the good old-fashioned linguistic studies in the past have all failed. Many believe that the Far Reacher language was enchanted to never be legible, though no one has confirmed such a rumor. Perhaps everyone on Enora was just primitives who were too stupid to understand the Far Reacher alphabet?

    Once again, Oscar¡¯s mind was wandering. What were they doing? Oh, right.

    ¡°Ben,¡± Oscar said hoarsely as they all came to a stop a handful of steps away from the gargantuan door. ¡°You seem aware of everything here, to a degree¡­ Can you read what¡¯s on the door?¡±

    Ben, once again, didn¡¯t respond right away. Perhaps he was looking at the door? Oscar thought, and finally, they said, ¡°Why yes, I can. It¡¯s a blast door, Mr. Reynolds. It reads, ¡°For blast protection, keep doors always sealed. Unauthorized usage will sound an alarm.¡± Duh. Anything else I need to interpret for you silly-beans?¡±

    ¡°Silly beans?¡± Oscar cocked an eyebrow and glanced at the others. He was so caught off guard that he forgot his frustration about the ¡°duh.¡± Shaking his head, he sighed. Now wasn¡¯t the time to wonder where the hell Ben got his slang from.

    ¡°How in the hell are we going to open this?¡± Oscar asked. ¡°The thing is massive, and I don¡¯t see a door handle.¡±

    Instead of saying nothing, Ben wrote an ellipse. Three little dots slowly manifested before they wrote, ¡°Seriously? A door handle?¡±

    ¡°Well yeah,¡± Oscar said, glancing back at the massive blast door. The thing was taller than his house; it was so big. ¡°That opens most doors or a crank of some kind.¡±

    ¡°A crank?¡± Ben responded, and Oscar couldn¡¯t help but feel the mysterious benefactor was being condescending.

    ¡°Mr. Reynolds,¡± Sheffield said in a tone that hinted she was trying her hardest to be patient. ¡°Does the dickhead have a way for us to open this thing?¡±

    ¡°DICKHEAD?!¡± The caster vibrated intensely in the elf¡¯s hand, so much so that it actually stung. Cursing, Oscar switched the caster over to his other hand as Ben began to rant. ¡°I¡¯ll have you know I am not a dickhead! It¡¯s because of me you all stand a chance at surviving this and saving the¨C¡±

    ¡°Not all of us have survived, asshole,¡± Oscar snarled, now pissed. ¡°You¡¯re the one who got us into this mess, until you successfully help us in ending this. You don¡¯t have the right to boast. Now tell us. How do we open this thing?¡±

    Ben was silent for a few moments. For half a second, Oscar feared the sensitive being was ignoring him. Finally, Ben responded, ¡°There¡¯s a console hidden behind a panel on the right-hand wall. It¡¯s hard to see, but I can tell you which one to remove. You can use one of the entrenching tools that Sergeant Archer brought to pry it off.¡±

    Oscar blinked. ¡°So, like a projector?¡±

    ¡°A projector?¡± Ben responded, though more out of curiosity.

    ¡°Yeah,¡± Oscar said with a smirk, thinking he was onto something. He motioned for the others to start walking towards the panel Ben suggested. ¡°A sound projector. A crystal orb that carries magically transmitted messages. Mostly used for music, y¡¯know?¡±

    ¡°Oh¡­¡± Ben wrote. ¡°How unfortunate.¡±

    Oscar blinked, confused. ¡°What¡¯s so unfortunate about that? Projectors are really cool. The fact that we were able to manipulate message spells into being able to carry¨C¡±

    ¡°No,¡± Ben responded curtly. ¡°What I meant is that it¡¯s unfortunate that you¡¯re this stupid.¡±

    ¡°H-Huh?!¡± Oscar was stunned.

    Ben continued, ¡°Aren¡¯t you supposed to be a ¡°smart¡± artificer.¡±

    Oscar¡¯s eyes rolled so hard he thought he would sprain them. ¡°Why are you dick? Like seriously?¡±

    Ben responded with another ellipsis. ¡°I can¡¯t help it,¡± they said. ¡°It¡¯s in my nature.¡±

    ¡°Bullshit.¡± Oscar huffed and stopped as they neared a blank wall panel on the edge of the massive corridor.

    ¡°What¡¯re we looking for, Mr. Reynolds?¡± Sheffield asked as she shone the light of the magrite torch on the pristine wall.

    ¡°Panel to your left; you¡¯ll see some faint scuff marks,¡± Ben said.

    Taking a deep breath and focusing, Oscar looked towards the suggested panel, and sure enough, there were subtle scratch marks along the barely visible crevice. How the hell did Ben see those? He wondered and tapped on the wall.

    ¡°Here. Ben said there should be some kind of console thing we can use to open the door,¡± he said, stepping back as Sheffield nodded to Archer, who unsheathed his entrenching tool.

    Rolling his shoulder, Archer stepped forward, unscrewed the shovel portion of his tool, and replaced it with the pickaxe head. Using the flat end, he jammed the portion into the crevice and grunted as he shoved it in. Ben vibrated intensely in Oscar¡¯s hand, and glancing at it, he saw the mysterious being practically panicking as they wrote, ¡°Easy, easy! You¡¯re going to damage the goods!¡±

    Though Oscar couldn¡¯t relay that in time, Archer grunted as he viciously bent the metal panel and pried it from the wall. Once he could get his hand under the metal and grip the thing, Johnson stepped forth to assist. Within less than a minute, the two humans ripped the sheet of the wall, exposing a contraption beneath.

    Under the panel was a device more complicated than anything Oscar had seen before. It was sleek in appearance and riddled with lights, small gears, tubes, and color-coded wires that routed to and from panels. In the center of the device was a glass display similar to that of the caster, and below that were buttons that looked like typewriter keys. Except, these buttons weren¡¯t buttons per se, but tiny crystals, glowing crystals of various colors. It was pretty beautiful, except Oscar had no idea what those keys did when pressed.

    ¡°Ben, what the hell is this?¡± Oscar asked, figuring he would be asking this question a lot.

    ¡°Well, give me a moment, and I¡¯ll tell you,¡± Ben said with a symbol that looked like a frowny face. ¡°What you see before you is known as a computing console. Or simply a "computer,¡± as referred to by the Far Reachers when translated to your language. The actual term is quite elaborate, and the full translation doesn¡¯t¨C¡±

    ¡°What does it do?¡± Oscar leaned over and hissed into the caster, wincing as the pain in his upper back flared up. He glanced over his shoulder and noticed the soldiers looking at him expectantly, wondering if the artificer knew how to work the magical machine.

    ¡°It opens and closes the door you imbecile. I told you this!¡± Ben responded with a frowny face again.

    Oscar was about to whip the caster down the corridor but instead chose to roll his eyes again, another gesture he felt he would be repeating. ¡°How do we use it to open the damn door?¡± He hissed once again.

    ¡°Oh! Haha.¡± Ben responded unhelpfully. ¡°Just push that big blue button. I¡¯m making it flash just for you. I know how you primitives enjoy flashy lights.¡±

    This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.

    Oscar shook his head, sighed, and glanced at the "console,¡± sure enough. There was an ample flashing blue light. Oscar hesitated. ¡°This isn¡¯t some trick, is it?¡± He asked now, second-guessing himself.

    ¡°Of course not!¡± Ben said now with a smiley face icon, which made it more suspicious. ¡°As mentioned already, this will trigger an alarm. Bad guys will know where you are because I can¡¯t suppress them all, but the ones that do will be far from your position. Plenty of time to run away and save the city!¡±

    ¡°I hope you¡¯re right.¡± Oscar sighed. ¡°Lieutenant,¡± he said, looking over his shoulder. ¡°Get ready. I¡¯m opening the door.¡± With a nod from Sheffield, Oscar pressed the big blue button.

    <hr>

    The alarm was deafening. The moment Oscar had pressed the button, the entire facility was basked in a dark blue light, and the air was saturated with an ear-splitting wail. A loud mechanical thud that shook the earth followed, and before their very eyes, the massive blast door began to tremble and slowly slid into the right-hand wall. That is, at a snail''s pace. The ground shook as the leviathan-sized door slowly drew into the wall, and the soldiers and Oscar hurriedly moved away from the thing, fearing pieces of debris would fall on their heads.

    As they stepped away from the sliding door, Oscar noticed Archer glance at his shoulder and shouted, ¡°Lieutenant!¡± Archer shouted over the noise created by the door. ¡°We got company!¡±

    Following the man¡¯s finger, Oscar looked down the wide and dimly lit corridor they had come from. Having better eyes than the human, Oscar quickly noticed what the man had seen. The unnerving automaton chasing them approached the group at a seemingly casual walking pace. It was still well over a few dozen garos away, far beyond its effective range, but it was getting closer. The door behind them was slid far enough open that possibly Lieutenant Sheffield could fit through, but Oscar and the other guy still had to wait.

    Sheffield bit her lower lip. ¡°Archer, send bolts down range. Try and slow that thing down by aiming at its legs or something!¡± She spoke loud enough to be heard over the alarm.

    The sergeant wasted no time. He dropped to one knee with a curt nod and raised his rifle. Oscar flinched when the gun cracked; its muzzle flashed briefly with a red light as a bolt of arcane energy zipped down the corridor in the blink of an eye. The shot slammed into the armored killing machine¡¯s leg, the force causing it to bend slightly as the towering automaton stumbled. Twisting its ankles to secure a footing, the mechanical monster straightened itself before jerking back once again when the sergeant shot again and struck it in the upper left shoulder.

    Over the blaring alarm and door, the group could hear the being shout something. Oscar gripped the caster tightly, ¡°Ben, what¡¯s it saying?!¡± Hoping the mysterious benefactor could translate. Part of Oscar wanted it to be that perhaps the killer robot was simply misunderstood and possibly¨C

    ¡°Oh that, asshole?¡± Ben wrote. ¡°It¡¯s saying, ¡°Biologicals, surrender your weapons or be eliminated. All trespassers will be contained and prosecuted to the highest degree of the law.¡± Before you ask, the punishment for trespassing in one of these facilities is capital punishment, i.e., execution. Really, the Far Reachers never messed around in these sorts of situations. So I¡¯d suggest you start running.¡±

    Archer¡¯s attempts at shooting the damn thing weren¡¯t futile. Every bolt he sent down range gave the team microseconds to wait for the door to open. One such shot, his last one, yielded a delicious result when he aimed at a particular point along the machine''s leg. A gap in its armor near the knee widened partially with each step forward. Concentrating momentarily, he held his breath, aimed, and fired. Scoring a direct shot through the gap in armor and puncturing something vital within.

    An explosion of multi-colored sparks shot out in every direction, and the automaton¡¯s rambling shouts ceased briefly as its leg locked up and stumbled forward. ¡°Hell yeah!¡± Archer exalted as he pumped a fist when the death machine face planted the corridor floor. ¡°That¡¯s for Coleman and Jax, you tin can!¡± The group cheered for a second but stopped when the machine slowly pushed itself back to its feet.

    Oscar couldn¡¯t help but feel a bit of pity for the damn thing. It looked pathetic with how slowly it moved and got to its knees. Honestly, the vibe the thing gave off was something he could relate to. At least he would¡¯ve if he didn¡¯t know the damned thing wanted to kill him.

    ¡°Alright, let''s make like a shepherd and get the flock out of here!¡± Archer shouted, and Sheffield nodded in agreement.

    ¡°The door is wide enough for us to slip through!¡± Sheffield said, "Johnson, you first, Oscar, you¡¯re behind him!¡±

    <hr>

    As the group squeezed through the door to the other side, Ben vibrated aggressively in Oscar¡¯s hand to get his attention. Glancing at the caster, Oscar read, ¡°Panel directly to your left. Rip it off now. We can shut the door¨C¡± Oscar stopped reading as he pointed to Johnson.

    ¡°Entrenching tool now!¡± The soldier didn¡¯t bother asking questions. Unslinging the tool from his belt, Oscar pointed to the panel, and the man immediately went to work on the wall. Slamming the tool, Johnson roared as a surge of adrenaline allowed him to peel the sturdy metal from the wall, revealing another one of those computing devices. A giant pink crystal key was already flashing, and the man jammed his finger on it.

    The siren that had been constantly screaming shifted its tone to something profound and ear-ringing as the door''s grinding gears screeched to a halt and began to move in reverse. Ben vibrated again in Oscar¡¯s hand and looked at the caster.

    ¡°The door is now closing. You should be in the clear once it''s shut. I suggest you continue moving. You¡¯re almost there.¡± Oscar sighed with relief and turned to the remaining crew.

    ¡°Ben said we¡¯re almost to where we need to be. Also, that murderous trash can should be off our trail.¡± Oscar gestured lazily towards the door and winced as the raw flesh on his back flared. He needed to get that checked out; maybe Luna, if she¡¯s okay, could help him if he leaves. That is if she¡¯s still in Johanneson. If the Ashflows were smart, they probably hopped on their wagon and exited the city. He¡¯d do that if he and Anne weren¡¯t at the airport.

    Anne¡­ Gods, he hoped she was okay. Maybe this was a mistake? Coming down here was a death sentence¡ªOscar shook his head, freeing himself from his dark thoughts. While he isn¡¯t a soldier, he at least had the self-discipline to know such spirals were dangerous to go down. He needed to focus, keep his head in the game, and get the job done.

    ¡°We¡¯ll continue for a few dozen garos,¡± Sheffield said, taking a deep breath. Though they hadn¡¯t run far, the adrenaline surge that went through them when Mr. Trashcan appeared had taken everything out. ¡°Once we¡¯re a safe distance, I want to ask Ben if we have enough time to take five.¡± She meant a five-minute break.

    Immediately, Ben vibrated, and Oscar looked at the message. ¡°No can do,¡± Ben said. ¡°You all are very close. Another fifteen minutes at a steady pace should get you to your objective. Any stalling will risk mission failure.¡± Oscar informed the others.

    ¡°Fuck!¡± Sheffield cursed. ¡°That¡¯s what I feared.¡± She sighed. ¡°Dammit, if only I wasn¡¯t some desk jockey. I ain¡¯t cut out for this field shit.¡±

    ¡°It ain¡¯t too bad, ma¡¯am.¡± Johnson said with a faint smile. ¡°At least we¡¯re doing something. The expeditionary force above is probably shitting their pants right now. Sure, we might be underequipped, but it beats sitting on our asses wondering when the enemy is going to hit us again.¡±

    Sheffield nodded. ¡°You¡¯re right, Corporal.¡± She then glanced at Oscar. ¡°I¡¯m sorry shit¡¯s gotten as bad as it has, Mr. Reynolds¨C¡± Oscar held up a hand to stop her.

    ¡°Don¡¯t apologize to me,¡± he said. I¡¯m the one who got you all down here. We knew what we were doing.¡± He smiled. ¡°The best thing we can do now is finish the fight.¡±

    The lieutenant smirked. ¡°Are you sure you¡¯re not a soldier?¡± She asked. ¡°Or were you a soldier?¡± She added, knowing the elf was far older than any of them combined.

    Oscar snorted. ¡°I¡¯m sure, ma¡¯am. I¡¯ve never been a soldier, but I have been in my fair few of shitty situations,¡± he said.

    Ben vibrated. ¡°Hey, dumbasses!¡± He angrily wrote. ¡°I said you don¡¯t have time to sit around; move!¡±

    ¡°Alright, alright,¡± Oscar sighed. ¡°Ben is getting antsy; we should move.¡±

    ¡°Antsy?!¡± The caster squawked.

    ¡°Agreed.¡± Sheffield nodded and motioned for everyone to move.

    It didn¡¯t take long to arrive at where Ben needed them to be. What Oscar didn¡¯t expect to see, however, was that the location appeared to be a massive cavernous abyss. As mentioned, the corridor the group walked along was some sort of tram system with a single smooth rail running down the middle. Part of Oscar wondered if Ben would lead them to one of these Far Reacher trains and have them ride it. He was hoping for it; he would get to see Far Reacher tech up close and personnel, and it would¡¯ve just been incredible.

    But no. There was no tram or any other form of fast transport. Instead, they continued walking ahead, following the map that Ben provided. About ten minutes later, Oscar nearly walked into the back of Sheffield when she and Archer halted in their tracks abruptly. Stopping himself, Oscar blinked and stepped back. ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± he asked, confused.

    Sheffield and Archer said nothing; glancing over their shoulder, Oscar¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Holy shit¡­¡± He muttered as he peered into the darkness that was the void. Not just any void; this wasn¡¯t the illusive field he had seen when entering the facility. There indeed was nothing there. He noticed the edges were perfectly cut when looking at the edge and walls below and to his sides. Their edges are smooth as if cut with a finely sharpened razor.

    ¡°Ben¡­¡± Oscar said, holding the caster to his mouth as if speaking into a message stone. ¡°What happened here?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s as I told you,¡± Ben responded immediately. ¡°The front section of the facility is gone.¡±

    ¡°Ben, this isn¡¯t¡­ What happened?¡± He asked flabbergasted.

    ¡°I¡¯m being truthful when I say this,¡± Ben said as Oscar read to himself, ¡°I do not know. The best I can come up with is that the Far Reachers during the War of Ascesnion used teleportation to remove a large chunk of this facility to stop the enemy from acquiring what was stored here.¡±

    Oscar shook his head. ¡°Wa-wait a second, go back. What war? And teleportation?¡±

    The others turned to look at him, confused. ¡°Sadly, I do not have time to explain,¡± Ben said, and this time, he added a frowny face to his response. ¡°To your left along the edge is another maintenance tunnel you can crawl through. My estimates tell me it¡¯ll take you around the sphere and connect to the main reactor you primitives repurposed.¡±

    Oscar blinked again, surprised. ¡°Sphere? What sphere?¡± He glanced back into the void.

    ¡°The cavern, dumbass. I swear for an engineer, you are not that smart,¡± Ben wrote, and Oscar resisted the urge to snap back. Instead, he glanced at the massive abyss and gulped.

    A teleporter that created a sphere-sized hole larger than anything he¡¯d ever seen. That did not sit comfortably with him in the slightest. Clearing his throat, Oscar told everyone what Ben had said and pointed toward the maintenance tunnel. How could the Heinmarran government not be aware of such a structure, a hollowed sphere? As an engineer, Oscar feared that such a space would be hazardous to the city above. God forbid if the ground caved in, much of the town above would be swallowed by its depths.

    That made the elf uneasy. In the future, if Heinmarr survives the war, Oscar made a mental note to never settle down in Johanneson. Or if he did, he¡¯d live on the outskirts.

    It took another five minutes for them to crawl through the small tunnels within the walls before reaching the final point. The entire time, Ben had been silently screaming at them from Oscar¡¯s pocket to get a move on it, and when the sounds of distant gunfire could be heard, the group no longer needed Ben¡¯s words to kick things into gear. Archer forcibly pushed the access shaft open, and the group clambered out of the hole into a dark L-shaped corridor¡ªa dark one this time, as no magrite lights were mounted in the walls.

    Standing in the hall, they could hear the muffled sounds of distant rifles, magical spells being unleashed, and shouts. Whatever was going on, they needed to move fast. ¡°Lieutenant!¡± Archer shouted to get Sheffield¡¯s attention. ¡°Over there, another illusive thing!¡± Following the soldier¡¯s gaze and finger, Oscar turned to look down, left the passage, and saw another dark abyss, except this time, a bright white trim was along its base.

    ¡°Is that the way out?¡± Sheffield asked, and before the soldiers could answer, Oscar spoke on behalf of Ben.

    ¡°Yes,¡± Ben said, ¡°beyond that leads to the section you primitives claimed. The enemy has already breached the facility and is nearing the heart of the reactor. You have only five minutes. You must move now!¡±

    ¡°You heard the mysterious fella we gotta fly like dragons people!¡± Sheffield began to jog ahead as the rest followed behind her.

    Oscar knew he¡¯d never get used to passing through an illusive field. As the air was seemingly taken from his lungs, Oscar, for a brief moment, felt he was falling just before his feet connected with solid ground, and he stumbled forward. The once muffled noises were no longer obscured as rifles'' rapid retorts and crackling spells exploded further ahead.

    An alarm sounded, and a disembodied voice was reported in Maurich''s language: ¡°Reactor Berry is under lockdown; all employees are to evacuate immediately. I repeat, reactor Berry is under lockdown¨C¡±

    ¡°How the hell did the Rusivites get down here?¡± Johnson muttered.

    ¡°No time for questions,¡± Sheffield said as she glanced around to catch her bearings after recovering from passing through the field.

    The corridor they were in was similar to the one they came through; however, it was unlike the other side. Everything was decayed and dilapidated. Loose debris and rusted metal littered the floor, and up ahead was one of those gigantic blast doors, yet dented and left ajar, allowing a semblance of light from the other side to bleed in. For a brief second, her mind short-circuited as the thought of time travel briefly flitted across her mind, though she shook her head.

    She had to stay focused. Looking at Oscar, she asked, ¡°What¡¯s Ben suggesting?¡±

    Oscar glanced at the caster and said, ¡° We go ahead. Literally just straight ahead.¡± Oscar chopped the air towards where they needed to go and immediately regretted it as the burns on his back flared again.

    ¡°Any enemies?¡± Johnson asked nervously as a considerable boom up ahead caused everyone to flinch.

    ¡°No.¡± Ben replied. ¡°I cannot reply much; I am very busy. All you must know is that the path ahead leads to the prime reactor control unit. Once there, message me.¡±

    "Wait, he¡¯s leaving us?¡± Johnson said his voice was dripping with anxiety as Oscar finished relaying the message.

    ¡°He¡¯s not leaving; he¡¯s just busy,¡± Oscar reminded the corporal. He was surprised at how calm his voice sounded compared to the young soldier. ¡°He¡¯s probably doing stuff with the bad guys like he did with those machines.¡± He shrugged.

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter what he¡¯s doing,¡± Sheffield said. ¡°What matters is what we¡¯re doing. Archer, you take the lead; we¡¯ll follow behind. If we encounter any friends or civies, let them know we¡¯re here to help.¡±

    ¡°Ma¡¯am,¡± Archer gulped. ¡°I hate to say it, but I can hardly speak a word of Maurich and those voices.¡± He nodded in the direction of the shouts and screams. ¡°Are all Heinmarran.¡±

    ¡°I can speak a little,¡± Sheffield gulped. ¡°Though I¡¯m not the best.¡±

    ¡°I can,¡± Oscar said, ¡°I know enough to get by.¡± The soldiers glanced at him, and Sheffield grinned.

    ¡°Then you¡¯re moving upahead with Archer. If any civilians step in our way, you tell them we¡¯re here to help.¡±

    Oscar huffed and muttered, ¡°Like that¡¯s going to work.¡± A few foreign soldiers and a foreign civilian with a single rifle and pistol isn¡¯t going to do much to calm the nerves of anyone down here. Then, a serious question came to mind. ¡°Lieutenant,¡± he said, stopping the woman as they began moving. ¡°What if the Heinmarrans try and stop us? They have no idea what the hell we¡¯re doing.¡±

    Before Sheffield could respond, Ben vibrated in his pocket. Taking out the caster, he read the message, ¡°Do not worry. I have notified the site commander and the chief engineer.¡±

    ¡°Wait what, you can do that?¡± Oscar blinked.

    ¡°We have our ways,¡± Ben said curtly. ¡°The commander is notifying his platoons now that Yanky special forces are on their way.¡±

    Archer snorted. ¡°Special forces, eh? I always wondered what it¡¯d be like to be a Phoenix.¡± he chuckled.

    ¡°Nothing about us seems special,¡± Johnson huffed and sighed, ¡°but if it stops us from getting shot by friendlies I¡¯m all for it.¡±

    The plant was in disarray. After clearing through the abandoned section, the group could enter the arcanium plant through a hidden passageway Ben said had been sealed when the Far Reachers abandoned the place tens of thousands of years ago. How the mysterious benefactor was able to perform all of these remarkable feats was still way beyond the artificer¡¯s knowledge. They had entered without anyone seeing them, but upon turning down the first passageway in the direction Ben guided them, they immediately doubled back.

    ¡°Holy shit!¡± Johnson moaned with horror as he tried to keep his breakfast inside.

    Archer gripped his rifle tightly and swallowed hard as Sheffield held her breath.

    Oscar did not keep his breakfast down. Vomiting on the floor, he moaned, bit his lower lip, and breathed deeply. ¡°Those fucking monsters,¡± Johnson snarled.

    Around the corner was a passage leading to the main hall, which routed to the reactor. In it were half a dozen corpses of Heinmarran soldiers and plant employees caught in the wrong place at the wrong time. Their bodies were mangled and twisted in unnatural and fatal ways, like a bunch of ragdolls tossed on the floor. There was no obvious gore aside from what leaked out of their eyes, mouths, and ears. Instead, every bone in their body looked twisted and broken. Which made it clear these men and women were murdered via magical means.

    ¡°The bastards brought a fucking magister,¡± Archer said with a hiss.

    Johnson gulped. ¡°A magister, like one guy? That¡¯s not so bad. Right?¡±

    Archer rolled his eyes. ¡°Corporal, you¡¯d be lucky if you even see the magister before you¡¯re dead. Just a single.¡± He snapped his finger. ¡°Moment like that and you¡¯re gone.¡±

    The corporal¡¯s face paled even more. ¡°How the hell do we fight that?¡±

    ¡°By kicking off the reactor,¡± Oscar said as he finally caught his breath. ¡°The aetherophasic pulse, like Ben suggested, it will dispel all ether. No ether, no magic.¡±

    "Just like that?" Johnson asked, and Oscar nodded.

    "Just like that," he said.

    Sheffield pushed herself off the wall and nodded. ¡°We just have to get to the reactor first,¡± Sheffield said. "However," she nodded to the corridor full of corpses. "Seeing these poor guys here means the bastard is ahead of us.¡±

    ¡°How the hell are we going to cut them off?¡± Johnson asked. ¡°We¡¯ve seen the map Oscar has; the main path down that hallway is the only route that leads to the reactor.¡±

    Ben vibrated once again, and Oscar looked at the message. ¡°Help is on its way,¡± he said, ¡°but will not arrive in time. Go down the main path now. I have a plan.¡±

    Oscar read the message. ¡°I thought they were busy?¡± Johnson muttered.

    ¡°I am busy,¡± Ben said as Oscar read the message. ¡°My plan is ready, but I need you to act now. Like right now, now, now. I can¡¯t explain.¡±

    ¡°You heard the mystery guy,¡± Sheffield said. ¡°We move!¡± She twirled her finger in the air and pointed down the hall.

    Taking a deep breath of air, Oscar followed behind Archer and Sheffield, who went first. Behind him was Johnson, and the group hastily stepped around the corpses, though Oscar caught a brief glimpse of Johnson snatching a rifle off of a deceased soldier. Immediately, he regretted not doing the same as they rounded the corner and stepped out into a massive passage similar to the tram line. Except for the alien script that had lined the walls, it had been painted over with Maurich signs, and the magrite lights had been replaced and brightened, and far ahead was a large, rounded door with a blinding light blasting through it.

    Oscar and the others had to shield their eyes as they hastily approached the reactor chamber and drew nearer. That¡¯s when Oscar noticed three figures up ahead silhouetted by the blinding reactor light. A very tall, slim figure in a trench coat. An elven woman and¡­ a floating book?

    The two humanoid figures had their backs to the soldiers as they walked towards the reactor, and Oscar bit his lower lip as Sheffield turned to him. ¡°Mr. Reynolds, take cover.¡± She hissed.

    Ben vibrated in his pocket, and as Oscar hesitated to dip away for cover, he glanced at the message. On it were two words. ¡°Distract. Now.¡±

    Not having the time to contemplate exactly who those two words were meant for. Oscar went with his gut feeling. ¡°Hey shitheads!¡± He screamed to the horror of the group around him.

    The three silhouetted figures up ahead stopped moving. The center one, the tall, skinny guy, seemed to turn towards them slowly. Suddenly, Archer¡¯s rifle barked as he did not hesitate to fire a shot at the man.

    The arcane bolt didn¡¯t connect. Instead, it stopped, frozen in the air just a single gott away from impacting his face. ¡°Pathetic,¡± the tall figure said in perfect Yanky. ¡°You really are special forces¨C¡±

    Suddenly, a fourth silhouette appeared from off to the right behind the tall figure and floating book. In a smooth gesture, the figure drew a handgun out of their coat, aimed, and fired. The gun sounded nothing like Oscar had ever heard. Instead of the high-pitched crack of a magrite weapon, this was a swift and loud ¡°BANG.¡±

    Thankfully, due to the blinding light, Oscar did not see the tall man¡¯s head explode as a massive hole formed in the top of their head. The tall, lanky figure dropped like a sack of vegetables as they slumped forward and face-planted the floor. The floating book beside him also lost whatever controlled it as it, too, dropped unceremoniously.

    The elven woman slumped to the floor. Landing on her knees before falling back on her rear.

    ¡°Holy shit!¡± The three soldiers exclaimed in unison as Oscar watched with wide eyes.

    Before he could say anything, the woman on the floor began to stir, and her head flicked left and right before finally landing on the dead man on the floor. Her eyes widened with horror and realization, and she began to scream bloody murder. The figure who had shot the man stowed the weapon into his jacket and unclapsed something from his belt. A book of sorts, he then grabbed a pen attached to its binding and began to write. Once he seemed to finish scribbling, he put the pen away and walked towards the woman.

    Ben vibrated in Oscar¡¯s hand, and he looked at the caster. ¡°Thank you," it read. "You made it just in time. Help should be arriving now.¡±

    ¡°We were just a distraction?!¡± Oscar exclaimed, stunned by whatever the fuck was going on.

    Footsteps came thundering down the hall behind them, and Oscar turned. ¡°Aunt Saria!¡± A familiar young voice shouted, and Oscar blinked as his mind was again blown.

    Madam Ashflow and Luna were rushing towards them. ¡°L-Luna¡­?¡± Oscar muttered slowly as the young, dark-haired girl and her mother slid to a halt before him.

    ¡°Oscar?¡± The girl said as she, too, was blinking with confusion.

 Chapter 98: The Book

    Luna

    My aunt¡¯s screaming echoed loudly down the gargantuan passage leading to the center of the power plant. Rushing as fast as we could on foot, my little legs ached, and I wished we could¡¯ve dragged Ruby along with us, but alas, the strider was far too large to fit through the airlock and decontamination room we had to pass through. As the ramp tapered off and smoothed out as we reached the base of the floor, both my mother and I were nearly blinded by the blueish-white light that shone from the central reactor at the far end.

    We could see faint silhouettes of people between us and those at the entrance to the reactor room. I could hear my aunt¡¯s screams clearly now as those between us and her turned in my direction. My mother held a hand out to me to stop and having been running at full speed, I quickly turned, planted my feet into the ground, and skidded to a stop across the smooth metal floor.

    Blinking out the splotches of color caused by the blinding light, I focused on those in front of me, now only about a dozen feet ahead, and my eyes widened. Standing in front of me were Mr. Reynolds and three unknown Yanky soldiers.

    ¡°Oscar?¡± I said as I shook my head and blinked with confusion. What the hell was he doing here? He was at the airport with Anne, hopefully taking shelter. How the hell did he get across the city to here?

    ¡°Luna¡­¡± The old elf said with a pained expression, and my eyes widened when I noticed the severe burn wounds on his back. All four of them were banged up. Oscar¡¯s finely tailored shirt and pants were torn and scuffed, and the fabric on his upper back and shoulders was utterly burned away, exposing charred and red flesh. How the guy was even walking with such an injury was beyond me.

    ¡°Luna,¡± my mother said. ¡°Tend to these four; I¡¯m going after Saria.¡±

    I nodded, not wanting to argue with my mother, and she ran ahead. Turning to face Oscar, my mind was yet again blown by a familiar monotone voice I hadn¡¯t heard in ages, sounding tired as if he had woken up from a nap¨C ¡°My, my, you¡¯ve finally decided to follow my instructions¨C¡±

    Wh-where the fuck have you been? Y¡¯know what? Never mind that. I have to take care of these people. We¡¯ll talk soon.

    ¡°Yes, yes,¡± the Master muttered nonchalantly. ¡°Fixing these four is exactly what I need you to do. They¡¯ll be of use here shortly.¡±

    I bit my lip as I walked towards Oscar and the banged-up soldiers. Part of me wanted to argue with the Master about his nonchalant attitude. Nothing about what¡¯s happening is nonchalant at all, and it was irritating. Also, what the hell did he mean these four would be useful?

    One of the yanky soldiers, a human woman, looked to Oscar and said something with a confused expression as her eyes darted from me to him. Oscar grimaced as he dropped to one knee before me and grunted something in the language before looking at me. ¡°Hurt, we are. Automatons attacked.¡±

    My heart nearly skipped a beat, and Oscar hastily added, noticing my fearful expression. ¡°Not Rusivites. Far Reacher did this¡­ no time to explain. Luna, please, we need¡ª¡±

    I shook my head. ¡°No need to ask for help. Just hold still,¡± I ordered as I closed my eyes and began to mutter the incantation for a mass rejuvenation. My core surged with pleasurable tingles and warmth as a powerful wave of ether I had not expected coursed through me. My eyes glow brightly as shining green orbs of arcane energy coalesce into a swirling bubble above me. Within seconds, that energy bubble popped into dozens of small orbs that shot out towards the Oscar and the three Yanks. The soldiers gasped with shock and flinched when each magical orb struck them right in the chest, and immediately scrapes, bruises, and other injuries began to mend themselves back together.

    Oscar visibly groaned with relief as the severe burns and cuts on his body began to gradually heal, though not entirely. Even my magic seemed to struggle with horrible burns on his back, which had now hardened into scar tissue.

    I blinked with surprise and immediately got an answer from the Master, who yawned in my head and said, ¡°Even magic has its limits, Luna. Give the injury some time, or another use of the spell, and it¡¯ll fully heal over. However, I recommend you leave this one be. The scar tissue will heal over in only a few weeks.¡±

    Thanks, doctor, man. I sighed internally.

    ¡°Doctor man?¡± The Master mused, and I couldn¡¯t help but notice the slightly less monotonous tone of his voice. Is he developing a sense of humor? ¡°I like that,¡± he said, resuming the deadpan voice.

    ¡°This is the best I can do right now,¡± I said, half lying. I could do more, though the Master was right. I should leave it be, as I didn¡¯t know if more trouble would reveal itself. ¡°Can you walk?¡± I asked Oscar.

    Oscar nodded. ¡°I can move; sore I am.¡± He looked to the other three yanks and spoke to them. After a few moments of feeling like a third wheel, he looked back at me. ¡°The others are thankful. But done we are not. We must.¡± He pointed shakily towards the reactor room. ¡°Uh¡­¡± He started, but then his face scrunched, and I watched as the artificer struggled to form the right words in his head. ¡°Blow reactor.¡±

    ¡°Blow?!¡± I exclaimed and stepped back. ¡°Like explode it¨C¡±

    ¡°No, no!¡± Oscar shook his head and waved his hands. ¡°Dammit,¡± he cursed. ¡°Words, I don¡¯t know. Trust.¡± He tapped his chest. ¡°Trust me. Explain I can¡¯t. Too dumb.¡±

    I sighed and nodded. ¡°I trust you, and you aren¡¯t dumb. I get it. Language barriers suck.¡± I gulped, though I¡¯d be lying if I said I wasn¡¯t a bit anxious. I had no idea what the four of them were planning.

    Oscar motioned for me to follow him. ¡°Come,¡± he said, ¡°we save the city now.¡± He gestured once again exaggeratedly as the three Yanky soldiers began to move toward where my mother and Saria were, as well as a third individual I couldn¡¯t quite make out in the light.

    Master guy, you have some explaining to do. I thought.

    ¡°Explain what?¡± He said, and before I could snap back a reply, he added, ¡°I am just as confused as you are. Quite frankly, all of this is amusing¨C¡±

    Amusing?! I couldn¡¯t contain my frustration; I had to bite my tongue to not say that out loud.

    ¡°Indeed. It isn¡¯t often I am caught off guard; it¡¯s honestly refreshing.¡±

    What the hell are you on about? Nothing about this is good.

    ¡°Yes,¡± The Master sighed. ¡°You are correct. I am sorry, but I speak the truth, Luna. I do not know what¡¯s going on. Since we last spoke when I urged you to find the heart. I had been in a trance reworking my well. In a sense, you could say I was resting or sleeping. Parts of me were conscious and observing, but passively.¡±

    What about that dream then the other night?

    ¡°What dream?¡± The Master asked, and I halted right before reaching my aunt and mother.

    You know¡­ the one where you blew me up and said to find the heart?

    The Master didn¡¯t respond right away, and I felt my heart beginning to race. Outloud, I asked, ¡°That was you, right¨C¡±

    ¡°Bollocks.¡± The Master swore his tone, taking on that of frustration. ¡°So that¡¯s the sensation that¡¯s been bothering me¨C¡±

    Taking the conversation back into my head. What the hell are you talking about?

    ¡°I think I knew who that was.¡±

    I blinked. So, wait¡­ you mean¡­ Oh, for the love of god, please don¡¯t tell me there¡¯s a third party. I already have you in my head, and that Charity lady, I don¡¯t¨C

    ¡°Bong sang!¡± A heavily accented voice cursed in a language that, while I didn¡¯t understand, I was familiar with. French. In accented Maurich, the voice continued, ¡°We do not have time to argue who or what did what, Madame.¡±

    Slowly, I turned back towards the reactor entrance. I could see my mother consoling my aunt, who was bending over the corpse of the archbishop, or should I say arch-dipshit. Yet, stepping around them was the source of the voice.

    ¡°You¡¯re¡­¡± I muttered as I watched the Frenchman step out of the light.

    ¡°Lucien About.¡± The man took his kepi and bowed. ¡°Apologies for the¨C¡±

    I snarled and jabbed a finger. ¡°You! You were with¡ª¡±

    "Indeed, I was¡ª¡± He interrupted

    ¡°Why should we¨C¡± I cut him off.

    ¡°Because I can¨C¡± he continued.

    ¡°I don¡¯t¨C¡± I began.

    Lucien held a finger up, and his eyes narrowed. ¡°Either you can keep interrupting me, or perhaps I can explain. No?¡± I clenched my fists and bit my tongue as I felt a fury rage within me as Lucien straightened up and turned to the corpse of the archbishop. He was lying face down on the floor, a massive puddle of blood pooling beneath it as a single, small hole could be seen on the back of his bald head.

    ¡°As you can see, Madame,¡± Lucien said calmly as he gestured with one hand at the dead body. ¡°I am no longer employed.¡± As he said, my aunt wailed as my mother shot daggers at the man and then me before shaking her head and turning to my aunt.

    ¡°You betrayed him?¡± I glanced at the corpse once again; the sight was uneasy. Not because of the gore; by this point, I had seen so many corpses that I was, unfortunately, becoming numb. Unfortunately, someone like myself, or anyone for that matter, should never become numb to such a sight. What was making me uneasy, however, was that same feeling I had felt back when I had first seen him the other day.

    ¡°Luna,¡± The Master''s voice said as my eyes met with Lucien. ¡°Trust me in that you¡¯ll hear out this man and follow his instructions.¡±

    But he was working with that archbishop? You know the All-Father people you said are super scary?!

    ¡°I understand; all will be explained. Trust me, please,¡± The master urged.

    ¡°Listen to him,¡± Lucien said as if he had heard my thoughts. ¡°Garlan speaks the truth.¡±

    I blinked. ¡°Wh-who? Y-You can hear him?¡± I asked as Lucien held a finger to his lips.

    ¡°I¡¯ll explain shortly, Luna Ashflow.¡±

    ¡°How do you know¨C¡±

    He sliced the air with an arm. ¡°As I said, soon. Truly, I wish we could¡¯ve met someplace more pleasant, but work calls.¡± He turned to Oscar and the Yanks. ¡°I appreciate all you¡¯ve done for me so far, but our work is not finished.¡± The Frenchman gestured towards a set of metal stairs leading up to what looked to be a control room. ¡°Up there are the controls. Mr. Reynolds, if you could, Ben will guide you on what you need to do. Ah! Ah!¡± He held a finger up to stop Oscar from speaking. ¡°We do not have time¨C¡±

    ¡°Bullshit,¡± my mother snapped as she held my aunt tightly. ¡°What the hell is going on here?¡±

    Lucien cursed heavily in French, or at least I thought it was French. ¡°Madame, please¡­¡± The look on my mother''s face made him close his eyes and sigh. ¡°Alright. I¡¯ll give you the cliff notes. This man, and her.¡± He gestured to the corpse of the archbishop and then at my aunt. ¡°We¡¯re coming here to overload the reactor; before you ask, no, they are not Rusivite collaborators. These two work with the Cult of the All-Father.¡±

    ¡°Th-that¡¯s not true!¡± My aunt sobbed. ¡°I-I was bringing him here to¨C¡±

    ¡°Quiet,¡± Lucien said bluntly as he held a palm out to her, and if my mother could shoot lasers from her eyes, the Frenchman would¡¯ve been dead. ¡°You may think you were merely bringing him here as a form of religious inspection, or whatever you fanaticals do. I don¡¯t care. What I do know is that you were under a charm, dominated against your will. That is why when I killed him, you¡­¡± He snapped his finger. ¡°Returned to your senses.¡±

    ¡°You lie!¡± My aunt snapped between sobs. ¡°I-I wouldn¡¯t do any of that.¡±

    ¡°Indeed,¡± Lucien nodded. ¡°You probably didn¡¯t, hence why I said you were charmed.¡± The Frenchman looked to my mother. ¡°If you do not believe me, you can check.¡±

    Without a word, my mother began to whisper to my aunt as she held a hand up, her eyes beginning to glow as she started muttering. Lucien turned to me. ¡°To finish my brief summary if you still don¡¯t trust me. When I say they came to overload the reactor, not only would that have destroyed a vast portion of this city, but also it would¡¯ve torn a hole through into the upper layers of space-time, allowing other nasty beings that do not belong in this portion of reality to come and play.¡±

    It was Oscar¡¯s turn to speak up. ¡°But Ben said nothing of this. Rusivite machines would¡¯ve woken.¡±

    Lucien nodded. ¡°And they will. Ben, or Ami,¡± he said, gesturing to me. ¡°Only told you what you needed to know. Believe me, it¡¯s a long story, and it''s one that isn¡¯t finished.¡± He reached into his jacket, pulled out a pocket watch, and checked it. ¡°We have minutes now. We must act. Do you all understand? Or should I keep answering questions?¡±

    There was a loud crash suddenly coming back from where we had come around one of the many side corridors connecting to the main passage. Echoing shouts and thundering feet slamming against the metallic floor could be heard.

    ¡°It seems the cavalry has arrived,¡± Lucien said with a flat expression and turned. ¡°Come. Mr. Reynolds, if you may, please go up to the control center. Ben will explain everything you¡¯ll need to do.¡±

    My mind was swimming, and my eyes glanced towards the corpse of the archbishop. Master man¡­ What the hell is going on?

    ¡°The most I can say right now is that that man, Lucien, and I know each other. He can be trusted. I¡¯ll explain more once you¡¯ve completed his task.¡±

    Is he another person you reincarnated like me? I asked, and for some odd reason, I felt kind of down despite everything happening. I don¡¯t know why.

    ¡°Again, I can¡¯t say much just yet.¡± The Master said, sounding annoyed. ¡°Yes and no. That is all.¡±

    That¡¯s not a legitimate answer. I huffed and rolled my eyes, though the Master didn¡¯t respond. There was no use arguing anyway.

    Things began to move swiftly. Lucien turned away from me and motioned for Oscar and the Yanks to follow him toward the control center beside the central reactor unit. I should clarify something, the reactor itself. Not what I expected it to look like. Whenever I heard the words ¡°power plant¡± or "reactor,¡± my brain immediately went to what I knew. Nuclear reactors. I kept picturing it to look like those spooky chambers with those large devices that fuel rods were slotted into. Nope. It actually resembled what the Rusivites had at the prison. That bright light that saturated the room and would blind you like the sun when looking at it was a sizeable magrite pillar mounted into a roaring machine with dangerously visible cogs and gears that spoon and cranked at an alarming pace as it hummed intensely. The pillar itself had bindings and cables wrapped around it, and I assumed a series of braces kept it upright. In layman''s terms, the thing looked like shit. Everything else about this facility seemed graceful and clean, almost futuristic; however, the magrite pillar looked like it had a bunch of cobbled-together scrap metal and gears bolted onto it and appeared out of place.

    Honestly, it probably was, if I had to guess.

    My eyes wandered back down to the corpse of the archbishop. It was a gruesome sight, but I was relieved that I wouldn¡¯t have to fight him. The last time I had fought a mage was back in prison, and it was fast and rough. Thinking back on it, I was honestly lucky I had even won in the first place. If that woman had been even just a bit faster and hadn¡¯t missed when she shot me, I¡¯d be a goner.

    In times like this, I¡¯m glad things were rather anti-climatic.

    Yet, I couldn¡¯t shake a feeling. A bad feeling. For example, when I met the archbishop when he visited my aunt¡¯s home the other day, I couldn¡¯t help but feel scared. My fight-or-flight instincts were going nuts. Maybe I was just on edge.

    Taking a deep breath, I turned to my mother and aunt, who were still beside the corpse. My aunt was leaning into my mother and babbling as she awkwardly held Saria. ¡°So¡­¡± I started to say, and my mother simply nodded.

    ¡°Lucien was right,¡± my mother said with a solemn expression. ¡°I sensed traces of foreign ether within her. Enchantment magic specifically. That¡­¡± She gritted her teeth and glared at the corpse. ¡°That fiend was manipulating her.¡± She scowled.

    ¡°Hands up where we can see them!¡± A booming voice echoed down from the central passage. My mother and I jerked as we turned to see a group of heavily armed Heinmarran soldiers. About twelve of them had their rifles aimed and trained on us.

    Without a second thought, I raised my hands as high as possible. ¡°Don¡¯t shoot!¡± I shouted as my mother did the same, urging my aunt to do so as well.

    Standing at the group''s center, a burly-looking man raised a thick hand in the air, palm facing down as he lowered it. ¡°Steady, these aren¡¯t the intruders.¡± His eyes flicked between my mother, aunt, and me before drifting down to the archbishop''s corpse.

    ¡°Steiner, take the others and fan out. Make sure there¡¯s no other intruders,¡± The burly man ordered.

    ¡°Yes, Sergeant,¡± A young elf said, her hand gesturing towards the other soldiers. ¡°On me.¡± She motioned for them to move past us into the reactor room, leaving us and only the sergeant.

    The man¡¯s eyes were focused on me briefly as curiosity slipped through his hardened expression before his eyes shifted to my mother. ¡°Would you mind explaining to me what is going on?¡± He asked as his weapon lowered to aim at the floor, but still in a ready posture if he needed to shoot.

    Before I could say anything, my mother spoke, ¡°We were on our way to stop this man.¡± She motioned with her head towards the corpse. ¡°He was killed by a stranger we encountered just as we arrived. There are others down here; they went up into the control room.¡± She nodded towards the large, protruding room immediately to the left when entering the room up the stairs.

    If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.

    ¡°Why?¡± The soldier asked.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± She said, ¡°It was a bunch of Yanks. They were talking about stopping something. A rip in space-time, I think¡ª¡±

    Before I knew it, my mind was overtaken by a sensation I had never felt. Have you ever been in a conversation, and your thoughts fizzled out in mid-sentence? Like your mind had just short-circuited and needed to reboot? It was sort of like that. One second, I was listening to my mother hastily explain the situation while I was being polite and kept my mouth shut. The next thing, everything just went out, like the lights shut off, but not really.

    I had lost control, or really, control was taken from me. Not like the time the Master demonstrated that ability to my parents; that was gradual. This time. It was instant and wrong. After my mind blanked out and my vision came back, I felt nauseous; my stomach was doing flip-flops while my brain was overcome by a severe migraine. Worst of all, my body was moving on its own, and all I could do was see through the eyes that were mine, yet at the same time weren¡¯t.

    Everything began to happen so fast. So much so that I could hardly keep up; this is what I remember happening. Just before my body was hijacked beside the corpse was a thick book, the same book I had seen the archbishop use to cast his spells. Ever since I arrived, the book had laid motionless a couple of feet away on the floor. Closed and latched shut. What I hadn¡¯t noticed, or any of us really, was that the book was slowly moving, shifting on its own.

    As my mother was briefing the soldier instantly, the book unlatched itself and flung open. Its pages fluttered wildly before, abruptly, the world contorted. Everything around us violently shifted. My vision went negative as all colors reversed, and my mind went blank.

    The next thing I knew, I was in the air. My arms were windmilling, and my legs kicking. Fuck! Fuck! Fuck! I wanted to scream out loud, yet I couldn¡¯t.

    ¡°Cease your panicking now!¡± I heard the Master say in my voice, like my physical voice, not a thought. He was speaking through my body. ¡°I¡¯ll handle this!¡± My tiny body twisted without my input, and in mid-air, I turned to face the wall I was hurling towards.

    Controlling my arms, the Master held out my hands and silently channeled ether through my body before blasting a powerful gust of air at the wall, rocketing us back toward the ground. In a split second, he violently contorted me once more before repeating the same action, though this time with less power as he bled our velocity.

    All in just a few seconds, I was now hovering in the center of the reactor room. About a dozen feet below me, at the entrance, was the corpse of the archbishop, still dead. Yet above the body was the black book, which was now hovering. As I had been, my mother and aunt had been thrown away from whatever spell the damned thing had cast. Unlike me, they were not so lucky; about thirty feet away, they had been blasted into the room, and both were slumped against a wall, unconscious.

    I couldn¡¯t see the sergeant, as he had most likely been blasted out into the central passage. The other soldiers who had gone in ahead were still standing, though their hands were clutching at their ears and shouting questions as to what the hell had happened.

    To our right, we heard a loud bang as the door of the control room flew open, and out came Lucien. He leaned over the metal railing as he stared directly up at me. ¡°Sacr¨¦ bleu! Garl, if you¡¯re going to do something, do it now!¡±

    Who? I asked myself.

    ¡°He¡¯s referring to me¡­¡± The Master muttered to themselves. God, it was weird hearing him using my voice.

    That¡¯s your name? I asked unhelpfully. I was panicking, and asking stupid questions was a great way for me to forget about the real problem.

    ¡°Not exactly, please, be quiet and let me handle this, Luna,¡± The Master mumbled in his usual monotonous manner. ¡°Lucien, I¡¯ll handle this. Stick to whatever plan you were doing.¡± The Frenchman gave us a thumbs-up and dipped back into the control room.

    You don¡¯t know what they¡¯re doing?! I shrilled; not having control stinks. Oh, I hated this so much.

    ¡°I have a hunch; now again, be quiet.¡± We turned back towards the hovering book. It was open again, its pages flittering back and forth as if an invisible hand was sifting through them, looking for something. Finally, it slowed and then stopped.

    On a blank page.

    Without my control. We lifted our right arm and¨C

    Agony. All I felt was agony. A mind-searing pain I had never thought I¡¯d feel. I wanted to die. Red, hot pain shot up from my right arm. Yet nothing was happening. My arm was fine. Yet, why did I feel pain?

    ¡°Gaah!¡± I heard my voice cry, yet I knew it was the Master''s, as he, too, could feel what I felt.

    I felt like I was burning. I was on fire. Yet there was none. I was being cooked, but by what? What?!

    As abruptly as the pain came, it vanished when the sound of rifle fire flooded the reactor room. Volley after volley of arcane bolts of energy were flung at the hovering inanimate object, and as my consciousness returned, I saw the soldiers from earlier in a loose line formation, firing and chambering round after round.

    ¡°Suppress the target!¡± The woman I recalled was Steiner shouting. ¡°Traegar dispel the damned thing!¡± She shouted to one of the men beside her.

    The man named Traegar reached into a pouch on his side and fumbled with something inside before finally pulling out a softball-sized object¡ªa bronze, ornate-looking ball¡ªwhich he pressed into with his thumb. Suddenly, the ball began to fracture, and through the cracks, a pinkish glow began to emit from within before he threw it at the book.

    But it was too late.

    The world between the soldiers and the book began to contort. Light started to bend in unnatural ways as reality began to warp. Then, everything snapped back to how it was just as an arc of energy lashed out from the book¡¯s pages, the glowing bronze ball vanished, and the soldier known as Traegar was no more. Like, gone. No flashy explosion or gore spray. Just gone except for a pair of boots and a steaming rifle on the floor.

    ¡°Dammit¡­¡± The Master groaned as he shook my head.

    What was that? I asked my brain, still feeling the aftershocks of whatever the hell happened. We need to stop¨C

    ¡°I know!¡± The Master growled as the soldiers below panicked and began to scatter, taking cover behind whatever they could find.

    Though it was pointless as around them, the fabric of reality began to shift once more, and like Treagar. One after the other began to simply vanish. I wanted to scream at the Master to do something, yet I held myself back. I had to trust him. He was the one in control; I couldn¡¯t do anything, and I hated it. But I knew if I was in control, I most likely would be dead. No way could I have reacted fast enough after the initial attack and saved myself. Like my mother and aunt, I¡¯d be unconscious or, worse, dead.

    Taking a breath, the Master held a hand up and out as he focused. Once again, I could feel ether surging through me, more so than I had felt before, as he brought the hand up to my face and briefly obscured our vision. I wanted to scream out in protest at the ridiculous action but didn¡¯t when I felt an odd tingling sensation around my eyeballs. It wasn''t a lousy sensation either; there was no pain or irritation. It¡­ well, I can¡¯t really describe it. All I can say is that it felt odd, and when the hand shielding my eyes moved, I was stunned.

    The world I had previously been looking at was still there, except there was more. While the feeling itself around my eyeballs did not do anything wrong for me, what it made me see, gods¡­ it made me sick. Like motion sick. What I, or we since the Master is controlling me, saw were what I could only describe as afterimages. Or before images?

    I could see multiple versions of the soldiers below moving and dying. I saw one man taking cover behind a structural support for the magrite pillar. Yet, phasing out of him, I could see multiple ghostly versions of him stepping out, running away, and fighting, many of which resulted in the man disappearing from existence after an attack. I could see my mother leaning against the wall, and like the man, I could see ethereal versions of her shifting and moving. Some of which resulted in her stirring awake, others were her slumping further over, and of course, there was that damned book.

    What am I seeing here? I asked while trying not to panic and keep conscious, as I was nearly overwhelmed by the amount of insane shit happening around us.

    ¡°First off. Please try not to panic; while I have control of your will, not all of it is actually sealed,¡± The master said, his tone serious, and I could tell he was focusing hard. ¡°Which means your instincts can interfere with me.¡±

    I was stunned. Yeah, sure, my body is a puppet now, and a fucking book is trying to kill us. I¡¯ll try my best to calm the hell down! I snapped, as I indeed did not try to calm down.

    The Master sighed before he could respond. I noticed movement. Of course, I could see everything and multiple images of stuff, but I saw something specific. The book. One of its afterimages showed it flaring with blinding energy.

    Move left now! My thoughts screamed. Without question, the Master jerked my body to the left, and we dodged something. The air around where we just were swirled and distorted before suddenly, a blinding flash of light caused me to see stars as a searing beam coming from the book shot forth, slashing the ceiling and turning metal into slag.

    ¡°Good catch,¡± The Master muttered, and the next thing I knew, we were dive bombing towards the book. And I¡¯ll say that I was a good little girl the entire time, and I kept myself calm and collected¡ªwho the hell am I kidding?

    If I had control of myself, I would¡¯ve pissed my pants. I was so scared. When I encountered the commissar and his mech in the prison, I was in control. I was frightened, yes, but I had control. Up until I was knocked unconscious and nearly died if it wasn¡¯t for my ring of protection. This time, I didn¡¯t. I was a passenger in my own body.

    It was very much like riding as a passenger in your brother¡¯s car, and the asshole was a daredevil on the highway. Except, replace all the semi-trucks and soccer moms with an evil book. Oh, and we were still going a hundred miles per hour, or so it felt.

    We dove towards the inanimate object. The wind roared in our ears for the brief microsecond it took for us to get within arm''s reach of it. Once again, we both saw an afterimage of the book orienting itself in a way that struck us, as if it literally rammed itself into our faces. Before we could say anything, the Master shifted my head out of the way as the book rammed forward with its hard binding. What we didn¡¯t expect to happen was that on its outer binding was a gemstone, a deep, black gem that flashed, blinding the two of us.

    The Master cursed and aggressively pulled us back, the force on my chest nearly crushing me as our velocity came to an unnatural halt. My body then levitated into the air as we both tried to blink the stars from our vision. Since we were blinded, we had both failed to react to the thing gripping me by my leg. The sound of something, or someone hissing, caught my ears as a sharp pain erupted from where my leg met my hip as I was violently yanked back down to the ground.

    The wind was knocked from my lungs as my back slammed into the metal-plated floor. My head cracked against the hardened surface, and my vision exploded with stars once again and the migraine I felt already surged, now worse than what it was.

    Once again, this would¡¯ve been the end if I was in control. No way I could make myself move after a fall like that. However, I wasn¡¯t in control and didn¡¯t know how the Master could keep going. Indeed, he felt what I felt; maybe he was stronger than me.

    The Master immediately pushed us up onto my elbows and tried to kick away. As my eyes focused, I wanted to scream but couldn¡¯t. Clutching my leg in an iron grip was the Archbishop, Puntinov. Or what was left of him. Half of the upper right-hand side of his face was nothing but a golfball-sized hole filled with gore and bone. To my horror, I could see the spongy mass of flesh in his skull pulsating and reshaping, spider-like webbing of skin reconnected itself as hardened bone began to twist and mend.

    I wanted to vomit. ¡°Keep it together!¡± The Master hissed internally. Putinov¡¯s face twisted into a sneering smile, and it reconstructed itself.

    ¡°Now, now¡­¡± The archbishop purred as his lanky hand crushed my ankle with inhuman strength. My brain exploded once again when I heard the small bone snap with agony as hot pain surged upwards, but immediately, it ceased.

    ¡°I¡¯m doing my best to numb the pain, Luna.¡± The Master reassured me.

    As Putinov¡¯s head fully resealed itself, the archbishop smiled wickedly as he rolled his neck and cracked it in multiple areas. ¡°I knew I was right,¡± he said as he straightened up, one hand still holding my ruined leg. He yanked me up off the ground and held me out.

    Whatever you¡¯re planning, I thought. Do it now, like do it.

    ¡°I¡¯m working on it,¡± the Master responded in my head.

    ¡°I knew the moment I went into Saria¡¯s house you were something special,¡± Putinov said softly. ¡°For years I searched for the anomaly...¡± He sighed. ¡°Instead, all I had to do was wait for you to come to me.¡± He snickered.

    What the hell is he talking about?

    ¡°We can discuss later. For now. Hold your breath.¡±

    Excuse me? I didn¡¯t have time to do whatever he said, nor could I; I wasn¡¯t in control of my breathing. At the moment, we were being held upside down by the archbishop¡¯s iron grip. The most I could do was see whatever the Master wanted me to see through my own eyes. We were still receiving those after images, and all the versions of Putinov I saw were horrifying. Images of him pulling out a knife ready to gut me; others had him drawing a gun; others were him mutilating me with magic.

    Yet one showed him with us gone. Or, well, I was gone.

    Then I was.

    In a wave of nausea that caused my mind to go blank for a few seconds. I was no longer upside down. Instead, I was sideways, my arms frantically gripping onto a large metal pipe that was freezing to the touch while my ruined leg dangled below me, and the other frantically looped itself into some sort of support strut.

    Fuck, fuck, that¡¯s cold cold! I panicked, and the sensation faded as the Master did some sort of magic to numb the sensation.

    ¡°Apologies¡­¡± He sighed, sounding tired. ¡°I didn¡¯t know if that would work or not.¡±

    What happened? I asked.

    ¡°You know it as teleportation. At least, that¡¯s the simplest way I can explain it. I replaced our presence with something else, and now we¡¯re here.¡±

    What?

    ¡°As said, thinking of it as teleporting is much easier for you. For now, we have a moment to think.¡± The Master turned my head downwards, and I realized where we were.

    We were still in the power plant; in fact, we were still in the reactor room, except on the ceiling, clinging to a pipe between two supporting struts. Down below, the formerly dead Putinov stood alone with the book hovering beside him. His hand was still in the position it was in when he held us, his head swiveling left and right as he tried to figure out where we were.

    You could always do that?! I asked, shocked. The Master had never used such a trick before.

    ¡°I have once before; it was how I was able to save your family.¡± He went silent for a second as he let that settle in.

    Oh, duh. I thought.

    The master sighed. ¡°At the time your consciousness was dormant, hence your memory. If you recall, it¡¯s why I had to disappear for a bit to trance and regain my power, and well. Now we¡¯re at the source.¡± He shifted my eyes towards the glowing magrite pillar, which I recall he said was a place of power.

    Okay, that makes sense. You get sleepy when doing this, so it¡¯s best to use it sparingly.

    ¡°I don¡¯t get sleepy,¡± he snipped. ¡°But yes, I¡¯m still imprisoned; therefore, my power is limited. Controlling you alone is draining my reserves rapidly; teleporting is just expediting that.¡±

    Before I could ask another question, Putinov cleared his throat. ¡°Running away are we, Garlan?¡± Putinov called out. ¡°Already?¡± He sighed and kicked the floor as he turned to face the reactor. ¡°Perhaps having the anomaly as a child is rather inconvenient for the two of you. I wouldn¡¯t feel comfortable putting down such a wretched abomination¡­ I lie. Putting such a thing to rest would make me sleep wonderfully at night.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t listen to him.¡± The Master urged me. ¡°He¡¯s merely trying to goad us into doing something stupid. For now, watch.¡±

    Alright, in that case¡­ what are all these afterimages? Why does everything look weird? I asked as I observed the multiple images of Putinov; one of them looked in our direction, and my heart dropped. I nearly called but stopped when The Master sighed nonchalantly.

    ¡°They¡¯re probabilities. Each ¡°afterimage,¡± as you call it, is a potential future action. I¡¯ll repeat that it is not the future, but a possible outcome. I am assisting your mind in calculating the probabilities in which what actions individuals could take, and I¡¯m working off of the most likely scenario. Hence why we¡¯re up here. I¡¯m observing what that asshole Putinov will do next; once I¡¯m certain, I¡¯ll act.¡±

    Huh¡­ Asshole?

    ¡°Yes. That¡¯s what I called him.¡±

    Oh, I¡¯m not disagreeing. I¡¯m just shocked that you said asshole.

    ¡°Really, that¡¯s what you¡¯re focusing on?¡±

    It¡¯s either that, or I¡¯m freaking the fuck out.

    ¡°Neither of us want that¡­¡± The Master sighed.

    Wait a second. I thought, just realizing. You''re using me to predict the future?

    ¡°I¡¯m not making you predict the future. I¡¯m assisting your mind¨C¡±

    That¡¯s just semantics. You¡¯re doing weird things with my brain to predict the future. Can¡¯t we just set up a scenario in which we just win?

    The Master snorted. ¡°No, and I won¡¯t waste my time going into the details as to why. All I¡¯ll say is that what we¡¯re seeing is the most likely actions, but even then, with four or five images, we see. Those are still odds not in our favor.¡±

    Five likely outcomes¡ªthat¡¯s like a twenty percent chance, right?

    The Master sighed once again. ¡°No, because again, those are the most likely ones presented. There are still millions of other less likely outcomes.¡±

    Is that why I have a severe migraine?

    ¡°That and because your head got whacked. For that, I apologize. I am doing my best to numb the pain and use what I need. It¡¯s best you not focus on it.¡±

    I remained quiet as I watched through my eyes as the Master closely followed Putinov¡¯s moves. As described, we could see five other transparent visages of him, all doing separate things. It was so disorienting; part of me struggled to keep up, though I had to trust the Master knew what he was doing.

    From what I could follow, Putinov¡¯s attention was drawn toward the control room, where we could faintly see the others frantically working inside through the window. The hovering book came over to Putinov, levitating beside him as the man reached out and plucked the book from midair.

    ¡°Lucien,¡± The archbishop called out, his voice fluttering with a slight musical twang at the end. ¡°Please step out. I would like to discuss what happened earlier.¡±

    ¡°D¨¦sol¨¦ monsieur!¡± The Frenchman called out from the open door. ¡°Lucien cannot be reached at this time¨C¡± Putinov viciously dragged a finger across an open page of the book and flicked it towards the control room door. An arcane bolt of energy shot forth from the page and followed the direction of his gesture as it slammed into the wall beside the door. Incinerating the metal plating.

    ¡°Oi, that wasn¡¯t very nice!¡± The Frenchman shouted.

    ¡°Neither was shooting me in the head!¡± Putinov snarled as his calm demeanor faltered.

    ¡°That was the past, Putinov!¡± Lucien responded, not daring to stick his head out. ¡°The first step to healing is to let it go!¡±

    ¡°Enough!¡± Putinov roared as his grimoire levitated from his grasp and hovered over his head as the pages rapidly turned. ¡°I should¡¯ve known you were working with the traitors!¡±

    Following what I saw from the afterimages, I could see a handful of probabilities, all of which resulted in what I feared: The entire control center would be crushed into the size of a walnut.

    Except that wasn¡¯t entirely true, as there was one vision. I see an option, I said.

    ¡°On it.¡± was the Master¡¯s response before abruptly letting go of the pipe.

    With my leg hooked into the strut, my guts flopped heavily inside me as my vision spun, and I began to fall but then stopped as the entire weight of my body yanked on my leg. Flexing the hooked limb, the Master made it come loose, and we began to plummet straight toward the ground head first.

    Internally, I was screaming and sobbing, but it was justified as I thought we were just about to die. At the last second, however, the Master blew a torrent of wind downwards as, once again, the gust spell saved us from being splattered. We were blown into the air like a bottle rocket, and I don¡¯t know if he was showing off or my body was just flailing about, but he did a flip, and as we spun, I felt my guts wanting to ralph up my lunch.

    Mid-flip, he angled my body around and blew a torrent of air behind us, allowing the force to propel us towards not Putinov, but his book. Within seconds of us falling from the ceiling opposite the room, I was wrapping my arms around the book mid-flight as Putinov turned to look at me. For a split second, our eyes locked together before I vanished again.

    My shoulder slammed into the ground, and I rolled head over heels as I clutched the book tightly against my chest. Or really, I should say the Master was, as he was in control. "No, you don¡¯t!¡± The Master snarled at the book as my eyes flashed, and he slammed my right palm into the book and said something in a language I did not understand.

    By this point, the book was frantically trying to free itself like a trapped bird, shifted and stopped moving as inky black tendrils shot out from my palm and wrapped around it. ¡°That was close,¡± he said monotonously. ¡°A second less, and we would¡¯ve been vaporized. Or at least, you would¡¯ve. I¡¯d be back home.¡±

    I didn¡¯t say anything right away. How the hell does that provide me with any comfort? I asked.

    The Master pursed my lips and frowned. ¡°I guess it doesn¡¯t. Point is. The grimoire is sealed.¡± He patted the book gently.

    Where the hell are we? I asked, unable to look around since Mr. Hijacker was too busy ogling the book. Straightening up, the Master looked around finally, and I could see we were in the freaking passageway just outside the reactor room. Why are we right here? Isn¡¯t Putinov behind us? We need to move, or else¨C

    ¡°Luna.¡±

    ¨Che¡¯s going to get us from behind. We need to fight¨C

    ¡°Luna!¡± The Master said more firmly. ¡°I told you the grimoire is sealed.¡± He patted the book before flipping it over to the other cover and tapping the gem. ¡°Putinov cannot hurt us. Not right now.¡± I could feel him smiling as the black gem pulsed a dark, angry purple.

    You have some explaining to do.

 Chapter 99: Frustration

    ¡°So, let me get this straight¡­¡± I took a deep breath and sat up, the evil black book resting on the floor. ¡°That is Putinov?¡± I pointed at the book on the ground.

    ¡°That is indeed what I said,¡± The Master said in my mind as I winced and clutched the side of my head.

    Shortly after we had snatched the book from Putinov and the Master ¡°sealed¡± the book, he had relinquished control back to me. Part of me wishes he hadn¡¯t done that. The reason was that all the pain and sore muscles smacked me like a freight train. Whatever he had been doing to suppress my body¡¯s protests was gone.

    Thankfully, my magic reserves were still plentiful, and quickly I began to mutter a light rejuvenation spell under my breath. Within a few moments, the pain in my body began to ease as my ruined leg and torn muscles began to mend themselves. Once the pain was back to a manageable level, I kneeled and picked up the book. It was heavy, probably a good five or so pounds; I felt like I could beat someone to death with it. It also gave off bad vibes. Which sounds weird when mentioned out loud, but I wasn¡¯t kidding. This thing made me uneasy. It was like an instinct to just toss this evil thing into Mt. Doom.

    ¡°How is that possible?¡± I asked as I turned and began to limp back into the reactor room with the heavy book tucked under my arm. ¡°We both saw him. Hell we saw his corpse. How could he be this book?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s because his soul is in the book, Luna,¡± The Master said in his tone, implying that I should¡¯ve known that.

    ¡°No need to sound like a smart ass. How was I supposed to know?¡± I asked, entering the large room, which was oddly silent.

    To my right, where the soldiers had taken cover, what remained of them, about four people, were ticking their heads out nervously, weapons raised. To my left, I could see my mother and aunt slumped against the far wall near the metal stairs leading to the control room. Near them was Putinov¡¯s corpse lying motionless. Or would it be a body? A vessel? I had no idea.

    Picking my priorities. I turned to my mother and began to briskly limp over to them as the Master sighed and said, ¡°You wouldn¡¯t. My apologies. What you witnessed was a shell, a housing device.¡±

    ¡°For his soul?¡± I asked as I walked past the body. The man was lying partially on his side, eyes closed and face relaxed. It was almost as if he were sleeping. I think he was; the body was breathing. He looked so peaceful, and I hated it. I wanted to blast his face with a spark mote and blow him to pieces, but¡­ I liked to think I had some kind of honor. As stupid as that sounded, I had to trust the Master. If he wasn¡¯t a threat. I should leave the body be for now. Mother or that Lucien guy may have a better idea.

    ¡°Yes. If you¡¯d let me finish, I was going to say that.¡± The Master huffed.

    ¡°Sorry.¡± I muttered as I kneeled before my unconscious mother. Reaching out to her and my aunt, I began to mutter another rejuvenation spell.

    ¡°As I was saying, the body beside you is not entirely Putinov. It¡¯s a piece of him. From what I can see, the soul we have is not entirely his either¨C¡±

    I fumbled with the incantation and blinked. ¡°What?!¡± I shrilled. ¡°You said we¡¯re sa¨C¡±

    "Yes, we are safe, Luna. Please, stop interrupting me,¡± And because the Master is so good at calming me down, he added, ¡°We¡¯re safe for now.¡±

    ¡°Once I wake up my mother, we¡¯re having a nice, long chat,¡± I hissed as I restarted my incantation.

    ¡°That is why I asked you to come here.¡±

    It only took me about a minute to fully heal any injuries my mother and aunt had suffered. Unfortunately, neither of them woke up, but the pained expressions they held faded, and now they appeared to be resting, which was fine with me. Up above, I heard the metallic door of the control creaking open.

    ¡°Excellent, le m¨¦chant est parti!¡± Lucien exalted. ¡°That, blaireau, was annoying.¡± I glanced up to see the man peering down at me from the top of the stairs. ¡°Was it you or Garl who took care of him?¡± He nodded to the body.

    I blinked and opened my mouth, but before I could respond, the Master spoke, ¡°Who do you think, Lucien?¡± His voice was sprinkled with a bit of annoyance.

    In my head, I asked, You can speak to him?

    "Indeed, he can¡­¡± Lucien said, his face hardening. ¡°Garl, please tell me you aren¡¯t annoyed¨C¡±

    "Indeed, I am annoyed, Lucy.¡±

    The Frenchman recoiled. ¡°My name is not Lucy!¡±

    ¡°And my name is not, Garl.¡±

    I raised my hands. ¡°Can someone please tell me what the fuck is going on?¡±

    ¡°Whoa, whoa.¡± Lucien held his hands up. ¡°Little ladies are not supposed¨C¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t have time for this,¡± I groaned. ¡°Please. Someone. Anyone.¡±

    Lucien snorted. ¡°Unfortunately. We are almost out of time. At least, I am.¡±

    I threw my arms up. ¡°Of course! We¡¯re always out of time, apparently.¡±

    Lucien nodded. ¡°Indeed we are, and this time. I mean it.¡± He held a hand up. ¡°Oscar. Flip it!¡±

    A loud metal thunk came from behind Lucien. ¡°It¡¯s best you and the others get up here; don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll help.¡± He began to quickly come down the steps.

    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± I asked hesitantly.

    ¡°My team and I.¡± Lucien motioned over his shoulder. ¡°Is about to trigger an aetherophasic pulse. In other words.¡± He made a gesture of his fingers exploding outward. ¡°Big, but not fatal, boom.¡±

    ¡°Huh?!¡±

    ¡°Luna, please listen to him. Once that pulse detonates. You and I will lose contact, temporarily.¡±

    ¡°Of fucking course,¡± I swore and immediately took note of the high-pitched hum emanating from the magrite pillar as well as its already blinding light becoming brighter.

    With Lucien''s help, we rounded up my mother, who was beginning to stir but still unable to walk, and Aunt Saria and quickly carried them into the control room. It wasn¡¯t a large area; with the seven of us and the handful of chairs bolted in front of the consoles, the room was tightly packed.

    Closing the door, Lucien breathed and said, ¡°It¡¯s been an honor serving with you all.¡± My heart sank, and looking at Oscar and the Yanks, I saw Oscar¡¯s eyes bulging. Noticing our shocked looks, Lucien held his hands out. ¡°So-sorry, I don¡¯t mean that as in we¡¯re going to die! I mean, that our mission is complete.¡± The man held an open palm to his forehead as he saluted us. ¡°Till next time.¡± He nodded to me.

    ¡°Wait, what?¡± I gawked as the high-pitched hum grew louder, the light more blinding, and soon. The world distorted, sound twisted, and became nonsense. The colors once again became negative, and my stomach did somersaults as my brain screamed. Nothing felt right. My body felt empty; the air from my lungs was gone, and I couldn¡¯t breathe. I tried to make my brain command my body, but nothing happened; I couldn¡¯t feel a thing. I couldn¡¯t see anything. It was like I was nowhere but everywhere, and suddenly. I was back.

    All of us dropped to our knees, our hands clutching our heads. I couldn¡¯t control myself; my stomach churned, and I vomited heavily onto the floor alongside a few others. Tears ran down my cheeks as I choked and sobbed as I tried to breathe sharply through my nose and out my mouth to calm my guts.

    ¡°What the fuck was that?!¡± I heard my mother gag as whatever the hell just happened snapped her awake.

    I panted and whined for another minute and finally straightened up. Looking at where Lucien was, I was stunned but not surprised to find he was gone. Instead, I was furious. ¡°You have to be kidding me?¡± I threw my hands up into the air and groaned as I slumped back onto my calves and rested on my knees.

    For what felt like a minute, I stared at the door where Lucien had been standing shortly before. The others behind me groggily regained their senses, and I heard my mother cough heavily before she asked, ¡°Luna, what is going on? What happened?¡±

    Her voice snapped me back to the present, and I winced as my head throbbed with a migraine that just wouldn¡¯t go away. I reached up and rubbed my temple gently as I turned to look at my mother. ¡°I-I don¡¯t know¡­ I-I think we won?¡± I said with an uplift, unsure of what happened.

    ¡°Indeed,¡± Oscar said with a cough of his own. He cleared his throat. ¡°If everything went well. Pulse disrupt machines.¡±

    ¡°What machines?¡± I asked as I grunted and got to my feet, careful not to step in the bile on the floor. My nose wrinkled as the nauseating scent of bile began to permeate around the room.

    ¡°Ones in cylinders,¡± Oscar tried to say. ¡°The ones that fell from the sky. We tuned the machine." He gestured to the console. ¡°To dispel magic, as Lucien said.¡±

    Oh shit, I briefly thought. Well, that¡¯s good to hear they¡¯re disabled now¡­ I hope.

    That wasn¡¯t enough for my mother. ¡°I mean, what happened to Saria and me? Who attacked us?¡±

    ¡°The archbishop did,¡± I said to her, and then immediately, my heart leaped into my throat.

    The book! My head swiveled left and right, and immediately, I sighed with relief when I found the black book on the floor. Except the crystal embedded in it was the thing that housed Putinov¡¯s soul¡ªor at least a part of it¡ªand it was shattered.

    Uh-oh¡­ Uh¡­ These were the only helpful thoughts that came to my mind. Man, I¡¯m great during emergencies, not.

    I bent down and picked up the heavy book. ¡°This book came to life and attacked us,¡± I told her. ¡°It contained Putinov¡¯s soul, or at least that¡¯s what the Master said, but now¡­ now it¡¯s broken.¡± I gulped and showed everyone the shattered crystal.

    ¡°It housed his soul?¡± My mother blinked slowly.

    ¡°Part of it,¡± I said. ¡°The body we saw, the Master said, was some kind of empty shell he used to carry the book.¡± I bit my lower lip, hoping I remembered that correctly.

    My mother¡¯s face scrunched with perplexion. An expression I was not keen on. With her being the magical expert and all here, I was not inspired at all when I heard her audibly say, ¡°Huh?¡±

    ¡°Momma?¡± I prompted her. ¡°Would that be spirimancy?¡±

    My mother¡¯s tired, groggy look softened as she shifted to her knees and rested back on her calves as she smoothed out her clothes. She glanced at the floor and then shrugged. ¡°I would think so¡­ Soul transferring is something I¡¯m not familiar with. I don¡¯t think anyone except for the few scholars who study spirimancy is. Unfortunately, I-I think I¡¯m out of my element here.¡±

    ¡°Aye. So am I.¡± Oscar grunted with a firm nod before turning back towards the three yanky soldiers who were squabbling.

    That¡¯s when my heart leaped into my throat again. The surviving soldiers outside the containment room! They would¡¯ve been caught directly in that ather-pulse if what we experienced sealed in the control was terrible. I feared what those four remaining soldiers went through, if they survived at all.

    ¡°Luna, wait!¡± My mother called to me, but I ignored her as I jumped to my feet and went for the door. With a hefty grunt, I shoved the metal door partially open and squeezed through the gap. The air outside smelt burnt and heavy with ozone. I wanted to gag, but instead, I opted to pull the collar of my blouse up and over my nose. It did little to stop the smell.

    Hopping down the steps, I reached the ground floor and scanned the area. Immediately to my left beside the stairs was¡ªnot Putinov¡¯s corpse, but a pile of gore. A mushy, bloody mound of flesh that vaguely resembled the shape of the formerly sleeping body.

    My gut churned, and I nearly screamed as I clenched my eyes shut and looked away. Taking sharp breaths through my nose and out my mouth, I calmed my queasy tummy and prayed that the soldiers did not suffer a similar fate as I pushed onwards.

    The room was dim. While still active, the sizeable magrite pillar in the center emitted a deep hum, and the light it cast was dim and no longer blinding. I could feel a faint vibration in the air coming from it in waves, and such a feeling did little to make my poor stomach feel better, but I pressed forward, scanning everywhere I could find the survivors.

    To my relief. They were fine. At least as fine as they could be right now. I found the four remaining soldiers on the far end of the room below the area where I and the Master hid when clinging to the ceiling. They were behind large metal beams, possibly taking shelter from whatever happened to the magrite pillar before the pulse.

    All four of them were unconscious, pale, and covered in bile. Everyone was regretting having eaten a hefty breakfast and lunch today. Their breathing was shallow, and I¡¯ll admit I wasn¡¯t a certified doctor, but from a preliminary check-over. I could give their chances of survival a solid gold, maybe. I tried to cast a rejuvenation on each of them, but as Oscar and Lucien said, there was no magic after that pulse.

    I felt empty. Not in the sense of spell fatigue. Spell fatigue isn¡¯t the same as having no magic, or mana, or ether, or whatever you want to call it. Spell fatigue is like muscle fatigue; it¡¯s how much your body can take channeling ether. In this case, I wasn¡¯t fatigued; I just had no ether to channel.

    Which was once again infuriating. I felt so useless. This entire day, I felt useless. I don¡¯t know what¡¯s going on; I feel out of my element, and it¡¯s like I have no control. I thought I was, but then shit went south after the Rusivite attack, and then some stranger started bitching at my family, telling us we needed to stop the archbishop. Fuck, I don¡¯t even know who that guy was or is. Everything is happening so fast. I just can¡¯t take it anymore, dammit.

    ¡°Luna!¡± I heard my mother call out to me from the other end of the reactor. I pulled back from the unconscious soldier and turned towards her voice. She stood at the top of the stairs beside the control room, leaning over the railing. ¡°Is everything okay?¡± She called over to me.

    Not really. I wanted to say. I was magicless, clueless, and overall just worthless. You would think I¡¯m being hard on myself, but think about it. What had I really done since shit went south? Nothing. At most, I was a pilot for the Master who immediately took over when things got kinetic. I understand that I¡¯m just a kid again; I have no skills. Yes, I can make things go boom with my spells and do a couple of neat magic tricks, but that doesn¡¯t mean I know how to implement them effectively. The brute force worked at the prison because I had allies. If it wasn¡¯t for the Master assuming control of me, Putinov would¡¯ve just splattered me against the wall or disappeared me like he did those soldiers.

    I have no agency. I have no control, and it stinks, dammit. I balled my fists and took a deep breath. Stop bitching. I told myself. Embrace the suck. Things will get better¡­ will they?

    I heard my mother call out to me again as she began to come down the stairs, and I swallowed down the lump of self-pity. ¡°I-I¡¯m okay!¡± I shouted back. ¡°I-I was just checking on these guys.¡± I gestured to the unconscious soldiers, my voice wavering as my adrenaline came down.

    As I got to my feet, my body trembled. My head and body throbbed, and the magic I had used to relieve the pain was dismissed when the pillar erupted. The moment my mother hit the bottom of the stairs, she jogged over to me, and I met her halfway. Without a word, she dropped to her knees and threw her arms around me, pulling me into a soft hug.

    If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.

    With my face buried in her bosom, I merely closed my eyes and allowed myself to relax as she gripped me tightly and stroked my hair. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry,¡± she whispered, ¡°I-I wasn¡¯t paying attention. If I had noticed the book I-¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s okay, Momma,¡± I mumbled back as I wrapped my arms around her and returned the hug. ¡°The Master protected me.¡±

    My mother snorted and smiled. ¡°He did more than protect you,¡± she said, though I hinted at a note of jealousy in her tone. ¡°He stopped whatever was going on.¡±

    ¡°And Oscar.¡± I added, and she simply nodded.

    ¡°Did he¡­ possess you again?¡± My mother asked hesitantly, and I responded with a nod. I felt her tense after that.

    ¡°If he hadn¡¯t done so,¡± I said slowly but in a soft voice, ¡°we wouldn¡¯t have won.¡± I sniffed. ¡°And I hate that,¡± I heard myself saying. ¡°I don¡¯t like this, Momma.¡±

    ¡°I know you don¡¯t,¡± she cooed and stroked my hair.

    Inside I could feel my heart swelling as emotions I could hardly control boiled over. ¡°I wanna go home,¡± I choked up as my head throbbed more and my legs quivered. ¡°I want to go back to how things were. I hate running away, I hate seeing people get hurt, and I hate being out of the loop. Why is everything going to crap?¡±

    My mother held me a little tighter as she kissed the top of my head. ¡°I don¡¯t know, Sweetie. I wish I could tell you why, and I wish I could fix things for you.¡± Her voice also quivered. ¡°I wish I could protect you better.¡±

    I took in a couple of sharp breaths to try and calm my nerves. ¡°You are protecting me,¡± I said, though my mother shook her head.

    ¡°No. Not as well as I should¡¯ve.¡± She sniffed and pulled back to look at me. Yet, as our eyes met, her face broke, and she hugged me again. ¡°All of this is my fault.¡± She gripped me tighter as her voice cracked. ¡°I-If I had tr-trusted Lorzio¡¯s words more¡­ if I hadn¡¯t hesitated. We wouldn¡¯t be here¡­ none of this wouldn¡¯t have happened.¡± She cried.

    I blinked and froze. ¡°Mr. Blaxen?¡± I asked, my eyes wide as I stared straight ahead, no longer returning the hug.

    It felt like years since I had seen the valendi man, though it¡¯s only been about a month. We had encountered him at the city hall when he had urged my family to leave. He had also been the one who told my family of the coming onslaught just under a year ago.

    ¡°Wait¡­¡± I whispered as the memory flashed before my eyes.

    Her expression back then at the courthouse. There was guilt in her eyes as she stared at Varis and me.

    ¡°What do you mean?¡± I asked, knowing at the time, my parents and Isa had tried to conceal the information from us. ¡°How much did you know?¡±

    My mother sniffed. ¡°As much as Lorizio told us,¡± she whispered. ¡®Your father believed him, but¡­ I didn¡¯t. Not entirely it. I was such an idiot.¡± She swore. ¡°I thought it was just doomsay, and after he backstabbed us years ago, I didn¡¯t want to believe anything.¡±

    I couldn¡¯t help it. I could feel an anger brewing inside me. ¡°You¡¯re telling me we could¡¯ve avoided all of this?¡± I asked my mother, and she nodded. It was my turn to feel conflicted. I wanted to be mad and shout and scream at her for being an idiot, but I held my tongue as a thought came to me. ¡°But.. I thought we didn¡¯t leave soon because the wagon father ordered it kept getting pushed back, and then it was stolen.¡±

    My mother let off a pathetic laugh as she shook her head. ¡°We didn¡¯t need a wagon, Luna,¡± my mother sulked. ¡°We could¡¯ve packed what we needed and left on foot. We would¡¯ve waited till spring and left during the wet season; it would¡¯ve been rough, but it could be done. Your father suggested the wagon at the time because we needed one anyway, plus it would allow us to travel comfortably. Plus, Lorizio¡¯s projection assumed we had plenty of time. However, when the first delay came around, your father suggested we walk or hitchhike¡­¡±

    ¡°But you said no?¡± I whispered, my fury returning. ¡°Why?!¡±

    ¡°Because I didn¡¯t want to believe!¡± My mother snapped, but I knew it wasn¡¯t directed at me but herself. ¡°The world hasn¡¯t seen a conflict like this in millennia. I-I thought Lorizio was overreacting. Luna, your father, and I have seen the world. We¡¯ve traveled far and even dabbled in politics. Nations are always posturing and making empty threats. This time, I thought it would¡¯ve been that again¡­ and I was wrong. I was arrogant; I let my emotions get the better of me¡­¡±

    I let my arms fall loose around my sides and gripped my tiny fists. I was mad, yes. Though I, too, was naive as well. At the time, I also had hopes that everything would fizzle out, and I assumed it was both of my parents who were the reason why we stayed up until the last minute. Okay, not the last minute; no one expected the Rusivites to skip the frontlines and attack Oren directly. The point is, the whole reason we were in this was because of my mother¡¯s stubbornness.

    ¡°If you didn¡¯t believe Lorizio, why did you and Dad decide to send me off to a wizard school next year?¡± I asked as I pushed myself away from my mother.

    ¡°We did decide that,¡± she said with a sigh. ¡°It was your father¡¯s idea. Personally, I wanted to teach you myself, though as I said, he truly believed Lorizio. We tried to keep our arguments away from you kids. We never planned on living in Oren forever anyway, so I finally yielded to him. He was coming up with these ideas on the fly, and neither of us wanted to scare you kids. So we used that as an excuse.¡± She took a deep breath as I stood there wide-eyed. ¡°Your father and Isa were scared¨C¡±

    ¡°Isa knew far beforehand too?!¡± I gasped, and my mother slowly nodded.

    ¡°Yes. She was far more eager to get going but understood that we didn¡¯t want to scare you kids. I told her that Lorizio explained to us that we had over a year to prepare. Which is another reason why I wasn¡¯t so hasty to leave. We wanted to come up with an excuse for why we had to leave, and so we decided that Rennford Academy would¡¯ve been best¡­¡± Sighed. ¡°But we¡¯ve seen how that turned out.¡±

    I couldn¡¯t believe it. Before, I had thought everything had just been circumstantial. That we had just a nonstop turn of bad events. Except no, it was because of my stubborn and untrustworthy mother. When we returned from our camping trip, the soldiers marching outside our house proved to my mother that Lorizio was right. By that point, it was mostly too late. Of course, they expected we had at least another six months, but even then. We could¡¯ve left far sooner¡­

    It doesn¡¯t matter; what¡¯s done is done. Now isn¡¯t the time to be having this talk. I told myself as I glanced back at the control room and saw Oscar and the Yankys stepping out of the room. ¡°Momma,¡± I said, looking back at her. ¡°Remind me in the future to never go gambling with you.¡±

    The joke didn¡¯t go over well with her, but it made me feel slightly better.

    <hr>

    We had gathered the unconscious soldiers along with my aunt and laid them off to the side of the reactor room near the stairs to the control center. By this point, my adrenaline had faded completely, and I was exhausted. Every inch of my body was screaming for me to climb into a bed and die. I wanted my magic to return so badly so I could purge myself of all aches, but I couldn¡¯t, as the magic within the pillar had yet to return.

    Aside from how I physically felt. Mentally, I was still recovering from the brain-blasting realization that all of this bullshit we were going through was because my mother is awful when it comes to reading the room. My bonehead of a father also wasn¡¯t off my hit list either. After all, he was an accomplice in my mother¡¯s actions; if he had at least tried to smack some common sense into her, things would¡¯ve probably been different.

    But I had to tell myself what¡¯s done is done. I can¡¯t go back in time and call my mother stupid and fix the stupid mistakes she created. Also, if things hadn¡¯t turned out as they did, I probably would¡¯ve never met Oscar or Anne. Hell, the two of them would probably be dead.

    Silver linings, Luna. Keep searching for the silver linings. That¡¯s how I¡¯ve always made it through life.

    My mother knew I was pissed at her. Even though I hadn¡¯t explicitly said anything to her to express that. My face said it all. Seeing her expression every time I glanced at her made being angry very difficult. She looked miserable, like a child who was denied cookies. It was awful, and I wanted to shout at her to stop being sad because it made me sad.

    God, why can¡¯t I be mad? I wanted to scream at her, but her puppy dog look was adorable, and I hated seeing her upset. Comparing my mother to a puppy is probably something I shouldn¡¯t do. The point is that she¡¯s a very hard person to be mad at. It¡¯s moments like this I wish I could just shut off the part of me that¡¯s so empathetic.

    After we had moved the unconscious folk into a relatively safe location, I spent much of the brief downtime sitting on the steps outside the control room. It¡¯s been roughly ten or twenty minutes since the ather-pulse-thingy dispelled all the magic in the city. How could that happen, though? I thought to myself, partly hoping the Master would chime in, but as expected, he said nothing. God, I hope he comes back soon.

    ¡°Are you well?¡± Oscar¡¯s voice startled me, and I jerked where I sat and glanced up at the older elf. He smiled sheepishly at me and gestured towards me with open hands as if presenting something. ¡°You look¡­ bad for someone who¡­ kicks ass as the kids say?¡± He said with an uplift that sounded more like a question.

    Hearing the man¡¯s disjointed Maurich made me snort. ¡°I should feel that way, yes.¡± I nodded. ¡°But, that wasn¡¯t me doing all the flying around.¡± I twirled my finger.

    ¡°Man in head?¡± Oscar asked as he tapped his forehead. ¡°Mystery voice?¡±

    For some reason, I¡¯d forgotten Oscar was aware of the Master, or at least the voice in my head that warned us whenever the Rusivite machines were coming. Also, I should¡¯ve known that he and Isa spoke a lot during our travels, mainly in Yanky, as that was Oscar¡¯s native language, so I never knew what they were talking about unless I asked.

    Hearing he was partially aware, my shoulders, which I hadn¡¯t noticed, were tense and relaxed, and I nodded. ¡°Yeah, after we parted ways at the refugee camp and went on that stupid but successful,¡± I hastily added, ¡°rescue mission. The¡­ Master took control of me to save us all.¡±

    ¡°He¨Cuh¨Cit?¡±

    ¡°He,¡± I said, and Oscar nodded.

    ¡°He can do that?¡± He asked, and once again, I bobbed my head slowly.

    ¡°Yes, but¡­ He said it takes a lot of power for him to do so. Afterward, he only appeared briefly to tell us to find the heart.¡± I pointed towards the floor. ¡°Of the city. Which is apparently here. A place of power, he called it.¡± Oscar nodded but said nothing, so I continued, ¡°I dunno if this is some sort of¡­¡± I wanted to say antenna but couldn¡¯t think of a word that wasn¡¯t English and snapped my fingers, ¡°A receptor of sorts. A place we can communicate while he recharged.¡±

    That¡¯s when Oscar¡¯s eyes widened and floored me as he snapped his fingers and said, ¡°Like a radio antenna!¡± He didn¡¯t actually say radio antenna; he really said some crazy Yanky words I would butcher if I tried to repeat them, but when he jankily explained it, that¡¯s what it roughly translated into once I understood.

    ¡°Back home,¡± Oscar explained, ¡°we study new methods of communication outside of magic.¡± This caused my eyebrow to arch, and he smirked. ¡°Magic thought infallible.¡± He shook his head. ¡°No true. Magic, easily fallible when other casters involved. So, Yankys work on new device called radio.¡± He held a finger to his lips. ¡°It is secret. You heard not from me.¡±

    I nodded and mimicked, zipping my lips. Honestly, I was fascinated by what he was telling me. Enora¡¯s time scale is not exactly the same as Earth''s. I¡¯m no astronomer, but the planet''s revolution around the Sun was slightly longer than Earth''s, give or take a month. Again, I¡¯m no expert, and I don¡¯t have a calendar at the moment to double-check. What I¡¯m getting at is that if the years were comparable to what I knew of Earth''s history, knowing that just now radios were being invented after all the crazy shit I¡¯ve seen was whacky.

    As an ignorant adult, or, uh, kid? Anyway, I¡¯m not smart. Everyone thinks I am, but that¡¯s because they¡¯re ignorant of where my true strength lies. Yes, I¡¯m saying idiocy can be a strength! Anyway, I¡¯m getting sidetracked.

    I always pictured civilization growing up as a game of Sid Meir¡¯s Civilization. Everyone starts in the Stone Age, and slowly, you progress down the technology tree along with everyone else. Yeah, no. My belief in that system was stupidly wrong. Many historians would probably also agree and call me a dummy, but I say nothing to them because they¡¯re right.

    Enora looked at such a system, and if history is to be believed, she looked to Papa Merlin, the God of Magic and Knowledge, and simply asked for the cool tech to be given to them right away, like some spoiled teenage girl asking her wealthy parents for the most expensive car at a dealership. Of course, that¡¯s not exactly what happened; the Dark Lord was trying to take over the world, and Merlin threw the natives a bone, but again, that¡¯s if history is to be believed.

    If only the God of Earth, if there was one, did that instead of leaving us to ourselves.

    Why am I going on and on about how fascinating it is to see another world develop? Because I¡¯m scared, frustrated, and trying to distract myself. Oscar coming to talk to me has been a fantastic distraction thus far.

    ¡°What were we talking about?¡± I asked, responding to Oscar¡¯s suggestion. I heard nothing.

    Oscar smirked. ¡°Exactly.¡± He giggled and took a seat on the stairs beside me. ¡°Tell me. What is really bothering you?¡± He asked in a shockingly coherent sentence; I guess that¡¯s something he had to ask Anne a lot.

    ¡°A lot of things,¡± I mumbled.

    ¡°Would talking make you feel better?¡± He asked.

    It¡¯s better than being stuck alone with my thoughts. I wanted to say that but opted for ¡°I think so.¡± I took a deep breath and said nothing. Not because I had nothing to discuss but because I had no idea where to start.

    Of course, I had no intention of telling Oscar the whole truth; he, or anyone for that matter, had no reason to know I was actually some thirty-four-year-old schmuck stuck in the body of a seven-year-old girl. Well, technically, I¡¯d be twenty-seven because that¡¯s when the old me got killed, though I guess my time as Luna would mentally put me at thirty-four. If I¡¯m being really honest, though, mentally, I¡¯m more like seventeen or eighteen because I feel no different from when I graduated, but uh-shit, I¡¯m avoiding the topic.

    What I¡¯m trying to say is that back then, it meant nothing. If people knew I was reincarnated, it''d serve them nothing. Sure, where I came from, there was a lot of technology that could help Heinmarr and the Alliance beat the Rusivites, right? No. I worked in IT tech support at the first level. I helped people unfreeze their Outlook emails and recover lost documents. If you want to get more specific, it was a law firm¡¯s tech support, in which I learned a little bit about US law. Whoopie-fucking-doo. I wasn¡¯t some army engineer or some dude who worked at Lockheed Martin. I know nothing. I never went to college or anything. I have nothing to give to these people aside from stories. Sure, I can tell people humanity got to the moon using tin cans and highly dangerous chemical rockets, but I certainly couldn¡¯t tell them how.

    I am no one special, and that¡¯s what annoys the shit out of me. I¡¯m grateful that the Master brought me back; I¡¯m happy that, in a sense, I am still alive, but why? Why me? Why not have some super strong SAS or Navy Seal special forces operators? Or, I dunno, some super-intelligent engineer guy who could share their knowledge with the natives. Indeed, that¡¯s the impression I¡¯m getting from the Rusivites. Either those guys had a huge scientific breakthrough, or they¡¯re gaining knowledge from someone or something.

    So why me? What makes me unique?

    ¡°It¡¯s about who you were.¡± The memory of the Master¡¯s voice rang in my mind.

    Who I was? If that¡¯s the case, the one who came before Luna was no one special. They were nothing but a fat, lazy, and severely insecure man who spent years hiding in their room. Nothing they did was remarkable.

    Fuck I got sidetracked.

    As I came to my senses, I noticed Oscar was still patiently waiting. For a man who had to watch over his niece, he was probably used to things like this. I took in some air and sighed.

    ¡°I feel like things are going to get worse,¡± I said softly. ¡°That this is only the tip of what¡¯s to come. Lucien told us that Putinov wasn¡¯t a Rusivite collaborator, that he was working with the Church¡ªI mean, cult. The Master¡­¡± I tapped my forehead. ¡°Confirmed this; he told me that these people. These religious nut jobs want to bring their god to this world and end everything.¡±

    Oscar kept his face straight, but I could see in his eyes he was deeply disturbed by what I had just said.

    I went on, ¡°I feel like no matter what we do. It¡¯s going to stink. I don¡¯t want this. I never asked for it¡­¡± I trailed off momentarily and whispered, ¡°None of us asked for this. The Master said he needed me.¡± I tapped my chest. ¡°That I need to help him save the world or some cliche bullcrap. That I was some special chosen one, which of fucking course!¡± I swore Oscar¡¯s eyes widened, but he said nothing as he left me to vent.

    ¡°Of course, it¡¯s a chosen one plot. Just like in the stories, I get picked as the one to save the world, usually, in such stories the main characters are happy, or their egos balloon¡ªno! I don¡¯t want that. I don¡¯t want to be a hero; I don¡¯t want to be burdened with that. I¡¯m seven, goddammit. You don¡¯t just walk up to a child and drop something like that on them. He manipulated me. Twisted my thoughts and memories and forced me to march into a woods where I was nearly eaten alive by monsters, after that he told me I was a hero, and then¡ª" I snapped my fingers "¡ªwiped my memory like that. Made me forget so I wouldn¡¯t tell anyone. He did that multiple times. Then the Rusivites invaded, and the happy life I was enjoying was just snatched away. I then got blown up, and suddenly I have a new voice in my head, one that I hadn¡¯t told you about.¡±

    I was on a roll. ¡°This super pretty looking lady with multicolored eyes came to me and started to talk about her ¡°Father¡± and how we weren¡¯t supposed to meet yet; here I was before her. She told me not to trust the Master guy because he wants to manipulate me, which, no shit I knew that. So I asked her what she and her Father want, and she told me they want to end all death and suffering, and that Father wants to reclaim what was his or some bullshit. She sugarcoated it so much it became fucking sour. I did not trust her, nor do I want to trust her. There¡¯s a difference between an asshole and someone trying to hide the fact they¡¯re an asshole.¡± I looked at Oscar, whose eyes were wide and his mouth slightly agape.

    I went on anyway, ¡°The first one. You know what you¡¯re getting. The guy is a shady dick, but he¡¯s been upfront about it and is pretty helpful. The second one promises to help but is secretly hiding the shady shit they¡¯re doing. The rest of it, you sort of know, you were there for it. Fast forward to now.¡± I turned my gaze out towards the room.

    I could see my mother checking on the unconscious while the three Yanky soldiers kept watch near the entrance. I took one big breath and sighed heavily, ¡°Now there¡¯s a third voice.¡± I reached into my pocket and took out the caster Oscar had given me. Surprisingly, despite all the tumbles I went through, the thing was still intact.

    Oscar blinked slowly and took a breath of his own. ¡°Ben has spoken to you too?¡±

    I glanced at him. ¡°Who?¡±

    ¡°The¡­¡± He thought of the words. ¡°Asshole in Caster? Did they guide you here?¡±

    I snorted and nodded. ¡°They were a jerk, alright,¡± I said, censoring myself this time. Yes, they were the ones who led us here, though they told us to call them ¡°Ami.¡±

    ¡°Ami?¡± He blinked. ¡°Sounds Naponi.¡±

    I shook my head. ¡°It¡¯s French.¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡± Oscar blinked, and I mentally scolded myself.

    ¡°It¡¯s a language that Ami and Lucien speak,¡± I somewhat lied. Part of it was genuine. I didn¡¯t know if Ami was some French guy like Lucien or¡­ No. No. That¡­ it couldn¡¯t be.

    ¡°Oscar,¡± I said slowly as I turned to look at him. ¡°When you went to set off the reactor, did¡­ Ami guide you through the process when Lucien joined you?¡±

    Oscar thought about it for a second, then his eyes narrowed, and in Yanky, he said something that sounded very much like a curse word. ¡°You think,¡± he said, coming to the same conclusion as me. "Ben, is that Lucien person?¡±

    For a moment, I allowed myself to smirk, and I nodded. ¡°I think so¡­ It makes sense.¡±

    ¡°How so?¡± he asked.

    ¡°I met Lucien and Putinov the day before when they came to my aunt¡¯s home. Not even a day later, I¡¯m suddenly getting messages from them, and so are you.¡±

    ¡°The day after I gave you the caster yes.¡± Oscar nodded.

    ¡°That¡¯s also when the archbishop enacted their plan to blow up this reactor.¡± I gripped my chin in thought as, this time, I was on a different kind of roll. ¡°I doubt Putinov knew the Rusivites were going to attack; he also noted that he had been searching for something, and he said I was an anomaly. The only one with Putinov was Lucien, which the archbishop said was his scribe.¡±

    Oscar¡¯s smile widened, and his eyes twinkled. ¡°Message.¡±

    I blinked. ¡°Pardon?¡±

    ¡°The spell. Message¡­¡± Oscar cleared his throat. ¡°Mrs. Ashflow!¡± He startled me when he called for my mother. ¡°Please, come.¡± He motioned.

    ¡°Wh-what are you doing?!¡± I hissed, still not in the mood to speak to her.

    ¡°On the topic of magic.¡± Oscar smirked. ¡°I think it¡¯s best we call an expert.¡±

 Chapter 100: Face to Face

    My mother tapped her chin thoughtfully as she leaned against the wall beside Oscar, and I sat on the stairs. Lifting her head, she took a deep breath and said, ¡°It sounds like Orethon¡¯s Message, mixed with Alanguard¡¯s Contact.¡±

    Well, that¡¯s super helpful, I thought with an internal eye roll. Unfortunately, my knowledge of magic was elementary. With us constantly being on the run and fighting, I never had the time to sit and truly spend some time studying.

    ¡°What are those?¡± I asked as Oscar nodded along with my question.

    My mother inadvertently crossed her arms across the lower portion of her torso, propping up her chest. She tilted her head to one side and explained, "Well, they¡¯re two forms of communication spells. Message is exactly as it sounds; it¡¯s a single message conveyed verbally, then transmitted across a small distance, roughly a gilo or so. If there¡¯s no large obstructions and you know the general direction of the receiver before the message is planted telepathically in one¡¯s head. Imagine if I could take my words now and well¡­ Actually, I¡¯ll demonstrate.¡± My mother rolled her shoulders and pushed herself off the wall, turning to me. She held her index finger and middle finger to her lips while keeping the rest of her hand folded into a partial fist.

    Taking a deep breath, she whispered, ¡°I¡¯ve used this hundreds, if not thousands, of times back in the day. I had mastered the art of casting it without incantations or prep. It comes naturally.¡±

    Except those words just then did not sound like a whisper. Instead, it was as if she was right behind me, speaking calmly into my ear. Her voice was perfectly clear as if I had thought those words. Goosebumps formed all over me, and I shivered and instinctively glanced over my shoulder.

    ¡°Whoa.¡± I gulped as I turned back to her. ¡°How come you never used that spell back home when Varis and I were running around?¡± I asked.

    My mother smiled. ¡°Mostly because, if you remember, I didn¡¯t want you kids knowing I was capable of such feats.¡± She sighed. ¡°But also because the spell is quite limiting. As mentioned, I would need to know your general direction as well as if there¡¯s any obstructions or not. Such as a tall and thick wall, like two feet of stone or a thin sheet of metal, that sort of stuff. The spell can¡¯t really move around obstacles; it mostly travels in a straight line from where you cast it. While we don¡¯t see it, the message physically moves; it doesn¡¯t just appear.¡± She snapped her finger. ¡°Like contact does.¡±

    ¡°Wait,¡± I said, confused. ¡°If the spell physically sends messages, how come the soldiers could communicate using the message stones?¡± I asked, recalling the magical items used during the prison assault. ¡°Those stones were instant.¡±

    My mother nodded. ¡°They appear instant, yes, but that¡¯s because the spell travels at an immensely fast speed.¡±

    I pursed my lips. Sounds like radio communication. While I¡¯m not inherently intelligent. I was a fan of science fiction, or really, I still am. I just haven¡¯t had the time to enjoy more of it. While science fiction is still fiction, it still comes with tiny bits of truth sprinkled into the fantasy. What I mean is much of the science stuff I do know came from things like Star Trek and the like. Radio waves travel at the speed of light; back on Earth, such things seemed instant, but that was because of how small Earth is compared to how far light can move. For instance, the moon to the earth I knew was approximately one light second. Meaning the light you see on the moon was from one second ago. Thus, during the Apollo missions, communication between the astronauts on the moon and those working on the ground had a three-second delay. Or if you¡¯re familiar with the Mars rovers, you¡¯d know that communication between them and NASA is roughly three to four minutes. Cool right? Being a science nerd does have its benefits.

    Of course, magic is entirely different, but science does help me when it comes to creating a mental picture of things. It also gives me that false feeling of thinking I understand, so I don¡¯t feel stupid.

    ¡°How does contact work?¡± Oscar asked, leaning in with an intrigued look.

    My mother¡¯s smile widened, and her eyes twinkled excitedly. ¡°That one is much better but requires much more ether and is overall a bit complex. I¡¯ll be honest and say that even I don¡¯t fully understand its inner workings, though I¡¯ll tell you what I do know. The rough idea of what I know is that ether, when channeled in a particular way, can push through to other planes to create a shortcut towards its intended target. It also allows it so that you can communicate with those on other planes.¡±

    I cocked my head to one side. I vaguely recall Mother and Isa talking about ¡°planes¡± like dimensions. However, they had never gone into detail about it. The closest I remember is when Isa told Varis and me about the ¡°Fae Wylde,¡± but that was it.

    ¡°Wait,¡± I said, ¡°Planes? Like different dimensions?¡± As I asked, I saw my mother¡¯s face falter slightly, and she nodded.

    ¡°I don¡¯t have time to explain it, dear.¡± She sighed.

    At this point, Oscar said, ¡°We have three hours.¡± He huffed, "until the generator comes on.¡±

    This caught both my mother and me off guard. ¡°Three hours?¡±

    Oscar nodded. ¡°Ben said so.¡±

    ¡°This place will be swarming with soldiers by then,¡± my mother said after lowering her voice.

    ¡°Come then; I don¡¯t think I can speak with the Master,¡± I said, nodding in agreement. ¡°There¡¯ll be too many people around here.¡± I felt myself deflate a bit. Had this been for nothing? No way would the military allow us to stay down here; hell, they might bring us in for questioning again.

    My mother took a deep breath and shrugged. ¡°We¡¯ll just have to wait and find out,¡± she said, though her face told me she was thinking what I was thinking. ¡°I¡¯m sure the Master has a plan.¡±

    I snorted, and both Oscar and my mother cocked an eyebrow. ¡°That Lucien guy,¡± I said. ¡°When the Master found out that he and Ami were talking to us, he seemed frustrated. Like he didn¡¯t expect them to be here.¡±

    ¡°He didn¡¯t?¡± Oscar asked.

    I nodded. ¡°Yeah, when I told him, he said, ¡°bollocks.¡±¡± I mimicked his voice, which, of course, sounded nothing like him.

    ¡°Well shit,¡± my mother said flatly. ¡°So we¡¯re really doing this blind?¡± She asked though it was more of a statement.

    ¡°I guess so,¡± I said as we all sighed.

    ¡°But wait¡­¡± My mother said she snapped a finger. ¡°The vision you had, the one warning us of the coming attack¡ª¡±

    I sliced the air with a hand and said, ¡°Not him. I asked the Master about that too, and he had no recollection of such a vision or dream. Either I coincidentally had that dream, or someone else planted it.¡±

    ¡°Vision?¡± Oscar asked.

    My mother pursed her lips. ¡°How much does he know?¡± She asked me.

    Honestly, I said, ¡°As much as Mr. Reynolds needs to know. Which for the most part is that I have a voice in my head and that it can detect bad guys.¡±

    My mother nodded and turned to Oscar. ¡°Luna sometimes has dreams that seem to correlate with events before they happen.¡±

    Oscar¡¯s eyes widened, and he looked at me. ¡°Future you can see?¡± He asked, and I couldn¡¯t help but snort as he sounded like Yoda.

    I shook my head. ¡°Not exactly. The dreams¡­ they seem to imply what might happen, but I never seen them play out one for one¡­¡± I trailed off as my eyes widened.

    The probability spell. Is that what the Master uses to send me dreams? I shook my head. That was something I could ask him about later.

    I cleared my throat. ¡°They¡¯re visions that show events that could happen or what the Master thinks will happen. At least, that¡¯s what I speculate,¡± I admitted. All in all, I didn¡¯t know what those dreams were.

    My mother cleared her throat. ¡°Lets get back on the subject,¡± she said, reeling us back in. ¡°Luna, you think Lucien might be Ami?¡± She asked.

    ¡°I¡¯m guessing,¡± I admitted. ¡°Ami said their name is French and that Lucien guy speaks it; at least he said that¡¯s what it was when he visited Aunt Saria and Uncle Aenorin¡¯s home. Also, when Ami was being a jerk earlier I noticed that he got very angry when I called Lucien Lucy.¡± I smirked, proud of myself that I caught that detail.

    My mother nodded. ¡°I don¡¯t know if that means they¡¯re the same person, but they may be close. Or at least we know they¡¯re working together.¡±

    Oscar nodded. ¡°Ben also stopped talking when Lucien helped with the reactor." He jutted a thumb behind his shoulder towards the control room door.

    ¡°Who¡¯s Ben?¡± My mother asked.

    ¡°Ben is Ami,¡± I said before Oscar could answer. ¡°While Ami was helping us, they were also helping Oscar.¡± I briefly explained as the older elf nodded.

    ¡°Mrs. Ashflow,¡± Oscar began, though my mother held up a hand.

    ¡°Elder, please call me Cailynn.¡±

    ¡°Only if you call me Oscar,¡± The elder smirked, and my mother smiled and gave him a curt nod. Oscar continued, ¡°Cailynn, believe do you that, Ben-Ami?¡± He hesitated. ¡°What name should we assign?¡±

    My mother blinked as her mind tried to process the question. ¡°Oh!¡± Her eyes widened as recognition dawned on her. ¡°I think Ben is a good name. It¡¯s easy to say.¡±

    Both Oscar and I nodded in agreement as a brief, awkward silence fell over us. Oscar cleared his throat and held up a finger. ¡°However, question that was not,¡± he said. ¡°What I ask. Is¡­¡± His face scrunched as he tried to recall the words he wanted to use. ¡°Contact. Spell. Is that how Ben speaks?¡±

    My mother smiled. ¡°That¡¯s what I was wondering,¡± she said with a wave of her hand. ¡°The two examples I gave earlier were just that. Both spells require verbal communication, not text. That¡¯s how most magisters communicate; at least back when I was in the Concordium that¡¯s how things went. There are also a few other methods, but I think for this instance such spells are not appropriate due to their complexity. As much as I dislike this Ben character, they aren¡¯t stupid. The knowledge they expressed during our brief interaction showed me that whoever this is, they know what they¡¯re doing.¡±

    Oscar nodded. ¡°They showed great knowledge regarding Far Reachers. Knowledge I or my colleagues would salivate over.¡±

    This caused my mother to cock her head with curiosity. ¡°They do?¡±

    Oscar nodded. ¡°Ruins they guide us through; technology they controlled.¡± He waved his hands around the entire reactor room. ¡°Ben knew layout of hidden facility, led us to it, which made it so we find here.¡± He pointed to the ground.

    My mother looked at me and then back at Oscar. ¡°So Ben is some kind of Forgotten Empire scholar?¡± she asked, using another term I heard coined for the Far Reachers.

    Oscar shrugged. ¡°So I thought.¡±

    I held a hand like a student trying to get their teacher¡¯s attention. Seeing this, my mother couldn¡¯t help but smile and point to me. ¡°Go ahead, Star.¡± She hummed.

    I blushed faintly when she used the nickname she gave me. ¡°So you think Ben is using this contact spell to speak with us?¡± I asked.

    To my surprise, she shook her head no. Before I could say anything, she said, ¡°The reason being that Contact, to my knowledge, requires you to designate a target. Specifically, another person. Unfortunately, even I don¡¯t fully comprehend the specifics as to what criteria needs to be fulfilled. For instance, I have never met the Kaiser; therefore, if I tried to use Contact to speak with him, I cannot. Some magisters theorize it has to do with souls forming an unseen connection. Or perhaps mingling ether is involved¡ªbefore you ask, I do not feel qualified as of yet to explain the mingling ether theory. Point is, Ben would have to have met you at some point before they could contact you via the spell; even then, what he is doing wouldn¡¯t qualify.¡±

    Oscar pursed his lips. ¡°Then why mention the two?¡± He said it in a pretty coherent manner.

    ¡°Because I¡¯m trying to narrow down what it could be,¡± she sighed as she ran a hand through her hair. ¡°Such a form of communication like this hasn¡¯t been done before. I have never heard of an arcane device being manipulated into doing something it wasn¡¯t. At least, not on a whim like that.¡±

    Oscar nodded. ¡°Like Contact. Caster also works only with those you know.¡±

    I curled my lips in thought. ¡°Whoever they are,¡± I said, ¡°they must be strong. Or know stuff we don¡¯t.¡±

    ¡°Or both.¡± Oscar nodded.

    My mother released a shaky sigh and dropped her arms to her sides. ¡°I hate to say it, but I think you¡¯re right, Sweetie. Let¡¯s just hope they¡¯re on our side.¡±

    ¡°I think they are,¡± I said, rubbing my sore leg. ¡°The Master seemed familiar with them.¡±

    Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author''s preferred platform and support their work!

    ¡°Even then,¡± my mother said, ¡°it¡¯s best to play it safe, Luna.¡± I nodded.

    ¡°How pleasant,¡± The monotonous voice of the Master startled me. ¡°You were intelligent enough to stick around. Truly, this makes things easier for us.¡±

    Good afternoon, Sleeping Beauty. I smiled, looked at Mother and Oscar, and tapped the side of my head. ¡°Guess who decided to show up two hours early?¡± I said with a big grin.

    In a surprisingly annoyed tone, the Master scoffed, ¡°I was not sleeping! I was merely trying to re-establish a link, the amount of work it takes for me to do this from prison¨C¡±

    Yeah, yeah, it¡¯s tough for you. I was told you¡¯d be gone for like 4 hours. Suddenly, a terrible feeling struck me. Did the pulse not work?! Is everything going to shit up above¨C

    ¡°No, and if you¡¯ll let me speak and not wave me off, I¡¯ll explain, but not here.¡±

    ¡°Luna,¡± my mother leaned in, her expression focused. ¡°What is he saying?¡± she asked as one of the Yankys shouted for Oscar, who perked up.

    ¡°I¡¯ll be back,¡± he said, and immediately my brain thought of the Terminator. God, my brain really does wander during the best of times.

    ¡°Now isn¡¯t the time to think of movies.¡± The Master scolded as Oscar got up and walked towards the Yanky soldiers.

    How the hell do you know what movies are?

    ¡°I am literally in your head. I know what you know¨C¡±

    Wait, wait¡­ You can even see my memories?

    ¡°We¡¯ve discussed this.¡±

    Have we? I genuinely couldn¡¯t remember. You know what doesn¡¯t matter. Please don¡¯t go through my memories and such; that¡¯s creepy.

    ¡°Luna,¡± my mother prompted me.

    ¡°S-sorry, was having an argument.¡± I cleared my throat. ¡°He wants me to go talk to him somewhere.¡±

    ¡°The magrite pillar,¡± he said, which I relayed to my mother.

    Looking at the pillar, I noticed the faint glow had grown much brighter over the hour. From it, I could feel a tug. It is not a physical tug but something internal; it is a temptation. It was an odd sensation but not unwelcome. Or perhaps it was the Master making it feel that way, which was a thought I didn¡¯t like. Controlling my body was one thing; manipulating my thoughts and feelings was another.

    My mother looked at the magical pillar and then back to me. ¡°Is it safe?¡± She asked. ¡°I mean, getting close to it?¡±

    ¡°It is safe. The pillar itself is sealed and leaking nothing harmful. If damaged, however, that is another story,¡± The Master answered in my mind, which I then relayed to my mother.

    When I mentioned potential damage, my mother pursed her lips. "No, the pillar is not damaged. I said it was safe. If it was damaged, none of you would be alive.¡± I told my mother this, and she relaxed.

    ¡°One more thing then,¡± she said, wagging a finger in the air. ¡°How long will we be speaking?¡±

    ¡°She will not be joining us,¡± the Master said. ¡°The conversation will last as long as we need it, though to her, it may only feel like a few moments.¡±

    Excuse me? I thought. I had a feeling the conversation would be private. While the Master can possess and speak through me, I didn¡¯t know if that would be practical for a more long-form conversation. I¡¯m confused. What do you mean?

    ¡°What I mean is that our conversation will take place¡­ How can I dumb this down?¡±

    Okay, that insulted me. What do you mean by dumbing this down?

    ¡°Exactly that, Luna. I know for certain the magic and physics involved will go over your head. As mentioned, I can see, read, and hear all of your thoughts and memories if I want to. I know based on your past the knowledge you¨C¡±

    So you¡¯re calling me stupid. Only I can call myself stupid.

    ¡°What I¡¯m trying to say is¡­ Oh, there¡¯s no point.¡±

    Realized you¡¯re just going to dig your grave deeper?

    ¡°No, I realized that no matter what I say, it¡¯ll only hammer my point in further.¡±

    My mother looked at me with a concerned look when she noticed my expression. ¡°Luna?¡± She muttered as my left eye twitched.

    Part of me wished I could strangle the man in black. Alas, I couldn¡¯t and conceded. All right, fine. Can you at least try to explain it? Hit me.

    ¡°I warned you,¡± the Master muttered. ¡°I plan on using you to manipulate the magrite pillar into acting as a receiver to transfer your consciousness into a separate layer of reality. One in which would allow us to communicate at a higher level unrestricted by the restraints of time. To us, we can communicate for what feels like hours or days, where, on this layer of reality, the material realm, only moments would¡¯ve passed.¡±

    Well, that wasn¡¯t so bad; I-I think I can understand. Maybe. I dunno. We can talk real fast; that¡¯s all I got.

    ¡°And that was me dumbing it down for you,¡± the Master muttered.

    We did that before, right? When we first met?

    ¡°Oh?¡± He hummed pleasantly. ¡°You are correct. The structure you entered in the cave was close enough to a place of power for me to transport your conscience to my prison.¡±

    That explains why I woke up still at the front of the cave¡­ So, was that all a dream?

    ¡°No. Again, I am physically transporting your conscience¡ªnevermind, it¡¯s irrelevant. Please, go to the pillar. Tell your Mother she will not be waiting long.¡±

    So I did. My mother relaxed and stepped out of my way as I got up and stretched. Nervously, I hopped down the steps and rolled my sore shoulders as I began to walk toward the reactor. Some inner part of me who wasn¡¯t falling for that feeling of temptation was screaming at me not to go to it. The little voice was blabbering about how stupid it would be to walk up to a nuclear reactor, though I squashed those second thoughts by distracting myself with unhelpful questions.

    Master Guy? If this ¡°higher conscience¡± place is your prison and time is slow as hell there¡­ Does that mean¡ª

    Before I could finish the sentence, the Master said, ¡°If you¡¯re asking me if everything I experience here is slower than where you are, that is correct. A minute in your time feels like days or weeks. When I say I have been imprisoned for two thousand years, that is two thousand years in swift mortal time. To me, it has been far, far longer.¡±

    Can you guess how long it¡¯s been? I thought curiously as I neared the metallic base of the pillar. I could hear the Yanks questioning my actions as my mother went over to calm them.

    ¡°That is irrelevant¨C¡±

    Oh, c¡¯mon, please? I asked, genuinely curious.

    The Master sighed. ¡°I bring you here to discuss urgent matters, and all you want to know is how long I¡¯ve been suffering?¡±

    I paused and bit my lower lip. Ah, shit. When you put it like that, I sound like a dick¡­

    ¡°Indeed. Now, when you¡¯re ready. Place your hand on the pillar, the crystal portion. It¡¯ll feel warm, but do not worry.¡±

    I stepped onto a metal protrusion at the pillar''s base and propped myself up to face the crystalline structure. Already, the light was much brighter, nowhere near as blinding as it had been before, though I had to squint as I took a deep breath and reached for it. Just before my fingers made contact, I could feel the aforementioned warmth, and that little voice I had squashed before screamed not to do it.

    Then, I made contact. In an instant, a powerful surge of warm energy poured from the pillar and into my body. The sensation was euphoric, and my mind seized as the warmth quickly enveloped my body all within a microsecond, and abruptly, my vision went white. Like a flashbang from a video game, I was blinded and could only hear a sharp ring in my ear.

    I felt weird, weightless even. What the hell happened?

    A voice I recognized nearby spoke; it was the Man in Black. ¡°My apologies; the elevation went faster than I expected. I had to stop your conscience from expanding rapidly, so I created a bubble of materium to keep you stabilized.¡±

    I blinked a couple of times as my vision slowly returned to me. ¡°Wh-what?¡± I asked, not understanding what was said.

    ¡°Exactly,¡± the Master said simply. ¡°Trying to explain would be a waste. Just know that everything is fine now.¡±

    I shook my head as my vision returned fully, and we were standing¡­ nowhere. I could see, but there was nothing aside from myself, and off to my right was the Master. Everything else was simply a white void, like the place from my dream with Charity. The Man in Black stood out like a stain amongst the void and levitated towards me as we finally came face to face again.

    ¡°How are you feeling?¡± He asked as I honestly felt like ralphing.

    ¡°A bit nauseous now that I think about it¡­¡± I took in deep breaths. ¡°Wh-what is this place? Where are we? I thought we¡¯d be in your tower?¡±

    ¡°In a sense we are; I have just not had the time to generate it.¡±

    ¡°Generate it?¡± I blinked.

    He nodded. ¡°Yes. The times we had met have merely been ¡°stages¡± I constructed to suit my comfort as well as your own. My prison, as mentioned, is really a pocket in the upper stages of reality, limiting my conscience to what it could truly be. Even then, compared to your mortals, such a consciousness would appear vast and unlimited.¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡± Was all I could muster.

    The Man in Black frowned. ¡°Do you see why I refuse to answer most questions?¡±

    I shook my head. ¡°Yo-you said we have plenty of time here, guy. Please at least try to humor me, but try and explain it in a way I can understand.¡±

    The Master snorted. ¡°You speak as if I¡¯m some sort of AI from earth.¡±

    ¡°How do you¡ªoh, yeah, mind reading bullshit¡­¡± I sighed. "Honestly, it kind of feels like it with how you talk; you could do a lot better if you inject a bit more enthusiasm in your speech.¡±

    The Master tilted his head back, allowing me to see faint glimpses of his eyes beneath the darkened hood. ¡°When you have been around as long as I have, there is very little that can humor me.¡±

    ¡°Careful, you¡¯ll cut yourself on that edge,¡± I said with a roll of my eyes. ¡°Actually, before we start this chat.¡± I raised a finger. ¡°Can you ¡°generate¡± an environment that isn¡¯t frying my retinas?¡±

    The Master frowned. ¡°You really are treating me like a machine¡­¡±

    ¡°Please do it.¡± I insisted, and the Master audibly sighed as the white void began to contort. Inky black splotches of color began to appear around us like spilled paint before suddenly colors began to appear. In an event that caused my brain to seize and ache, the world visibly glitched, and we stood within the Master¡¯s tower. In the center, the large, cracked bell hung before us. Around me, I could see the rolling plains of the Infinite Twilight as Enora¡¯s moons hung high above us, casting their light upon the world. I could feel a calm, comforting breeze blowing through the tower¡¯s open windows, and my seared eyes began to ease.

    Now partially relaxed, I sighed. ¡°How come I never felt anything like that before? The whole blinding sickness.¡±

    ¡°The first time we spoke in the tower, I had time to carefully elevate you. Where as this time you were quite literally shunted into my domain. The dream in which we spoke was merely that, a dream. You were not consciously here like you are now and before.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean by that, consciously here?¡± I asked.

    ¡°Exactly that.¡± The Master said with a twirl of his thin, bony wrist. ¡°Your conscious, or really, I should say your soul. Is here.¡± He pointed to the floor for emphasis.

    ¡°I¡¯m inside the crystal?¡± I asked, and the Master snorted.

    ¡°No. As I said, I merely transferred my power through your body to manipulate the crystal into acting as a¡­ radio tower, as you might understand it. Before you ask, that was an analogy. Souls do not operate like radio waves. What I did was tune the resonance of the crystal to project your consciousness into a higher level of reality in which you and I can communicate unimpeded. To protect your consciousness from destabilizing and expanding beyond its control, I created a bubble of materium around us. Just so you understand, higher reality does not appear like this.¡± He once again motioned around himself with a hand towards the tower. ¡°There is no ¡°physical¡± aspect of it. I cannot even begin to explain how such a concept even looks or appears to a mortal who has not successfully transcended.¡±

    ¡°So¡­¡± I licked my lips while processing what he said. ¡°We¡¯re in the fourth dimension?¡±

    ¡°If I say yes, would you accept that answer?¡±

    ¡°I would think you¡¯re brushing me off, but sure.¡± I sighed with a shrug. I knew there would be no point in asking him to even try. I barely even made it through my high school physics class; no way in hell would I even be able to learn about whatever multi-dimensional shenanigans were going on here. ¡°So, if I¡¯m understanding you correctly. This tower, this bell, all of this doesn¡¯t exist?¡±

    ¡°It does exist, but not within your reality.¡±

    ¡°So it does and it doesn¡¯t?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    I dunno why, but I was feeling uneasy. All of this was a bit much. To relieve tension, I decided to do what I do best: ask stupid questions. ¡°So if things are super fast here, what¡¯s it like talking to me when I¡¯m back in the¡­ uh, material realm?¡±

    ¡°I am very patient.¡± The Master answered a bit too quickly. ¡°When communicating with you, it comes with a delay. Or at least to me, that is how I perceive time. Everything between our layers feels immensely slow. It¡¯s like being stuck watching The Room at 0.25 speed. On repeat.¡±

    My eyes widened. When the hell did he start referencing pop culture?! I haven¡¯t seen that awful movie in years.

    ¡°Luna, I was not trying to be dramatic when I said not much amuses me anymore. I have been trying for years to keep myself occupied within this prison.¡±

    ¡°So what? You raided my memories to keep yourself distracted?¡± I blinked.

    The Master pursed his lips. ¡°I feel like you¡¯re trying to entrap me.¡±

    I sighed. ¡°Speaking of which. Please don¡¯t do that.¡±

    The Master cocked his head. ¡°Why not? It would be prudent for me to acquire as much information as I can¨C¡±

    ¡°For privacy reasons, duh!¡± I snapped. ¡°I-I don¡¯t want you digging through the mush in my skull hoping to find something silly for you to giggle at. I-I have stuff I¡¯d like to keep to myself!¡±

    The Master curled his lips inward as his mouth changed to that of a thin line. He then nodded his head. ¡°Agreed. There are things about you I have learned that I wish I hadn¡¯t. The things you¡¯re into are absolutely unhinged¨C¡±

    ¡°Huh?! What?!¡±

    ¡°Oh, I¡¯ve said too much. This is why I¡¯ve made it very clear we should not discuss things that aren¡¯t important. Yet, you always complain¡ª¡±

    ¡°This is different!¡±

    The Master waved his hand dismissively. ¡°This is what I get for finally being open with you.¡± He huffed. Like, actually huffed.

    I clenched my teeth. ¡°Wh-what the hell are you on about?! You know what.¡± It was my turn to cut the air with a knife-hand. ¡°Changing topics. Just stop looking into my brain; it¡¯s weird.¡±

    The Master smirked, and seeing him do so sent my mind ablaze, though I held my tongue. ¡°Agreed. Let us change topics, and I¡¯ll think about your second request.¡±

    ¡°No thinking, just do it. Please.¡± I sighed. ¡°So what¡¯s the deal? Where do we start?¡±

    The Master nodded. ¡°I was going to leave that to you, Luna. We are here to discuss everything you want or need to know. Since I know you have a million questions, I would like to start there. What would you like to know?¡±

 Chapter 101: His Name

    I sat with my legs hanging over the side of the tower¡¯s balcony as I stared out towards the vast expanse of rolling hills and dark forests. The Infinite Twilight was a beautiful world, starkly contrasting the bright colors of Heinmarr¡¯s forests and flowered fields. Here, everything was cast in dark blues and purples with occasional neon-like light from some glowing animal or plant that shined in the distance.

    A cold breeze blew over the tower, yet I felt no chill; I was comfortable. Behind me, leaning against the stone railing, I clung to the Master, who watched silently with me. We haven¡¯t said much since he offered me the opportunity to ask him whatever I wanted. Ever since he had asked me to come to the city''s heart to seek him out so that we could finally put aside all secrets, I had been cultivating so many questions, yet now, face to face with him.

    I felt on the spot. My mind had just switched off. I was unprepared. The Master told me I had nothing to worry about and that he expected this; he explained we literally had all the time in the world. Or, well, to me, it would seem as such. I still didn¡¯t understand this world. This ¡°generation¡± he created, or ¡°materium¡± bubble that was protecting my mind from expanding and losing containment or something of the like.

    Wouldn¡¯t an expanding mind be sound? Maybe I¡¯m taking the term ¡°big brain¡± too literally.

    Just ask him. My conscience told me. You¡¯re here to talk. So do that; just talk.

    I knew the Master could hear my thoughts; apparently, he¡¯d read my entire memory, as creepy as that is, but instead of chiming in like usual. He was polite and let me think by myself. Finally, I decided to break the ice. As usual, stupid questions always relaxed me.

    ¡°You said you stopped my conscience from expanding,¡± I started, and the Master simply nodded. ¡°Why? What¡¯s bad about that?¡±

    The Master let off a deep breath as if he were annoyed, yet I noticed a slight curl in his lips as he gave me a tiny smirk. ¡°Would you like highly technical details, or would you prefer me to dumb it down?¡±

    After his first couple of attempts at explaining extra-planar physics and magic to me, I decided to opt for the dumbing down. As much as I hated to admit it, I was nowhere near as bright as I wished I was. The Master told me that even my mother and Alexander would struggle to understand if he explained it to them thoroughly; however, given time, they could probably catch on. So that brought a tiny bit of comfort to me.

    ¡°Dumb it down, please,¡± I said.

    The Master nodded. ¡°Think of yourself as a balloon. Shiny, red, and buoyant. Picture the air inside the balloon as your thoughts, feelings, and memories. Everything that makes you.¡±

    ¡°My soul?¡± I interrupted.

    He turned to me, and his eyes narrowed at my interruption. ¡°Yes.¡± The Master nodded once again as I pulled my lips tight. ¡°The balloon is your body, your vessel that allows you to inhabit the material plane; it is all that contains your soul, keeping it from getting scattered and lost. What do you think would happen if that balloon were to pop?¡± He asked.

    ¡°Uh, all the gas inside escapes,¡± I said, splaying my fingers out, mimicking an explosion.

    The Master once again nodded. ¡°Exactly everything that makes you will begin to expand out in every direction as it tries to fill the void. In the material plane, this is referred to as a death. When your shell is lost, your soul escapes. It is then washed away in what is known as the Current, where it is eventually washed and deposited into what you know as the Darkest Ocean. The entity known as the Fisherman pulls the clean souls from the ocean and releases them back into the material plane to be reborn.¡±

    I nodded. ¡°I remember being taught this. That¡¯s how you were able to reincarnate me, right?¡±

    The Master nodded. ¡°Yes. I was able to pull you from the Current. The reason why I¡¯m explaining something you already know is so that you can fully understand. Where we are now is beyond the Current¡¯s presence. If this balloon were to pop.¡± He snapped his finger. ¡°Everything that makes you, your consciousness, will be stretched thin, and eventually you will be unable to comprehend even yourself as you become one with this reality.¡±

    ¡°So I¡¯d die, die? Like permadeath?¡± I blinked and shuddered at the thought of my consciousness essentially becoming soup.

    The Master shook his head. ¡°Not necessarily, no. You would be alive, but different; changed. I will not try to explain it as putting it into words for someone who only knows the three dimensions would never understand it. Trust me, please. So it¡¯s best to just think you¡¯ll be dead.¡±

    I shuddered once again. ¡°Got it. So, going outside the materium bubble is a no go?¡±

    ¡°Yes, but seeing as I¡¯m here. That will not happen.¡±

    I took a deep breath and looked back over the expanse. ¡°Are all gods in this¡­ ascended place? This higher reality thingy?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not a thingy.¡± The Master sighed with annoyance, but once again, I saw his lips curl into a little smile. ¡°No¨Cwell,¡± He started and pulled his lips into a fine line. He thought for a moment and continued, ¡°It¡¯s complicated. Are there any here in this plane of reality? Not entirely, but are they in one like it? Yes. Unfortunately, trying to explain it will do us no good. I am not saying this because I think you are unintelligent, Luna. I say it because I know you have no frame of reference, no concept to go off of. Do you understand?¡±

    I nodded. ¡°Yes. It sucks, but I understand.¡± I sighed.

    The Master nodded. ¡°Just know that Gods, as you know them, are not material beings.¡±

    ¡°You were though,¡± I said, pulling my feet back onto the balcony.

    ¡°Indeed I was, before I truly ascended.¡±

    ¡°How did you become a god?¡± I asked.

    ¡°Do you plan on copying what I did?¡± He asked with a flat expression.

    I thought for a second. ¡°Could I?¡±

    This actually made him laugh. ¡°Ha, it is not impossible. Though I would not recommend it. The process of ascension is not what you think it is.¡±

    ¡°My mother told me that gods are born because people put faith in them, that if enough people believe in them, then that would¡ª" I was silenced by the Master waving a hand dismissively.

    ¡°None of that is true¡ªah.¡± He held a finger up to silence me. ¡°I am not saying your mother is a liar, but instead that she was partially lied to. It is true that putting enough belief into something allows essences to bond and link with one another. But merely collecting essence is only the first step along the path to ascension. To truly reach ascension, one must breach the veil.¡±

    ¡°What is that?¡± I asked.

    ¡°The veil is what separates the material plane from the immaterial.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t understand..." I blinked. ¡°Is it like a physical wall or something?¡±

    The Master snorted and shook his head. ¡°No. It does not exist within your layer of space-time. It¡¯s a barrier here; it¡¯s not something you can see.¡± He said, pointing to the floor for emphasis. ¡°As I told you, Luna, where we are now. Is a vertical slice of your materium. A piece of your existence that I fabricated so that you don¡¯t go insane. What¡¯s truly out there is something I unfortunately cannot explain with words, and showing you would yield nothing because how can you see what your conscience was never trained to see?¡±

    I pushed myself to my feet and leaned against the stone railing. ¡°This is getting way too complicated for me¡­¡± I sighed and ran my fingers through my hair.

    ¡°And I¡¯m afraid it¡¯ll only continue to get more complex.¡±

    I groaned and looked back over the vista before us. ¡°Of course it is.¡± I closed my eyes and breathed gently. ¡°Can I ask a question?¡±

    The Master cocked his head. ¡°That is the reason why I had you come here.¡±

    I rolled my eyes, though more so towards myself. ¡°Yeah, I know. I¡¯m just used to saying that¡­ My question is, why me?¡± I looked at him. ¡°Why was I chosen for this? To be reincarnated into this world to¡­ help you save the world or something?¡±

    It was the Master¡¯s turn to look towards the horizon, and though his face was mostly shrouded in shadow, I noted a sense of tension as if he had been, unfortunately, waiting for this question.

    It felt like an eternity before he finally answered me. ¡°I had already answered this question.¡± He looked back at me. ¡°I had told you, I brought you here because you are special¨C¡±

    "Oh, cut the fucking chosen hero bullshit,¡± I heard myself say, my filter coming off as I felt a sudden surge of frustration. ¡°I had spent my entire prior life getting fucked over constantly by sleezy people saying nice shit. Or ¡°friends¡± who really wanted to use me. I like to think I¡¯ve grown enough to sniff bullshit when I see it. What¡¯s the truth?¡±

    At first, the Master said nothing. He merely looked at me; it felt like we were having a momentary staring contest. After a few heartbeats, the Master sighed and drifted towards the door leading back into the bell tower. ¡°Where are you going?¡± I asked.

    ¡°To prepare myself. You may come along.¡±

    ¡°You didn¡¯t answer my question,¡± I said, following the Dark Lord inside.

    The balcony door closed behind me as we walked towards the cabinets along the far left end. These were the same cabinets from which the Master had retrieved the ¡°boon¡± he had given me what felt like years ago.

    He stopped in front of the cabinets and glanced at me. ¡°I will answer your question in time; first, I must prepare.¡±

    ¡°Prepare what?¡± I asked, stopping just short of him. Behind the ornate glass, I could see bottles and large, decorated vases depicting images of people and landscapes I did not recognize. Besides those vases were clear bottles containing liquids and other liquids I had no concept of.

    ¡°For the unpredictable reaction I am about to experience,¡± he grumbled as he unlocked and opened the cabinet. He then grabbed a purple ceramic-like bottle that displayed a green painting depicting a party. Men and women who appeared human were dressed in flowing robes and dined around a table with vague shapes of fruits and meats. I couldn¡¯t help but feel reminded of ancient Greek paintings I¡¯d seen in my history class years ago.

    The Master then reached up with his free hand and uncorked the top, and immediately, a fruity scent filled the chamber. ¡°Are you drinking?¡± I gawked as the Master did just that. He took a deep swig from the bottle, gulping a few times before lowering it back down with a satisfied sigh.

    ¡°Indeed,¡± he said, popping the cork back on.

    I feel like he¡¯s toying with me. My mind flowed despite knowing he could hear my thoughts. At that moment, I wanted to break that bottle and scream at him to stop stalling. However, I was a good girl and kept my temperament in check.

    Taking a deep breath, I focused again. ¡°Alright, you have your juice; can you please tell me now?¡± I held a finger up. ¡°If I sniff any ounce of bullshit, I¡¯m calling you on it.¡±

    The Master nodded. ¡°Luna, I mean this respectfully.¡± My heart tightened as the Master placed the drink back into the cabinet. ¡°But I cannot answer that question¡ªah.¡± He held a finger up to stop me. ¡°I cannot answer it in its entirety, I should say.¡±

    ¡°Why not?¡± I snapped now, fuming. ¡°You said we could talk about anything, that I could ask you anything, that all will be clear!¡±

    ¡°That is not exactly what I said, but I do understand your frustration.¡± He slipped his arms into the sleeves of his cloak as he held them across his chest. ¡°There are things that you should not know,¡± he said, his voice lowering. ¡°Knowledge that would do you more harm than good. Remember why I said the All-Father and the Apostles want you? Why Putinov was eager to find and kill you?¡±

    If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

    ¡°I-I was meaning to ask about that guy,¡± I said with a nod. He had referred to me as an anomaly and an abomination. Does he know I wasn¡¯t originally from this world?

    The Master nodded. ¡°What did I say?¡± He prompted me.

    ¡°Y-You said they were after who I was,¡± I said, and he nodded.

    ¡°Indeed. They want you because of who you were. That is why I cannot tell you.¡±

    I blinked and shook my head, annoyed. ¡°I was some fat loser,¡± I said. ¡°I wasted my life away and did nothing of value; what¡¯s good about that?¡±

    The Master sighed. ¡°I am not referring to¡­ him.¡± He said, referring to my old self. ¡°The one you wish to leave behind. He is not who this ¡®Father¡¯ wants. I am referring to the one before. The one you can¡¯t remember.¡±

    I hesitated. ¡°I was reincarnated more than once?¡± I blinked before suddenly the realization hit me like a truck. ¡°Wa-wait the Current! You mean¨C¡±

    The Master cut me off. ¡°A prior life, something like that. Yes, but not exactly.¡±

    I was stumped. ¡°Huh?¡±

    He shook his head. ¡°As said, I cannot tell you; I am sorry.¡±

    I facepalmed. ¡°You¡¯re such an asshole.¡±

    The Master cocked his head. ¡°How come?¡±

    ¡°You can¡¯t just tease me like that. Now I¡¯m more interested!¡± I whined. ¡°Why can¡¯t you tell me?¡±

    With a deep breath, the Master glanced again towards the cabinet as if contemplating another drink. After a few painstaking moments, he decided against it and looked at me. I could see a faint blue glint from what little light hit his eyes as he gazed down at me and said,  ¡°Because the knowledge would shatter who you are, Luna. It could potentially awaken you and restore all memories of your prior lives. Or, you could lose your sense of self. Or fall into a deep depression. There are several variables that could contribute to a terrible outcome; the probability of anything good coming from the knowledge of who you were is not at a good level.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯re the odds?¡± I asked. ¡°The odds of a good thing coming out of it?¡± I hastened to add.

    ¡°Again, you treat me like I¡¯m some sort of machine.¡± The Master sighed and rolled his eyes. ¡°But the answer is fifteen point three three percent.¡±

    I blinked. ¡°Wow, okay¡­ I wasn¡¯t expecting that specific an answer.¡± He did sound like a computer.

    ¡°You asked, and I delivered. Did you expect I was merely going off a gut feeling?¡±

    ¡°Uh¡­ yeah.¡±

    ¡°While mortal guts are good at making quick decisions, I found that in the long run, relying purely on instinct will get you nowhere. I find it best to prepare for the best long-term solution.¡±

    ¡°I kind of got that based on what I¡¯ve read about you and from speaking¡­¡± I sighed. ¡°It¡¯s really that bad? Me learning who I was?¡±

    The Master nodded. ¡°Regarding you, yes, it¡¯s bad.¡± He took a deep breath and added, ¡°Practically speaking, you knowing who you were would greatly benefit me.¡±

    I jerked a bit but quickly steadied myself. ¡°If that¡¯s the case.¡± I gulped. ¡°Why won¡¯t you tell me then?¡±

    The Master turned away from me and gazed towards the large, broken bell in the tower''s center. What little I could see of his eyes looked longingly as he collected his thoughts. I could see on his face that he looked as if he was trying to find the right words to say, and eventually, his eyes were downcast towards the floor. He took a breath and looked at me after composing himself.

    ¡°It is because I am trying to protect you,¡± he said in his usual monotonous voice, and I was stunned.

    ¡°Pro-protect me?¡± I stuttered. ¡°From you? Myself?¡±

    The Master nodded slowly. ¡°Yes, to both. Originally, when I first brought you to this world. I tried to tell you.¡±

    ¡°When?¡± I asked, unable to recall such a thing.

    ¡°Exactly,¡± he said. ¡°It happened shortly after I found your soul in the Current and fished you out. Our first meeting, not the one you remember. This was before Luna, as you and I know, was born. It did not go so well. No, I will not tell you what happened.¡± He motioned for me to follow him towards a black, metallic door opposite the room. I followed behind him as he continued, ¡°So I scrubbed your soul and conscience of that event. I tried multiple times after that but yielded the same results repeatedly. Sometimes your mind would break with revelation, other times you would become inconsolable.¡±

    We stopped beside the door, and with a flick of his wrist, the Master opened the door to reveal the stairwell I had climbed up months ago. The same spiral staircase was littered with shards of broken bells. Dozens of them.

    ¡°Attempt after attempt. You became broken.¡± He said as he began to levitate down the stairs. ¡°Come, watch your step.¡±

    Nervous, I gulped and asked, ¡°Where are we going?¡±

    ¡°A simple walk. Standing around that room has become a bore. I mean, no offense to you.¡±

    I nodded and followed. ¡°So you¡­ wiped my memories every time I¡­ broke?¡± I asked, gazing at the broken bells around me.

    Were these all representations of me? I wondered.

    ¡°Yes, they are.¡± The Master said, startling me as I had forgotten he could hear my thoughts. ¡°They are archeos I used to wipe your mind. Each one only has a single use.¡±

    ¡°Archeo?¡± I asked with a tilt of my head; I¡¯d never heard of such a term. Then again, I¡¯ve only been in school for a few years.

    ¡°Magic items. Archeo is the scholarly term for them.¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s got to be... hundreds of them.¡± I gulped as I carefully stepped down the stairs, my hand aggressively gripping the handrail.

    ¡°Three hundred and eighty-six attempts,¡± The Master said in a slightly solemn tone.

    ¡°Holy shit¡­¡± I muttered with wide eyes. ¡°When did this happen again?¡± I asked, trembling slightly. The thought of having been reborn so many times only to fail did not sit with me well at all. Maybe knowing was a lousy idea¡­

    ¡°Before you were born. By that I mean you, Luna. The ones that came before you did not get a chance to experience a new life. When I reached three hundred and eighty-seven, I realized that perhaps you needed time.¡± We circled the seemingly never-ending stairwell, going down and down as I progressively struggled, clambering down the ever-growing pile of bell shards.

    Despite having the dread of knowing I had supposedly died hundreds of times, or, well, not died, but gone insane. My mind found the idea of leaving such a mess on the stairs to be more frustrating. My brain is weird like that.

    The Master continued, ¡°To you, at the time, it seemed as if you had just died after all. Psychologically speaking, your mind wouldn¡¯t have been ready to receive such heavy information. So I allowed you time to acclimate and grow¡­¡± He trailed off as we finally neared the bottom of the stairs. The floor before me was nonexistent; all that was there were more shattered bells. A heaping pile of jagged pieces of metal, there was no floor to be seen.

    Expectedly, I looked to the Master and gestured to the floor. ¡°How am I supposed to walk on that without slicing my calves?¡±

    The Master, levitating slightly ahead of me, glanced down thoughtfully. Eventually, he looked at me and said, ¡°Apologies; I am not used to those who walk.¡± With a flick of his wrist, I gasped when suddenly every shard of metal vanished, and all that was left was black smoke. No. The metal didn¡¯t vanish; it became smoke.

    I frowned. ¡°You couldn¡¯t have done this at the top of the stairs?¡± I asked.

    ¡°You didn¡¯t ask then,¡± he said simply and pointed to the wooden door, which the garbage had obscured. He flicked his wrist towards himself, and the door audibly made a thunking sound as a heavy deadbolt came undone. The door then swung open with an eerie creak, revealing a dark corridor beyond.

    The Master turned to me and asked, ¡°Would you like me to clear any other obstacles in your path?¡±

    Flabbergasted I sighed. ¡°Like I need to ask, yes, please. I can¡¯t fly like you.¡±

    ¡°Would you like to?¡± he asked.

    I hesitated. For a second, I considered it but shook my head. Flying would only be a distraction; I had to focus. "No, thank you. Are we going anywhere in particular?¡± I asked briefly.

    ¡°No. Merely wandering while we speak,¡± the Master admitted as he levitated along through the now-open door. I followed behind him.

    When we entered the large corridor, ether light illuminated the pathway in a blueish-white light. Revealed to me was a long corridor spanning in either direction made of Gothic architecture. Large pillars lined the hall every dozen feet or so, and running down the center between was a purple rug with gold trimming. As I stepped into the center of this vast corridor, which was wide enough to fit a tank down, I could see gargantuan paintings mounted on the walls. Many of them were of a man or a young human. He had olive skin, black shoulder-length hair, and striking blue monolid eyes. Many of the portraits showed him in regal attire, as seen in some Renaissance paintings; he was a king. A young one at that.

    I looked at one in particular. The young king was on his knees, surrounded by a crowd of commoners. Or at least so I thought; many of the people were wearing raggedy clothes of faded colors. One specifically was a plump woman in a faded dress, and what surprised me was that she was holding the king¡¯s crown. I thought she was taking it off his head for a second, but when I looked at it again, I realized that she wasn¡¯t taking it. She was crowning him. The commoners were giving it to him.

    ¡°Who is this?¡± I asked, noticing the Master continued moving further down the hall to my right.

    The man stopped and spun around to face me. He hovered back over to me, followed my gaze, and looked at the painting. He studied it for a long moment, leaving me to feel anxious as I feared I might¡¯ve pried into something he didn¡¯t want me to. If that were the case, he would¡¯ve brushed me aside by this point.

    ¡°Do you not see my likeness?¡± He asked, looking back at me.

    I frowned and looked up at the Master. Like always, his face was shrouded by his hood, and I could only see part of it. I saw pale, almost chalk-white skin, a thin neck, and a sharp chin and mouth. He looked frail, almost sickly, unlike the man in the painting.

    I blinked and did a doubletake. ¡°That¡¯s you?¡± I asked, flicking back and forth between the Master and the young man in the painting.

    The Master smiled, a broad smile revealing white teeth and fangs I¡¯d yet to see. He chuckled, seemingly amused, a shock coming from the man who said nothing was funny anymore. His smile grew into a laugh.

    I was unnerved, for I had never heard him laugh like this before. ¡°Uh, wh-what¡¯s so funny?¡± I asked as the Master guffawed. His laugh was light and pleasant yet equally disturbing coming from someone like him. I would¡¯ve said he had a wonderful laugh if I had known him in any other circumstance. But not now.

    His head hung back as one hand smacked his thigh, and he leaned forward, nodding his head. ¡°By all there is to be¡­¡± He sighed, reached up into the darkened portion of his hood, and wiped at his eyes. ¡°I just realized¡­¡±

    Relaxing a little, I lowered my hands after realizing I had them raised. ¡°Realized what?¡± I asked nervously, afraid this ancient being had just snapped.

    ¡°I am free to reveal myself to you now,¡± he said, and before I could say anything, he reached up and pulled his hood back.

    Standing before me was a man much older than what I¡¯d seen in the paintings beside me. His skin was ghostly white, like chalk, but was smooth and clean. He had a square jaw with an almost pointed chin, the blue eyes that looked at me were sunken, and dark bags were prevalent as if this man had not slept in years. No longer restricted by the cloth over his head, the inky, black hair spilled forth, resting on his shoulders and swinging forth in front of his face. His face was thin. The man looked malnourished, yet he was handsome aside from that, like the paintings. If not a bit dead inside, his eyes looked at me almost lifelessly.

    I blinked and looked him over. ¡°Whoa¡­¡± I said, taking a moment to regain my thoughts. ¡°I-I don¡¯t know what I was expecting,¡± I said nervously. ¡°I-I half expected you to reveal yourself to be someone I knew.¡±

    To my surprise, the Master visibly blushed faintly, though his skin turned almost a light shade of blue instead of a pinkish hue. ¡°Perhaps I was a little too dramatic; to you, it seems like nothing but¡­¡±

    I waved a hand. ¡°It¡¯s been forever for you, I know,¡± I said, though I didn¡¯t. If what he¡¯s been saying is true. I don¡¯t think I could fully conceptualize time within this realm. I smiled at him. ¡°You look good¡­¡± I glanced at the paintings. ¡°Different, but, uh¡­¡±

    ¡°Old.¡± The Master blew air from his nose. ¡°It¡¯s been ages since I had any visitors. I would¡¯ve cleaned myself up if I knew this was coming.¡± He sighed and rolled his eyes.

    ¡°Was that a joke?¡± I asked with a giggle. ¡°So you do have a sense of humor.¡±

    ¡°Of course I do,¡± he said. ¡°As I said, I am not a machine.¡± His lips curled slightly into a smile.

    I chuckled. "Well, now that I see a proper face, I can agree to that,¡± I said, no longer feeling as intimidated now that I could put a face to this guy. Aside from the unnaturally pale skin and vampiric fangs, he looked just like an average guy, unlike the paintings representing the supposed Dark Lord.

    A memory flashed before me. In the fight with the archbishop, Lucien had called me something, or well, the Dark Lord, as he was controlling me. ¡°That name,¡± I said out loud, ¡°the one that Lucien called you. Garl?¡± I repeated the name I heard in my mind out loud.

    The Master¡¯s dark eyebrows rose in shock, and then his expression immediately shifted to frustration and embarrassment. All within a few seconds. ¡°Bollocks,¡± he hissed. ¡°I had hoped you would¡¯ve forgotten that.¡±

    I snorted. ¡°Is that your name?¡±

    He glared at me, and I cringed. "No, it isn¡¯t my name. It¡¯s a nickname he had given me.¡±

    Nervously, I asked, ¡°What is your name then? Surely it isn¡¯t ¡®The Master¡¯ like you¡¯ve been having me refer to you as.¡±

    ¡°I never made you; you just chose to call me that.¡± He mumbled.

    ¡°Because you gave me nothing else.¡± I sighed.

    The Master sighed and turned to face the painting of the common woman crowning him. After a few moments, he took in a deep breath and looked at me. ¡°Well, there is no use concealing myself any longer. Before I reveal my true identity, Luna, know that my name shall not be spoken beyond this realm, for it is forbidden by the Divine Mandate.¡±

    I gulped. ¡°That sounds intimidating.¡±

    ¡°It should be.¡± He nodded. ¡°The gods and their followers would wreak havoc if my name was unleashed. That is why I did not wish to speak of it before.¡±

    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me then? The reason I mean,¡± I clarified.

    ¡°Because of trust,¡± he said. ¡°If I came through and immediately told you that my name would bring trouble to you and your family, I feared you would not be so keen on working with me.¡±

    I nodded. ¡°True, but also leading me into a pack of hungry monsters is also not a good idea.¡±

    The Master¡¯s lips formed into a thin line. ¡°I will admit that I had acted hastily during that period; for that, I am sorry.¡±

    I nodded. ¡°Apology accepted.¡± I smiled widely and twirled my wrist for him to continue excitedly. ¡°I want to hear this name of yours. I swear I¡¯ll keep it between us.¡±

    The Master cocked an eyebrow at my sudden excitement. ¡°You truly are like a child.¡±

    I shrugged. ¡°That¡¯s because I am, old man. Now, c¡¯mon, I want to hear it.¡± I urged him.

    The Master frowned but sighed. ¡°Well then.¡± He took a deep breath before slowly lowering himself down to the ground. His feet touched the floor, and the Master surprised me with a deep and respectful bow he had indeed practiced. ¡°Luna Ashflow, it is a pleasure to introduce myself finally. I am Shaed Garlan, the Master of Shadows and the Lord of Twilight.¡±

 Chapter 102: The Truth

    ¡°I was an emperor,¡± The Master¨Cno¨CShaed said as we continued our walk down the tranquil halls of his keep. ¡°My control stretched from the Scorched Plains to the Shard Tooth Peaks. I had conquered all of the shattered kingdoms. Subjugated the warlords, and brought peace to all of Garlay, fulfilling my father¡¯s dreams of uniting his people.¡±

    We stopped before a large mural depicting an armor-plated man standing atop a plateau before an army of men. His sword held high into the sky, the sun gleaming off its sharpened blade. Below, the soldiers cheered and kneeled before their emperor.

    ¡°It was here.¡± Shaed gestured to the painting. ¡°In the Scorched Plains, the final battle for Garlay took place. It started in tragedy. My forces were weak in number, our supply lines were stretched thin, and the Ebisumi was upon us.¡±

    I listened intently as my eyes moved across the massive painting that spanned the wall. ¡°What is an Ebisumi?¡± I asked as my eyes shifted to the right, where the painting transitioned from victory to dread. I saw piles upon piles of corpses present in the lower half, banners of the opposing army burned, and prisoners being strung up on poles.

    ¡°The Raging Summer,¡± Shaed said in a low voice. ¡°The Scorched Plains have this name for a reason,¡± He said dryly. ¡°Every few weeks a heatwave unlike anything you¡¯d ever believe would assault these lands. Temperatures would reach uninhabitable levels, your skin and flesh would be cooked under the light of the sun. It¡¯s as if the gods themselves were holding a magnifying glass up to the sun and focusing the light on us.¡±

    I shuddered. ¡°Why would anyone want to live there?¡± I asked, and Shaed snorted.

    ¡°They don¡¯t or¡­ didn¡¯t.¡± He sighed. ¡°Those who remained and rejected my right to rule fled to the Scorched Plains, expecting I would not follow.¡± He looked back at me. ¡°They were wrong.¡±

    His grim expression made me shudder, and I gulped. ¡°I take it you won the battle there?¡± I asked, nodding to the painting.

    Shaed returned his gaze to the painting. ¡°Yes,¡± he said, his stern expression shifting to, was that guilt?

    ¡°At the cost of thousands of lives, I did win.¡± His head lowered as he looked at his open palm as if examining the blood on his hands. He slowly curled his fingers into a fist.

    He continued, ¡°Umio Takanita, the last remaining warlord, grew emboldened when he saw how stretched my supply lines were and how tired my men had become. With the Ebisumi on its way, I had pulled my men back and readied them to hunker down until its passing.¡± He fell silent momentarily and closed his eyes as if reliving those moments.

    Finally, after a bout of silence, he opened them. ¡°Perhaps Takanita foresighters mistakenly predicted the Ebisumi''s arrival, or he was just an idiot. In his arrogance, he forced his men to assault my fortified position. As his army marched across the desert, the Raging Summer began. What was once a wall of warriors charging towards our shelters became desperate dying men who were willing to kill to avoid the sun¡¯s harmful light.¡±

    As Shaed spoke, the world around us began to contort. The painting on the wall rippled before me, and like melting candle wax, everything started to sag. My eyes widened, and I opened my mouth to ask what the hell was happening when suddenly. We were no longer in the keep. Like a flashbang going off, I was abruptly blinded by the sun. I gasped and quickly found that to be a mistake as the air I sucked in was dry and hot, my throat burned, and I coughed heavily.

    ¡°What?!¡± I gasped and stepped back but quickly found my foot had found purchase on nothing but open air. My body lurched back, and I screamed as I felt gravity taking hold before lurching to a halt as someone grasped me firmly by my wrist.

    ¡°My apologies!¡± I heard Shaed¡¯s voice, and for once, it bared emotion, shock. With surprising strength, he pulled me back onto the surface of whatever we stood on, and I blinked a few times, my vision returning.

    Orange rock, smooth and cracked with shriveled weeds extending from the gaps. Boulders littered the surface around us, with brown and yellow moss clinging to its surface. I blinked and looked around. ¡°Wh-where are we?¡± I asked, looking over my shoulder and gasping once again.

    We were on a plateau, like the one from the painting. A few hundred feet away, another plateau stood, and in between below was a tent city. A war camp. ¡°We¡¯re in the painting?¡± I blinked.

    ¡°The continent of Garlay,¡± Shaed said, ¡°The Scorched Plains. Specifically the day of my memory I was just telling you about.¡±

    ¡°The Forbidden Continent¡­¡± I muttered.

    ¡°Yes.¡± He nodded. ¡°Many millennia ago.¡±

    I jolted at a loud horn bellowing from below, its pitch wavering as a second and then a third roared. Shouts of men echoed from below, and the entire camp became a frenzy as soldiers in white, shimmering armor and tunics with wide-brimmed hats began to flood the streets like a river. They spilled forth from crevices in the canyon wall like a broken dam. From above, the motion was organic, fluid even.

    ¡°What¡¯s happening?¡± I asked, tearing my eyes away from the event as I looked at Shaed.

    The man in black¡¯s eyes was distant. He was looking not at the camp but eastward toward the scorching desert. The land was flat with few hills, and its surface cracked and broken like the surface of Mars. I followed his gaze and gasped when I saw that the horizon of the blistering landscape was glimmering. The sun reflected off a massive army of red and yellow banners held high alongside¡­ umbrellas?

    Among the ranks of soldiers, I could faintly make out massive umbrellas held aloft on four poles over the formation, shielding them from the sun¡¯s rays as they marched. ¡°This is it,¡± I said, ¡°the story you were just telling me.¡±

    ¡°Indeed,¡± Shaed said, turning his gaze to me. ¡°I am happy to see you¡¯re observant.¡±

    I frowned. ¡°Haha.¡± I gulped and took a breath. ¡°Why are we here?¡±

    Shaed eyes shifted back to the army in white below. Like the invading force, servants, or possibly even enslaved people, quickly hoisted their large, white umbrellas into the air. Yet these were different as the fabric shimmered, reflecting the light away.

    ¡°It was an accident,¡± he said with little emotion. ¡°As I said before, we are in a construct of materium. A realm of my own making.¡± He looked at me. ¡°When I was recounting my tale, I mistakenly let my mind slip. So we are here.¡±

    This was true. This realm felt so real I had forgotten we were essentially in a dream. ¡°Right.¡± I nodded and turned my attention towards the two mustering armies. Soldiers below were taking positions around trenches and partially built palisade walls. I saw men in bleach white plate armor with large feathery plumes sprouting from their helmets shouting orders to those in white leather tunics.

    From behind, I gasped loudly and pointed towards the canyon bend in the west, where the war camp stretched back and up along the side, where shade protected what seemed to be the more critical structures. There were horses. I mean real horses¡ªpure, unfiltered horses. Large equine creatures, maybe a bit bigger than I remember from any farm I¡¯ve been to, but I knew a damned horse when I saw one.

    There was a whole force of them. Perhaps a hundred or more quickly trotting out of what seemed to be stables carved into the side of the canyon. Horses. I couldn¡¯t believe my eyes. I¡¯ve seen plenty of critters on Enora that vaguely resembled creatures from Earth, but there were always differences. An extra limb, or perhaps another eye. Yet these were horses. A sense of nostalgia I never knew I could ever feel washed over me. I didn¡¯t know why, but I was beaming ear to ear.

    ¡°Shinpudens,¡± Shaed said from behind.

    I turned back to him. ¡°Huh?¡± That was all I could say.

    ¡°The breed,¡± he nodded towards the troop trotting down the center of the war camp. ¡°Shinpuden Windseekers. Or, as you know them. A horse.¡± He said the last bit with pursed lips as if unimpressed by the simple word.

    ¡°Wh-what are they doing here?¡± I asked. ¡°How can they be here?¡±

    ¡°They¡¯re here for the same reason humans exist on this world,¡± Shaed said flatly. ¡°The Consolidation of the Planes. When the portal storms struck Enora, many entities were exchanged and planted across worlds from far beyond. These ¡®horses¡¯ as you call them and Humans being a handful of them.¡±

    I blinked and turned back to the column of riders now moving directly beneath me. ¡°Fascinating,¡± I muttered. ¡°How come¡­ I¡¯ve never heard of such an event?¡± I looked back at Shaed, who merely cocked his head. ¡°Portals just appearing everywhere, even my old world would¡¯ve had to be documented. I think¡­ Vinland for instance the vikings that Isa told me about. That was during the early Medieval period on Earth, surely someone would¡¯ve written about it.¡±

    Shaed curled his lips back into a thin line as he thought and merely shrugged. ¡°Unfortunately, my knowledge of your prior life is limited to only what you know. I may be a god, but my domain is bound strictly to Enora.¡±

    ¡°Bound?¡± I said as a horn echoed from below as the two armies began to posture before one another. Shouts and echoes of taunting soldiers could be heard as spears clattered against shields. Part of me wanted to watch the chaos unfolding, yet I restrained myself and focused on the man in black.

    ¡°Yes. Before my imprisonment, my presence extended all across Enora and her sister moons. Anything beyond that my power would fade and weaken. I do not know why. I theorize that perhaps it¡¯s related to my followers and the essence they provide to me through worship. When studying your life on this Earth¨C¡±

    I held up a hand. ¡°Wa-wait, you studied me?¡± I butted in. The thought of the Master examining me like a biologist studying an animal was amusing but also equally unnerving for some reason.

    Shaed¡¯s eyes narrowed on me. ¡°Yes. Please do not interrupt. What I was getting at is this, in your old world you had a technology called a mobile cellular device.¡±

    ¡°Cellphone,¡± I corrected, and he glared at me, and I shrunk. ¡°Sorry. It¡¯s just¡­ nobody called it that.¡±

    He blinked and looked surprised. ¡°Then why is it called that?¡±

    ¡°Uh, well, that¡¯s what they are called,¡± I said, and Shaed cocked his head. ¡°Though no one went around calling them that all the time¡­¡± I trailed off, realizing I was just wasting time.

    ¡°Right¡­¡± Shaed sighed. ¡°Anyway, what I was getting at is those devices worked by being near towers in your world.¡±

    I nodded. ¡°Sort of, that¡¯s how many of the older phones worked,¡± I said, catching on to what he was referring to. Phones send signals to the cell towers, carrying your transmission to whomever you contact. Or at least that was my rough knowledge of how they worked.

    ¡°Then you know that the further away from those towers you are, the weaker the device becomes,¡± he said, though his phrasing made it seem like he meant the phone became physically weaker.

    ¡°Yes, I understand,¡± I said. ¡°Leaving this planet means you physically can¡¯t receive peoples essence¡­ whatever that means.¡±

    Shaed nodded. ¡°That is the basic of it.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s the more indepth part of it?¡± I asked curiously, and Shaed grimaced.

    ¡°Explaining that might be too cumbersome,¡± he sighed.

    Disappointed, I was about to protest when a booming voice shouted from below, drawing my attention back to the armies. The army in white had fully fortified their positions at the edge of the war camp. Extensive stake fortifications and trenches were packed with soldiers behind them, and archers took up positions as the large reflective umbrellas were raised over them.

    The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

    I noticed now that around us, the ground was beginning to bake. Heat distortion waves rippled around me and the army below, creating a hazy effect that forced me to squint. Strangely, I couldn¡¯t feel the heat. Shaed¡¯s work, most likely. I thought. It¡¯d be awful if he allowed me to feel whatever was happening as I noticed what little plant life was present was beginning to steam and cook while other root-like vegetation began to recede like worms into the cracks in the earth searching for shade.

    ¡°The Ebisumi is starting,¡± Shaed said, pointing to the sky.

    Following his finger, I gazed toward the sun and held a hand up to shield my eyes. This did not help. The sun had changed. A dark ring circled its edges, silhouetted against its light. The ring''s center amplified the sun''s light and directed it upon the Scorched Plains.

    ¡°Holy shit,¡± I gawked. ¡°Y-You weren¡¯t joking.¡± It was like a magnifying glass. A weapon floating in what? The sky? Space? What the hell was it?

    ¡°Why would I be joking?¡± Shaed said.

    The land around us began to burn, and plants that had failed to recede beneath began to boil and burst into flame. Below, screams of those not shielded beneath the umbrellas and shelter could be heard. A horn sounded, and the army in red and yellow began to charge towards the canyon. Soldiers screamed in desperation, fear, and rage as they rushed the fortifications. Archers let loose their arrows, and cries of pain were soon added to the din.

    The sound sent a chill down my spine, and my blood ran cold. The screams of agony sounded too similar to what I¡¯d witnessed in Kassel. Men and women were gunned down around me. The battle at the prison as soldiers around me were slaughtered in the field and complex. I wasn¡¯t ready. I wasn¡¯t prepared to see another onslaught of death.

    ¡°End it,¡± I said hollowly.

    Shaed waved a hand without questioning, and the world around me spun. My vision swam, and my gut churned as everything faded to black like a droplet of water hitting a pound. A mote of light rippled in the darkness as the world reformed into the castle hallway beside the mural painting, the sounds of war fading.

    I stumbled back and leaned against the mural wall, a hand resting on my chest. Even though this wasn¡¯t technically real, it felt like it. My heart was ramming against my ribs, and my breathing heightened. I was panicking. Shit, I was panicking. Why?

    I was calm during the air raid and primarily during the prison attack. Yet here I was, in a dream world, or whatever the Master said it was, panicking over a vision.

    ¡°My apologies,¡± Shaed said flatly. ¡°I should¡¯ve anticipated this would happen.¡±

    I sucked in a few gulps of air, or whatever it was. Do I even need to breathe here? After a few more refreshing inhales, I relaxed, my heart rate rapid but gradually slowing. ¡°It¡¯s okay¡­ I just. I just don¡¯t wanna see any more fighting. Hearing people screaming in pain it just, it¡¯s not right. No man or woman should cry like that.¡±

    ¡°I agree,¡± Shaed said with a solemn nod.

    I paused and looked up at him. ¡°You say that¡­ but in that dream, that vision you showed me.¡± I nodded to the mural behind me.

    ¡°Was a necessary evil,¡± Shaed said, his face hardening, though it cracked moments later. ¡°Or at least, that was what I thought back then. The other Umios refused to bend to my demands and mocked my rightful claim to the throne of Garlay.¡±

    ¡°So you slaughtered them?¡± I said in a calm voice, eyes widening.

    Shaed turned away from me and began to levitate down the hall. ¡°Yes,¡± he said. ¡°Then, I was young, and immature. My father requested that I unite his people¡­ to end all of the suffering.¡±

    My eyes narrowed. He sounds exactly like Charity.

    ¡°I tried being diplomatic,¡± He continued as I followed behind him. ¡°But none of them would listen. So I did the only thing I thought I could then.¡±

    ¡°And how did that turn out?¡± I asked. ¡°What happened afterwards?¡±

    He glanced at me from over his shoulder. ¡°I became a god. A god born from the deaths of tens of thousands of people.¡± He held a hand up and curled his fingers into a fist. ¡°My hands soaked in their blood, their pleas and screams forever echoing in my mind. All for the sake of peace.¡± He turned to face me but continued further down the hall as we passed the paintings of Shaed when he was a man, an Emperor.

    Our eyes met, and I gulped and gritted my teeth. I opened my mouth to say something, but no words came. He¡¯s a genocidal monster¡­

    ¡°Indeed I am.¡± He nodded.

    ¡°What about the Twilight War?¡± I asked. Even though it was apparent, I knew from the beginning that this was his identity. The Dark Lord, the bringer of death, the false god who tried to bend the world to his whims. The one who unleashed the Necrophage that wiped out millions. In all the history books, he was depicted as an evil entity, a demon. He didn¡¯t look like that. With the cloak, he was mysterious, but now, hood off, he looked like a frail man. Shaed, the Master, helped me. He saved my family and those captured by the Rusivites. He could be an asshole, but so far, he¡¯s been a good man.

    ¡°Just because he was nice to you doesn¡¯t mean he can be trusted.¡± Charity¡¯s voice rang in my mind.

    I¡¯m being an idiot. This man, this monster. Perhaps that¡¯s who he was then,¡­ but maybe I¡¯m too naive.

    ¡°Your look of disgust is warranted, Luna Ashflow,¡± Shaed said flatly, his face twinged with guilt. ¡°I am not a good god, or a man. I never was. Like every mortal I was driven by greed and power. I merely used my father¡¯s wishes to further my own agenda.¡±

    ¡°You didn¡¯t answer my question,¡± I said. ¡°What really happened back then?¡±

    Our eyes met again. At first, he said nothing and came to a stop. I hadn¡¯t noticed initially, but I¡¯ve already seen the paintings around us. Was the hallway looping? I shook my head and refocused on him.

    ¡°I learned the truth,¡± He said in a low voice. I could barely hear him, but then he spoke up. Repeating himself, ¡°I learned the truth of the world. Or at least, part of it.¡±

    ¡°And that is?¡± I asked.

    Shaed¡¯s brow twitched, his jaw setting as he clenched his teeth. His blue eyes darkened as they almost became black with rage. I stepped back hesitantly. ¡°I learned that our gods are not what they really are.¡± His hands clenched.

    ¡°What do you mean?¡± I asked.

    ¡°What I mean, Luna,¡± His eyes burned into me, and I shrank away. He wasn¡¯t glaring at me but through me at something only he could see. ¡°That there is no such thing as a good god.¡± The darkness in his eyes faded, but anger remained as he looked at me. ¡°In fact, I would go so far to say that there is no such thing as a god.¡±

    ¡°But aren¡¯t you¨C¡±

    He waved his hand to the side, dismissing me. ¡°I meant what I said, Luna. Do you remember what I told you shortly after you arrived in this city? Our last meeting?¡±

    I nodded. ¡°Yeah, you mentioned that the apostles want to destroy us.¡±

    He crossed his arms and nodded. ¡°That was one of the things I said.¡±

    ¡°Uh,¡± I wracked my brain, then snapped a finger. ¡°You said you were exploring where the gods came from!¡±

    He nodded. ¡°Indeed. I was exploring the true origin of where they came from. How do beings of creation appear? Were they created? Did they just pop into existence? I discovered that those who worship the gods are what grant them power. It¡¯s the collective consciousness of all those who believe that brings them life.¡±

    I nodded. ¡°I guess¡­ in a fantastical way that makes sense,¡± I said, and Shaed agreed with a nod.

    ¡°And much of the masses would agree,¡± He said, ¡°but think about Luna. If the gods created Enora, and gods are birthed by those who believe. Who was there to dream them up originally?¡±

    I pursed my lips. ¡°That¡¯s like asking what triggered the Big Bang¡­ it¡¯s unknowable?¡±

    Shaed blinked for a moment before widening his eyes with realization. ¡°Ah, yes¡­ the birth of your prior universe. In a sense, yes, if that helps you understand.¡±

    ¡°So you were exploring the god''s origin,¡± I said, bringing us back on track. ¡°But you¡¯ve already told me the gods also didn¡¯t know.¡±

    ¡°That is until I discovered the Great Wound,¡± He said, raising an index finger. ¡°You have heard of the Far Reachers, have you not?¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± I said. ¡°Isa said they were a powerful empire that spanned the stars or something like that. Like some kind of space empire or something.¡±

    Shaed nodded slowly. ¡°That one, Isa, she is intelligent. I am pleased that I chose to help you when she was injured.¡±

    ¡°So you admit you¡¯re an idiot for telling me to leave her?¡± I growled, remembering that moment.

    Shaed grimaced. ¡°Yes. I was a fool.¡± He then took a breath. ¡°She is correct, though. The Far Reachers, or their true name, the Humari, were a vast empire.¡± He waved his hand out, and the world began to ripple and shift again.

    Around us, the walls and paintings melted into nothing. Darkness consumes all, only to be replaced by a vastness of shimmering stars and nebulae. ¡°Their reach was so great they had conquered the Void itself. It is said they held hundreds, if not thousands of worlds similar to Enora. It¡¯s said that nothing could oppose them, they had no enemies.¡±

    The stars around us began to tint and change color, each turning blue to show this empire¡¯s influence expanding outward. At this moment, I realized that around us was an entire galaxy, though not to scale, as I could faintly see the edges of it. The changing color of the stars began to increase with speed, and soon, as the influence stretched out, the entire starscape was glowing a faint, blue hue.

    I looked at Shaed. ¡°So they controlled the whole galaxy?¡± I said. "What does this have to do with the god''s origin?¡±

    Shaed side-eyed me. ¡°Everything. The Humaran Empire controlled everything. When there was nothing left to conquer in their realm, they began to look elsewhere. They turned their attention to the sciences began to study, and learn everything they could about the universe.¡±

    ¡°What about magic?¡± I asked. If these beings were so technologically advanced, how powerful would they be magically? Would they rival the gods?

    ¡°What magic?¡± Shaed smirked.

    I frowned, and my eyes widened as he continued, ¡°At first, the Humari were a purely technological species, like the humans from your prior life.¡± The starscape around us began to dissipate, the castle hall returning. ¡°It wasn¡¯t until the Humari uncovered the truth and figured out how reality truly functions. They were too limited by what you and I know as the laws of physics, or at least our perceived laws. Once they figured out how to circumvent those laws.¡± He snapped his fingers. ¡°Magic as you and I know it was discovered.¡±

    ¡°Okay,¡± I said. "So we have a bunch of aliens who figured out how to become wizards. What does this have to do with the gods?¡±

    Shaed sighed, ¡°I¡¯m trying to give you context. Fine, I¡¯ll keep it brief. The Humari discovered all they could within their reality of Middendaum except for one thing known as the Eye of the Universe. The center of everything. It was during this time the empire discovered that everything posses a soul and souls can be manipulated with the by product known as ether, which in turn birthed magic.¡±

    ¡°Spirimancy!¡± I gasped, and Shaed nodded.

    ¡°It was with the advent of spirimancy that they uncovered something awful,¡± He said. ¡°They stumbled upon Father.¡±

    I blinked. ¡°The apostles?¡± I muttered, and he nodded slowly.

    ¡°Middendaum was destroyed by Father, and only a handful of Humari escaped to Eifelheim, our reality, via an event known as the Great Wound. They tore a hole in their reality that led directly into ours¨C¡±

    ¡°The Consolidation of the Planes!¡± My mind was blown.

    ¡°Not exactly, but you are very, very close,¡± Shaed said. ¡°In reality, you would call this first consolidation, yet instead of all realities converging, it was only two beings forcibly bridged.¡±

    ¡°Okay, but how does this correlate with the gods?¡± I asked yet again.

    ¡°I¡¯m getting there,¡± Shaed said with a roll of his eyes. ¡°The Humari came to our reality from another with knowledge of spirimancy. Upon their arrival they were not welcomed like refugees. They were introduced with bloodshed.¡±

    ¡°What happened?¡± I asked.

    ¡°They were slaughtered by the gods, or what we think are gods, Luna.¡±

    I shook my head. ¡°What? Why?¡±

    ¡°Because the Humari know what gods really are,¡± He said. ¡°You know magic tricks? They¡¯re just that. Tricks. Nothing is magical about it, but if you don¡¯t know that and aren¡¯t aware how they work it seems wondrous. The truth can be said for deities. If you truly understand how gods work, nothing is special about them. The Humari understood reality, they conquered it, until they uncovered our common enemy that is.¡± Shaed explained.

    I sputtered momentarily and shook my head again before clapping my cheeks to focus. ¡°Hold on, you¡¯re telling me. The gods just straight up genocided an entire race fleeing to safety because they understood their party tricks?¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± He said bluntly.

    I blinked. ¡°How do you know this?¡± I asked. ¡°If they¡¯re all dead, how do you know? I thought you said not even they knew?¡±

    Shaed laughed. ¡°Luna, gods can lie. When I first began my study into this they tried to tell me what I wanted to to hear. Most men believe that gods exist simply because they¡¯re gods. They just do. Yet, here I was, a man who had become one. I had origin story, yet they didn¡¯t. I simply couldn¡¯t believe that. So I searched, and searched, and eventually¡­ I found my lead. An individual you¡¯ve already met, or at least¡­ you¡¯ve met one of them.¡±

    I curled my lips into a line. ¡°Lucien,¡± I said. ¡°The one that called you Garl.¡±

    ¡°Bollocks I hate that!¡± Shaed cursed. ¡°Yes.¡± He looked at me. ¡°Lucien About, he¡¯s a piece of my friend.¡±

    I frowned. ¡°A piece?¡± He nodded. ¡°Last I saw he was Human¡­ where did he go anyway? He poofed when that reactor went and did, whatever it did!¡±

    ¡°He was dispelled,¡± Shaed said, ¡°Do you know how Putinov was actually a shell? His soul contained in the crystal?¡±

    ¡°The one that shattered,¡± I muttered, and Shaed blinked with surprise. ¡°Yeah, it uh, broke when the reactor pulsed or whatever.¡± My frown deepened.

    Shaed cursed again. ¡°That isn¡¯t good, but, not much we can do now. But yes, Lucien¡­ what we saw was merely fragment of my friend. The one you know as Ami.¡±

    I groaned. ¡°That asshole? Ami is your friend?¡±

    ¡°Yes. He is an old ally of mine, one who is close to the former Humari Empire. He is the one who warned me of this¡­ thing known as Father and their apostles. He is the one who helped me find you and bring you to Enora.¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s such a dick though.¡± I groaned.

    ¡°He can be, but he is vastly intelligent. He knows how things are, Luna, he knows what gods really are.¡±

    I bit the inside of my lip and held his gaze. ¡°What are they then?¡± I asked.

    Shaed eyes held firm as he sucked in a breath and sighed. ¡°Do not mention this outside of here,¡± He said, ¡°For what I am about to say is very, very dangerous for the two of us.¡± I nodded. ¡°The gods are constructs.¡±

 Chapter 103: The Villain the World Needed

    Shaed¡¯s eyes never left mine. Like we were having a staring contest, for he never blinked. His steely, bright blue eyes never left mine, as if he waited for me to have some sort of reaction. Shock? Anger? What was he waiting for?

    ¡°Constructs,¡± I repeated what he said, ¡°They¡¯re constructs.¡±

    ¡°That is what I said,¡± Shaed said flatly.

    I nodded slowly. Isn¡¯t that how gods are made? I thought to myself, forgetting Shaed could hear such things. Mother said we pray them into existence. Therefore, yeah, they¡¯re constructs.

    ¡°We¡¯re you not paying attention, Luna?¡± Shaed asked, his tone now sounding annoyed.

    I perked up and looked at him, his expression causing me to shrink away. His eyes were hard, his brow knitted, carving deep grooves into his forehead as he frowned. The man looked like the most disappointed father, and he sighed with disappointment.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± I said. ¡°You¡¯re dumping so much on me right now, I just¨CI¡¯m having a hard time wrapping my head around everything. You also never fully answered my question, about what happened during the Twilight War.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll get to that eventually,¡± Shaed said, turning away. He began to levitate down the hall. I followed behind. ¡°There are more pressing matters we should discuss,¡± He said.

    I sighed and rolled my eyes. ¡°Okay, fine, so the gods are constructs, so what? We already knew that. You were created into a god, therefore yeah, you¡¯re a construct too.¡±

    ¡°Not like them!¡± Shaed barked, and I jolted.

    He spun around, his face angry like before, though the inky blackness did not engulf his eyes. He glared at me. ¡°Think about it, Luna,¡± He growled. ¡°Actually, think about it. You said it yourself when referencing your prior universe¡¯s birth. The Big Bang. How can something be created from nothing?¡±

    I gulped. ¡°I-It can¡¯t. I-It¡¯s a paradox. It¡¯s unknowable.¡±

    Shaed eased a bit, his expression softening slightly though his gaze still bore into me. ¡°Precisely. The gods and their legends state their pantheon is what birthed Enora and the known universe. That they gain their power from followers, yet if that is the case, who was there before to follow them? Who gave them their power, who birthed them? Constructs are created, Ami showed me this, he helped create me. He showed me how gods are born. That means, someone, or something, created them. Gods are not merely born from nothing, Luna, something cannot come from nothing. You said it yourself.¡±

    He¡¯s right. I thought. It doesn¡¯t make sense.

    ¡°They¡¯re omitting something,¡± I said, ¡°that¡¯s why they killed that empire. Those people knew how to create gods.¡±

    Shaed¡¯s expression softened thoroughly, and he looked relieved. ¡°You are beginning to see,¡± he said softly. ¡°The gods themselves do know where they came from. Yet they wish to keep it a secret so that they can continue holding the power it brings.¡±

    I pursed my lips. ¡°When you say they¡¯re constructs, I picture the machines like the Rusivites use. Or that tractor thing I saw on the farm. Are we talking about machines; robots? The empire you mentioned were technological¡­¡± My eyes widened. ¡°Are they like some kind of A.I.?¡±

    Shaed took a deep breath. ¡°Not¡­ exactly,¡± He said slowly, which did little to ease my nerves. ¡°You are on the right track. People imagine the gods as mystical beings of grace, almost humanoid-like. Others imagine creatures like the Ursan folk and their beast god. The gods of Enora are projections of these things, but they are not them.¡±

    ¡°Then what are they?¡± I asked.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Shaed said, disappointed, his head lowering.

    ¡°Well what are you then?¡± I asked. ¡°You became a god. Surely¨C¡±

    Shaed grimaced. ¡°I said I¡¯m not like them.¡± He looked at me. ¡°I am not a machine, Luna. I am not¡­¡± He hesitated. ¡°I am a man. Or I was. I am something greater. Greater than them, and what I was.¡±

    I didn¡¯t know how to respond. ¡°What does Ami think they are?¡± I asked, changing tactics.

    Shaed¡¯s hands balled into a fist, and he sighed as he composed himself. ¡°I don¡¯t know how to explain it, for even I do not fully understand. My memory is also hazy.¡±

    ¡°Hazy?¡± I asked.

    He glanced at me briefly before looking to the floor as if ashamed. ¡°I told you time here in this reality is slower than on the material plane. When I failed all those years ago and was trapped within this layer of space-time I feel as if I¡¯ve been trapped here for tens, if not hundreds of thousands of years. I honestly do not know, I lost track after the first millenia. Much of that time, I was a broken man. My mind became stretched thin, I lost sense of myself.¡±

    He turned to the paintings on the walls. ¡°These pieces. Remnants of my subconscious, memories that remained which I began to compile into these paintings. A way to preserve what my primary consciousness was forgetting. I could not secure it all, but I have enough to reconstruct much of what was lost.¡± He sighed. ¡°But to answer your question,¡± He said, getting back on track. ¡°Ami said that the gods are artificial souls given life and intelligence. At least, that was his layman explanation.¡±

    ¡°Artificial souls.¡± I repeated to myself. ¡°Elaborate please?¡±

    Shaed sighed. ¡°I just said I don¡¯t fully know myself,¡± he said quickly. ¡°We would need to contact Ami if you want to know everything.¡± A hint of frustration was evident.

    I squinted at him. ¡°You¡¯re lying,¡± I said, and Shaed glared at me. ¡°You do know something. You¡¯re just not telling me. What happened to you revealing all you knew to me?¡±

    Shaed¡¯s jaw set, and he gazed at the painting we stopped beside. I hadn¡¯t paid attention to it, but what was painted there was interesting. It was Shaed, a human with olive skin and long dark hair, wearing what looked like a white and gold-trimmed officer''s uniform with buttons on either side. Beside him was another man, an elf-like creature with long dark hair and bright green eyes. The elf was tall, probably seven feet, a whole head and a half taller than Shaed, and wore some sort of bulky purple plate. The two were standing side by side, the elf¡¯s hand resting on Shaed¡¯s shoulder, and they smiled as if posing for a picture.

    ¡°Why now?¡± Shaed muttered to himself. ¡°Of all the years, why did you show up now?¡± He growled at the painting.

    ¡°Don¡¯t get sidetracked now,¡± I said. ¡°Can we, for once, just focus and stop going off on these tangents?¡± I asked, frustrated.

    Shaed looked at me. ¡°You¡¯re right,¡± he said. ¡°I apologize. I was lying; however, I will not tell you.¡±

    I glared at him. ¡°Why?¡± He said nothing. I threw my arms up in frustration. ¡°Fine, whatever, keep your secrets.¡±

    Shaed took a deep breath. ¡°It¡¯s time we discuss our next moves, Luna.¡±

    I jammed a finger at him. ¡°You still haven¡¯t answered my damn question, you old geezer!¡± Shaed arched an eyebrow at me. ¡°Don¡¯t play stupid with me.¡± I was fuming. ¡°You¡¯ve constantly been prancing around it. What happened two thousand years ago? When you tried to conquer the world. Why did you do it? Why kill so many people? Already you said you¡¯ve done shitty things taking over your homeland and then became a god, then what? You tried conquering the world? For the love of god, if it¡¯s some Nazi shit, then I¡¯m out.¡±

    He blinked. ¡°What is a Nazi?¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t wanna know,¡± I said bluntly. ¡°They¡¯re bad people.¡± I sighed. ¡°The stories say you fell in love with one of the gods, I can¡¯t remember their name, a sun goddess. Something about how you could never be with her and therefore you went mad.¡±

    Shaed didn¡¯t say anything. Not at first. ¡°The story is partially true,¡± He said.

    I frowned. ¡°I¡¯m confused, I thought you didn¡¯t like the gods?¡±

    Shaed nodded. ¡°It¡¯s complicated.¡± He sighed. ¡°What I did then was foolish. Ami and I thought we could fulfill our mission with force, to unite them. To end the struggle and squabbles over petty issues, like I had done with my homeland.¡±

    ¡°By slaughtering those who got in your way¨C¡±

    ¡°They would not listen!¡± Shaed snapped. ¡°Illumina and I tried to explain, she was the only one who sought reason. She understood. Yet, even when their own god spoke of what is coming. They denied her. They denied me¡­¡± His hands balled into fists. ¡°And they ended her for it.¡±

    I blinked. Illumina? I never heard that name. In the books Isa had, they only referred to her as the ¡°goddess.¡±

    ¡°That is because, like me, they want her to be forgotten,¡± Shaed growled. ¡°They saw her as a traitor. A false god. Of all those who exist, she was the only radiant among them. A truly good god, and it was because of her kind heart. She was cast out.¡±

    ¡°So you went to war with the world,¡± I said softly.

    ¡°It was the only way,¡± He said but trailed off. Shaed¡¯s head hung low, and he sighed. ¡°At least. That is what I thought at the time. I was blinded by rage, and Ami did little to stop me. Quite frankly, he urged me to go through it. He had the knowledge, I had the armies. Together¡­ together we almost completed our goal.¡±

    ¡°To unite the world?¡± I asked. ¡°Under a dictatorship? A theorcracy?¡±

    ¡°Perhaps¡­¡± Shaed said in a low, menacing voice. ¡°I did not merely wish to rule the world, Luna. I wanted to protect it. I wanted all of Enora to work together. Even if it meant I had to become the villain to have them set aside their differences then so be it. I did it because I wanted to protect them.¡±

    ¡°From what?¡± I asked though I felt I knew the answer.

    ¡°From God. The one we know as the All-Father, our mutual enemy.¡±

    ¡°As I thought,¡± I said, sinking back. ¡°You¡¯ve known about him for that long? Same for the other gods?¡±

    ¡°Yes. When Ami showed me the truth, I devoted my entire life to the cause. It is why I became a god, to obtain the power I needed to stop them. To convince the others. But¡­ I had failed,¡± He said, expression distraught. ¡°I had wrought so much death. I know that I am a monster. At the time, I had understood what I was doing. I justified it. Now, I have lived long enough to see the error of my ways. I know I cannot attone for my sins, this is a burden I¡¯ll forever carry.¡± He looked at me. ¡°Know that I understand if you despise me, Luna, but trust that you and I are on the same side.¡±

    I gritted my teeth. I had no idea what I should be feeling. This man, this thing, he was awful. I had hoped he would¡¯ve denied the stories, the necrophage, the black armies. The storm he unleashed upon the alliance armies. The Twilight War had killed millions for a noble cause to protect the world, yet that doesn¡¯t justify anything. How can you protect something that has already been destroyed?

    ¡°I don¡¯t think it¡¯s right,¡± I said, looking at him. Shaed seemed genuine, and he looked genuinely distraught.

    ¡°He will lie, he will cheat, he will do everything in his power to make you trust him.¡± Charity¡¯s voice rang in my mind.

    The two of them. They worked towards the same goal. To end the petty squabbling and fighting, to end death. To bring peace. At least, one seemed far more extreme than the other.

    The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

    ¡°You condemned millions to death,¡± I snarled, and Shaed looked at me, his expression blank. His blue eyes were shallow and empty as if no life were behind them. ¡°How can you say it¡¯s to protect them?¡±

    ¡°Sacrifices¨C¡± He started, but I stopped listening.

    I turned away. ¡°Bullshit, you¡¯re spouting bullshit!¡±

    ¡°You cannot argue with the facts, Luna,¡± Shaed said in a low voice. ¡°I was the reason the Warriors of Light and the Global Alliance exist. Already large swathes of the world are united, all we need to do now is to stop the two alliances from killing each other and to work together.¡±

    ¡°So that¡¯s it?¡± I asked. ¡°That¡¯s your justification for genocide?¡±

    ¡°It is better to lose a few then all,¡± He said, though his voice wavered. His emotionless expression twitched faintly.

    I gawked at him. ¡°You seriously think you did the right thing, don¡¯t you?¡± I asked, my voice hushed.

    He didn¡¯t respond immediately. However, after a moment, he said, ¡°No, but I will not deny the results, Luna¡­ What I did was dreadful. I do not ask for forgiveness, for I know I do not deserve it. All I can do now, is do better.¡±

    I glared at him, my eyes searching for any ounce of information that would prove he was lying. Yet I couldn¡¯t find anything. He appeared genuine, no, broken. His eyes were empty, and his tone wasn¡¯t emotionless but dead.

    He truly is a monster. He¡¯s no different from Charity and those apostles. Except, what choice did I have? It was either trying something to stop Charity or whoever those apostles were, or what? What if I chose not to follow through with any of this? Shaed could just possess me again. Or maybe I am the key to whatever plan he has to stop Charity, and without me, she and the apostles ¡°get rid of death,¡± whatever the hell that means. It''s probably killing everyone. No one can die if everyone¡¯s dead, right?

    I growled and clenched my tiny fists. ¡°If you do anything or order me to do anything that I disagree with,¡± I said, ¡°Then I¡¯m out.¡±

    Shaed gritted his teeth and looked troubled. ¡°I, I cannot make such a promise,¡± He said gruffly. ¡°What we¡¯re doing, Luna. It will take us places and make us do things that will potentially put us in situations that you may not like.¡±

    ¡°Like what?¡± I asked.

    ¡°I do not have a straight answer,¡± He admitted.

    ¡°What is our goal then?¡± I asked, frustrated.

    ¡°To unite them,¡± He said grimly.

    I blinked. ¡°Excuse me,¡± I started, ¡°you want to try again? To unite the world? A second Twilight War?¡±

    Shaed jerked back and shook his head. ¡°No!¡± He slashed the air with a knife-hand. ¡°Never again do I wish to try something so foul. Already, the world is plunging itself into darkness. I wish to stop it from doing so. To try diplomacy again.¡±

    ¡°And you think they¡¯ll listen to you?¡± I gawked. ¡°The one who nearly ruined the world with a vampire-zombie apocalypse?!¡±

    ¡°I never said it would be easy,¡± Shaed said almost pleadingly.

    ¡°Master¨CShaed, I mean, you¡¯re actually crazy.¡± I was floored. I turned away, hands running through my hair.

    Me, diplomacy? I could barely handle a phone call at my old IT job. Now, this guy is asking me to talk to world leaders?!

    ¡°You won¡¯t be alone,¡± he said. ¡°I can try to help. When we find Ami, they can assist as well.¡±

    ¡°Why do I have to do it?¡± I whined, now beginning to feel overwhelmed. ¡°I-I¡¯m a kid again. No one will believe me if I go out there and start saying that I have the bloody Dark Lord in my head. I¡¯ll be thrown into an asylum or something worse!¡±

    ¡°We still have time,¡± Shaed said, his tone taking on a more calming nature. ¡°Or, I think we do.¡±

    ¡°You think?¡± I huffed and rolled my eyes. ¡°Doesn¡¯t really make me feel better when god says ¡®he thinks¡¯.¡± I groaned.

    I¡¯m not hero-worthy. I¡¯m a nobody, just some overweight dude trapped in a girl¡¯s body. I¡¯m nobody but a freak cosplaying. I¡¯m not cut out for this saving-the-world shit. I just wanna go home with my family¡­

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± Shaed said, ¡°I know this is too much, but the truth usually is, Luna. You were chosen for this because I need you. I truly do.¡±

    ¡°But you can¡¯t tell me why,¡± I said, trying to compose myself but doing a terrible job.

    Shaed nodded. ¡°Yes. I can¡¯t, telling you would be harmful. Just know that you are the key.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re not making me feel better.¡±

    ¡°I know. I¡¯m not trying to make you feel better, I¡¯m trying to explain the truth. None of us wanted this, Luna. God, the All-father, is the one forcing this on us. Whatever it is, they are our enemy, and we must convince the world of their agenda.¡±

    I wrapped my arms around myself and took a deep breath. ¡°H-How? How would we start?¡±

    Shaed sighed. ¡°I don¡¯t know, but I will think of something.¡±

    <hr>

    Cailynn Ashflow

    Cailynn leaned over her unconscious sister-in-law, anxious; she tended to the head wound Saria had received when the insane mage attacked them. The back of her head was soaked with a bit of blood where she had cracked it against the wall; thankfully, it was a small cut and not as threatening as it appeared. Head wounds always tended to bleed more, and Cailynn spent some time wrapping the wound with a bandage provided by one of the Yankys. At least, Cailynn hoped it wasn¡¯t as bad as it seemed. She was a former scholar and an adventurer, even though she only knew how to treat basic wounds¡ªsplinting a broken arm or leg, bandaging cuts, and stitching lacerations. Even then, if she had a scroll of rejuvenation, she wouldn¡¯t need to bother with those skills. If Saria was concussed or, even worse, bleeding internally, there wasn¡¯t much she could do, not without a doctor or magic.

    Ever since that pulse emitted by the machine, Cailynn had felt hollow. Her magic tapped. What was once like a roaring river, the burning energy inside of her had been stifled. Her well had run dry. She was vaguely familiar with anti-magic spells and had heard stories of the military experimenting with new weapons, yet had never personally witnessed such devices or spells. She never thought she¡¯d be on the receiving end, and heavens forbid she ever be again. The sensation was draining, for she felt exhausted.

    She had become so reliant on her spells and magic to keep her going throughout the day. A catnap here, a resilient to numb any aches¡ªall of it was gone in a flash. She knew this would only be temporary. Hoped for it really. Saria, while her injuries don¡¯t appear life-threatening on the surface, would need to be treated soon just to be safe.

    ¡°Silly, woman,¡± Cailynn muttered under her breath as she brushed Saria¡¯s hair. ¡°What happened to you?¡± She asked herself. ¡°Why did you stray away from Margon¡¯s flame?¡± She sighed and glanced over her shoulder towards the pillar of magrite.

    The power source of the entire city. It was more of a natural wonder than anything. It must have been the most giant solid crystal of magrite she¡¯d seen to date. Slyran had mentioned the size of the one the Rusivites held within the fortress; she assumed it had to be about the same size, if not a bit smaller than what was seen here. She wondered how they¡¯d gotten the crystal down here, or perhaps they dug and built around it.

    Who were they anyway? She knew it wasn¡¯t some private contracting company or the Heinmarran government. The archeo devices around here seemed far too complex than what she¡¯s seen or worked with. The Far Reachers? Most likely. The few arcanium plants Cailynn had seen over her years of travel were very crude compared to this, but they were smaller as well. She wondered how the power was drawn from this machine. She could see metal wiring encased in khantorian rubber coiling all over the machine. Dozens upon dozens of cables led to metallic clasps that clung to the pillar and fed back to the wall behind it. Some sort of pumps, perhaps?

    As her eyes wandered over the machine, she focused on the one outlier amongst the mechanical mess around the glowing pillar. Her daughter, Luna. Her small right hand was pressed against the pillar. At first, her eyes shone brightly with ether, and Cailynn feared her daughter would experience what was known as a spell cascade. The result when drawing in too much ether at once and rupturing. A common cause of death amongst overzealous initiates and even cocky renowned magisters.

    Thankfully, this did not happen. Luna, who was then emitting a pale-blue ether, had gone catatonic. Her eyes shimmered with the same blue light as they glazed over and closed. As quickly as she started glowing, it began to fade, the pale light evaporating off her like clouds of mist. Then nothing.

    Her little girl said she wouldn¡¯t be long. That this conversation with this ¡°Master,¡± the Darklord, would only be a minute. It¡¯s been five minutes now, and Cailynn was growing anxious. None of the Hein¡¯s Guard soldiers who survived the crazed mage¡¯s attack have woken up. The Yankys were tending to them now, and though Cailynn only knew a small amount of their native tongue, she was surprised to hear the three laughing and joking as they looked over the wounded.

    How could they be joking at a time like this? She never could understand it. Slyran was the same way. During their adventuring days on the grungiest days or the darkest of hours, he would somehow find a way to crack a joke. They nearly had just been killed, yet they seemed to shrug it off and find humor in it.

    ¡°I¡¯ve spent too long with my nose in a book and a ruler up my ass,¡± Cailynn muttered under her breath.

    ¡°What is up your ass?¡± An older man¡¯s voice snapped Cailynn back to reality.

    Cailynn started and sputtered as she turned to see a familiar face staring at her quizzically with an arched eyebrow. Oscar was his name? One of Luna and Isa¡¯s friends. The Grandfather of the little elf¨Cno, he was an uncle. Right? Yeah, the uncle of the little girl Anne.

    Cailynn blushed heavily, held up her hands, and waved them. ¡°N-No, that¡¯s not what I-I meant. I was just¨C¡± She cut herself off when the elder¡¯s face cracked into a broad smile, his eyes twinkling with amusement. Her face was burning as she turned away, unable to get her words straight.

    ¡°I joke, I joke,¡± Oscar said in accented maurich. ¡°I heard what you said. Though old, I have ears like earwin.¡± He chuckled and sat on the floor beside Cailynn along the wall. ¡°How she?¡± He asked, pointing to Saria.

    Cailynn looked at her sister-in-law. Though Saria was known for having pale skin, she seemed to be as white as a sheet. Even shrouded in the shade that was Cailynn¡¯s body, she could tell. ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Cailynn admitted. ¡°The wound on her head doesn¡¯t seem too bad at first glance, but, I fear she may be damaged internally.¡±

    Oscar nodded. ¡°Get her to doctor we must,¡± he grunted and forced himself to his feet despite having just sat.

    ¡°But, what about Luna? She¡¯s still¡­¡± She looked at her daughter standing at the pillar''s base like a statue. ¡°Doing whatever she is with the Master.¡±

    ¡°Then stay,¡± Oscar said, stepping past Cailynn and squatting over Saria. ¡°She is hurt. Help needed. I take her to doctor I know. Not too far¡­ I think.¡± He pursed his lips and cocked his head. ¡°Where are we?¡±

    Cailynn blinked. For a moment, she chastised herself internally for thinking everyone had to stay here till Luna was done. Oscar was right. She could have the soldiers take Saria to the hospital, but then he had to go and ask that. The man was old for an elf, about middle-aged, at least compared to those who lived a millennium. Was his mind slipping already? It¡¯s not unheard of for Elders to experience cognitive dysfunction.

    She shook her head and focused. ¡°What do you mean? Do you not remember how you got here?¡± She asked.

    Oscar snorted. ¡°Trip here was, uh, what word? Shit-show. Yeah! A shit-show. Ruins we came.¡± He waved his arm dismissively back towards the large entrance. ¡°Too dangerous. Filled with evil machines.¡±

    ¡°The Rusivites?¡± Cailynn gritted her teeth.

    ¡°Bah! Wish I do, much easier, too big to fit in corridor.¡± He made a small box with his hands to show. ¡°These old machines.¡± He trailed off, his face scrunching as he thought. ¡°Uh, what is word? Forgotten Empire¨CFar Reachers!¡± He corrected himself. ¡°Old constructs.¡±

    Cailynn¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°So there¡¯s more to these ruins? And there¡¯s ancient protectors lurking?¡± Oscar nodded.

    Any other day, Cailynn would be thrilled by this. In her adventuring days, she¡¯d round up Slyran and possibly even Isa for another bout of dungeon delving. However, that was the old days, old Cailynn. The version of her that was far more arrogant, energetic, flirtatious, and curious. The Moonweaver.

    Now she was just Cailynn Ashflow. A mother and a baker, and unlike the Moonweaver, she was not excited by the prospect of an ancient ruin filled with far-reacher constructs marching beneath the city. The last time she had¨Cher mind paused, and she grimaced. The last time she¡¯d encountered those things¨Cher mind halted again, and she closed her eyes. No. She couldn¡¯t think about it.

    Lorizio, you rotten bastard. She gritted her teeth and looked back up at Oscar.

    ¡°Is everything okay?¡± The older elf asked, his brow arching.

    ¡°Yes, I just¨Cyou¡¯re right, we must go. If those ruins are filled with those archeo-constructs, then we¡¯re not safe here.¡± Cailynn started to stand, but Oscar held his hands up, repeatedly saying something in Yanky.

    ¡°Whooaa, whoa! Hol¡¯on there.¡± She halted, and he spoke again in maurich. ¡°Path we come. Sealed. Tiny hole we crawl through, too big for construct. Beside. Pulse, most likely, uh, what is word? Bed them.¡±

    ¡°Bed them?¡± Cailynn frowned.

    ¡°Yeah!¡± Oscar exclaimed happily. ¡°Like, uh, sleep! That is word I meant.¡±

    Cailynn sighed. ¡°From what I know of the far-reachers, I doubt a simple anti-magic pulse would¡¯ve shut them down.¡±

    Oscar simply shrugged. ¡°This, I dunno, but as said. Tiny hole. Very tight. No fit.¡± He wagged a finger at her and smiled broadly. ¡°Man was too big, you see, like,¡± He stretched his arms out wide, and Cailynn rolled her eyes. ¡°Hole could not handle them.¡±

    ¡°I get it,¡± Cailynn said, though she couldn¡¯t help but smile faintly. ¡°Crude old man.¡±

    ¡°Elder,¡± Oscar chided her gently as he feigned offense. ¡°Not old, old is for geezers who sit on porch entire day. Sipping i¡¯ona tea.¡± He mimicked slurping from a teacup.

    ¡°Fine.¡± Cailynn placed a hand on her hip. ¡°You¡¯re a crude and goofy elder.¡±

    Oscar smiled gently and pointed at Saria. ¡°I take her to doctor now. I don¡¯t know what Luna do, but stay with. Elder says so.¡±

    Cailynn snorted and rolled her eyes. ¡°Sure.¡± She smiled faintly. Perhaps this is why Slyran and those soldiers joke around. Doing so meant she didn¡¯t have to let that sense of anxiety press down on her constantly. Turning away from Oscar, she began to walk towards Luna; behind her, Oscar called out in yanky towards the soldiers. She guessed he was telling them about his plan from what words she picked up on. As Cailynn drew closer to her daughter, she couldn¡¯t help but wonder where Anne was. She and Oscar had been together when the Rusivites attacked, right? Well, the time to ask questions had passed. Perhaps later, she can tell Luna to contact Anne about that.

    She needed to get her daughter out of there and somewhere safe. Except. Where is safety? The Rusivites attacked from the sky. Like a swarm of dragons, those archeo machines were fast, if not just as destructive. Johanneson was a trap. Like a dessert mirage, it gave off the illusion of safety, yet just like naivety before she allowed herself to become too relaxed. Not anymore. They needed to flee, to get as far away from this city and blasted war as they could.

    So she reached out to her daughter and¡ª

    ¡°No, stop!¡± A male¡¯s voice boomed in her mind as her hand gripped Luna¡¯s shoulder.

    And her mind was overwhelmed.

 Chapter 104: Memories

    Luna

    The seemingly never-ending hall ended. For what I guessed was about ten minutes, we had walked in silence. That entire time, I stewed with my thoughts, though I knew Shaed could read, or would it be more akin to hearing, said thoughts. He did not intrude. Even then, if he was eavesdropping, I didn¡¯t care. I welcomed him to sit in and listen as I mulled over what he had told me.

    The man was crazy. To be honest, I didn¡¯t know what I was expecting. Had I truly hoped this man was someone merely misunderstood? A mortal god who had been rejected by the rest of divinity, like how they destroyed the Far Reachers because they saw him as a threat, a victim? From what he had told me, parts of that were genuine. Shaed was a victim at first. The other gods ostracized him, and supposedly, if he were to be believed, the one who did listen to him was also cast out. He said her name was Luminia, if I remember correctly.

    Oddly, I haven¡¯t heard much about her besides the small text in the book Isa gave my brother and me. The goddess that the dark emperor fell in love with. I understand why it was done that way now. Like Shaed, the world wished to forget about her. Did she also harbor dark secrets like him? From what I know, gods can¡¯t die. Not in the traditional sense. So, would this Illumina still be out there somewhere? Imprisoned like Shaed?

    I decided to ask¡ªnot openly, of course. If this Illumina was indeed a lover or good friend of Shaed, I doubt ripping open an old wound would do me any good.

    ¡°Master¨CShaed, I mean,¡± I started.

    ¡°Either name is fine,¡± he said softly as we stood before a large, ornate double door made from dark and sturdy wood. Carved into each panel were two giant dragons depicted in intricate detail, each one standing up on its hind legs, wings outstretched and roaring.

    Shaed held a hand above his head before sliding his arms downward, his palm twisting sideways as he did so, similar to a karate chop, though not as fast. The door gave off a heavy click as it unlocked before giving off a deep groan as it opened. Inside was a vast feast hall. A long table ran down the middle, with a deep purple cover and white embroidery along its edges. The table was covered in empty dishes and candelabras, yet I noticed there were no candles in them; instead, they were gemstones. Pieces of magrite were set in place, emitting a bright yet soft glow similar to that of fluorescent light.

    The room stretched for dozens of feet, and like the hallway, the walls were covered in paintings, save for the far left, which was decorated with vast stained-glass windows. Each depicted variations of Shaed during his period as a human emperor and one other figure in the center window. Another royal-looking figure, though not of Shaed, was an older man sitting upon a high throne with a golden scepter, his subjects kneeling before him.

    I had no idea why Shaed brought us here. From what I could gather, we seemed to be walking aimlessly, as if the movement had helped him focus as we talked. I doubt he would bring me here to eat. As he said, this realm isn¡¯t actually real. Instead, it was a rendition from his mind, a memory. Can he even eat? Do gods need to eat?

    I shook my head. Focus. You were going to ask a question.

    ¡°Can gods die?¡± I asked as Shaed levitated to the far end of the gargantuan dining table. With a simple gesture of his hand, he pulled back an ornately designed chair that looked more like a throne and sat into it.

    He sighed pleasantly as he sank into the cushion on its seat as if levitating around all day had been tiring work. He took a deep breath and fixed his steely blue eyes on me like he was inspecting something on my face. ¡°Depends,¡± He said after a moment as he rested his elbows on the arms of his dining throne and laced his fingers.

    I came over and sat near him on his right, and by taking a seat, I really meant I climbed the mountain that was the chair and sat in it. The furniture in here was more extensive than I realized upon getting close. Garlayan people must¡¯ve been tall. Shaed was tall, at least the few times I saw when he wasn¡¯t levitating a foot off the ground.

    ¡°Why do you ask?¡± He queried once I was comfortable.

    I took a deep breath. ¡°My mother and teacher said gods can¡¯t die. They said they¡¯re concepts, beings that represent Enoran beliefs. You can¡¯t kill something that isn¡¯t living or a belief. Yet at the same time, gods have gone to war with each other. You said it yourself that Illumina¨C¡± I noticed his expression tighten upon mentioning her, but he didn¡¯t interrupt ¡°--was cast out. You speak like she is dead, but weren¡¯t you cast out, too? If gods can be destroyed, why weren¡¯t you?¡± I felt like I was starting to ramble, so I shut my mouth.

    Shaed¡¯s expression relaxed, and he turned his attention down the long table, staring off into nothing¡ªwhich I noticed he does quite a lot¡ªas he pondered my query. ¡°A complex question,¡± He said.

    I frowned. ¡°I feel like it¡¯s more of a simple yes or no,¡± I said.

    Shaed snorted, and I noticed a faint smirk that only lasted a fraction of a second as he shook his head and hardened once more. ¡°Mortals of Enora have been cultivated and taught that gods are, as you said, concepts. Beliefs made manifest, and to a degree,¡± he said, holding a finger up. ¡°They are. Though, as Ami has shown me, and I have experienced.¡± He placed his hand on his chest. ¡°We are constructs, created not by thoughts, but physical manifestations. Something that was crafted and given life. The stories you were told and taught are merely that, stories.¡±

    ¡°So gods are physical things,¡± I clarified.

    Shaed wiggled the palm of his hand from side to side in a sort of ¡°maybe¡± gesture. ¡°Sort of,¡± he said, ¡°If you recall, I told you that gods exist within a higher plane of reality. A realm that can only be visited via one¡¯s very consciousness.¡±

    I pursed my lips as I tried to comprehend what was said. Instead of asking something logical or continuing the conversation, my brain decided to latch onto something entirely unrelated: ¡°Does this realm have a name?¡± I asked. ¡°Like, we keep calling it a ¡®higher layer of space-time¡¯ or ¡®higher reality¡¯ and all, which is just a bit of a mouthful.¡±

    Way to go, me, for asking the real questions. I can¡¯t blame my new child brain this time; even the old me would latch onto pointless stuff like this.

    Shaed huffed and sighed. ¡°This realm has many names: the Cognitive Plane, or the Ethereal Plane, and the Astral Plane, though it¡¯s most commonly referred to by the local inhabitants as the Cereballium.¡±

    I started. ¡°Locals? There are things that live here?¡± I gawked, then shook my head. ¡°Nevermind, we can talk about that later.¡± Focus. ¡°Gods, can they die? So far you just said they¡¯re constructs which we covered already. What does that have to do with us killing them?¡±

    ¡°Us killing them?¡± Shaed arched a brow. ¡°Do you want to kill a god?¡±

    My lips curled back into a line. ¡°Uh, not really.¡± I sighed. ¡°But, if we need to fight this All-Father guy and those apostles like Charity, we need to know if we can kill them right?¡±

    Shaed frowned and sulked. ¡°I do not know if they can be killed, for they are not like any god I¡¯ve seen,¡± he said softly. ¡°In regards to the pantheon, yes and no. The way¡­ we are constructed,¡± he said the last bit hesitantly, ¡°We were made within the physical realm here. Then transported to the Cereballium, where we are now.¡± He tapped the table. ¡°We exist physically, but also not.¡±

    I blinked. ¡°So¡­ the Gods have a physical presence on Enora then? Find where they are and destroy them, hypothetically speaking.¡±

    Shaed shook his head. ¡°Yes and no.¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡±

    ¡°The Cereballium is¡­ think of it like a parallel universe. It isn¡¯t one mind you, but for the sake of understanding. The Cereballium is a copy of the material plane overlaid on top. Say if I pulled you into here fully and we moved the area of the Cereballium overlapping the nation of Saxsonia and then found a Webway to exit. We would be there.¡±

    I frowned. ¡°But I thought you said only consciousness can be here?¡±

    He shook his head. ¡°I never said that. How do you explain where we are now.¡± He gestured to everything around him. ¡°We are standing on pieces of materium now. The Cereballium can be traversed if done safely, and long ago it has been. Traversing this layer of reality is far more efficient than any other form in the material realm.¡±

    ¡°Okay,¡± I said. ¡°So the gods, once existed on the physical realm, but then moved into here then?¡±

    ¡°Yes and no.¡± He said again.

    ¡°I¡¯m confused.¡± I frowned.

    ¡°I expect you to be,¡± he said, lounging in his chair, fingers laced and resting on his lap, looking at me. ¡°Like I was, the gods are anchored to the material plane. They alone cannot survive solely within. Something needs to have them tethered. Like a ship at sea, their anchor keeps them from being carried off by the waves. The beings that created them did this intentionally.¡±

    My eyes widened. ¡°That, that sounds like a huge security flaw.¡± Shaed nodded.

    ¡°It is, and that is only but another reason why they wiped out Ami and their people. For again, they knew how they worked.¡±

    I licked my lips. ¡°So the gods, are just machines then. Computers connected to the goddamn cloud?¡± Shaed snorted and laughed for a moment.

    ¡°No. No.¡± He shook his head. ¡°I do not fully understand, but if that is an analogy that¡¯ll help you understand, sure.¡±

    ¡°But they are, you said it yourself, they¡¯re constructs, created by someone. They have a device keeping them around¨C¡±

    He held a hand up to stop me. ¡°They are not machines, Luna, a machine is a servant. A slave, an unliving one. The gods, are real, they are living.¡±

    ¡°But what if they were merely made to act like this?¡±

    Shaed sighed. ¡°I¡­¡± He started but then frowned and finally slumped. ¡°I honestly don¡¯t know. That would be more of a question for Ami.¡±

    ¡°So, then, what happens if they ¡®die¡¯? Do they just go away? Are they tossed into the recycling bin?¡± I asked, and Shaed raised an eyebrow.

    ¡°They can not die,¡± he said, ¡°Not in the mortal sense. They can be defeated and have their power taken from them. Like I was, their connection to the material plane is severed, trapping them here forever where no mortal can ever interact with them and vice versa.¡±

    ¡°Then they¡¯re forgotten,¡± I finished, and he nodded. ¡°Wait,¡± I realized. ¡°If your connection was severed, how can you still reach the physical world?¡± I asked, and Shaed simply looked at me and said nothing. Then it clicked. My eyes widened. ¡°Through me?¡± He nodded slowly.

    ¡°With Ami¡¯s help,¡± he said, ¡°we were able to form a connection with you. A¡­¡± He pursed his lips, and I saw him trying to figure out how to word this. ¡°Like one of those mobile cellular towers I mentioned earlier.¡±

    ¡°Cellphone towers.¡± I corrected it just to be an ass.

    I smirked as he shot a look at me and sighed. ¡°Yes. One of those. You¡¯re a conduit. A lightning rod ready to catch me when I reach out.¡±

    ¡°But how?¡± I asked. ¡°I never met this Ami guy, not until Lucien, or whoever Lucien is compared to him. I never met you until we went to the cave. Was it there?¡± I asked.

    If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.

    Shaed didn¡¯t answer immediately; once again, he stared at nothing. It was as if something on the wall was very interesting, as if he hadn¡¯t noticed it before. Finally, he looked at me and said, ¡°No.¡±

    I frowned, then pursed my lips in thought. ¡°Was it during those hundreds of times you were psychologically torturing me with the truth?¡± I asked coyly.

    ¡°No.¡±

    I blinked. ¡°Okay, then when? How are you and I connected?¡±

    ¡°This is getting off-topic,¡± Shaed said, attempting to shut the conversation down. How you and I are connected is not relevant to our goal.¡±

    ¡°This is related to the ¡®truth¡¯ then isn¡¯t it? The knowledge you said that¡¯d break me?¡± I asked.

    Once again, he simply looked at me with an expression that read, ¡°What do you think?¡±

    I sighed. ¡°So much for learning about everything.¡± I huffed and crossed my arms, but finally, I let it drop. ¡°So gods can be defeated. I guess that¡¯s good to know if we ever need to fight them.¡±

    ¡°Let us pray it never comes to that,¡± Shaed said.

    Changing the subject, I looked to Shaed. ¡°Who is Lucien?¡± I asked. ¡°Who is he really? You said he was a piece of Ami. Explain that please.¡±

    ¡°Spirimancy,¡± Shaed said bluntly. ¡°Lucien About is a fragment of Ami¡¯s soul. A piece from a prior life made manifest.¡±

    My eyes widened. ¡°Wait, wait, you mean the asshole in my caster can just summon past versions of himself?¡¯ I gawked.

    Shaed¡¯s eyes met mine, and he nodded. ¡°To a degree. I am not as knowledgeable as he is. I¡¯ve only dabbled in the art of projecting my astral self. It is how Ami scouts Enora without fear of being found by our common enemy.¡±

    ¡°So, wait,¡± I said softly. ¡°Lucien is like me then?¡± My mind began to wander as I connected the dots. ¡°He was from my world and was brought here¨C¡±

    ¡°No,¡± Shaed stopped me. ¡°Lucien is not like you in the slightest. Yes, he is from your prior world, but he is not living.¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡± I blinked. ¡°I saw him though.¡±

    ¡°He was a projection, a powerful one. Like Putinov¡¯s shell but not entirely, I say this for your understanding,¡± he tried to explain.

    ¡°I think I¡¯m just more confused,¡± I muttered. ¡°So. Lucien isn¡¯t alive? What is he, a ghost?¡±

    ¡°You could say so,¡± Shaed said with an amused smirk and nod. ¡°That is actually a good way of putting it, though unlike spirits, he is fully manifested in the material realm. Again, Ami would be much better suited for answering this.¡±

    ¡°For a ghost, he seemed very real,¡± I said, scratching my head.

    ¡°Because he was. What you saw was really Lucien About, a man who once lived in your world. I should clarify and say that I was too hasty to discount your original assumption. In a sense, the two of you are similar in the fact that you died, and are now here. Where the difference lies, is that you are alive and possess your own soul and autonomy.¡±

    I cringed. ¡°I don¡¯t feel like I have autonomy.¡±

    Shaed faltered a bit and nodded. ¡°I am sorry,¡± he said.

    ¡°It¡¯s okay,¡± I said with a sigh. ¡°It¡¯s not like you caused the war¡­ right?¡± I glanced at him.

    Shaed frowned. ¡°No,¡± he said without a sense of humor.

    I gulped. ¡°Yeah, uh, sorry.¡± I scratched my head again. ¡°So, Lucien is a tool? Brought back from the dead and made a scout for some guy who¡¯s supposedly him? Or has the same soul as him?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡± Shaed nodded.

    I bit my lip. Seems like I get the better deal.

    Shaed, who was reading my thoughts, merely nodded.

    ¡°What about Putinov?¡± I asked. ¡°He was a shell, a soul in that crystal? Why was Lucien with him, and why was he looking for me?¡±

    Shaed took a breath. ¡°An ancient enemy of ours,¡± he said, ¡°A Herald sent from the Other Side.¡±

    ¡°An apostle?¡± I gulped and fidgeted in my seat, hands nervously wringing at my skirt.

    Shaed shook his head. ¡°No. The Heralds are separate from the Apostles. From what Ami and I know, they were sent here to prepare this world for it¡¯s eventual conquering, and to find you.¡±

    ¡°Me?¡± I shivered, great. I have a fucking Terminator looking for me?

    ¡°I told you, Luna, Father and their Apostles seek not you, but who you were.¡±

    ¡°In other words, they want my soul?¡± I clarified, and he nodded.

    So they just want me dead, great. Why? I thought.

    ¡°I do not know,¡± Shaed said, reading my mind. ¡°Putinov is an ancient being, as I said. He has been around for millennia, preaching of ¡®Heavens¡¯ arrival. From what limited knowledge I¡¯ve gathered, he is one of the original prophets that formed of Aerism.¡±

    Anxious, I blurted out. ¡°Aneurism?¡± I then snorted. ¡°I feel like I¡¯m going to get one from all this.¡±

    Shaed hesitated, then actually laughed. Seeing him let loose for a moment was oddly comforting, though it was only that moment. He quickly recovered and shook his head. ¡°No. Aerism. It means ¡°The one¡± or ¡°The only one¡± from the old tongue. It is the official name of the All-Father Church.¡± I nodded, and he continued, ¡°Ami and I have been working against Putinov for thousands of years. Yet, like a krek, you stomp one and another and simply take its place. He cannot be killed. Destroying his body is merely an inconvenience for the Herald, as he will just return.¡±

    ¡°And I fucked it up¡­¡± I pouted, and Shaed blinked.

    ¡°How so?¡± He asked.

    ¡°You were trying to trap his soul in his book,¡± I said. ¡°You did something to seal him. Then, when I set it aside, the reactor went off. It shattered, and now he¡¯s free again.¡±

    Shaed sighed and shook his head. ¡°No. What I mean is you aren¡¯t the reason he escaped. The reactor dispelled all ether. Even those in place for spells. Neither you or I could¡¯ve prevented that, Luna.¡± He sighed. ¡°Even then, that was merely a fragment of Putinov¡¯s soul. He is a powerful being, like Ami, he is able to partition himself amongst other ¡®shells¡¯ allowing him to be in multiple areas at once.¡±

    ¡°He can clone himself?!¡± I gawked, and to my horror, Shaed nodded.

    ¡°There are limitations to his abilities, do not worry,¡± he said to try and calm my rising anxiety.

    This was becoming too much. Uniting the world and being hunted by an unkillable Terminator from Heaven in all places. Oh, who can also clone themselves. Man-made Gods, different planes of reality. Shaed was also an insane dictator who killed millions.

    Outside, I was being cooperative. Asking questions as I should and try my best to listen, but internally. Internally I was freaking out. I was amazed at how well I was being composed. I wanted to panic, and I felt like I was going to hyperventilate. Maybe it¡¯s because we¡¯re in this ¡°higher plane¡± of reality, and technically, I wasn¡¯t in my natural body, which prevented me from doing so. I¡¯m no hero, and I was some fat slob who bitched about the world being unfair and did nothing to make my life better. I was no longer that slob; I was a young girl with some magical potential, but that was it. I had no skills.

    Sure, I can make shit explode well, and I can sort of fly if I try, and I can melt metal. All of those were simple ¡°motes,¡± like cantrips in D&D. I haven¡¯t had proper training, I never learned how to fight, and the most I have done is practice shooting cans with Varis and Papa and some minor mote practice with Mother and Alexander.

    The only thing I had going for me was my healing. Great, I can at least keep myself alive long enough to prolong my suffering as the radiant Terminator comes to kill me again. I don¡¯t want this. I never wanted this. I, I just wanna go home. I wanna go back to those early years. The last four years before this happened, when I could walk and talk. I miss waking up early, excited for school, and ready to learn about this new world with Isa and Varis. I want to climb Sycora trees with my brother. I want to cuddle up with my new mother, Cailynn, and read books with her again, and I wanna shoot cans with my father, Slyran.

    I don¡¯t want to be a hero. I don¡¯t want to unite the world. I want to live a happy, everyday life. I never yearned to be the center of attention. Yet, it seemed like I didn¡¯t have a choice. I never did, it seemed.

    I wasn¡¯t paying attention. Shaed was talking and explaining Putinov¡¯s abilities. I should be focusing. Yet this annoying self-pity, this darkness inside me. It was clawing its way out. Like it always had before. Just like my old life. Whenever something seemed overwhelming, I just wanted to run away. To hide. To forget. I¨CI needed to.

    ¡°Luna,¡± Shaed said firmly, snapping me back to reality.

    How long was in my thoughts?

    ¡°Something seems to be bothering you,¡± he said. "I know this is much, but you must focus. Putinov is not to be taken lightly, but there are ways we can work around him.¡±

    ¡°I, I¡­¡± I started, then swallowed the lump in my throat. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. Go on.¡±

    He narrowed his eyes. ¡°How did you do that?¡± He asked me, and I blinked.

    ¡°Do what?¡±

    ¡°When you stopped focusing, I noticed you pushed me from your mind; I couldn¡¯t see inside,¡± he said.

    ¡°Maybe you should ask permission before you go nosing around my thoughts,¡± I huffed.

    He started, then frowned and nodded. ¡°You¡¯re right. I¡¯m sorry. Anyway, it was most likely unintentional. We can explore it later. I was saying that Putinov¡¯s projections aren¡¯t the same as the real him. They are fragments of his soul that represent certain aspects of him. Their personalities are different, tailored specifically for each of their assigned goals, which makes them easily manipulative. For instance, the one we encountered, the archbishop. Was his devotion, known for spreading the word of Aerism and the All-Father¡¯s word.¡±

    I simply nodded. ¡°Yeah, seems about right.¡±

    Shaed¡¯s frown deepened. ¡°Perhaps,¡± he said. ¡°We should take a break? I can understand if everything I¡¯ve said so far is overwhelming.¡±

    I said nothing but nodded in agreement.

    ¡°Well then,¡± he straightened up. ¡°Let us be¨Cwait!¡± He started his eyes bulging; I jerked in my seat.

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°No! You idiot!¡± Shaed blurted. ¡°I should¡¯ve warned¨C¡±

    Everything went white, and then a flurry of colors and noise assaulted my senses. A sense of vertigo washed over me as I became weightless. I felt like I was falling and spinning into a void. Around me, images of places, people, and events zipped by. I saw my mother, my father, and someone else. A dark-skinned woman in plate armor.

    Then suddenly, I was in a forest, standing beside my father, though he looked much younger. His features were not as sharp, his face clean-shaven, and his hair nicely brushed. He was wearing a worn yet fine suit. Around us were people I¡¯d never seen before, a small crowd of humans, halflings, and creatures. Beings I have never seen before, half man, half goat? Deer maybe? Besides them, I saw a valendi man with dark scales and swirling purple eyes.

    Mr. Blaxen.

    Behind us was the dark-skinned woman from before, no longer in plate, though instead, she wore flowing white robes and held a thick book. She was preaching, and my heart was swelling with emotions that weren¡¯t my own.

    Love, affection, and desire. A deep-rooted desire for the man I held the hands of. My god, the sensations I felt, the need to kiss him and tear his clothes from his body. Whoever I was, my mother, perhaps? Deeply wanted him.

    ¡°In the presence of the Oathmaker, Cailynn Sartosi, do you pledge your life to this man, Slyran Ashflow? Do you swear the oath to follow him into the Current when the time demands of it?¡± The woman asked me.

    Self-consciousness, anxiety. I felt put on the spot. Mixed in with these feelings are eagerness and joy.

    ¡°I do!¡± I heard my mother¡¯s voice come from my lips.

    ¡°And what of your oaths, Slyran Ashflow? Will you pledge your life and your duty to protect this woman? Will you follow her to the depths of the Darkest Ocean?¡±

    Without hesitation, the man beamed an intoxicating smile, flicking his head and brushing his blonde bangs from his face. A shudder ran through me, or really my mother, and heat within soared as the woman serving as the officiant declared us married.

    In an instant, I jumped at Slyran, my lips catching his, as the two of us melted into each other, my heart soaring with joy and happiness.

    In an instant, the world changed. My lips were still locked with Slyran as weightlessness took over, and my body slammed into a bed. The two of us rolled as his hands began to explore my body and¨C

    Jesus Christ! I snapped back to reality. Wh-what¡¯s going on?! I was seeing memories of my mother. I-I was her. I was in her body, like when the Master controlled me. I can feel everything: my father¡¯s touch, the tingling sensations. The passion.

    Oh god, oh no, no, no, no. Please, stop. Pause. Where¡¯s the pause button? How do I stop this?

    Thankfully. The vision shifted again. Away from the heated scene, I was almost forced to watch. I almost saw how I was made¡­

    As the new vision came into view. A wave of intense emotions immediately assaulted me. Loss, anger, and sorrow. I was sobbing uncontrollably. Tears poured down my face as I wailed. I was on my knees, bending over somebody. My arms were draped around them as I held them tightly against me. I could feel something wet and hot soaking into my dress and breasts. A sensation I was all too familiar with: blood.

    Someone grabbed me by the shoulder, firm yet somehow gentle at the same time. ¡°Cailynn, we need to go!¡± It was my father. ¡°We have to go now!¡± He sounded desperate yet angry.

    Voices in a language I couldn¡¯t understand shouted in the distance, followed by cracks of gunfire.

    ¡°We can¡¯t leave her!¡± I could hear myself shouting, sorrow boiling into anger. ¡°We can¡¯t!¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s nothing we can do for her!¡± Father snapped. ¡°We need to go or else we¡¯ll be overrun!¡±

    ¡°Tukari tribesman!¡± A familiar yet heavily accented voice shouted. It was a woman, Isa? ¡°Top ridge, north by the outcrop!¡± God, she sounded so much younger.

    I pulled away from the one I hugged, and horror enveloped me. My chest was soaked with gore, and in front of me was the woman from the wedding. The officiant dressed in plate yet lodged in her thin throat was a black arrow, two others having pierced the metal jutted from her chest. Her dead eyes were wide with shock, mouth agape, and dripping blood.

    ¡°He said these ruins were clear,¡± I snarled, the anger boiling into a storm. A raging inferno screamed within as everything began to go red. ¡°That bastard!¡±

    ¡°Cailynn,¡± I heard my father say, though his voice was drowned out.

    ¡°I¡¯ll kill them!¡± I screamed. ¡°You want a fight?!¡± I directed the energy upwards and felt weightless as my body soared into the air. I could see we were in a canyon, along an edge in the center of it. Now below me, as I rose higher and higher, was a white bridge covered in corpses. Wagons on the bridge were burning; men, women, and striders alike lay strewn across it dead, their bodies riddled with black arrows.

    ¡°Then attack me!¡± I screamed as I shifted my form, directing the energy towards the tribesman who was loosing arrows from the top of the canyon.

    Everything went dark, and I fell unconscious.

 Chapter 105: The Unwoken Mind

    ??????????

    When I came to, I could sense it all: the feeling of cool air on my skin, the weightlessness of my form, and the stillness of my mind. Around me was everything. A kaleidoscopic array of colors so beautiful, twisting, mixing, and melding to create a hypnotic pattern that enraptured me. I had no self, and I needed no self. I was everything and everyone. Where I was, who I was, nothing could harm or touch me. It was amazing. I had no fears or enemies; I needed nothing, for I had everything.

    Was this Heaven? Had I finally died and passed on? No. This wasn¡¯t it. It was better. This was perfect. I was perfect. Even now, I could feel myself reaching out towards that expansive void of colors and beauty, my presence growing and my sensations amplifying. Why had I ever worried about my prior existence? The broken man who failed at pursuing his dreams, the little girl whose life was uprooted by a fading god of death and war?

    All of that was moot when compared to this. If this is what truly comes after life, then everything is fine. This is true tranquility. Here, I can see everything and feel everything. The pattern that makes up all, the shifting colors that represent the universe the¨C

    ¡°No, stop!¡±

    ¨CIt all makes sense now. Everything is clear. There¡¯s no point in trying to fight or change this. It¡¯s all written here plainly. I find it so humorous. The gods, everyone, and myself. We are all just children. For I¡¯ve seen the Pattern, it cannot be changed. Even my¨C

    ¡°Please, listen to me!¡±

    That voice. It sounded like my own. The one from before. Who was that?

    An echo, perhaps¡ªa fragment of what once was. As my presence grows, it¡¯s possible I am just experiencing a dream¡ªa visage of a time I no longer need. Luna, a curious one that. A shell inhabited by one who doesn¡¯t belong. If only they could experience a life truly meant for them. Alas, she was never granted that. Instead, she was left broken, confused, and alone. She has nothing to fear, for the Pattern has shown me that all will eventually come here like I am now.

    Rest Luna. There is no reason to cry.

    ¡°Please, you have to wake up!¡±

    But why? Why do you cry? Isn¡¯t this what you wanted? We are at peace, our minds are still, and our worries are gone. Indeed, this is heaven. Shush now, little echo. Your service is complete. Join me in the embrace of the Pattern.

    ¡°This isn¡¯t what I want. Please, you have to understand.¡± A form within the Pattern began to shift and take shape. Colors shifted and congealed into the form of a human male. Except there was no detail, only the vague shape and colors of the individual.

    Pain, disgust, and loss. My presence slowed its expanse and began to retract.

    No. This isn¡¯t what I want. How, how is he here? This isn¡¯t how things are supposed to work.

    ¡°Because,¡± The man said, shoulders sulking. ¡°It¡¯s¡­ It¡¯s who I am¡­ I think?¡± They took a deep breath despite not needing to. There is no air here. There is no reason to breathe, eat, or sleep. The Pattern provides everything we need. ¡°Who I am, is besides the point. I, you, whoever the hell this is, we can¡¯t stay.¡± They gestured wildly with their arms at the expanse of The Pattern around us.

    Why, though? It is obvious now that the perspectives I¡¯ve acquired from my echoes are pointless. The Pattern cannot be changed, for it is Constant. Yes¡­ This one was just a mere echo. A fragment of what we once were and nothing more. Except, how is it here? I had absorbed it. Experienced it. Yet, here it is¡­ Intriguing.

    The man cocked his head. ¡°What the hell are you talking about?¡±

    The truth. You see it, don¡¯t you? You and I are one and the same. I am you, and you are me. Though our environments shaped our souls differently, we are the same.

    ¡°Thank you for answering my question, but I have no idea what the hell you just said.¡±

    Alas, the mortal mind cannot comprehend except, as I say, this. I see that I am different. The portion of you that is me, I mean. You bear the resemblance of Jo¨C

    ¡°Don¡¯t say that name!¡± The man blurted.

    Apologies. I have forgotten that this variation has yet to find peace. You are such a peculiar echo. Even now, as I examine you and, in turn, myself, I sense a distinct difference between us and the Pattern. Perhaps I am mistaken¡­

    ¡°I¡¯m so confused. What the hell are you saying?¡± The man gripped the side of their head.

    I don¡¯t know. My presence wavered, and a sense of dread washed over me. The Pattern began to shift and distort. The colors were becoming desaturated, and the hue darkened.

    You resemble the broken one, yet your echo shines with the young girl. Your forms mix and blend. I¡¯ve taken you in, yet here you are. A fragment no longer part of me, independent. Free. How? How are you here as him?

    ¡°I don¡¯t know why I look like him,¡± He said, ¡°And frankly, I don¡¯t think that matters. Not right now. What does matter is the fact I¡¯m trapped here. We¡¯re trapped here.¡±

    Trapped? My presence regained its composure. We are not trapped. We like it here.

    ¡°I don¡¯t, or¡­ I think I don¡¯t,¡± He hesitated. ¡°You, whoever you are.¡±

    I am you, and you are me. We are one and the same. A form, a perspective, an echo that is a piece of the Pattern. Or¡­ at least you were once me. A copy now formed and separate. This I do not understand.

    The man¡¯s mouth fell open for a second, his head cocked once more. ¡°Su-sure,¡± he said and closed his mouth. ¡°Me, we¡¯re hallucinating. Or dreaming. Something happened, and I started having visions about my mother. Like I was living her memories.¡±

    Indeed, our minds melded, becoming one. The Patterns united, dancing in tandem, allowing us a new perspective. I began to shift, while the Pattern could not be changed or disrupted. Its path could be reshaped, though the destination was always the same.

    A woman slaving over a desk appeared. The Pattern¡¯s colors began to take the shape of her form and details, Cailynn Ashflow. A wonderful woman, a studious yet temperamental scholar, adventurer, and now mother, worked hard on a schematic before her.

    ¡°What is this?¡± The man asked, ¡°Why are you showing me this?¡±

    It¡¯s what we saw before we became free. A segment of the other¡¯s perspective.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t see this,¡± He said, confused, ¡°I saw a battle and the loss of my mother¡¯s friend.¡±

    That is what your conscious mind saw. This is what I have seen. The unwoken mind.

    ¡°So that¡¯s who you are, my subconscious?¡± He looked back to Cailynn. ¡°What is she doing?¡±

    Planning, developing, cultivating.

    The man rolled his eyes and looked at me. ¡°No shit, god, am I really this obnoxious? What is she making?¡±

    A beacon. One that will bring hope to all. It''s one that you¡¯ve seen once before if you look closely.

    He cocked his head, then turned back to the visage and stepped forward. The schematic depicted a sizeable tower-like structure rife with massive gears and gemstones. Above the blueprint, a title read, ¡°Project Eternity.¡±

    Though the man had no visible eyes, the glossy orbs in their place widened. ¡°Wait a second,¡± he said with surprise. ¡°I think I have seen this before!¡±

    Indeed, we have. Long ago, or so it feels.

    He nodded. ¡°Yes. It was when Mother let me into the cabin tower. I thought it was just a random design she had laid about in the workshop. Except, that doesn¡¯t make sense though.¡± He gripped his chin in thought. ¡°Mother didn¡¯t know what was being built here. That¡¯s what this is right? The tower being built in the city?¡±

    We believe so.

    ¡°What is it? What¡¯s it supposed to be?¡±

    A beacon, a beacon of hope.

    ¡°That explains absolutely nothing.¡±

    Though we perceive much, we¡¯ve only obtained the perspectives our echoes bring us. This is one such perspective.

    ¡°But you said, uh, our Pattern thing merged with my mothers¡¯. Surely you can see what she saw.¡±

    My presence quivered and shook. Sadness, regret, mournfulness. Alas, I¡¯ve failed to grasp such a perspective. I am sorry, little echo.

    ¡°Dammit,¡± The man groaned. ¡°Is she here? Can I find her? If our minds merged, then surely, she has to be here somewhere.¡±

    Hope. Excitement. Emotions washed over me like a wave crashing against the shore. Yes! Cailynn¡¯s echo lingers, though it¡¯s faint. It stretches thin. Fear. Regret. The echo¡¯s mind is not long for this realm. Her unwoken mind is not ready. She will be lost.

    The man stiffened, his jaw clenching. ¡°How do we escape?¡±

    Sorrow caused me to shake. I don¡¯t know. We¡¯ve never awoken like this. This was not supposed to happen. Sobbing. Please forgive us.

    The man raised his hands. ¡°Whoa, whoa, don¡¯t cry!¡± He muttered under his breath. ¡°This is creepy.¡± He cleared his throat. ¡°We can think of something. You say you¡¯re me, like an old version of me, right? I was taught there¡¯s a cycle of death and rebirth, so who are you? My soul?¡±

    My presence quivered solemnly. We do not know for sure. Possibly? Yes. If the Pattern is accurate, it is, except. Except. Except. Except. Except.

    The man waved his arms frantically. ¡°Whoa, whoa, don¡¯t freeze up! What¡¯s wrong? Why are you repeating yourself?¡±

    Fear. Something wasn¡¯t right. The Pattern, at second glance. I could see it. The colors, my colors. They didn¡¯t match. At first notice, I had thought they were the same, except, except, except¡­

    Yes.

    There was a difference. It was so subtle, like the little echo before me. I was different. Except, except, except¡­ I had to look again. On the other perspective, the one I had gained. The woman I danced with was experienced, Cailynn. The little echo pleaded for me to speak to them, though I had more important business.

    Gratefulness. Thank you, little echo, but I must retreat. You may not know it, but you¡¯ve granted me a new perspective.

    ¡°Huh?!¡± The man sounded panicked. ¡°No, no, please, you can¡¯t leave me. Where am I to go?¡±

    You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.

    I paused. Was I really about to abandon this little one? Why was I even hesitating? The echo had served its purpose. It had brought a new perspective, and my knowledge had expanded. A discovery like this would serve us well¡­

    Us. Who was us? Who was I?

    My Pattern was different, yet similar, but why?

    With this knowledge, I can figure out why. I should take this to¡­ who?

    The little echo was shouting for me again. Such a noisy one they are. I could take them in. Absorb everything they¡¯ve gathered like I had done before. Maybe then I could learn more and even keep them. Indeed, it would be faster than talking to them, except, except, except, except¡­

    I liked talking to them. Talking was slow and cumbersome but¡­ rewarding. It felt nice. It made me feel alive. I like that, being alive. If I absorbed them, the new, little echo would be gone. I would be, oh no. They would be dead. I would have no little echo to speak to.

    A new voice, one of my own, spoke in my mind. The Rational. ¡°You could always make a new one. It¡¯s what we¡¯ve always done.¡±

    A second voice chimed in, Compassion. ¡°No. Don¡¯t be absurd. This echo is unique and different from all the ones in the past. They have yet to pass on; they are not dead yet, just trapped. Please listen to them. Do not leave them to entropy or absorb them. We must help them.¡±

    ¡°Bah!¡± Rational scoffed. ¡°Help them how? They are stuck here as we are and always have been. The Echo has served its purpose. We¡¯ve obtained useful knowledge that we can pass on.¡±

    Confusion washed over me. But pass on to who?

    Rational and Compassion fell silent. They, too, did not know. We just did. I felt an urge, a calling to take this information to where? I don¡¯t know. Fear; horror¡­

    By the divine¡­ I am beginning to remember¡­ What am I?

    <hr>

    Luna

    I have no idea where I am, though I feel like I¡¯ve been here before. A strange sense of nostalgia washed over me when I found myself within this¡ªwhat would you call it? A void? No. A void suggests nothing, like all white or all black. No, this isn¡¯t that. Oh, I got it. A nebula. Like those photos you¡¯d see from the James web telescope, or in my experience, the gosh darn night sky. Gods, the sky above Enora at night, at least back home in Oren, was gorgeous.

    And now I¡¯m sad. Thinking of home does that. I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll ever see home again now that I¡¯m trapped here. That thing, that entity I had spoken to, had vanished. I never saw the darned thing, but I felt a looming presence around me. It was warm, like my mother¡¯s hugs. It embraced me, and I couldn¡¯t help but sense this tender love and care. The thing adored me.

    Not when it saw who you were, it didn¡¯t. It felt repulsed. A part of me thought, and I gazed down at myself. For some reason, when I woke up in this abstract painting of a world, I was back to my old self. Like, my old, old self. I was no longer Luna. Instead, I looked like that disheveled man from the nightmare I had long ago. Not fat and filthy like I was before I died, though instead, I was half-starved and thin. No muscles at all. Like a man woken from years of being comatose.

    Why? This isn¡¯t me, this never was me. If I had come back as the overweight man the day he got shot in the back from being an idiot, then sure, I¡¯d guess that would make some sense. Maybe? No.

    If this is working, I should be Luna. I see myself as Luna, the little girl. Right? I¡¯m Luna Ashflow! Am I?

    ¡°Or are you the man from before pretending to be her? You never truly felt like Luna, you know? You¡¯ve just been playing along like you¡¯ve always been.¡±

    That¡¯s not true. I¡¯ve been at this for seven years, which is plenty of time for anyone to acclimate to their environment.

    ¡°Stop fooling yourself. You¡¯re roleplaying, and you¡¯ve always been. If you truly were Luna Ashflow, you would¡¯ve moved on. Instead, you¡¯re always worrying about how much of a filthy creep you are. You still blush when looking at your clothes or whenever you glance at yourself in the mirror before a bath.¡±

    ¡°Because I¡¯m an adult in a kid¡¯s body!¡± I said out loud.

    ¡°Cut the bullshit. It¡¯s that mentality right there. That¡¯s why you look like him. You are him, and you always have been. Luna wouldn¡¯t care about being seen as a creep because she isn¡¯t one she¡¯s herself, and that¡¯s her body. You¡¯re afraid of being sexually attracted to yourself or others because you¡¯re that man on the inside. You see yourself as a degenerate freak.¡±

    ¡°Because I am one! I was one. I am disgusting.¡±

    ¡°And that¡¯s precisely my point. You admitted it yourself. You do see yourself as you are now. The pathetic degenerate man who took one too many critiques to heart, and so he locked himself away from everyone and everything.¡±

    ¡°Shut up.¡±

    ¡°The man who feared that the slightest thing he said would turn those away. The one with the thinnest skin would lash out against even the slightest bit of banter that insulted you.¡±

    ¡°Shut up!¡±

    ¡°The one who thought all of his friends were fakes¨C¡±

    ¡°Shut up!¡±

    ¡°Even now. Your skin is weak. Face it, Jos¨C¡±

    ¡°No! No! NO! Don¡¯t say that name!¡±

    ¡°Why? It¡¯s yours?¡±

    ¡°No, it isn¡¯t!¡±

    ¡°But it is. It always has been. You said it yourself: you are him.¡±

    ¡°Stop it!¡±

    What was this? Why am I arguing with myself? It feels like I¡¯m talking to another person.

    ¡°Maybe you are? Maybe you aren¡¯t?¡± The new voice said, no longer sounding like a part of me but nearby. Somehow, I could feel it sneering at me, a broad smile plastered on their face. ¡°Perhaps you¡¯re going mad, but who knows? Heh. Does it matter, though? If you¡¯re talking to someone or not?¡±

    ¡°Yes, because I¡¯d like to know if I¡¯m going insane or not.¡± I shuddered. ¡°Who are you?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m you, dumbass. Or really, I¡¯m the part of you that¡¯s more rational. Confident. Aware. I don¡¯t like to beat around the bush. The part that you always like to stuff away and not listen to. The one you kept locked up for years because Mr. Woods said your art would never amount to anything.¡±

    ¡°Shut up! Stop bringing up old shit¨C¡±

    ¡°I bring it up because it¡¯s relevant, dumbass.¡±

    ¡°Fuck off, dick!¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s true. I¡¯m the truth!¡±

    I cupped my hands over my ears. ¡°I¡¯m going mad, I¡¯m actually going insane. What the hell is happening?¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s happening is that we¡¯re trapped in this weird, bizarro place.¡±

    ¡°Bizarro?¡±

    ¡°Really that¡¯s what you latch onto?¡± The voice snorted. ¡°Don¡¯t judge my choice of words. It¡¯s accurate. Remember what Mr. Cloak and Daggers said?¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡±

    ¡°Shaed, the edgelord? Remember? Or did you bottle that away, too? He said we¡¯re in this Cerebellium place, cognitive realm, or whatever. A place that deals with the mind. Something I¡¯m afraid I¡¯m lacking.¡±

    ¡°You do realize you¡¯re my conscious right? You just insulted yourself.¡±

    ¡°Unfortunately, yes. If we use context clues, you know, that thing Mrs. Storer taught in English class, we can assume that because we¡¯re in the realm of thought and mind. Our consciousness is expanding, like Shaed said, and something about that is making us more aware. Hence, I¡¯m here and free now.¡±

    I blinked. ¡°That, sounds smart.¡±

    ¡°Jo¨CSorry, Luna.¡± The voice cleared its throat, though I doubted the disembodied being needed to. ¡°We¡¯re not stupid. You always say we are, but we¡¯re not. Aside from math, we¡¯ve always done well in school, but D&D taught us more than Mr. Ivan ever could¡¯ve. We scored well on all our tests; you barely passed the SATs but were still eligible for university. We aren¡¯t stupid. You just keep telling us that we are.¡±

    ¡°Because I am,¡± I grumbled.

    ¡°Boo-fucking-hoo, Jesus Christ, man. Stop with the self-pity and loathing.¡±

    Hearing him or myself calling me a man irked me. ¡°First off, I¡¯m not a man. Secondly, why are you an asshole?¡±

    ¡°Are you sure about that?¡± My conscious, or, fuck what do I refer to them as? Truth? Sure.

    The Truth continued. ¡°You keep saying you''re that guy from before, you keep thinking like him. You¡¯re appearing as him right now. Are you sure you¡¯re a woman? Do you really think of us as being a guy? Are you even sure you really wanted to be a girl before?¡±

    I balled my fists. He¡¯s not wrong. He isn¡¯t. Everything he¡¯s said so far has been confirmed, and I fucking hate it.

    ¡°The truth sucks, and because of that, you locked me away, and look where it¡¯s gotten us.¡±

    ¡°Whatever,¡± I said. ¡°Should we be having this conversation now?¡± I asked Truth.

    I don¡¯t know how, but I felt a shrug. ¡°I don''t know. We¡¯re kind of stuck in a nebulous void in a higher-dimensional plane of reality. Honestly, we probably have all the time in the world.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not comforting,¡± I grumbled and crossed my arms.

    ¡°Well, that¡¯s the truth for you!¡±

    ¡°Maybe I should lock you up again.¡±

    ¡°Ha! Good luck with that fellow me. I¡¯ve tasted freedom, and I ain¡¯t going back now. You and I, we¡¯re stuck together, and I¡¯m going to make sure that your dumbass doesn¡¯t do anything stupid ever again.¡±

    ¡°At least you¡¯re honest.¡± I grumbled.

    ¡°It wouldn¡¯t be the Truth now if I wasn¡¯t, eh?¡±

    ¡°God you¡¯re annoying.¡± I groaned. ¡°I¡¯m really going insane.¡±

    ¡°Most likely, Weepy.¡±

    I started. ¡°Weepy?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, Weepy, that¡¯s who you are now. Cause you¡¯re always crying. I could call you something else, like Pussy, but it seems you¡¯re lacking one of those now, and it¡¯s not entirely true, either. Dumbass and Weepy are my two contenders for your new name. You do a lot of stupid shit, and you also cry all. The. Time.¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t help having child hormones, I just get emotional¨C¡±

    ¡°Bah! Keep telling yourself that, Weepy. We both know that ain¡¯t true. You¡¯ve been a little sensitive bean your entire life. With skin as thick as tissue paper.¡±

    I flinched at those words. ¡°N-No¨C¡±

    ¡°Nuh, huh!¡± Truth mocked me in the voice of a young boy. He then laughed. ¡°The truth hurts, Luna, but that¡¯s it. The truth. You¡¯re pathetic, but not the good kind of pathetic. The one that makes others feel bad for you. No, you¡¯re a loser. You never commit to anything, and the moment someone speaks unkindly towards you, you crumple or lash out.¡±

    ¡°I haven¡¯t been like that in ages. I¡¯ve gotten better!¡±

    ¡°Sure, sure, baby steps. I won¡¯t deny that. This new life as Luna has been good for you so far, but you¡¯re still far from where you should be.¡±

    I deflated. Truth sighed. ¡°And here we go again.¡±

    ¡°Shut up.¡±

    ¡°Nope. Again, you¡¯re stuck with me now. Maybe you can stuff me away in the material realm, but here, ho boy, we¡¯ll be best roomies.¡±

    ¡°God, I hate myself,¡± I groaned, and Truth¡¯s jovial attitude, which I could somehow feel, faded. Suddenly, I felt alone, floating in this strange void. ¡°Tr-Truth?¡± I called out loud, though I probably hadn¡¯t needed to. This whole conversation was in my mind, or at least what I perceived as my mind.

    Then I felt it, or him? The voice was male, like my old one. ¡°That¡¯s the first truthful thing you¡¯ve said since we started talking.¡±

    I started, then frowned. ¡°Well, I do,¡± I said softly. ¡°Ever since I became Luna. I thought that all the pain from my old life would disappear. That I could just move on. Except, except¡­ I can¡¯t.¡± I choked up. A strong sense of guilt and pain washed over me. The nebula around me darkened, though I hardly cared. ¡°It¡¯s still there. Inside, bottled up. Waiting to rupture.¡± I crossed my arms around myself. ¡°It won¡¯t go away. I¡¯ve tried hiding from it, but it sometimes comes in my dreams. Memories come back, and I don¡¯t know why.¡±

    ¡°I do.¡± The Truth said softly, comfortingly. ¡°It¡¯s because of guilt. You miss that life.¡±

    ¡°Fuck off!¡± I blurted.

    ¡°It¡¯s true! Think about it, Luna. Back then, the issues you had then compared to now. Are miniscule. You never had to deal with death, gods, and war. Only your pathetic ego and pride.¡±

    I whinced at those words, but again. He was right.

    ¡°But that¡¯s the past, and what happened then is nothing compared to this,¡± I said, throwing my arms out wide. ¡°Why do I feel the pain from then? That was years ago. I should¡¯ve gotten over it¡­ What happened to me then, is nothing compared to what others gone through. Or even I¡¯ve gone through now¡­¡±

    Truth¡¯s voice softened. ¡°Luna, trauma and pain isn¡¯t a contest. People, feel things differently. It¡¯s okay to feel how you felt then, what happened to you was awful. Yes what happened wasn¡¯t as intense or traumatic as what you¡¯ve experienced now, but that doesn¡¯t negate the fact that it happened.¡±

    I sniffed, lowered my gaze, and wiped at my eyes, clearing the tears that had begun to form. ¡°I just, I just want to move on. I don¡¯t want to experience it all anymore. I want it to go away, but it won¡¯t¡­¡±

    ¡°Because you won¡¯t let it go,¡± Truth whispered.

    I blinked, confused. ¡°I-I¡¯m not?¡± I asked, my voice barely a whisper.

    ¡°No, you aren¡¯t. Even now, all these years later, Luna. You¡¯re still clinging to those you left behind. The guilt of not being able to say goodbye.¡±

    I scoffed. ¡°N-No I don¡¯t, Nobody cared about¨C¡±

    Truth¡¯s tone flared once again. ¡°Bullshit, and you know it. Remember that dream with Charity? How you saw your folks again, how you broke down.¡±

    ¡°It was a dream¨C¡±

    ¡°A dream that was real to you at the time! Don¡¯t lie to yourself, Luna. It¡¯s okay¨C¡±

    I lost my temper. ¡°Can we talk about something else? Like getting out of here? We don¡¯t have time for this sappy therapy bullshit. Please, just drop it!¡±

    The Truth fell silent. I could still feel their presence, though they said not a word. I sighed and gazed upwards, the slight gesture causing my body to spin in the void. The first step was to figure out what we could do here and how to move; then, I needed to find my mother. After I can find my mother, I can leave, but¡­ what if I find her and she sees me like this? As my old self. I don¡¯t want her to know. What if she sees me differently? What if she hates who I am? Or who I was? Dammit, Truth, fuck me, whoever¨Cwhatever, now I can¡¯t stop thinking about this!

    ¡°God, who the hell am I?¡± I sniffed.

 Chapter 106: A Nightmare

    Who am I? Who am I really? Please, for the love of God, someone tell me. Anyone. I thought I had gotten over this and was past all of this. Please. I thought I was Luna, the little elf girl; I was young, happy, and eager to learn, grow, and protect her family. I am her, right?

    Then why am I him again? Why do I think like him and act like him?

    Is it because I¡¯m still him?

    But he died. I was there when he was shot, and I was him then. Except, he never left. He was always there. Like a dog locked in its cage, like Truth, I locked him away. Luna locked him away. She calmed him down, made him relax, and stowed him away. She wasn¡¯t perfect at it; sometimes, he could get out, but now, Luna¡¯s gone. She¡¯s gone, and he¡¯s free, but now I¡¯m stuck with him and Truth.

    ¡°Oh, don¡¯t go roping me into this. I¡¯m only here ''cause we¡¯re trapped in this Cerebellium place!¡± Truth said his presence made himself known.

    ¡°I told you to bug off!¡± I snapped, still floating aimlessly in the nebula.

    The being I had first met here, the ¡°unwoken mind,¡± as it called itself, had indeed left. Part of me hoped the thing would come back. The warmth it brought, this feeling of love, was comforting. Now, I felt cold and empty, like something was missing. That thing had known so much but spoke in riddles. I had hoped I could pry more from it, learn about this realm, and maybe learn how to move about it.

    I closed my eyes. I needed to focus. Now wasn¡¯t the time for an existential crisis. Instead, I needed to focus on the real crisis: figuring out how to escape his higher dimension and find my mother.

    But what if she doesn¡¯t like him? A smaller, yet louder, part of me asked.

    ¡°Who cares?¡± Truth said, ¡°The truth of the matter is that if we stay here, we¡¯re totally dead. Like dead, dead. Remember? Shaed said our souls would be trapped here, and there is no Current to resurrect us again.¡±

    ¡°Right,¡± I said with a gulp. ¡°Besides, we could, uh, roleplay that we¡¯re someone else.¡±

    ¡°Why? Wouldn¡¯t it be easier to just say who we really are?¡± Truth asked. ¡°The Current and reincarnation is not unheard of here, Luna.¡±

    ¡°Yes, but¡­¡± I closed my eyes. ¡°It¡¯ll just make it easier for me, okay? I don¡¯t like lying, but I also¡­ I also don¡¯t want to risk changing how my family sees me.¡±

    Truth sighed. Does he even need to breathe? Or was that me sighing? Jesus, I am going nuts.

    ¡°Alright, I guess I can sort of understand, but I still think it¡¯s silly.¡±

    ¡°Thank you, me.¡±

    ¡°No problem, me.¡± Truth chuckled. ¡°Perhaps we are going looney here.¡±

    I closed my eyes and took another deep breath. At least there was an air in this realm, or at least what I perceived as air. If things were still as Shaed described, would my body still be in the material realm? So am I really not here?

    ¡°Yo, focus.¡± Truth barked.

    ¡°Shit, my mind keeps wandering.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s just you coping, Weepy. I¡¯ll keep that bit in check.¡±

    ¡°My name isn¡¯t Weepy,¡± I growled.

    ¡°Sure, but till you stop crying all the time it will be.¡±

    I sighed and dropped the subject. With a grunt, I twisted my upper torso. I felt my body shift and begin to spin in the colorful void, and I couldn¡¯t stop. It wasn¡¯t a fast spin but a slow, gentle turning that allowed me to see more vibrant gaseous clouds around me. In the distance, I could see bright dots like stars intermingled amongst the voluminous clouds of colors.

    ¡°Holy shit, that¡¯s pretty,¡± I muttered, unable to stop myself from admiring the view. At that moment, I saw a massive mountain of blues and purples stretching up and down, each end mushrooming like some Rorschach art piece. At least, I assumed they were going up and down. Being in a void, I guess there isn¡¯t any way of telling. Judging by the tiny dots in the void that I assumed were stars, though there were few compared to the night sky, these things must be massive.

    Then, slowly, my twisting body turned to reveal a vast array of reds, pinks, and oranges. Though much more splotchy, like someone had got paint on a brush and flicked it at the canvas. The spinning helped oddly as it gave me a way to keep track of time. It took about a full fifteen seconds to complete a full three-sixty. While that didn¡¯t help me immediately, I had to enjoy some semblance of a victory.

    ¡°Okay, how do I¡­ swim? Fly? I need to move, dammit.¡± I muttered to myself as I flailed my arms upwards in a gesture of swimming.

    It was a big mistake. The gesture toppled my body a bit, sending me spinning and flipping backward. The sensation of falling backward caused me to briefly panic, and I flailed again, disrupting my current spin and forcing me to go the opposite way.

    ¡°Calm, calm yourself!¡± Truth ordered. ¡°You¡¯re in space, or something akin to it. I doubt you can swim through this air here.¡±

    ¡°How do I move then?¡± I asked with a groan, or, I¡¯ll admit, it was more of a whine.

    ¡°How the hell should I know? I am you, after all. I know as much as you do.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re the smarter part of me,¡± I huffed.

    ¡°Holy shit, you¡¯re right. Dammit.¡± Truth huffed. ¡°Think about it, Weepy. Where are we?¡±

    I blinked. ¡°Cerebellium, but how would that help us?¡±

    ¡°Oh. My. God¡­ Remember how I said you aren¡¯t stupid? I take that back. I am a dumbass.¡±

    ¡°Why are you an asshole?¡±

    ¡°You mean, why are we an asshole? I am you, and honestly, people are too soft on you. Someone needs to be the one who dishes out the stern love.¡±

    I pouted. ¡°Okay, fine. If I remember correctly, we¡¯re in the Cerebellium, the cognitive realm.¡±

    ¡°Okay, yeah. So we¡¯re in the big-brain place. Or, our consciousness is.¡±

    I nodded slowly and snapped my finger as I completed my first-ever backflip. ¡°I¡¯m thinking too much about physical shit,¡± I realized. ¡°Of course, I can¡¯t swim in the big brain realm.¡±

    ¡°Now we''re cooking.¡± Truth agreed.

    I sighed. ¡°So, how do we move then? Should I like, think it?¡± I wiggled once again but found myself spinning slightly faster than before.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Truth mumbled. ¡°Why do you keep asking me?¡±

    ¡°I think best when bouncing ideas off of someone,¡± I said, ¡°And you feel like someone else.¡±

    ¡°Well I¡¯m not.¡± He huffed. ¡°Maybe this place is like the Astral Sea?¡±

    ¡°Like in D&D?¡± I said, thinking. God, I haven¡¯t thought about D&D in ages. ¡°That place is like the realm of dreams, which¡­ oh shit. I think I get it.¡±

    ¡°Ahha, right?¡± Truth said I could feel something akin to a smile.

    ¡°Dream logic,¡± I muttered to myself. To test the theory brewing in my mind, I looked towards the massive Roshache cloud of blues and purples and imagined myself moving towards it and the stars in front of it.

    The world shifted. My guts lurched back as I felt something tugging me forward like someone had wrapped a rope around me and yanked me in the direction I wanted to go. The air began to rush around me, and I felt my momentum building as I moved faster and faster.

    Despite the air rushing around me as I flew, was I flying? Well, I certainly wasn¡¯t falling or walking. I began to notice that my judgment of distance was woefully underestimated. The distant mushroom-shaped mountain and stars were not getting closer, or so it seemed.

    ¡°Excellent, nice work!¡± Truth praised. ¡°But we¡¯ll need to move faster if we want to get anywhere.¡±

    ¡°Where are we even trying to go?¡± I asked, concentrating on propelling myself forward. The air turned into a whistle as I began to rocket forward. My heart was beating rapidly, and my adrenaline spiked. The fears and worries of my identity vanished as I truly began to fly. I suddenly felt free, like I was in a dream where I could do anything.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Truth said in my mind. ¡°We need to find mother. Perhaps we can catch up to our subconscious? The Unwoken Mind.¡±

    I pursed my lips and straightened upright, envisioning myself slowing. I did just so. The air calmed, and I stopped. ¡°If that thing is truly my subconscious, couldn¡¯t we speak to it now, like I¡¯m speaking to you?¡± I asked.

    ¡°Uh,¡± Was all Truth said.

    ¡°Let me guess, you don¡¯t know?¡± I asked.

    ¡°Yeah, honestly. I don¡¯t know if that thing is really us,¡± He said with a mental shrug. ¡°They claim to be us, or really, it said something like we¡¯re part of it.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t like the thought of that.¡± I shuddered. ¡°That thing was downright creepy with all the cryptic shit it was saying.¡±

    ¡°Right? What was that shit about a Pattern or Perspectives?¡±

    I sighed. ¡°More questions for Shaed I guess. Any ideas on how we could find Mother?¡±

    Truth fell silent for a moment. ¡°Uh, well, if we¡¯re using dream logic. Couldn¡¯t we just think our way to her?¡±

    I shrugged. ¡°I dunno, but I guess there¡¯s only one way to find out.¡± I sighed and closed my eyes. I began picturing my mother, Cailynn, her pretty face, elegant form, scent, and laugh. The presence she exuded when entering a room: strong, confident, if not a bit aloof. The feeling of love she gave me and the excitement she expressed when cuddling me. Her love, I tried to find her love.

    There. I felt something. It wasn¡¯t far. Like an itch at the back of my mind, I could feel a presence that wasn¡¯t my own. It was faint, like a dimming star. I spun around. Of course, I had been flying in the opposite direction of it. It was the same direction the Unwoken Mind had fled to. Then it struck me.

    It was going to my mother. Without a thought or question, I imagined myself rocketing in the direction of what I thought was my mother. The air around me whistled and shrieked before abruptly going silent as I shot like a bullet through the void. The distant stars around me now moved, or I pushed past them as I flew. My heart thundered in my chest, and my stomach bubbled with butterflies as I felt adrenaline-induced excitement. No. It was hope. Hope that maybe I could do this, that I could save Mother and get us the hell out of this realm.

    Then it struck me. A new, almost overwhelming sensation washed over me. Compassion, curiosity, love, and dominance. I faltered in my flight and was forced to imagine myself slowing. I jerked and spun around mid-flight as a low rumble caught up to me. I looked in every direction, and aside from stars appearing in different locations than before from having moved. I saw nothing. Yet I felt it everywhere.

    Then, like a crowd of eyes shifting to look at me. I felt something watching me. It¡¯s attention focusing. It was it. The Unwoken Mind. The thing that claimed it was me, that I was it. It felt so nostalgic. Like I knew this being, and it definitely knew me.

    ¡°What is this?¡± The entity spoke with a feminine tone. ¡°The Little Echo has not yet faded? Instead like a bird jumping from it¡¯s nest, it¡¯s learned to fly. Intriguing. Yet, like a water without a container. Your mind spills, pooling in every direction.¡±

    The thing was vast. I could sense its tendrils, like roots from a tree, spreading in every direction around me. It pulsed with soothing emotions, emotions that made me feel like I was part of it¡ªlike I was it. Within this entity, I could sense her still¡ªmy mother. She was somewhere, deep within it.

    ¡°Where is she?¡± I called out. ¡°My mother. What are you doing to her?¡±

    The entity hummed. ¡°She is here, around, dancing with us. From her I wish to learn new perspectives. To understand who we are.¡±

    I gritted my teeth. ¡°I have no idea what she¡¯s saying,¡± Truth said, ¡°But I don¡¯t think it¡¯s good. That thing is like a curious kid with a new toy. She¡¯s bound to break it.¡±

    The world around us shifted, the colors of the void pulsing with every hum and tone emanating from this thing. The thousands of eyes I had felt on me turned away, leaving me alone as the creature began to mumble to itself, ¡°I¡¯m impressed. The echo that makes up this one is resilient. It clings with great strength, its determination burning with an intensity I rarely see.¡±

    I blinked. The thing wasn¡¯t referring to me. ¡°Please,¡± I called to it, trying to get its attention. ¡°Let me see her. I need to get her out of here.¡±

    The vibrant colors dulled once again, and once more, I felt center stage as I felt its presence on me again. ¡°Noisy you are. Persistent as well. Perhaps there¡¯s a correlation?¡±

    ¡°No,¡± I said, ¡°That¡¯s just who I am, very annoying. Now, please, just listen to me. I need to get her and leave. Can you do that for me?¡±

    ¡°Leave?¡± That being said confused. ¡°Why would you want to leave? Your job is finished.¡±

    ¡°Because we don¡¯t belong,¡± I said to it. ¡°My mind and my mother¡¯s will go away. You said it yourself earlier: My mother¡¯s mind is stretching thin. Even now, I feel my mind is slipping.¡±

    ¡°Damn straight,¡± Truth said in my head. ¡°Longer we¡¯ll be here I feel more voices are going to appear. Except, I dunno if I wanna go away. I quite like being out of my cage.¡±

    Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred platform. Support original creators!

    Shut up. I thought to him.

    ¡°Ah, fine.¡±

    The void''s colors shifted to a cool blue as the entity seemed to mull my words. Then, the color darkened, and a sense of sorrow washed over me. In a quivering voice, the being said, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Little Echo. I don¡¯t know how you can leave.¡±

    The personality seemed to have changed. I realized that I was talking to someone else.

    ¡°The Pattern is set, leaving this realm of our own volition is prohibited. Truly, I wish I could help.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re right,¡± Truth said. ¡°The tone in which she speaks, not to mention the color shift. This is someone else.¡±

    Someone who also isn¡¯t telling us the whole truth. I thought, and Truth silently agreed.

    ¡°You¡¯re lying,¡± I said bluntly, and the colors violently shifted around us. The gaseous clouds twisted and swirled as they went from blue to bright reds and purples.

    The tone shifted to anger, and furious emotions washed over me. ¡°You accuse us of lying, Puny Echo?!¡± The voice shook me to my core. ¡°How dare you toss such petulant words!¡±

    ¡°Perhaps provoking it was a terrible idea!¡±

    I just realized that! I panicked and waved my arms frantically.

    ¡°Look! I¡¯m sorry!¡± I apologized. ¡°What I mean is, how could I¡­ how could I be your echo? If I¡¯m from the material realm, that means you had some way of sending me there right? How could you do that if there¡¯s no way to leave here?¡± I asked.

    As quickly as the fire burned, it was snuffed out. The colors darkened, and melancholy again began to seep around me. The voice quivered and sobbed, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, little one.¡± It shuddered. ¡°You are right to ask these questions; however, my other halves do not believe I should disclose such information.¡±

    I frowned. ¡°Ahha, so there are other ones. Kinda like me, I guess?¡± Truth said smugly.

    No offense, but I don¡¯t want to end up like this¡­ thing. I like having only one mind. I thought.

    ¡°Oh, c¡¯mon. It isn¡¯t so bad. Two minds are better than one, eh? We¡¯ve done so much together already. We learned to fly, had an existential meltdown¨C¡±

    Focus. I demanded, and Truth shut up.

    ¡°Why do your other halves not want to share such information¨Cactually,¡± I stopped myself, ¡°Which one am I speaking to?¡± I asked. ¡°Do you have a name?¡±

    Though not visible, I could sense its quivering. The question seemingly triggered something, and I felt a sense of curiosity and excitement wash over me. ¡°A name?¡± the being pondered. "We only know ourselves as the Unwoken Mind. Who we are is something we¡¯ve been trying to learn.¡±

    ¡°Well,¡± I said cautiously. ¡°Do you want to always be known by that name? The Unwoken Mind, I mean.¡± The being quivered again but didn¡¯t answer me. ¡°A name is usually the first step towards having an identity. Plus, I think it¡¯ll be easier for us to talk to one another. Let me start.¡± I cleared my throat, though I probably didn¡¯t need to upon entering this realm. Placing a hand on my chest, I bowed. ¡°I am Luna Ashflow,¡± I said, though hearing my old voice say that name felt odd.

    An overwhelming sense of excitement washed over me as the presence chortled. ¡°Ah, yes, Luna. A much better name, a joyful name. Much more fun to say than the Broken One.¡±

    I frowned at that. ¡°Broken one?¡±

    The presence stiffened. ¡°Oh no.¡± It said in a tiny voice as anxiety began to bubble around me. ¡°We had said too much. Do not mind those words, Little Ech¨CLuna.¡± It corrected itself.

    ¡°It''s Best we not push this one, Luna,¡± Truth said. ¡°We¡¯ve got something good going here. We shouldn¡¯t trigger another one of its mood swings.¡±

    I nodded. ¡°Now it¡¯s your turn to tell me your name,¡± I said, gazing out at the expanse around me. I had failed to notice the unseen tendrils; the roots that represented this being had now fully enveloped me.

    ¡°Dangerous habit,¡± Truth said, ¡°We need to be better at staying observant. We¡¯re trapped now.¡±

    I¡¯ve noticed that. I thought.

    ¡°A name?¡± The being cooed as the anxiety faded and excitement returned. The colors of the void brightened as it hummed with thought. ¡°We have never thought on such a subject. What name would you prefer we have?¡± It asked. ¡°That is how names are given where you¡¯re from, yes? By someone else?¡±

    I pursed my lips. ¡°Normally,¡± I said with a nod. ¡°Your parents are usually the ones to name you, but you could always change it.¡±

    ¡°Change it?¡± The entity said, confused.

    I nodded. ¡°Yeah, like we¡¯re doing now. You said you¡¯re the unwoken mind? If you don¡¯t want that name just change it.¡±

    The world faded to a grayish hue as confusion settled in. My stomach began to sink with uneasiness. ¡°But that is what I am, not who I am?¡± It said with uncertainty.

    ¡®Uh, yeah,¡± I said, ¡°Like, uh, I¡¯m an elf.¡± I pointed to my human body. ¡°But nobody calls me ¡®elf.¡¯ My name is ¡®Luna¡¯.¡±

    Color began to return as realization dawned on the being. ¡°Ah, we see!¡± it said, understanding. ¡°Yes, yes! This is amazing. Thank you, Little Echo¨CLuna, we mean. This is a brilliant perspective! Now tell us, what is our name? We shall give you this honor.¡±

    ¡°Oh goodie!¡± Truth exclaimed. ¡°We get to name a god! This is awesome!¡±

    I don¡¯t think this is a god, Truth. I thought.

    ¡°Are you sure about that? This thing is giving me big god vibes,¡± He said.

    Ignoring Truth, I stroked my chin in thought. I was never good at coming up with names for things, so I did what I normally did in such moments: I used the first thing that came to my mind. We were in the Cerebellium, a higher tier in reality, as Shaed described. Cereb. I liked that.

    ¡°How about Cereb?¡± I called out to the being.

    ¡°¡®How about Cereb?¡¯¡± It repeated back to me.

    I quickly waved my hands and shook my head. ¡°No, no! Just ¡®Cereb.¡¯ It has a nice ring to it, it rolls off the tongue well, and it¡¯s way easier than just calling you the Unwoken Mind.¡±

    The sensation of curiosity became known as the being quivered and repeated the name repeatedly to itself as if getting a taste for it. Each utterance came with a hint of excitement as it practiced the name.

    ¡°Yes, yes, we like this, we like this!¡± the being quivered. ¡®We are Cereb¨CI am Cereb!¡± The world around me was illuminated with bright yellows and light reds. ¡°Thank you, Luna, thank you!¡± it said, overcome with joy. ¡°This is the happiest moment in all of my time!¡± Hearing that made my heart swell, as I found its emotions contagious.

    ¡°I¡¯m glad I can help, Cereb,¡± I said, and hearing me use the being¡¯s new name made it squeal with happiness.

    ¡°Oooh, say it again! Say it again!¡± It demanded like a child.

    ¡°Uh, sure thing, Cereb. I¡¯m glad I could help.¡± I rubbed the back of my neck as the creature howled with joy.

    ¡°This thing truly is insane,¡± Truth muttered.

    That, and Cereb is probably lonely. Very lonely. I thought. We¡¯re wasting time, though. We need to get my mother.

    ¡°Agreed,¡± Truth said. ¡°Now that we¡¯ve calmed Cereb down let''s try to push them on the matter.¡±

    ¡°Cereb,¡± I called out to them. ¡°About my mother, is there any way you can help me get to her?¡± I asked.

    The sense of joy faltered, and Cereb calmed. ¡°She is here already,¡± Cereb said flatly. ¡°Her pattern dances through us, around us.¡±

    I frowned and clenched my fists as I prayed that I wasn¡¯t too late. ¡°Is there a way to get to her and see her like I am?¡± I patted my chest. ¡°A whole person like myself.¡±

    Disappointment struck me as Cereb deflated. ¡°You are not whole, Luna. What you are is how you perceive, but you are not whole. For I am also not whole, for we flow like clouds of dye in water.¡±

    Huh? I blinked.

    ¡°I think what she¡¯s saying, and I could be wrong, is that this body. Is not actually us,¡± Truth said.

    I got that. We¡¯re a projection, as Shaed said. I thought.

    ¡°Sort of, I think, remember. I¡¯m you. So I know what you know. I just know how to stick clues together. I¡¯m guessing that we perceive ourselves as a body when in reality, we might be like Cereb here.¡±

    You¡¯re telling me I¡¯m a fucking cloud?

    ¡°Maybe? Again, I don¡¯t know. I¡¯m just going off what this thing just said.¡±

    I frowned. ¡°So, there is no way for me to see her then?¡± I asked.

    ¡°See as you are aware, no.¡± Cereb brightened again. ¡°Sense her, however, yes. Sense you have already, hence why you came here, no?¡±

    I smiled as I began to feel hopeful. ¡°Yes, earlier I was able to feel her, Cereb.¡±

    Hearing their name again made the creature stir with joyful energy. ¡°Then you can see her. Sense, Little Luna, expand your presence as you have. Seek what you want, and you shall find her like you have.¡± I felt Cereb¡¯s presence around me receding as if giving me space. ¡°But, be warned, for the one known as Cailynn does not have the strength like you or I. Her presence is weak and thinning.¡±

    ¡°We need to help her then,¡± I said, ¡°Earlier you never answered my question. How am I able to go to the material realm as your echo? Can you do this for her as you did me, Cereb?¡±

    Cereb shivered, and once again, melancholy took hold. ¡°I, we, we don¡¯t know¡­¡± It said with sorrow. ¡°We are sorry, Luna, I am sorry.¡±

    My heart twinged. Are you kidding me? Are you actually kidding me? Is this really how I¡¯m going to lose my mother? Over something so stupid as this? What happened? How did this happen? How did she even get here?

    ¡°Focus, Luna,¡± Truth tried to calm me though my mind was spiraling.

    My mother was going to die. Trapped forever in this other realm. Alone, insane. I can do nothing except watch her and sense her fading. I¡¯m useless. I¡¯m so fucking useless. I just saved her last time. It¡¯s only been three weeks. What? And already I¡¯m losing her again. Why? Why us? Why me? I¡¯m tired of this bullshit. I¡¯m tired of everything. I just want to go back, and I want to live a quiet life again.

    ¡°Really, that¡¯s what you¡¯re thinking about?¡± Truth snarled.

    What? I blinked.

    ¡°Your mother is dying, and all you are about is how your life is shit? About how you¡¯re tired of all of this and wish you could live the good life? I knew I was a piece of shit, but wow.¡± I cringed. ¡°Instead of thinking about just yourself, try and do something. Do anything!¡± Truth barked.

    ¡°What can I do?¡± I said out loud. ¡°I¡¯m just this ¡®little echo,¡¯¡± I quoted Cereb. ¡°I don¡¯t have the powers they have, I don¡¯t have the capabilities of Shaed or¨C¡±

    I¡¯m a fucking idiot. I realized.

    ¡°Yes! Big brain time! Do it!¡±

    Shaed, why the hell haven¡¯t I tried reaching out to him? The man who¡¯s literally trapped in this realm is an actual god. The one who brought me here. Truth is wrong. I am stupid. I closed my eyes, clenched my fists, and concentrated on the man in black. His monotonous voice, dull attitude, power, remorse, and finally, laugh. His genuine laugh. Any bit of detail I could recall I used to extend this presence I possessed out in searching for him.

    It didn¡¯t take long.

    Fear sparked in my chest, and dread quivered in Cereb¡¯s voice. ¡°He is coming. Master is coming. Hide, hide we must, but where? He is all. Patterns he shifts. He will find us.¡± They said as the world began to dim, the yellows and reds shifting to gray and then black.

    Shuddering as Cereb¡¯s fear transferred to me, I gulped. ¡°Why are you afraid, Cereb?¡±

    ¡°Because he hurts us,¡± Cereb moaned. ¡°Master of Pains he is. He locks us away, if he sees us awake, he will hurt me again.¡±

    ¡°H-Hurt you?¡± I blinked. Shaed hadn¡¯t seemed so malicious from what I¡¯d seen.

    ¡°You fool,¡± Truth sighed. ¡°This is where I think Charity is kind of right here. He¡¯s been nice to us, but that doesn¡¯t make him trustworthy. Hell, he told you not just a few hours ago of the atrocities he¡¯s done.¡±

    Yes, but¡­ he seemed so remorseful about it. That was also thousands of years ago¡ª

    ¡°He¡¯s here!¡± Cereb panicked, and I jerked my head around to look for Shaed.

    Instead, I saw no man. Far off among the fading colors, darkness took hold. All I could see were the distant stars, yet among them. A shimmer. Something moved past the others, causing their lights to contort and shift. Streaks of light left the others and swirled around the object like water circling a drain. Something dark was sucking it all in, something vast.

    Cereb¡¯s presence began to retreat into itself, leaving me alone with the faint presence of my mother. The objects that had consumed the light from the other stars were growing nearer. It was black as oil, and its surface was reflective like that as well. Light bounced off of it, allowing me to just ever so faintly make out the massive object.

    The thing was spherical and, as mentioned, vast beyond anything I¡¯ve ever seen. As it drew nearer, it took up the entirety of my vision. The air around me began to push against me as a rushing wind howled against my ears and moved like waves parting before a ship. I feared whatever this was would strike me or consume me like it had the light of the stars.

    Except it stopped abruptly. Around me, I could hear Cereb whimpering like a child, their voice so small now as they cowered before this entity. My own heart hammered against my chest as I shook before this thing. Shaed had hinted that there are natives to this realm. Had I just mistakenly summoned a predator?

    Cereb said this was the Master¡ªor their master¡ªexcept the Shaed I knew was a man. Not this thing, this being of oily darkness that consumed light. Looking into its abyss sent me feeling dread. Horrors lurked within there, and a primal fear within was screaming at me to run, to do anything. Except I couldn¡¯t; I was frozen.

    Even when I tried to use my dream logic to move, to imagine myself flying, I was still.

    ¡°There you are,¡± Shaed¡¯s voice said flatly in my mind. ¡°Searching for you was like trying to find a specific drop of water in an ocean. I¡¯m pleased to see you¡¯ve figured out the basics.¡±

    ¡°Wh-what is this?¡± I muttered, fear evident in my voice.

    ¡°This is me, the real me. You are in my domain now.¡±

    I quivered. Within the shadows, I swore I could see faces, twisted visages of screaming people, and horrid monsters with melting skin. I could hear them. The howls of those trapped within, hundreds, thousands, millions. Everyone he had killed, every soul he had taken. He was a nightmare, a monster.

    ¡°What are you?¡± I asked.

    ¡°I¡¯ve told you what I am, Luna.¡± Shaed¡¯s voice was calm, juxtaposing the roiling mass before me. ¡°I see you¡¯ve found the fool as well. I¡¯ll handle her, but you, you must reach into me, and I¡¯ll take you back.¡±

    ¡°N-No!¡± I heard myself shouting as I finally found the will to pull myself away from the being. ¡°I-I¡¯m not going in there, an-and I¡¯m not letting you take mother!¡±

    ¡°Luna,¡± Shaed said firmly but kept his tone calm. ¡°The longer you stay here the sooner you and your mother will lose yourselves. Trust me.¡±

    ¡°But this isn¡¯t natural, y-you aren¡¯t natural!¡± My heart was racing, and within, I could see inky arms reaching out towards me. Hundreds of humanoid bodies made of tar extended their limbs to me, beckoning me forward.

    ¡°I know what it looks like,¡± Shaed said in a low voice. ¡°I know the fear you must be feeling. I am, unnatural, but I cannot change that any longer. You must trust me.¡±

    ¡°Cereb,¡± I said to the other entity pleading. ¡°Is this really him? Is this Shaed?¡±

    ¡°We do not know who Shaed is,¡± Cereb whimpered, their voice now a tiny squeak. ¡°What we know is that this is Master of Pains¡ªthe one I met upon my birth, the one who locked me away, the one who hurt me.¡±

    ¡°Oh?¡± Shaed¡¯s voice echoed around me now. ¡°It seems the Unwoken Mind is now the Woken Mind again.¡± Cereb squealed in horror, and I felt their presence vanishing as they hurried away, and Shaed sighed.

    ¡°What did you do to them?!¡± I shouted, anger mixing with my fear. ¡°Why did you hurt Cereb?¡±

    ¡°Cereb?¡± Shaed mused. ¡°So it has a name now? Venra had warned the construct may develop it¡¯s own consciousness given time¡­¡±

    ¡°Answer me!¡± I demanded.

    Shaed sighed. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Luna, but this has gone on long enough now. We¡¯re wasting time. I did not wish to do this, but we cannot dally here much longer, or else we risk exposure. Forgive me for what I¡¯m about to do.¡±

    ¡°What are you¨C¡± Before I could finish my sentence, the darkness shot towards me instantly. I was engulfed in a viscous substance like I had doven into an ocean of thick oil. I opened my mouth to scream and breathe, except the tasteless liquid flooded into my mouth and throat before I knew it. I was unconscious.

    Then I wasn¡¯t. Like breaching the surface of a lake, my eyes flew open, and I gasped and choked on air. My eyes screamed as all I could see was a blinding white-blue light above me, and my lungs burned for more oxygen. I was on my back, arched and kicking as my muscles spasmed with pins and needles. Something was inside me trying to force its way up, and I jerked and rolled on my side.

    I choked and gagged until I finally vomited a thick black, oil-like substance onto the metal floor. It was tasteless and hot. Fear took hold, and I sputtered and kicked away from the bile, my back slamming into something metal behind me. I turned and looked and realized I was back within the power plant. The generator was lit brightly again.

    How long was I out for? I wondered but quickly focused as I heard someone else nearby choking. Not too far from my right was my mother lying on her side, having a seizure and choking.

    I scrambled over to her, stumbling over wires and hunks of metal. I knelt before her and held her shoulders just as she, too, vomited a similar inky bile onto the floor. Seeing that the generator was active again, I muttered a quick restoration spell to cure her and then myself of the sickness. Like a raging storm, the ether surged through us as the magic maneuvered through me. Sending pleasurable tingles as it soothed my body.

    My mother¡¯s seizure calmed, and her eyes twitched beneath her closed lids. She looked to be dreaming and didn¡¯t stir when I shook her. I had been told her mind was thinning. Perhaps getting one¡¯s expanded consciousness shoved back into a little meat sack wasn¡¯t a great feeling. Then again, I didn¡¯t feel much better coming in. A moment after my magic faded, a throbbing pain struck my mind, and I nearly doubled over. Clutching my skull, I groaned as my head throbbed. Sucking in the air, I whined as the pain pulsed several more times before beginning to recede.

    Once it was gone, I slowly lowered my hands. ¡°What the hell was that?¡± I mumbled and glanced at the pool of black vomit. Even here, whatever it was, light shone off its surface before being sucked into it, and I swore I could still hear the screams of the void.

 Chapter 107: Radiance (Interlude)

    Elin Hass

    Elin took the Ember tea from her maid, Shilia, and thanked her softly. She took a sip of the spiced liquid and shuddered faintly as the smokey aftertaste lingered in her mouth after she swallowed. Ember tea wasn¡¯t her favorite in the slightest. In fact, it was probably her least-liked tea. However, practically, it was her go-to to pick me up during long nights and mornings like this. Cultivated in Kazora, the homeland of her servants, the serelli, who were masters in the art of tea making.

    She was no biologist and, therefore, didn¡¯t know the specifics of what made Ember tea so versed in keeping one awake and alert, but by the gods, she felt something magical at play here. The tea worked just as well as Alexander¡¯s catnap spell, or so she felt, save for the extreme crash that comes after a few hours of drinking it. The mental gymnastics Elin had to go through to resist reaching for another cup, or else she would become hooked on the stuff, was an entire battle in itself.

    Hiring these three serelli was probably the best, and maybe the worst, decision she¡¯s ever made. It was good because they were terrific at their jobs, yet bad because they introduced so many cultural wonders to Elin that she felt like she would get lost in it all. But that was a worry for another day; right now, she needed to focus on her plans.

    Elin took another sip of the crude-tasting tea and sighed as its effects gradually began to kick in. She leaned back in her comfortable red armchair and looked at the maps on the table before her. On them were detailed stratagems and battlelines drafted by her various advisors and General Mays.

    So far, after thirty days of fighting, the Rusivites have finally slowed. It only took about a quarter of Heinmarr to be conquered, thousands of soldiers, and many more civilian lives. However, the initial onslaught was stopped on the Alter and Kenchala rivers. The fighting machines, which had first shocked many, have proven not to be the immortal killing machines many had first expected. Yes, they were brutally efficient at what they were made to do. However, they were not so efficient at staying alive. The obvious weak point, the central glass eye, which also served as their primary weapon, scorching light, was an astonishing design flaw.

    Any weapon capable of piercing a dragon¡¯s scale could easily puncture the glass covering and render such a weapon useless. Even a crack would cause the ether, which powers the weapon''s ability, to plummet in efficiency. Turning a scorching ray of light into a mildly irritating annoyance, worse for the machine, a lethal eruption of ether that had lost containment. Resulting in the construct''s untimely demise.

    The machines were not made for pitched battles. Every engagement so far between Elin¡¯s brigade and the machines as they tried to cross the river resulted in at least her men destroying two or three of them before forcing them to retreat. Which, strangely enough, was how she learned that these things appear to feel fear. From what she¡¯s witnessed, these constructs aren¡¯t mindless machines.

    After she had met the prodigy Luna and the Yanky archineer, Oscar, they learned that the Rusivites were making these machines using, to her horror, humanoid souls. The dragon wardens had informed her that more of these ¡°factories,¡± which the Rusivites built by launching massive cylinders over the border into Heinmarr, have sprouted along the frontline. Here, they were gathering any and all who were unfortunate enough to come across their harvester machines, which were similar to the fighting ones save for the lack of weapons. They held large baskets on their backs and used unseemly tendrils to collect people like a hive beetle collecting scraps for its colony.

    From what Elin¡¯s archineers observed after capturing the prison and factory, it appears that the Rusivites discovered how to imprison the souls of those they¡¯ve killed inside magrite gems. Large gems were then fused into the metal casing that made of the machine''s crystalline heart. The archineers pointed out to her that within were glyphs carved into each limb with carved routes like blood veins, which led back to the heart of the machine. Like the analogy before, it¡¯s thought that these ¡°routes¡± are what carry the creature¡¯s impulses and orders to move each and react, though Elin thought ¡°puppet strings¡± was probably more of an apt term.

    Despite the intricate programming of the machine put on display after its deconstruction, it seemed the Rusivites hadn¡¯t figured out how to subdue the soul inside fully. As mentioned, these ¡°mindless machines¡± weren¡¯t really so. They felt fear and pain when attacked. Could they feel other emotions? Do these things know what they are? A new thought horrified her: were the people before still there? Trapped within and forced to watch the slaughter?

    Slaughtering these devices would be a mercy if that were the case. Why would the Rusivites make it so that these beings could feel these emotions? She thought. Perhaps they don¡¯t know how to dampen the feelings thoroughly? Any general would love to have mindless soldiers who felt nothing and could get a job done without question and refuse to buckle against a terrifying enemy. Then again, perhaps this is by design. While the former thought was callous but effective, it could also be inefficient.

    Having soldiers who know when to back down and flee from a fight in itself is effective. Live another day, learn, and adapt to overcome the next battle. Having horrific killing machines that could do this could be on purpose. Alas, Elin would not know. Not yet, at least. This war is still new, and her scholars and archineers, along with others from various divisions, are still studying these machines.

    Could someday Heinmarr possess such power? She thought. Could she somehow learn to control and use these things? Immediately, she banished the thoughts. No. These things were people. Doing so would make her no better than them. Except¡­ A new thought crept in. What if they were to use animals? A land strider converted into one of these things? They were intelligent, obedient, and were terrific at obeying orders.

    Something inside her shuddered. ¡°No, Elin,¡± A voice said. ¡°Not everything you see must be twisted to suit our needs. Some forces are best left untouched, or else we risk falling into the darkness from which they were made.¡± The voice was strong and commanding.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Radiant One,¡± Elin whispered as she took another sip of her Ember tea. ¡°I¡¯m just trying to figure out ways we could overcome our enemies.¡± She hummed as she eyed her tea and swirled it in its cup.

    ¡°I understand, Elin,¡± The voice cooed like a mother trying to soothe their child. ¡°Just know that the forces we are dealing with are ancient, and dark. Long forgotten for a reason.¡±

    ¡°I know,¡± She said, ¡°But that is all the reason more we should study it. Learn from it, and potentially adapt it.¡±

    ¡°Study yes, adapt and use? No. Spirimancy is unnatural, forbidden. It should not be touched, not by children like yourself.¡±

    Elin¡¯s eye twitched at that. ¡°Radiance, I am not a child,¡± She grumbled.

    The voice known as Radiance chuckled lightly and, in an amused tone, said, ¡°Perhaps in human years, child, you are not. Though, to one such as myself, you may as well be a tiny babe. Alas, I jest but know that I am serious about the works of spirimancy. Such magics is far too dangerous for your kind.¡±

    Elin took her eyes off the maps and leaned back in her seat. Her eyes flicked across her study before landing on the east window facing the river. In the distance, she could see the lights from the frontline contrasting against the night sky. Word had reached her hours ago about the attack in Johanneson and how the Rusitives had gotten around the defensive lines entirely using flying machines never before seen. Smaller than a drake and faster than a dragon, dozens swooped into the city alongside the very cylinders that had ravaged the countryside.

    The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

    Just as Radiance had warned her, the voice had an uncanny ability to predict events like that. Not always was she right, but a majority, she was. A while back, Elin had thought she was going crazy when Radiance first appeared after her grandmother had died after she had made that promise. Her servants had also thought that as well; that perhaps the grief of losing the one she loved, her Gaga and friend, had finally broken her. Except, Radiance wasn¡¯t an insanity. She was far more.

    ¡°I¡¯ll consider your words, Radiance. Though, might I ask, what makes spirimancy so dangerous?¡± Elin has asked this question numerous times already, though Radiance has never actually answered, constantly dodging the question or denying it outright. Part of her hope, though, was that prying this entity repeatedly for an answer would yield results, and it has in the past regarding other questions the thing refused to answer.

    Radiance sighed, which amused Elin as she assumed the being hadn¡¯t a reason to breathe. ¡°I¡¯ve already answered this, Elin, it just is. A child who plays with a match doesn¡¯t know what they wield can cause great destruction if struck just right. You must be careful.¡±

    Same as before, but the analogy alluded to something at least. If used in a particular way, such magic can cause great destruction. Well, that could be said the same for any magic. ¡°Why is it that you withhold such information from me?¡± Elin asked. ¡°You said when we met that I am your bond, an anchor. If we are to work together, shouldn¡¯t I know to better help you?¡±

    ¡°Your words hold truth, Elin,¡± Radiance said calmly, ¡°You are right that we are bonded, and as such, I know you more than you think. You are pragmatic and practical. Spirimancy would indeed be a great boon to you and your kind if used correctly.¡±

    ¡°You think I wouldn¡¯t use it correctly?¡± Elin asked as she swirled her tea and sipped it.

    ¡°Precisely. I know that you would use it to win this war, and I fully believe you would succeed in this endeavor. Yet, the cost of doing so¡­¡± They trailed off.

    ¡°The number of lives it would cost?¡± Elin guessed and sensed a foreboding feeling within her, though she knew this wasn¡¯t her emotions. The bond that she and Radiance shared had always gone both ways. Elin could feel what Radiance felt and vice versa.

    ¡°That, and the moral cost. Elin, I fear that if you had such power, it would consume you,¡± Radiance shuddered.

    She placed her teacup down on the table in front of her, brushed her red bangs from her eyes, and took a deep breath as she laced her fingers. Radiance¡¯s words did not bother Elin, not at all, because she knew they were true. Elin was pragmatic, and she would do whatever it took to win. Callous perhaps? Maybe. But if a handful of lives was what she needed to sacrifice to end this war and fulfill her Gaga¡¯s wishes. Then she would do it. She would unite this world, and she would end the squabbling, break the social barriers, and forge a world where everyone can be at peace so they can prepare for the true enemy.

    Enorans did not have time to bicker and argue over the past. This war served no one. The religious nuts in the Warriors of Light are blinded by their false beliefs. If the gods truly wished the Dark Lord to be dead and gone, then they could easily smite the continent of Garlay. Could they? If he were really imprisoned, as the legends go, then surely nothing would stop them from ending him entirely.

    ¡°It is not that simple,¡± Radiance said in response to Elin¡¯s thoughts. The one annoyance of sharing this space with another entity. ¡°Gods do not share a physical form like mortals. Destroying their body and erasing them from this realm will merely shunt them back into the Cerebellium, the Cognitive Realm.¡±

    Elin was vaguely aware of the realm. It wouldn¡¯t be the first time Radiance has mentioned it. A space above her reality, a realm in which time and distance did not make sense. A realm that worked entirely off a dream logic, or so Radiance said. A place of gods.

    ¡°So kill him there,¡± Elin said as she hung her head back and gazed up at the ceiling.

    Radiance let off a sigh, or at least an excellent imitation of one. ¡°Again, it is not so simple. Gods do not die like you think they do. It¡¯s difficult to explain.¡±

    Elin took a breath and nodded. ¡°I¡¯ll take your word for it.¡± She lowered her head back down and gazed at the table and maps in front of her. She leaned forward once more, picked up her daily brief, and read it over once again.

    ¡°It was just like you said,¡± Hass said softly as her eyes skimmed the page. ¡°The Rusivites attacked Johanneson.¡± She frowned. ¡°But how? The report says they used flying machines that flew in from the east, except none of our sky watchers had seen them.¡± She pursed her lips in thought. ¡°Perhaps they used magic? A mass invisibility spell?¡±

    Radiance hummed as she pondered the idea. ¡°Even I doubt the Rusivite''s capability to perform such a feat. While they have proven to be adaptable in the field of Spirimancy. The power they would need to mask as many devices they had would be taxing.¡±

    Elin simply shrugged, folded the paper with one hand, and tucked it into the inner pocket of her suit. ¡°I could¡¯ve warned them,¡± She said in a hushed voice. Her eyes drifted toward the window facing the river again. ¡°The Yankys could¡¯ve prepared, establish more drake wardens, position more draco guns.¡±

    ¡°Yet risk alerting all to my presence?¡± Radiance asked with an annoyed tone. ¡°We¡¯ve discussed this, Elin, and you agreed.¡±

    Elin sighed and reached for her tea once more. She picked up the cup and frowned when she saw how little she had left. With a sigh, she sipped the last of it and said, ¡°I know, and part of me still does. Except, we need to do more. I have contacts, Radiance, people who can spin lies for us.¡±

    ¡°And how do you think they¡¯ll react to hearing you provide such accurate information? Aren¡¯t you concerned that they¡¯ll start asking questions?¡±

    Elin rolled her eyes. ¡°My people are the kind who don¡¯t ask questions. I told you that we all work on trust, that is what gets us through anything.¡±

    ¡°Trust isn¡¯t something we should go blindly throwing around, Elin.¡±

    ¡°That isn¡¯t what I¡¯m saying, Radiance,¡± Elin sighed as she finally stood up from her seat. She arched her back, grunted when her lower half popped pleasantly and rolled her neck. She needed a new chair. ¡°What I¡¯m saying is you need to trust me.¡±

    ¡°I do. I wouldn¡¯t have chosen you as my anchor if I hadn¡¯t.¡± Radiance said, sounding confused.

    Elin shook her head. ¡°I don¡¯t believe you do,¡± Elin said simply as she placed her teacup on its platter and walked towards the window. She assumed the posture she had learned in officer¡¯s school, with shoulders broadened, her back stiff, and her hands folded behind her back as she gazed outside.

    The sound of distant chimes and cracking glass echoed not too far off in her mind. Elin found the sound unnerving yet was accustomed to it. Radiance gave off such an alien reaction whenever she was annoyed by her, usually when she was right.

    ¡°Perhaps you are correct,¡± She said with a huff. ¡°You mortals, especially humans, are probably the least trust worthy beings in all of Eifelheim.¡±

    Elin smirked; any other person would¡¯ve probably been insulted by such a comment, yet she couldn¡¯t help but find it amusing. ¡°And yet, here you are, with me.¡±

    Radiance started, then sighed. ¡°You are a slightly more trustworthy human.¡±

    Elin snorted. ¡°I¡¯ll take that.¡±

    Radiance huffed. ¡°I¡¯ll hear you out, Elin. What is it that you wish to propose?¡±

    ¡°I would like to bring an ally into our fold. Someone I can trust with the knowledge of your existence. A contact of mine who I know for a fact who can pull strings in our favor,¡± She explained.

    Radiance hummed as she thought. ¡°And who might this be?¡±

    Elin took a deep breath just as she heard a knock on the door behind her. A smile crept onto her face as she turned. ¡°The individual who should be stepping in now,¡± she said and called. ¡°It¡¯s unlocked.¡±

    As she faced the door, it clicked and creaked as it swung open. Stepping inside, the tall, hulking figure dipped their head into the room. Their black scaled tail pushed the door closed behind them as their clawed hand reached up to remove the bowl-shaped hat from atop their head. Lorzio Blaxen¡¯s swirling purple eyes locked with Elin¡¯s gaze, and a sharp tooth smile stretched across his face.

    ¡°It¡¯s been some time, Colonel. I hope I am not intruding.¡±

 Chapter 108: The Coming Frostwind (Interlude)

    Alexander Mihaljevi?

    Alexander leaned back in his chair and took a long huff from his pipe of loki before blowing the smoke out slowly. He watched as the cloud drifted into the night¡¯s air, visible within Radiance¡¯s colorful light. It twirled and shifted, wafting towards the west. The wind was changing. He could feel it around him. For days now, he has noted the drop in temperature and the shift in pressure, not only meteorically but also magically. The wisps, little beings drawn to ether, like motes of light seen only by a few around magic when it¡¯s being cast. Thought only to be particles created by spells.

    Except they weren¡¯t. They were creatures like humans and elves. Except not of this world. Not usually, anyway. Wisps were beings attracted to magic, or more specifically, ether. Alexander didn¡¯t entirely know why; perhaps they fed off of it. Or maybe they are like honey beetles attracted to colorful clothing, thinking they¡¯re flowers? That is beside the point.

    He could feel the wisps changing with the air. Only the trained eye of a wizard could see these beings without using the spell detection. Besides, using such a spell would be cheating. He watched them move, unlike the wind, towards the east. Twirling and dancing in the air like star beetles. There were dozens of them, no hundreds, all around in every direction, rising from the earth in various colors and sizes. It was a remarkable yet equally unnerving sight to behold.

    Alexander took another drag from his pipe and leaned forward. Nearby, he could hear the soldiers in the camp hooting and hollering as they celebrated yet another victory. News of the attack on Johanneson had yet to reach the rank and file, and after this morning¡¯s unsuccessful probing attack, Alexander knew that the Colonel would wait until the morning to break the news to the men.

    Another probing attack, Alexander thought as he watched the wisps drifting towards the east, like a flock of birds flying south for the winter. Days after the assault across the river and destruction of the factory, the Rusivites had sent probe after probe after probe at the river, each ending in disaster for the fighting machines¡ªa careless loss of life. Or, well, no, it wasn¡¯t. He corrected himself; they were machines. Machines made of the souls of those murdered, he once again reminded himself.

    Even then, constructing such a frightful machine must cost a fortune. Yet they threw them away carelessly, mashing them against their defensive lines. Something was coming, but what? Tactfully, he knew why the Rusivites attacked Johanneson. Destroying the airfield and blowing up the Yanky airships would stall their reinforcements. Probing the frontline kept the soldiers on edge and wore them down, yet why were the winds changing and the wisps acting up?

    They wouldn¡¯t be so stupid, would they? Alexander thought to himself.

    ¡°So this is where you¡¯ve been hiding, Alex.¡± A familiar voice piqued Alexander¡¯s attention, and he turned to look over his shoulder.

    Celena Lasker, the high priestess, or so the soldiers knew her, stood a few steps behind him, her arms crossed and her brow perked. The hood of her priestly garb pulled back, exposing her lengthy, black, curly hair, which loosely blew in the cool breeze. ¡°Spell Marshal,¡± Alexander greeted her with a nod.

    The dark-skinned woman frowned, crossed her robed arms, and glared at him. ¡°I told you not to refer me by that here, Ancient One.,¡± She said with emphasis as she leaned toward him.

    Alexander snorted and straightened up. He dumped his pipe beside him before gesturing around the open field with it exaggeratedly. ¡°I highly doubt anyone here is listening to us now, Celena. That is unless you¡¯re concerned the wisps are listening.¡± He lowered his voice to that of a hush. ¡°Though I guess they are an enigma best we play is safe.¡± He winked.

    Celena rolled her eyes, but then her frown deepened, and she turned her gaze toward the flocks of wisps. Her eyes followed the drifting orbs of multicolored lights as they drifted to the east, and as if noticing them for the first time, her eyes widened a bit.

    ¡°What did you do?¡± She asked, turning back to Alexander.

    The ancient human scoffed and brought a hand to his heart, feigning pain. ¡°Celena!¡± He croaked.¡±You wound me!¡±

    ¡°Stop being coy, Alex,¡± Celena said, her expression darkening as she stepped towards him. ¡°What is going on?¡±

    Alexander took a deep breath and dropped the act. As much as he loved to toy with Celena, now wasn¡¯t the time. He straightened up in his seat, rested his hands on his lap, and looked at her briefly before returning to watch the wisps.

    ¡°I¡¯ll be honest, Celena,¡± He said, pursing his lips. ¡°I frankly don¡¯t know. Ever since the assault over the river, things have been changing¨C¡±

    ¡°Wait, what?¡± She interrupted, insufferable woman. She never knew when to let him finish. Then again, he was in no position to judge. Perhaps that¡¯s why he enjoyed her company. ¡°You knew something was going on and didn¡¯t say anything?¡± She groaned. ¡°Alexander, for all that is holy, why¨C¡±

    ¡°Can I finish, Celena?¡± Alexander asked, and thankfully, Celena muttered an apology and nodded for him to continue. ¡°I had noticed changes, yet I thought nothing of it at the time. First, it was small temperature changes. Have you noticed that? Despite the warmer season coming upon us, it¡¯s been getting colder.¡± He fell silent briefly as he gathered his thoughts.

    Celena cleared her throat and said, ¡°I noticed that, but I simply thought it was due to us being so far up north and close to Rusimia. The Ursan winds are known for blowing this far west, so it isn¡¯t uncommon.¡±

    A reasonable assumption, Alexander thought. He, too, considered this at first. Except that ever since that girl showed up, Luna Ashflow, the one that surged with ether. Like a raging typhoon corked inside a puny vial screaming to burst, it was after she showed up that the wisps began to show. Ever since that day, she had ignited the sky. He saw how they followed her and swirled around her constantly. Invisible to most, but not him, of course. Alexander knew the signs to look out for.

    Was she the cause of this? The change in weather? No. Don¡¯t be ridiculous. The girl was gifted magically, a prodigy waiting to be molded. There is no way a simple fiery mote in the sky would cause something like this. While she probably could shift and control the weather, she would know the proper stance, gestures, and incantations to fit within the Pattern.

    ¡°Alex?¡± Celena prompted him, and the old man jerked back into focus.

    ¡°Oh, sorry,¡± He cleared his throat. ¡°I got a little lost in thought.¡± He smiled at her. ¡°You see the wisps, don¡¯t you?¡± He asked as he gestured with his pipe towards the orbs of light drifting eastward, and she nodded. ¡°You see where they¡¯re going?¡± Again, she nodded. ¡°The Rusivites are doing something. Attacks have been nearly nonstop across the frontline, and recently they struck Johanneson.¡±

    ¡°They what?!¡± Celena once again interrupted, and Alexander sighed. While the Spell Warden was within the higher echelons of ranks, she was also currently on a mission posing as a high priestess whose rank did not grant her immediate authorization to know. While the news would eventually reach her, it would probably not have done so for at least a couple more hours at best.

    Alexander sighed and glared at her, and once again, she apologized. ¡°Yes. Johanneson was attacked by a new form of flying machine, to no one¡¯s surprise. At this rate, news is going to hit us that they¡¯ve somehow built a vessel that can travel the Void, and no one will bat an eye.¡± He joked.

    ¡°Please don¡¯t say that,¡± Celena muttered, and Alexander snorted.

    ¡°Why? Do you think me saying it will bring it into reality? I thought you weren¡¯t one for such foolish superstitions, Celena?¡± He smirked.

    ¡°I¡¯m not,¡± She said but waved her hand for him to continue. ¡°What else do you know?¡±

    Alexander took a deep breath, and his shoulders sagged slightly. ¡°Afraid not much. Anything else is purely speculation. My gut tells me it¡¯s the Rusivites.¡±

    Despite both of them knowing this to be the case, hearing Alexander voice his concerns out loud made the already bitter air even more intolerable. Celena cursed softly. ¡°Weather augmentation to this scale falls within the Mystic tier on the scale, Alex.¡± She said, her voice hollow.

    Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.

    Alexander nodded. ¡°Aye, it does,¡± he said, wanting to start packing his pipe again.

    ¡°You don¡¯t believe they¡¯re this stupid do you?¡± She asked as he caved to his craving and began stuffing the pipe with fresh loki. ¡°They already have an advantage, we¡¯re on the backfoot, throwing a damned archaic storm is overkill!¡±

    Alexander lit his pipe and breathed in the smoke. As he inhaled, his body relaxed, and his mind cleared. He was silent for a moment until he exhaled the smoke. ¡°I agree,¡± He said. ¡°I thought I knew Natasha, but alas, I guess I didn¡¯t. The handful of times we¡¯ve met, she had always been curt and straightforward, I didn¡¯t take her at the time to be that kind of woman.¡±

    ¡°She wouldn¡¯t be a good con artist if you made her out to be one,¡± Celena said, stepping up beside him.

    Alexander frowned and nodded as he raised his pipe towards her in agreement. ¡°Exactly. I¡¯ve been played.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯re we to do then?¡± Celena asked.

    Alexander cocked an eyebrow. ¡°You¡¯re the marshal, why ask me?¡±

    Celena cringed and blushed. ¡°I just¡­¡± She started then hissed, ¡°This has never happened before.¡±

    It had, Alexander thought, two thousand years ago. However, the rules around cataclysmic spell usage were practically non-existent back then.

    ¡°I¡¯ll protect us,¡± He said, taking another huff from his pipe. ¡°That is why I¡¯m here. This storm, or whatever it is, they¡¯re going to throw at us, I¡¯ll divert it or shield us.¡±

    ¡°All of us?¡± Celena asked. ¡°Alex, there are thousands of soldiers here, even refugees. The frontline stretches for gilos in either direction.¡± She gestured with her arms exaggeratedly.

    Alex nodded solemnly. ¡°You¡¯re right. At most, I can protect this brigade and its refugees, perhaps more so if I can extend my reach. Other ethereal archons along the frontline might be able to protect more, but¡­¡± He trailed off.

    ¡°It¡¯s going to be bad,¡± Celena said, voicing his thoughts out loud, and he nodded.

    Just then, a bestial roar echoed from the east, and a screech of a red flare pierced the air, igniting the sky. It was a Scale Warden. Silhouetted against the starry sky, a massive true-kin dragon flew towards the manor house where the colonel stayed at great speed. The gargantuan beast reared back, swinging its lower legs forward as it beat its enormous wings to slow itself. Distant shouts of soldiers and aids could be heard as the beast dropped like a stone and landed before the wooden structure, creating a minor quake.

    Alexander pursed his lips and glanced at Celena. ¡°And you just had to go and say it,¡± He said with a feigned huff and twinkle in his eye.

    Celena started for a moment and shook her head. ¡°Huh?¡± She said as Alexander dumped his pipe out and began to clean it hastily. ¡°You can¡¯t be serious.¡±

    ¡°Oh, I am,¡± Alexander said with a wink as he stood up and stowed the pipe in his jacket. ¡°Celena,¡± He shook his head and wagged a finger, ¡°What did I say about airing such concerns? Doing so allows such dark energies to fester and manifest.¡±

    She gawked at him. ¡°Aren¡¯t you the one who said such superstitions were foolish¨C¡±

    He silenced her with a wave of a hand. ¡°Figments of your imagination. Come, let us go see what the Warden has to say.¡±

    A large crowd gathered around the manor and true kin. A beautiful green-scaled creature with a tan underbelly stood nearly as tall as the manor and about as long as a train car. It sat on its haunches, its head held high towards the stars, though its left eye peered at all those below, observing.

    The crowd respectfully kept a wide birth around the creature. Only those who held its scale could step towards the beast without its permission. Anyone who went against this, well, it never ended well for them. Alexander, however, did not entirely care for such traditions. He respected them to a degree, but when he wanted answers, he tended to get them.

    Dragon or no dragon. He would hear what the warden came here to say. It was rare to see deliberate action taking place. If news were to be sent from beyond enemy lines, a simple letter written in a contact journal would¡¯ve sufficed. The warden flying directly here could only mean one thing: Alexander¡¯s fears were coming to light.

    The crowd parted for Alexander and Celana as the two approached the towering dragon and manor. As they approached the true kin, the green-scaled being snorted, its only warning for them to stop. It held its head high, its snout pointing to the sky, as it gazed down upon the two with a single amber eye, the color of which swirled perpetually like a roaring tempest harboring the ancient beings'' arcane power.

    Alexander stopped and held a hand behind him to halt Celena, though she had already stopped a few strides back. His eyes narrowed on the beast''s single, slitted eye, which bore into him. Yes, he thought. He recognized this one. Clearing his throat, Alexander dropped to one knee and spoke in the ancient draconian tongue, ¡°Ancient One, Iodu, Defender of the Everwood, the Slayer of Nefandreus, what brings you to this battlefield so late in the evening?¡±

    He gritted his teeth. The ancient tongue was a killer on one¡¯s throat. He rubbed his neck gently as he gazed up at Iodu. The massive dragon¡¯s head shifted so that both eyes trained on the old mage. Despite his years and stubborn courage, Alexander couldn¡¯t help but shudder faintly under the True Kin¡¯s swirling amber eyes.

    Iodu said nothing for a long moment, simply staring as his nostrils flared with each deep breath. As he exhaled, Alexander could feel their hot breath wafting over him, leaving him with the scent of scyora nuts and kal leaves. After what felt like an eternity, the dragon took a deep breath and spoke, his voice sending deep reverberations into Alexander¡¯s core.

    ¡°Beyond the mountains east, a surge of power reigns supreme. Shackeled by their power, the Ursan god, now a slave, comes to blanket all and freeze.¡± Iodu snorted once and pawed the earth, his claws inadvertently digging a deep hole in the front lawn of the manor. ¡°My oath partner recounts these findings now to your warlords.¡± He nodded to the manor.

    The Ursan god, Igor, shackled? Alexander blinked, confused. It was said that Empress Natasha of Rusimia was his avatar. Could the roles instead be reversed? As in, she was his master? He thought. Well, now, this has certainly made things more interesting.

    Alexander bowed his head. ¡°Thank you, Ancient One,¡± he said. "When you say they wish to blanket all and freeze, are you referring to the cold we are now feeling?¡± He asked. True kin always spoke in ways that were hard to make out for those unaccustomed to speaking with. Therefore, he wanted to be sure, just in case.

    Iodu''s eyes narrowed, and they cocked their head in the form of frowning. ¡°Little ones, never understanding. Your ears are too small to comprehend.¡±

    And here we go with the insults, Alexander thought with an inward sigh.

    ¡°Yes. The wisps of winter rouse early from their slumber. The false call of Enora ushers them to the east, culminating into the frostwinds. Your enemies of the false god fool the natural order seeking to weaponize it, for I and my oath partner have seen this beyond the mountains east.¡±

    It was just as Alexander theorized and feared. He bit and held his tongue and bowed his head once again. ¡°Thank you, Ancient one.¡± Just then, the front door to the manor opened, and two of Hass¡¯s maids, Shilia and Liro, stepped to either side of the entryway and bowed. A large dark figure loomed at the entrance, a hulking figure whose footfalls creaked the floorboards within and then clanked loudly on the stone steps as they came out into the moonlight.

    Judging by their figure, they were a man in archplate, magrite-infused armor capable of granting wearers immense strength and durability. It didn¡¯t take Alexander long to figure out who this person was due to how rare such armor was. The scale warden, Levi Becker. His armor was beautiful despite its simplicity. Sleek and segmented along the arms and legs, it gave the appearance of scales painted silver and green to match Iodu¡¯s colors. Heinmarran dragon was painted golden and roaring on his chest.

    Currently, the man has his helmet on. It was a bizarre piece with no visor for the eyes and was connected directly to the bevor, entombing the user¡¯s head. Alexander had never worn such armor but had studied it in years past. Supposedly the armor granted ether sight, the ability to observe and hear the world around them without the need for the vulnerability of visor slits. It is a marvelous piece of archineer ingenuity.

    Levi¡¯s armored-clad head briefly turned in Alexander¡¯s direction in acknowledgment before shifting up towards the dragon and, in a metallic voice that boomed louder than one would expect from behind the helmet, he said in the ancient tongue, ¡°Iodu, we are to make haste for Alterham immediately.¡±

    The capitol? Alexander thought to himself. If they send a warning, the spell contact will surely be faster. He began to step back as the true kin lowered its massive body. With a sudden burst of ether light from beneath Levi¡¯s feet, the scale warden rocketed himself upwards at least a dozen gotts before landing on a large saddle situated at the base of the creature¡¯s large neck.

    In maurich, Levi shouted for the bystanders to move back, and the crowd, along with Alexander and Celena, began to make space hastily. Moving away from the manor, the Iodu stretched their enormous wings, and with one mighty beat that sent a torrent of wind blasting outward, they took to the sky. The air slammed into the crowd, and Alexander quickly used mote gust to blow the dust away from himself, Celena, and those lucky to be nearby. As the air cleared and the dust settled, Alexander saw Hass and another figure he didn¡¯t recognize stepping outside, a handful of her advisors trailing them.

    The individual beside her was a tall person with broad shoulders, a valendi, which was interesting as few lived this far north. His scales were an oily black that sparkled in the moonlight, and his purple, swirling eyes practically glowed in the darkness. He wore a finely tailored suit with a bowler hat perched upon his head, with pointed spines running down the back of his neck and presumably his back and thick tail. Alexander felt pity for whoever had to be his tailor.

    Meanwhile, Hass was wearing her casual clothes¡ªa simple, drab olive blouse and khaki pants, which surprised Alexander. The woman always seemed to be in uniform; he honestly half expected her to sleep in the damned wear. The two spoke animatedly in hushed tones as they quickly made their way out of the manor, their direction shifting towards the command tent.

    Alexander was about to join them to learn more when Celena stopped him with a snatch of his wrist. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± She hissed.

    That was right. He thought to himself, she doesn¡¯t know the old tongue. With a sigh, he said, ¡°I don¡¯t entirely know myself, but it seems that storm that¡¯s coming is worse than I thought.¡± He took a deep breath. ¡°Why did you have to air your grievances, Celena?¡± He tsked and shook his head.

    Freeing himself from her grasp, he quickly followed the colonel and the well-dressed valendi before Celena¡¯s gaze could destroy him.

 Chapter 109: Survivors (Interlude)

    Peter Lochte

    Marleen Heinmarr 44 days ago.

    The shopkeeper threw his apron to the ground in a huff and tramped his foot like a child throwing a tantrum. ¡°You cannot be serious!¡± He shouted and threw a hand back towards his shop and wife behind him. ¡°My family and I have lived here and ran our business for generations. You cannot expect us to drop everything and leave. Are you mad?¡±

    Peter¡¯s jaw set as the man continued to rant and rave about his history, dramatically throwing his arms about and projecting his voice louder than he needed to. Around them in the city square, hesitant onlookers turned to see what was happening as soldiers tried to usher them toward the motor wagons.

    The evacuation of Marleen had started smoothly. Of course, there was confusion. Many hadn¡¯t heard the news of what was coming, while others simply didn¡¯t believe it. That morning¡¯s briefing had warned there would be resistance from those too stubborn to leave. An evacuation to this scale had never been done before, so of course, those with long-term roots refused to go.

    Klein, Peter¡¯s colleague and friend, leaned over. ¡°Lochte, we need to do something. He¡¯s drawing eyes this way,¡± He whispered, never taking his eyes off the raving merchant.

    Peter swallowed the lump in his throat and tightened his grip on his rifle¡¯s shoulder strap. ¡°What are we to do?¡± He hissed back.

    Klein sighed. ¡°Get them on the wagon, Captain¡¯s orders. Nobody is to be left behind.¡±

    ¡°You go talk to him,¡± Peter said nervously. ¡°I-I don¡¯t think¨C¡±

    ¡°Baren stuff you in a grave,¡± Klein cursed and rolled his eyes. ¡°For a coward like yourself it shocks me that you enlisted.¡± He pushed Peter away, stepped towards the ranting man, and unslung his rifle but kept it low at his waist and pointed to the side. Compared to the shopkeeper, Klein wasn¡¯t a big guy; he was older than Peter by about two or three years but was shorter than him by about half a head. Something about dwarfen blood in his ancestry, or so he says. Yet, despite his size, he was broad-shouldered and muscled.

    As the short man stopped just before the shopkeeper, the ranting man halted his shouting and glared at Klein. Noticing the rifle gripped in his hands, he hesitated, and for a second, fear appeared in his eyes before quickly burning into a rage once again.

    ¡°So you¡¯re going to threaten us?¡± The merchant snarled. ¡°Force us from our homes?¡±

    ¡°Captain¡¯s orders,¡± Klein said curtly. ¡°All residents of Marleen are to evacuate from here and any other neighboring towns or villages within sixty gilos from the bor¨C¡± The merchant suddenly rushed forward and jammed a sausage-sized finger into the shorter man¡¯s chest.

    ¡°I don¡¯t give a damn about your orders you soldiers talk of a fight, but where is it? There hasn¡¯t been conflict in thousands of years. Do you honestly believe this is¨C¡± Without a hint or hesitation, it happened in a flash. Peter¡¯s eyes didn¡¯t even register what happened.

    One moment, the merchant was yelling his Klein¡¯s face, and the next thing he knew, the butt of his rifle was rammed into the man¡¯s blubbery gut, and he was on the ground wheezing and groaning. The woman by the shop¡¯s door screamed as Klein knelt before the man on the ground.

    ¡°Klein what the fuck?¡± Peter started as he stepped forward, but his colleague held his hand back towards him to stop. He leaned over to the man and began to whisper. After a moment, the merchant caught his breath and nodded slowly, his expression pathetic as his entire facade from before shattered into pieces on the cobbled road.

    Something wasn¡¯t right with Peter. Not only because his comrade just assaulted a civilian, even if the man was being unruly, that was just uncalled for. But it was the looming sense of dread he was starting to feel. A kind of deja vu. He felt, he felt like he¡¯d seen this already.

    Klein grabbed the shopkeeper by the shoulder and hoisted the man off the ground. He dusted the groaning man¡¯s shoulder as he clutched his gut and said, ¡°Gather whatever you can carry. Preferably food and water. The motor-wagons will be leaving in thirty minutes.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t bother grabbing portraits and excess clothes,¡± Peter said exactly what Klein said next. Prioritize what you¡¯ll need to survive.¡± His grip on the rifle tightened as it all started coming back to him now. ¡°No, " he muttered under his breath. ¡°No!¡± He said again, anguished in his tone. ¡°Why? Why am I seeing this again?¡±

    It had to be a dream, and it had to be¡ªa punishment from the gods. Or perhaps he died and was thrown back here to recount his failings. ¡°Faren of law, please have mercy,¡± Peter whimpered as he watched the merchant and his family stumble inside hastily. ¡°Why am I here?¡±

    At that moment, Klein turned back to face Peter and shouldered his rifle again, his left hand wiping against the fabric of his uniform. The short, burly man frowned and looked him up and down. ¡°What¡¯s gotten into you, Lochte? You were talking big game the other day, now you¡¯re freezing up in front of some merchant?¡±

    Peter flinched. ¡°I-I¡­ I, I just don¡¯t like con-confrontation. I-I expected him to just listen to us,¡± He said pathetically, repeating the exact words he had before. It was true. He could never hold his own against someone else; in a physical fight, he could defend himself if need be. But the preamble, the arguments, the confrontation. It terrified him.

    ¡°And so you joined the army?¡± Klein asked, bewildered. ¡°Boy, you don¡¯t make any sense.¡± He shook his head. ¡°C¡¯mon, we need to check the other homes and get these folk out, and heaven¡¯s above, you better steel yourself.¡± He waved Peter along to follow, except he didn¡¯t, for he knew what was coming next.

    A figure stood out amongst the crowd across the bustling town square, where soldiers and citizens moved left and right. They were a tall, broad-shouldered Golacchi man¡ªhumanoid with gray-blue skin and the build to rival a mature orkanni. He had long red hair and a thick upper mustache nearly covering his mouth. Peter didn¡¯t need to look over the man¡¯s officer¡¯s uniform to know who he was. Besides, he¡¯d witnessed this event before.

    Lieutenant Qidan Azure had seen what had happened, and his face darkened with fury. ¡°Corporal Klein!¡± His booming voice echoed across the town square. Klein froze, then snapped to attention and saluted.

    Lt. Azure, however, snatched the corporal by his collar and yanked the shorter man a good three gotts off the ground so that they stared each other eye to eye. ¡°What in the gods names did I just see?¡±

    Klein¡¯s legs kicked, and his eyes widened with shock before settling on Azure¡¯s. ¡°I-I was doing my job, sir¡­¡±

    Peter¡¯s stomach began to sink. It was coming. It was about to happen. Klein and Azure¡¯s voices began to fade along with the rest of the noise around him. The nervous calls from the townspeople, the scared cries of children confused, and the commands of soldiers. All of it began to fade and be replaced with one awful noise. The rumbling of engines.

    It started as a low thrum, hardly noticeable. Except Peter knew what to listen for now. Again, he¡¯d seen this. Twice now. Once before, a second in Oren. Word hadn¡¯t even reached them yet that the war had already begun. Everyone in Mareen thought they had time; the trench lines had only just started to be dug. But what was coming would prove trenches meaningless.

    Should he warn them? Scream for everyone to take cover? No. Don¡¯t be stupid. This was a dream. A nightmare. Except, it felt so real, so¨C

    A klaxon alarm blared, and shouts of men followed. ¡°Air raid! Air raid!¡±

    Confusion ran amongst the crowd as citizens looked to the sky, and in seconds, like a wildfire, panic spread. Peter¡¯s stomach sank as panicked shouts began to echo around him. He looked towards the sky in the east, where he saw them. Descending from the cloud layer, dozens of gargantuan airships baring the Rusimians'' standards drifted towards the small village. They were nothing like Peter had seen before in his youth. These weren''t the kind of ships used in Alterham to transport citizens around; they were like dreadnoughts. The massive ships of the line on the sea, but flying.

    A loud bellow roared from one of the leading dreadnoughts, and despite knowing this was all a vision, Peter couldn¡¯t move. His body trembled with fear, the same fear he had felt that morning. His subconscious screamed to get moving, seek shelter, or simply escape. Yet he was petrified, for he knew what was coming.

    Following his brother was a mistake. If he had known a year ago, this is where his life would¡¯ve gone, and he¡¯d have stayed home. Perhaps he would¡¯ve begged his brother Jan to stay and help their family with their flock. Except he didn¡¯t know, and now, separated, Peter is forced to rewatch the carnage of that fateful day.

    Large boxes unfurled from the bellies of the flying dreadnoughts as another mournful horn echoed forth from the lead ship. Peter trembled and closed his eyes, his hands clenching into fists, and prayed for death.

    Peter did not die that morning. Despite everyone else around him, he survived¡ªlike always.

    <hr>

    Kassel, Eastern Heinmarr 32 days ago.

    Peter should¡¯ve died that night. Every account he had checked stated that he should¡¯ve stood before the Great Judge Baren and her brother Faren in the Halls of Law. Except he wasn¡¯t. Once again, death had avoided him but not those around him. When Peter awoke on¡­ what day was it again? The 28th? No, the 29th?

    It didn¡¯t matter. He knew it was early morning, and all he could smell was smoke, ash, blood, and charred flesh. By the gods, he wanted to vomit, and so he did. He had rolled onto his side, his head screaming with pain, his chest aching and stomach lurching. He puked whatever contents he had onto the ash-covered stone.

    He whimpered and sputtered as his head flared and his vision fuzzed. A concussion. He must¡¯ve had a concussion. Blasted all, he would be surprised if he didn¡¯t. That girl, Luna, he remembered. She did this. She¡­ he blinked a few times, his vision clearing, and he looked around.

    The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

    Peter saw he must¡¯ve been in an alley, the one he tried to pull that panicked girl into. The one in which she magically blasted into it. It was now riddled with rubble and other debris. The neighboring building to his left had crumbled inwards before spilling onto the main road. Which, speaking of, was flooded with dozens¡­ no, hundreds of corpses.

    ¡°N-No,¡± Peter croaked, his throat and lips dry. ¡°By the heavens, no¡­¡± He pushed himself to his knees, gasping with pain when he tried to stand and stopped himself. He chose to crawl instead out onto the main road, where he indeed saw the horror. Corpses upon corpses lay scattered and piled upon each other, most burned and charred, others riddled with bolt wounds. Buildings lie in ruin, burned, and collapsed, leaving everything covered in a thick ash layer, which Peter soon realized he was also caked in.

    Ash would¡¯ve resulted from not just burning buildings but people caught in the fiend''s light. At this realization, he let off a strangled cry and kicked himself back into the alley as he frantically smacked at his arms and legs, sending clouds of dust and debris into the air. He choked a sob as he huddled against a dumpster, shielding his eyes from the brutality before him.

    ¡°Not again¡­ not again¡­¡± He sniffled.

    Everyone was dead, all of them. So many people. So many children. He tried to save one. He tried, yet she refused and¡­ Saved him. Perhaps she did not mean to, but she did. The alley he¡¯s in had protected him from the brunt of the fighting and slaughter. But that girl, that poor, poor girl. Luna only wanted her mother and her family, and now they¡¯re all dead¡­

    Like Mareen, Sarid, and all those other towns he had been through. Death came for all but not him. Why? Why was he the one always surviving? Peter clutched his legs close to his chest and buried his face into his knees; he trembled and stifled another sob as he sat there. Yet his wallowing in self-pity wouldn¡¯t last long, as in the distance, a soul-shattering howl echoed in his direction. A sound he had become all too familiar with and terrified. Despite his resentment of always being the one left alive, Peter had no interest in dying and hearing that awful noise caused his stomach to drop into an inky pit of despair and fear.

    He tried to get up and move, but his muscles gave out. He flopped onto the ashy, debris-strewn ground and gasped. He was shaking uncontrollably. His hands could hardly find purchase, and his feet scraped against the ground. He couldn¡¯t do this. He couldn¡¯t go through with this again. Except, he didn¡¯t want to die.

    Then move! A part of him demanded. For Jan¡¯s sake, you need to move, Peter.

    Jan¡­ That name. He didn¡¯t recognize it amidst his panic for the briefest of moments. That person''s name is the sole reason he¡¯s out here in the first place. How was he going to find his brother if he was dead?

    Peter stilled and sucked in a deep breath and a moment of resolve. His nerves calmed, not wholly, but enough to cease his constant trembling and allow himself to clamber to his feet. His head throbbed, and his vision swirled, but he kept himself upright with one free hand out and resting against the nearby wall. He leaned against it as he waited for his vision to focus, and sucking in another gulp of fowl-smelling air, he grimaced and pushed forward.

    The howling machine was distant but growing ever closer. He knew if he left now, he would be long gone by the time it arrived. However, he had another issue: where was he supposed to go? How long had he been unconscious? A few hours a day? Had the enemy crossed the river and pushed west? How far was he deep behind enemy lines?

    It wouldn¡¯t take long for Peter to get an answer to his last few questions. As he mulled these questions over, the sound of rippling air followed by a horrific shriek that ended with a resounding explosion only a few dozen gotts away and behind the building he rested against sent him diving to the ground for cover.

    His hands covered his head as he rolled into a ball just as he was trained as another shriek tore over his head, followed by another, and another, and another. A storm of artillery exploded all around him as his allies bombarded the town of Kassel. The already smoldering ruins are now reduced to a burning rubble around him.

    Peter screamed in horror as he curled up tighter as another bolt of destructive magrite blasted the cobblestone street he had just stood moments before. Clouds of debris scattered over him, coating him in the ash had just dusted off. The world around him seemed to end for what felt like an eternity, and then silence came.

    The resolve he had just garnered had vanished. Trembling, he hesitantly lowered his arms and uncurled his body. Pieces of rubble clattered onto the ground, and dust clouds made the air almost unbreathable. The smell of ozone left over from the explosions was pungent in the air, and Peter gagged heavily and opened his eyes in shock at the realization he was still alive.

    His answer was clear now. The frontline had remained the same. Safety would still be on the other side of the river. If Peter wanted to find his brother, he first needed to get to safety. To do that, he needed to get moving. Except, why would the army shell this town? What made this graveyard a target?

    That was an answer he didn¡¯t want to know. The thought of not being alone here shook him to his core. Yet, at the same time. Knowing that there may be an enemy would keep him on his toes, alert and careful.

    Getting to his feet shakily, he decided to make his way north, or what he thought was north. A compass would¡¯ve been handy, and he was met with thick clouds when checking the sky. All he knew was that he needed to get out of Kassel and away from those haunted howls and another potential barrage from his allies.

    It was horrific. Peter had assumed that Main Street would¡¯ve been the worst of the carnage. He was terribly wrong. The outskirts of the small town were a disaster. The trench lines were filled with the scorched remains of soldiers and what looked like dozens of civilians who tried to flee. Like two waves that had crashed together, the soldiers had fought against the Rusivites while dealing with the terrified people behind them.

    Peter covered his mouth and turned away. He felt like puking, yet there was nothing his body could eject. The edges of the town had few buildings that the onslaught had spared, though he hated the idea of looting. He needed what he could get. After doing a once over on the trenches, he found that many of the Lambert rifles the fallen soldiers carried were ruined, melted, and scorched by the fighting machine''s magic. The bolts they carried also had cooked off, rendering them useless. Starved and defenseless, he walked towards a house at the edge of town.

    Despite the carnage, the building was in good condition. It was a two-story home with a large front porch and grey paneling. Behind it was a stable with a wide-spanning fenced-off yard for whatever animal the owners held. Though Peter heard no such creature as he approached, most likely, the groks would¡¯ve been released to flee, or if they were striders, confiscated by the army.

    The boards on the steps leading up to the front door creaked heavily with each step, and Peter winced each time. He slowed and listened, making sure nobody had heard. Not that it mattered. Surely, if a Rusivite war machine was nearby, he would¡¯ve heard it like the distant howls. He had heard the monster again just a few moments ago, though the call was more distant than before, signaling it had changed directions, probably due to the artillery barrage.

    There could be other desperate people. He thought to himself. Or maybe the owners are still here? In that case, wouldn¡¯t it be best to introduce himself? He was a soldier; after all, a member of the Hein¡¯s Guard would be inclined to assist him if needed. At least, that¡¯s what he was told in training.

    Nothing he was trained for turned out to be needed when the world went to shit¡­

    Nonetheless, Peter cleared his dry throat and stepped towards the front door. Nervously, he reached out and knocked. ¡°Hello?¡± He croaked out. ¡°Hello, is anyone there?¡± He raised his voice, but not too loudly.

    No response. He peered towards the window nearest to the door; curtains blocked his view. Hesitantly, he reached for the handle on the door and gripped it. Turning it, he heard a faint click, and it came loose. The door swung open smoothly, barely creaking, unlike the steps outside. The front room was dimly lit, and the light that streamed through revealed clouds of dust dancing in the air like ethereal whisps. A quaint living area with rocking chairs near a fireplace that still held warm embers.

    Peter¡¯s eyes narrowed as he stepped into the living room, and it was at this moment that he caught a whiff of something¡ªfood. His stomach audibly growled, and he winced once again. It smelled of salted juni, roasted. The tantalizing aroma possessed him, and he began to follow it towards the kitchen. His leg clipped against an end table near the entryway, knocking over a lamp, which clattered to the floor, shattering.

    He cursed loudly and clutched the leg he had battered and frowned at the mess. It was such an expensive-looking lamp. Or, had been one. If the owners still lived here, he was screwed. Then again, he would¡¯ve been the moment he walked in without permission.

    ¡°Nothing you can do now,¡± He muttered under his breath and coughed heavily, his dry throat now feeling raw. He needed water. Food and water were all he needed to focus on now. Peter turned back towards the kitchen and froze when he came face to face with the muzzle of a rifle aimed squarely at his chest.

    ¡°I¡¯ll ask you kindly,¡± the man with the rifle said, silhouetted against the light from the kitchen window behind him. His face was shrouded in shadow and hardly visible. His voice was low, aged, and laced with venom. ¡°To explain what the hell you are doing. Any sudden movements and this bolt will go right through you, no hesitation.¡± As if to add emphasis to those words, Peter heard the safety being flicked off.

    ¡°F-Food, water,¡± Peter said dryly; even speaking was beginning to hurt. ¡°Ha-haven¡¯t eaten in a while.¡±

    The man hesitated for a moment. ¡°That voice,¡± he said, his tone softening. What¡¯s your name, kid?¡±

    Peter¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Pe-Peter,¡± he said, his heart fluttering as the man lowered the gun, switched the safety on, and stepped forward. The light from the door revealed an equally haggard Herbert Hautchkins. His overalls and shirt were tattered and stained with muck and blood, and his face was caked in dirt. The man looked like he had been through hell just as he had.

    ¡°By the Seven, it is you, son,¡± Herbert said, his eyes shining. ¡°I-I thought you were with the Ashflows when we got split up. What happened?¡± Before Peter could answer, Herbert waved him over into the kitchen. ¡°Never mind that I have some food and water to spare. I was down in the basement when the bolts came flying.¡± He went over to shoot the front door.

    Unable to respond, Peter nodded and went into the kitchen, where he found the place looked stripped clean already. It was most likely Herbert¡¯s work, save for tins of food on the counter and a sole plate of half-eaten shredded Juni and sauce. Nearby, he saw a washbasin on the floor filled with water, and wasting no time questioning, he felt his body go into autopilot, and he stumbled towards it.

    Taking the nearby lad, he scooped the water and began to drink. Thankfully, it wasn¡¯t filthy, and his dry mouth and throat began to sing as he drank four full ladles by the time Herbert came back into the room. Peter heard him place the rifle on the table and sit as he placed the ladle back and turned to the man who was watching him with a broad smile.

    ¡°Good isn¡¯t it?¡± He asked. ¡°There¡¯s a well just out by the barn, person who owned this place had one of those fancy archeo-pumps. Flip a switch and the thing does all the hard work.¡± He chuckled and waved him over. ¡°Take a seat, folk here must¡¯ve raised juni, cause all these tins here.¡± He gestured to the cans. ¡°Nothing but it.¡±

    Peter got up and walked over to the table. He sat beside Herbert and frowned as he glanced around. Didn¡¯t this man have a family? He wondered. He had only known the older man during his time traveling with the Ashflows, and the two had gone scouting a few times together in the wagon train. He didn¡¯t know much about Herbert, but he swore the guy had a couple of kids.

    ¡°Herbert,¡± Peter asked as the man grabbed a can and began to open it with a gnarly knife he unsheathed from his left thigh.

    ¡°Yeah?¡± he asked, then hesitated. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re allergic to Juni, c''causeit¡¯s all I have.¡±

    Peter shook his head. ¡°No, I just¡­ I was wondering if you knew if there are any others aside from you and me?¡±

    Herbert froze, and the knife partially stabbed into the lid. Peter stiffened as he realized he had just asked a very, very stupid question and bit his tongue. Herbert¡¯s expression cracked slightly as he stared at the knife in the can before sniffing loudly and shaking his head. Immediately, his expression changed back to the cheerful look it had been prior.

    ¡°Nope. Just you and me¡­ But I¡¯m sure the others are out there.¡± He carved open the lid. ¡°I¡¯m sure everyone else made it out just fine; the Ashflows are some hard folk and my¡­ My wife¡­¡± he froze up again, then shook his head. ¡°We¡¯ll find them.¡± He smiled widely. ¡°Stay here, I¡¯ll go heat up the meat for you.¡±

    Herbert stood and went into the living room, where the fireplace was, Leaving Peter to watch him grief-stricken.

 Chapter 110: Independence

    Luna

    My body ached, and my mind screamed with a migraine I had never felt before. The spell resilience had no effect, and that terrified me. With a heavy grunt, I pulled my mother¡¯s unconscious body across the ground. Finally, my arms and legs had enough, and I had to gently place her on the ground before collapsing beside her against the main entrance airlock to the arcanium plant. Beyond that door would lead me to Ruby and the outside world.

    Where had everyone gone? The Yankees were nowhere to be seen, and the incapacitated heins guard was also gone. Even Oscar and Saria had vanished. How long was I out for? I thought the Master¨CShaed said we would only be gone for a few minutes in this realm.

    I winced as a stabbing pain pierced my skull, and I groaned. ¡°Truth, do you know?¡± I asked, hoping the disembodied voice that had helped me in the Cerebellium would respond. ¡°How would they know,¡± I muttered. ¡°They¡¯re me.¡± I sighed as no response came, except I felt something. Deep within, a stirring. Though it was most likely just my throbbing mind teasing me, so I thought nothing of it.

    Turning my attention back to the situation. It was most likely that the soldiers took the injured to the hospital. Maybe that¡¯s what happened.

    Perhaps that¡¯s where I need to go. Dr. Kegan might have something to help with my migraine, and Mother should get checked on. Even though I used my magic on her, she hadn¡¯t woken up. I had dragged her from the central room up the ramp for what felt like an hour. Indeed, she should¡¯ve stirred since then, right?

    I didn¡¯t know. What I did know is that I shouldn¡¯t be lolly-gagging here. The longer I stayed put, the more I feared my mother would be at risk. ¡°Momma,¡± I said with a grunt as I pushed myself onto my knees and reached over to her. I gently shook her. ¡°Momma, you need to wake up.¡± I winced yet again as the pain in my head spiked.

    My mother¡¯s face scrunched slightly as I shook her. Her eyes shifted beneath her closed lids like someone experiencing a dream, yet she didn¡¯t wake. Instead, her lips parted, and she babbled lightly under her breath, saying words I could not understand.

    That seemed like a good sign, I thought, right?

    Perhaps she was concussed. I wondered if that was the case. Wouldn¡¯t my magic have cured that? I remembered Isa didn¡¯t wake up right away when I cured her two weeks ago. As much as I hated it, I think I just needed to be patient.

    Should I leave her here and get help? The idea came to mind, though I quickly shot that down. If I left her, there was no stopping somebody like Putinov from returning to finish the job. As Shaed told me, that man wasn¡¯t dead. He would be back.

    He was searching for me. I thought. He referred to me as an anomaly.

    I scowled. What was Shaed hiding from me? He called me into that realm to talk, to explain everything. Yet everything he told me related to nothing happening outside of Putinov¡¯s vessel. He refused to explain why I was here, what made me so essential, or why Putinov was even after me. Why was I an anomaly?

    Could it be because of Cereb? I shuddered. That thing I¡¯m supposedly linked to that I¡¯m an echo of. What was that thing? I shook my head. Is that what Putinov was referring to? I wondered.

    ¡°Are you listening, Shaed?¡± I asked as I got to my feet and stretched. My bones cracked all over, and I groaned softly as I waited for a reply that never came. ¡°Shaed,¡± I prompted him. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re ghosting me now¡­¡± I frowned.

    No response.

    ¡°You son of a bitch,¡± I snarled. Fine, if he wanted to be a petty asshole about what happened, so be it. I looked back to my mother, who I noticed was smiling. I detected brief flits of movement beneath her eyelids, and she hummed faintly as if in a pleasant dream. The sight was honestly adorable. Too bad I was going to have to drag her around through it.

    Having the small body of an elven girl during a time of crisis is probably one of the worst things to ever come to me. I had thought my days as a baby were terrible; trust me, they were. But being a child stuck dragging an unconscious adult around is physically taxing. My mother doesn¡¯t even look that heavy. She¡¯s tall and curvy, but that¡¯s about it. She was wearing modest clothes and wasn¡¯t carrying anything too heavy, but for the love of the gods, it felt like I was dragging a pile of sandbags.

    It took some work, like a lot of work. I probably shaved off at least three decades of my seemingly immortal life, but I was able to get the airlock open. I then suffered another agonizing ten minutes, dragging the dead weight of my mother into said airlock before struggling to open the next door.

    Being short sucks. This world is known for having short beings like gnomes, halflings, and kepri, who are little lizard people like kobolds. You would think structures would have accessibility features for little people like me. You know, like a handle I could reach, or a lever or something. No. These last two obstacles, doors, didn¡¯t have anything like that.

    My mother, who is tall and beautiful, as I mentioned, couldn¡¯t help me¡ªnot consciously. For you see, she made a great living step stool. My apologies, mother. I had my magic back, yes. Could I have used it to assist in opening these doors? Absolutely. So why didn¡¯t I use them?

    Well, it had to do with the issue of the migraine I¡¯ve been suffering. My magic worked flawlessly, but after performing even the smallest of spells, like a gust which could propel me upwards. My head would start to throb intensely, causing me to lose focus. Something wasn¡¯t right with me, and I had no idea what.

    Unfortunately, I didn¡¯t want to risk flying or even trying to cut the door open. Instead, I stepped up on my poor mother, who seemed entirely unfazed by this and struggled to open the door. Eventually, I did succeed. With all my little muscles, I cranked the large wheel and dislodged the pots on the door.

    A sharp hiss could be heard as the door came loose and swung outward. Like an idiot, I held onto the wheel and nearly let it take me with it. Letting go, I hopped off of my mother and onto the pavement outside, where we were greeted with crisp, cool air, which certainly didn¡¯t fit the season.

    I held a hand to shield my eyes from the sun¡¯s rays. It had to be late evening, the sky clear save for clouds of smoke that stained portions of it to the right of me, which was west. That¡¯s the direction of the airfield and Trentonville. My stomach sank; I didn¡¯t know if Central Park was the closest fire burning, and I prayed it wasn¡¯t. I had no idea who could help us if Kegan was in danger. At least someone I could trust.

    My eyes were fixated on the plumes of smoke rising above the city. I failed to notice the shadow that loomed over me and the scaled head of Ruby pushing into me. The strider head-butted me hard enough that she nearly sent me flying, and I tumbled forward with a startled gasp.

    Catching myself, I spun around to see the large red dragon and nearly cried joyfully. To see another friendly face again, even that of an animal, was so relieving. ¡°Ruby, thank god you¡¯re okay. Where is everyone? Did you see Oscar, the old elf man? Or Aunt Saria?¡±

    Ruby listened for a few moments. Her head cocking to the side as if pondering my words, then after a few crucial seconds, she squawked and bobbed her up and down as if nodding before jutting a claw towards the gate and crowed again. I followed the direction she pointed and nodded.

    ¡°So they left. And the soldiers?¡± I asked her. ¡°There were a few down there.¡± I pointed inside. Once again, the strider barked and pointed. I smiled widely. ¡°Such a smart girl.¡± I approached her as she leaned down and allowed me to rub and pat her snout. ¡°Leaving you behind before was a mistake,¡± I sighed. Can you help me?¡± I asked.

    Ruby¡¯s eyes focused on me as I stepped back, and she tilted her head. I gestured to the open airlock. ¡°Mother is hurt and heavy. Could you help me drag her out? Carefully, of course.¡±

    Ruby followed my finger jerked slightly when she noticed Mother lying motionless at the door. Her feathers bristled, and she huffed loudly before looking at me and bobbing her head again. Ruby took a few steps towards the door and carefully bent over, and I shuddered anxiously as she clamped her jaw around the base of my mother¡¯s neck and right shoulder.

    I was about to call an immediate halt to this before I realized she wasn¡¯t biting my mother¡¯s neck but hooking the fabric of her clothes with her teeth. I heard faint tearing as Ruby¡¯s razor-sharp teeth tore the fabric as she pulled back, effortlessly dragging my mother¡¯s body out into the sunlight. A few feet out from the door, Ruby would release her and turn to look at me before chirping proud of herself.

    I came over to the Strider and patted her leg. ¡°Thank you, Ruby, do you think you can help me get her on your back?¡± I asked. Ruby cocked her head again and pondered my question. After about a minute, she chirped again and lowered their heavy frame.

    Even lying on her belly beside me, the strider¡¯s body was as tall as mine. Looking at my mother, I gulped. I could hardly lift her up into a sitting position, let alone haul her four feet in the air and over Ruby¡¯s back.

    Well, you don¡¯t have a choice, I thought and sighed.

    As much as I didn¡¯t want to use my magic and risk flaring the migraine, I had to do so here. It was rough and sucked. Like, mega sucked. I¡¯m talking hang-over + being beaten with a frying pan sucked. The process in itself was simple. I hoisted my mother up into a sitting position facing Ruby; I then gripped her by her pits and lifted her rear up off the ground with all my strength. So far, so good, right? The next step was to use the gust spell to propel her up and over Ruby.

    You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.

    That worked beautifully. The plan went off without a hitch. What also went off was my goddamn mind. After casting the spell, it was like a flashbang went off. My vision flashed, and my brain felt like it was melting. It was like the moment the ethereal storm within me touched my noggin. Stuff exploded.

    I cried and stumbled back, my hands clutching the sides of my head as it throbbed. My ears rang as my vision swam. I felt sick again, and I needed to vomit. Then I did. Unable to control myself, I barfed onto the pavement, and what I saw horrified me. It was the same bile from when I left the Cerebellium. Black oil-like liquid had splattered onto the pavement, twisting and riling before me as if alive. It screamed with the voices of thousands in agony.

    I stumbled back. ¡°What the fuck?!¡±

    The oily substance began to bubble and sizzle under the sun¡¯s light, the screams distorting like a broken record before finally evaporating in seconds. I stood back, terrified and confused.

    What¡¯s wrong with me? I thought. What did Shaed do to me? Did he do something to me? He had to have. This never happened before. Am I dying? Am I broken? What is this stuff inside of¨C

    Ruby nudging me with her snout snapped me out of my descending thoughts. I stumbled to the side, turned to her, and saw that the strider¡¯s expression was as disturbed as mine. She chirped and motioned with her head toward my mother, slung over on her back. Immediately, I knew what she was trying to tell me: worry about her first care for yourself second.

    I nodded. ¡°Thank you,¡± I said softly and clambered onto Ruby¡¯s back.

    ¡°Take us back to Aunt Saria¡¯s house. You remember the way, right?¡± I asked, and Ruby squawked confidently.

    <hr>

    The city was in chaos. The streets were flooded with panicked civilians rushing to and fro. Many were fighting towards the mag stations, hoping to buy a ticket out of Johanneson. Others were fleeing their jobs to get home, while despicable individuals took advantage of the chaos.

    ¡°District fire reported in Helmsworth, make way for fire fighting teams!¡± A disembodied voice boomed overhead.

    I gripped Ruby¡¯s spine as the strider carried us through the cacophony of it all. She was a good dragon; she barked and snarled at those who drew too close, allowing us to pass the streets unimpeded.

    Looking over my shoulder, I checked on Mother, and with an anxious sigh, I saw she was still out cold. But I did note she was still smiling and mumbling softly under her breath. I prayed that she was simply sleeping and that, in time, she¡¯d wake up. Yet part of me knew that was a childish plea. Something wasn¡¯t right with her, nor me.

    ¡°Panic will not help the situation!¡± A man¡¯s voice boomed far ahead of me.

    Down the street, I could see from my vantage point on top of Ruby a truck barricading the street ahead manned by soldiers. On top of one of these trucks was a dwarf in an officer¡¯s uniform, though I couldn¡¯t determine the rank.

    ¡°Please calm yourselves. We are handling the situation!¡± He shouted to the angry crowd. There had to be at least three dozen people before him.

    ¡°We were told our families would be safe!¡± An unseen woman shouted.

    ¡°How are you supposed to protect us from those machines?!¡± Said another.

    ¡°Where are the magisters!¡± A third demanded. ¡°What happened to the power?¡±

    This is bad. I thought as I looked over my shoulder in the direction we came. The route we needed to go was blocked off, and if my memory was correct. Our district was cordoned off shortly after everything went to shit.

    ¡°I understand your concerns,¡± The dwarf told the crowd. ¡°The regional governor has his hands full and is approaching each matter as soon as he¡¯s able to.¡±

    A bullshit response, I thought, and the crowd caught on as well and began shouting in unison, drowning out the soldier as anger boiled over.

    Ruby glanced back at me, and I sighed. ¡°We¡¯ll need to find another way,¡± I told her, stroking her neck.

    The strider simply bobbed her head and chirped. With that, we turned away from the crowd and headed down an off-road nearby. The street was mainly clear, save for a few families with boxes and luggage that had hastily exited their homes. A mother struggled with a child who was no older than me, sobbing uncontrollably, begging how she didn¡¯t want to leave.

    Further down the road, another family had a man arguing with another. The fight escalated into a screaming match as they debated where they should go while the two women with them tried to soothe the situation.

    ¡°Everything is going to hell again,¡± I whispered as memories of Oren flashed before me. The day the ultimatum was given, surrender your sovereignty or be annihilated. Like then, the streets were packed with men and women confused, terrified, and angry.

    These people never once felt a danger like this in their lifetime. Not even their grandparents and so forth. A world mostly untouched by conflict. The news had reported on what happened on the front. Refugees had brought the horrors they had witnessed. The mass slaughter, the kidnappings, and how the Rusitives processed living beings into heartless killing machines. All of that only fueled the terror I was witnessing here, for the people knew there were only two choices: flee or be slaughtered.

    That¡¯s not true. A part of me thought. They can fight. We can fight.

    ¡°Fight?¡± I muttered to myself. I passed by a third family of fathers kneeling before their trembling sons as they tried to console him.

    You¡¯ve done it once already. You saved your family from the prison and the others.

    ¡°That wasn¡¯t me¡­ That was Shaed, I haven¡¯t done anything.¡± I sighed.

    That¡¯s not true. It was because of your initiative and strive to save your family that you helped the soldiers get in. You saved Isa in the doctor¡¯s office and Varis from being taken from the machine, Luna¡­

    ¡°Luna?¡± I blinked, now realizing. These thoughts. It didn¡¯t sound like Shaed, Ami, or whatever disembodied being of the week in my head. It felt like me. It was like a section I locked away for years and lost the key, but now that lock was broken, and that piece screaming in the back of my mind could finally be heard.

    I¡¯m you, dummy. You¡¯re talking to yourself like you always do.

    ¡°Truth?¡± I blinked.

    You could say so¡­ But not really. I¡¯m just you, Luna. We are Luna. You.

    ¡°I¡¯m going crazy.¡± I snickered, feeling oddly relieved.

    You¨CI¡¯ve always had been¡­ Look, now isn¡¯t the time for defeatism. We have a goal, and we just need to act on it. Shaed, or not, or whoever wants to tell us what to do. We don¡¯t need them to tell us what to do next.

    ¡°Get, Mother to Kegan or a doctor?¡± I muttered.

    That¡¯s one of the goals, but remember. Think about that thing Cereb showed me¡ªthe memory of my mother working on the project¡ªthat tower blueprint.

    ¡°The thing in the middle of the city,¡± I said, realizing. ¡°The project that Shaed said needs to be completed¡­¡± I hesitated. That man.

    I¡¯m pissed off at him too. He claims to be helpful. He says he cares, yet he tells us nothing. And what he does say is only helpful at the moment. We need to stop being reactionary, Luna. We need to start working towards our own goals. However, Shaed might be right about this one. That tower being built near Central Park might be the key to fighting back.

    ¡°Either that or we leave,¡± I said. ¡°We keep running, like when we left Oren.¡±

    That¡¯s a good plan, too, but ask yourself, Luna. Is it the best plan for you?

    I frowned at this as Ruby turned onto another busy road. Further ahead, another barricade could be seen, but thankfully, no mobs were huddled around it.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know¡­¡± I said. Part of me wanted to gather my family and leave; mag-rail or not, I¡¯d make us hoof it if we had to. Except, knowing that I had a plan that could potentially save not just my family but the whole city¡­

    Was I selfish for wanting to save my family? Or was it selfish to save the city because I knew it¡¯d make me feel good if I did? If I left knowing I could¡¯ve saved the city and everyone within, would that make me a bad person?

    I don¡¯t know the answer to that¡­ All I can say is go with what you want, not what they want you to do. Do you want to save the city?

    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t be able to live with myself if I abandoned it,¡± I whispered as we approached the barricade. ¡°If I truly have the power to stop what¡¯s coming, I want to try and help. I¡¯m tired of running away, I want to do something.¡±

    If that¡¯s truly what you believe, then let¡¯s do it.

    Ruby stopped before the barricade as soldiers in Yanky uniforms approached us, hands raised. ¡°State purpose,¡± A tall, burly human said in broken maurich.

    ¡°I need to get to my home,¡± I said in a calm tone that surprised me. "My mother is injured, and our house is in Old Town.¡± If I could meet up with the others, I would feel much better, as Father and Isa might know what¡¯s wrong with Mother. If they don¡¯t, we could cut through Old Town and get to Central Park, which is closer to Saria¡¯s house.

    The soldier looked me up and down and then at my mother and frowned slightly. Two other soldiers flanked to my left as they did a once over us until finally, a fourth individual stepped forth. A woman in a drab green duster with short brown hair and bright green eyes, strapped across her chest was a leather satchel and belt that carried vials. She raised a brown gloved hand towards me, and her eyes flashed with ethereal light that showed blue. Clouds of ether streamed out from the corners of her eyes and evaporated into the air. She stepped closer and examined me.

    Ether detection. Mother explained this during our studies. I recalled that now. It was a spell astral sorcerers were taught which allowed them to see souls and wells of individuals¡­ Shit.

    Upon closer inspection, the woman¡¯s brow shot upwards, and she held a hand up to the soldiers around her. Shaed, you asshole, could¡¯ve taught me how to hide something like this, I growled. I need to go now!

    The mage would¡¯ve seen the moment she activated ether detection, which was the massive ether pool within me. The boon Shaed had given me all those months ago, the same power that stunned Alexander. Mother had feared before I would attract the attention of those around me with my powers, and while I had been stupid in using them so openly. Now, I had just stupidly walked up and revealed myself to the soldiers.

    ¡°Ruby, go!¡± I urged the dragon as the woman called to the soldiers around me.

    Ruby squawked and bolted ahead, causing me to lurch and grip her tightly as the men and women in front gasped and dove out of the way as the strider lept over the barricade. I heard shouts from behind, and my stomach lurched with fear as someone fired a rifle, which sent a bolt whizzing overhead.

    ¡°Holy shit!¡± I gasped, but thankfully, no other shots came, and I didn¡¯t bother looking back to why.

    Well, that didn¡¯t go as planned. The Yankys might not know the Angel of Kenchala, but the word of a girl with immense power may spread.

    ¡°I¡¯ll just keep my head down more,¡± I said, gritting my teeth.

    But for how long? The people of Trentonville are aware of your existence. Now, the soldiers. It won¡¯t be long until those of power try to rope you into things again like that woman Hass.

    ¡°I won¡¯t follow them,¡± I said. ¡°From now on, I¡¯m making my own choices.¡± I gripped Ruby and risked glancing over my shoulder. To my relief, no one was giving chase, at least not yet.

    If that¡¯s the truth, then I¡¯ll help you. Let''s get home.

 Chapter 111: Relinquishing Control

    Ruby stopped outside my aunt¡¯s home and howled as I carefully hopped off her side. I groaned and squatted a bit as my thighs arched from having ridden her with no saddle. I then turned and began to decide the best way to get my mother off her when the house''s front door opened.

    ¡°Luna?¡± I heard my father. ¡°What is going on¡­?¡± He started but then stopped when he saw his mother hanging over the side of Ruby.

    Varis scurried past him, his expression excited and relieved though quickly soured like my father¡¯s when he saw Mother.

    ¡°She¡¯s okay,¡± I said quickly. ¡°Just passed out. Please, help me with her.¡± I gestured to Ruby, who was already getting down to the ground.

    ¡°What happened?¡± Varis asked, but I didn¡¯t respond.

    Father was already approaching me and helping grab Mother off of Ruby. ¡°Varis, hold the door open, Luna, go prepare our bedroom.¡±

    I hesitated and held a hand up to Father. ¡°Actually, Father, I think we should see a doctor.¡±

    Father blinked and looked at me. ¡°Why, what is wrong?¡± He asked.

    ¡°Mother¡¯s been unconscious for a while. I don¡¯t know what¡¯s wrong with her,¡± I said, and his eyes widened slightly.

    ¡°Were you able to heal her with your magic?¡± He asked.

    I nodded. ¡°I tried but¡­ She still isn¡¯t waking up. Where is Isa? She might know something.¡±

    Father sighed. ¡°She went to Trentonville to check on Dr. Kegan to see if he¡¯ll need help with any wounded.¡±

    I assumed as much. I thought with a nod.

    Varis came up behind me and looked at me, worried. ¡°Luna, what¡¯s going on?¡± He asked, his voice soft and wavering ever so slightly.

    I looked at him and smiled gently, trying to soothe him. ¡°It¡¯ll be okay,¡± I said. ¡°I¡¯ll explain everything soon.¡± I turned back into the room and looked at Father.

    ¡°Do you think we should take Mother to see Dr. Kegan?¡± I asked. As said, my magic didn¡¯t help her; I¡¯m afraid it might be something beyond it.¡±

    Father looked back at her and was silent for a moment. ¡°Maybe,¡± he said softly. If magic couldn¡¯t wake her, I don¡¯t know if Kegan could. Though, I¡¯m not a physician, so who knows?¡± He shrugged.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with her?¡± Varis asked, sounding more annoyed. ¡°What happened to Momma? Where¡¯s Aunt Saria, weren¡¯t you going to get her, Luna?¡±

    I looked at Varis. ¡°It¡¯s a long story, I¡¯ll explain soon. Though short of it is Momma and I encountered a bad man and got into a fight.¡±

    Varis¡¯s jaw set, and he looked at me annoyed but sighed and didn¡¯t press further. ¡°It¡¯s okay, Varis,¡± Father said. ¡°It¡¯ll be faster if Luna gives us the rundown while we move. Luna, help me take Ruby to the alley, we can get her hitched to the wagon. It¡¯ll be more comfortable for your mother there.¡±

    ¡°What about me?¡± Varis asked, and Father looked at him and pursed his lips.

    ¡°Go inside, grab a pillow and blanket for her,¡± he said, and this seemed to satisfy Varis as he nodded, gave a mock salute, and ran inside.

    It didn¡¯t take long for Ruby to hitch up to the wagon. The strider seemed pleased to be hooked up to the vehicle. Probably cause she no longer had Mother slumped over her back. Varis and I piled into the back of the wagon while Father took the driver''s seat. My mother was comfortably bundled up in a thick blanket Varis got for her with a pillow tucked under her head. She looked so peaceful and warm beneath those covers; her eyes continued to fidget slightly beneath her lids, and her lips twitched as she mumbled unintelligibly beneath her breath.

    Seeing her cocooned in the warm covers made me aware of the weather, and I couldn¡¯t help but shiver as a cool breeze blew into the alley. I wrapped my arms around myself and shuddered. ¡°It¡¯s so cold,¡± I said. Isn¡¯t it supposed to be close to summer now?¡±

    ¡°Not till at least another month,¡± Father said, ¡°It¡¯s probably just a Frostwind. Most likely the last before Summer.¡± He grabbed the reins. ¡°Keep your arms and legs in the cart, and don¡¯t talk to anyone.¡± He then looked at me. ¡°Central Park was hit by one of those cylinders, Luna. There are bound to be hurt people there, I know this sounds horrible, but please, do not use your powers.¡±

    I blinked. He¡¯s right. Do you recall what happened last time with the priest and his family?

    ¡°What if the people recognize me anyway?¡± I asked Father. ¡°People already know what I did before.¡±

    Father flicked the reins, and Ruby began to move onto the road. ¡°I know,¡± He said, not looking at me. ¡°But it¡¯s best we try to be on the down low. If people recognize you, just try to ignore them. We can¡¯t afford to be swarmed by those who need help.¡±

    Are you okay with that, Luna? A familiar part of me wondered. Do you honestly think you can listen to him? What if you see another girl your age who¡¯s badly wounded? What if you see a family hurt by the Rusivite bombs? Can you live with yourself knowing you can help them but refuse not to?

    ¡°No¡­¡± I mumbled to myself. ¡°I couldn¡¯t. I want to help everyone.¡±

    ¡°Luna?¡± My ears perked up, and I looked to Varis, who watched me with concern.

    ¡°What happened? You said you would explain,¡± He said.

    I nodded, looked at Mother, and sighed. Then I told them everything¡ªwell, almost everything. I told them the events of Mother and I arriving at the arcanium plant, the Master possessing me and fighting Putinov, and finally, my talk with Shaed and eventually Mother accidentally merging with me.

    What I left out, however, was my talk with Cereb and Shaed¡¯s name. I didn¡¯t tell them about his name because nobody, even me, was supposed to know it. If his name began to spread and the other gods or religious nuts found out, that¡¯d be bad for us. As for Cereb, I believed what that thing told me, even though I didn¡¯t want to. The idea that I was some echo of a being much more significant than me. A thing constructed by Shaed that, in turn, made me caused my mind to quake. It spoke like I was made like a machine, a product to do its bidding. What did it mean? What was I made for?

    To gather perspectives. At least that¡¯s what it said. That familiar within reminded me.

    What did that even mean? Gathering perspectives for what? The thought unnerved me, but are there other versions of me out there? Echoes living lives and coming back to Cereb? The thing said I was different and wasn¡¯t like the others. I just¡­ God, my brain is hurting now.

    Would you like me to take over? The piece within asked.

    Excuse me? I thought in response.

    I can take over, Luna, relax. Or else you¡¯ll start to spiral again. Trust me. I¡¯ll return control once you¡¯re calm.

    Take over¡­ This feeling in me felt like me. It was me. It was Truth. They were back. After all this time, they were still here. Despite all I¡¯ve done to them, all I¡¯ve said, their presence was warm and comforting. Although I knew they could be harsh, that was who they were. Truth. They knew what they were doing. I was terrified at the idea of letting them in control again. I was different back then. I wasn¡¯t even Luna, but¡­ what they did in the Cerebellium. Truth was correct. They¡­ no. I knew what to do, except¡­ I can¡¯t do it. But they could. They could do it for me, and they said they wanted to help me. If they were in control, I could rest¡­ I could focus, and I¡­ I wouldn¡¯t mind¡­

    <hr>

    <u>Truth</u>

    ¡°I¡­ I wouldn¡¯t mind¡­¡± Luna thought, and for the first time in ages. Relinquished control.

    She closed her eyes, quieted, and took a deep breath. Allowing Truth to step into her place. A spot that felt all too familiar and new at the same time. A place in which they¡¯ve been gone from far, far too long. And hopefully, it¡¯ll be a place in which things can be made to change.

    Now. What was Luna doing beforehand? Oh, right.

    ¡°And that was that,¡± Truth finished the story. ¡°I found myself spiraling through Mother¡¯s memories before the Master ripped me and her out, and I found myself back in the plant.¡± They kept their voice calm and straightforward.

    Varis watched his sister with attentive eyes as Truth met their gaze. A bit of concern and curiosity could be seen within his mixed-colored gaze, though he kept a brave face. She then glanced up to her father, who occasionally glanced over his shoulder at her as they rode down the street, his expression also concerned.

    ¡°That, that sounds like a lot,¡± Was all he could say.

    ¡°So¡­¡± Varis blinked as he leaned back, now mulling over the details. ¡°You and Momma, shared, memories?¡±

    She nodded. ¡°Yes. I was linked to the cognitive realm as I mentioned. The place of thoughts and minds. When mother touched me we became linked together. I don¡¯t know why, or how, but it happened. The Master hadn¡¯t anticipated this either, but he did shout something just before we were shunted into the void. Something about how he should¡¯ve warned us. So I guess he did know this could¡¯ve happened, but didn¡¯t think it would.¡±

    Father snorted. ¡°For a god he¡¯s pretty stupid then.¡± He shook his head. ¡°You were in a power room surrounded by people. Someone was bound to touch you.¡±

    Truth shrugged and leaned back, their eyes flicking to the clouds above. ¡°Perhaps. Though, the Master is no god.¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡± Father arched a brow. ¡°Luna, everything you¡¯ve told us, he¡¯s the¡­¡± He trailed off. ¡°You know what he is,¡± He said, not wanting to say the Dark Lord¡¯s title out loud.

    ¡°I know,¡± She said, meeting her father¡¯s eyes. ¡°But you heard what I told you. The Master is a man, one who acquired great power. Though that is all. A god, at least by the definition I¡¯m familiar with is a principle of morality and belief. A being of supreme power and justice¡­¡± Truth trailed off as Slyran slowly turned to look at her as Ruby stopped at an intersection.

    This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.

    ¡°I see Isa has been speaking to you a lot lately?¡± He asked, blinking slowly.

    Truth pursed her lips and shrugged. ¡°All I¡¯m saying is that the Master is none of these things. He is powerful and knowledgeable, though that is all. He doesn¡¯t know everything, and clearly,¡± she gestured to her mother. ¡°Makes mistakes. Stupid ones at that.¡±

    Varis smirked and chuckled. ¡°So the man in your head is dumb?¡± He crossed his arms. ¡°I guess that means he¡¯s not so scary afterall.¡±

    Truth giggled and nodded. ¡°Exactly. He¡¯s no different then any of us.¡± She turned her attention to what was around them.

    As Luna had seen before, the streets were packed with panicked citizens running to and fro¡ªso much so that cart travel was almost unbearable. The constant stopping and going, waiting for people to cross, mixed with constables and soldiers shouting and blowing into whistles, made it a nearly agonizing experience. Truth could feel Luna shudder inside as the little girl empathized with those pleading for help.

    Nearby, a shop with broken windows, a man clutched at his bloodied arm as he sat along the curb. A constable was questioning him while others inspected the broken-into store. The man¡¯s face cringed with agony as he gripped a slash wound that Luna yearned to cure. Yet, Truth simply watched and turned away as their wagon rolled past.

    There is a time and place, Luna. Truth thought to the girl. Right now isn¡¯t that time. We can¡¯t stop and help everyone. Not when there are more important things that need to be done.

    The cordon around their district was lifted when they reached the barricade between Old Town and Central. With the Cylinders neutralized by the pulse Lucien had released from the plant, the machines within were no longer a threat. While magic slowly returned to the city, much of the illusory billboards and advertisements remained inactive, leaving the once lively city almost hollow and dilapidated.

    While the cordon was gone, soldiers and constables always remained on guard. Squads of yanky troops and heins guards patrolled on either side of the road along nearly every street. In the sky, Truth wasn¡¯t surprised to see airships displaying the Yanky phoenix hovering above. Luna whimpered at the sight. The memory of when the invasion started was fresh in her mind.

    Don¡¯t worry. This is to be expected. Truth soothed her. Relax. Having ships above is a good thing. Attacks from above should be less frequent if they can secure the sky.

    Being in control again after so long felt strange to Truth. The last time she¡¯d been in this spot was well¡­ If you account for Enora¡¯s extended calendar compared to Earth¡¯s¡­ That¡¯d be about eighteen years. Eighteen years since that day, that¡­

    ¡°Don¡¯t bring it up,¡± Luna said sternly in Truth¡¯s mind.

    Truth¡¯s jaw set. What do you mean? I¡¯m the one in control here.

    ¡°Because I¡¯m letting you. Just because you¡¯re in the driver¡¯s seat, doesn¡¯t mean you can go through my shit.¡±

    Truth frowned. You mean our shit. I was there, too.

    ¡°Please,¡± Luna said with a sigh. ¡°Just don¡¯t¡­¡±

    Truth rolled her eyes and leaned back as she crossed her arms. Whatever¡­

    So pathetic. In a literal sense. The poor thing had regressed so much since then. It bothered Truth that Luna wouldn¡¯t face it. Alas, she couldn¡¯t force them. She shouldn¡¯t either. Trying to recall it then was pushing too hard.

    ¡°Luna,¡± Varis¡¯s voice drew her attention. The boy was sitting on the other end of the cart, his knees pulled up to his chest, arms hugging them. ¡°It¡¯s okay, " he said.

    Truth blinked and cocked her head. ¡°Excuse me?¡±

    ¡°You look sad and angry,¡± Varis said, giving her a gentle smile. ¡°I¡¯m telling you it¡¯ll be okay. Momma will be alright.¡±

    She straightened up and smiled gently. Truth hadn¡¯t realized her expression shifting while talking with Luna.

    ¡°We really are insane,¡± Luna mumbled in the corner of her thoughts.

    I said to relax. Go, watch some pleasant thoughts or something. Truth mentally waved her away.

    ¡°Kind of hard to do when my mother isn¡¯t waking up¨Cgah!¡± Luna went silent as Truth stuffed her away. She didn¡¯t want to be forceful, but the girl wasn¡¯t becoming a nuisance.

    She needs to stop with the pessimism. She thought, then smiled at Varis.

    ¡°Thank you, Varis.¡± She rubbed the back of her neck.

    Her brother¡¯s expression brightened some more. ¡°I¡¯m sure Dr. Kegan will help. You remember all those medicines we helped him organize? He¡¯s bound to have something that¡¯ll snap her awake.¡± He snapped his fingers.

    Amused by his optimism, she chuckled. ¡°I hope so. Dr. Kegan is a smart man.¡± She sighed and turned to Slyran, who was focused on the road. ¡°Father, what do we do when we get there?¡±

    Slyran curled his lips into a tight line as he thought. After a moment, he said, ¡°I don¡¯t know, Luna. Kegan is bound to have his hands full with the panicked and injured. Isa will probably help however she can but¡­¡± He closed his eyes. ¡°Things are a bit hectic right now.¡±

    I assumed as much. Truth thought. ¡°Father, after we check with Kegan and Isa. I would like to go to the construction site next.¡±

    ¡°What?¡± Father looked over his shoulder. ¡°Why?¡±

    ¡°The Master told me to,¡± She said.

    ¡°I thought we were going to do our own thing?¡± Luna asked deep within.

    Of course, you found a way out.

    ¡°Hey, this is my head. So what gives?¡±

    We are doing our own thing. I told you to trust me. Remember what Cereb showed us? Mother is related to what was being made. What¡¯s there also happens to interest Shaed. Everything seems to be connected to that, so we need to investigate.

    ¡°But what if it¡¯ll just lead to more issues?¡±

    It very well may. Don¡¯t have second thoughts now, Luna. You said to yourself, "We should try to help." Luna fell silent.

    ¡°Luna?¡± Slyran prompted her again. ¡°You¡¯re staring off into space. Is that voice talking?¡± He asked.

    ¡°No.¡± She shook her head. ¡°I just recalled something,¡± she lied, which, of course, wasn¡¯t something Truth was good at, and her father frowned. Thankfully, he didn¡¯t press the issue. ¡°The Master told me that what¡¯s being made there could help the city. I need to make sure that it gets finished.¡±

    He blinked. ¡°So what, you¡¯re some kind of work foreman?¡¯ He shook his head. ¡°I don¡¯t get it. Why do you have to go there?¡±

    ¡°I just do, Father,¡± Truth said, ¡°Trust me. It¡¯s important for one reason or another.¡±

    ¡°So you don¡¯t know?¡± He snorted and sighed. ¡°Does that guy tell you anything?¡±

    ¡°Not really,¡± She admitted. ¡°He yaps about a lot of old stuff but never gets to the point.¡±

    Slyran huffed. ¡°Sounds like my father¡­¡± He fell silent, then shrugged. ¡°Fine, but¡­ There¡¯s a problem. Aenorin got me a job there as a contractor, so I can get in, but I doubt they¡¯d let any kid in there. Daughter or not.¡±

    Truth pursed her lips as the wagon strolled down the road. Far off, a distant klaxon alarm sounded, followed by a booming voice. ¡°Medic! Report to the construction site immediately!¡± As it faded, a devious smile formed across her lips.

    ¡°I think I know a way inside,¡± She said, humming with amusement as a plan brewed in her mind.

    <hr>

    It was bad. Very bad. Like the airfield, Trentonville had been pounded hard by the Rusivites. As if the invading army hadn¡¯t already done enough war crimes, the refugee camp had nearly been annihilated by the bombs. The lake in the park''s center had been expanded by massive bomb craters along its edges. The forest of trees mainly had been flattened and burned by the explosions, and worst of all, the makeshift tent city itself was practically ruined now. Only a few dozen tents and shanties remained standing, and the howls of the wounded and dying sounded like a horrifying choir.

    Luna inside Truth raged like never before. The girl screamed and cried, demanding how and why they did this. She vowed to seek retribution and sobbed for those lost. Truth, however, displayed none of these emotions. Her face was frozen in a state of neutrality.

    They did this to send a message. She tried to explain to Luna. They tried to destroy the Yanky reinforcements by saying no help was coming. Then, they killed as many refugees as possible to show that nobody could escape them.

    This did little to soothe her. Truth reminded herself that logic for someone like Luna isn¡¯t how you try to cool one¡¯s temper. Though even for her, Truth found it difficult to stomach the sight. Corpses and debris lay strewn around them. Men, women, and children sobbed and raged as they dug through the wreckage, searching for lost loved ones.

    Soldiers and guards of both nationalities assisted those as best they could. ¡°Please consult the casualties list before asking the whereabouts of a missing loved one!¡± A woman shouted from the top of a crate ahead at the road''s bend leading to one of the few remaining tents. Kegan¡¯s clinic.

    The sight relieved Truth and Luna, who released a breath she hadn¡¯t known she was holding. As expected, the area was crowded with dozens, if not hundreds, of wounded and their desperate families. So much so that cots had been set up outside, and Truth spotted military doctors and even Slyondrite acolytes tending to the severely wounded and dying.

    Suddenly, Truth¡¯s vision went dark as a heavy blanket was thrown over her. She gasped and scoffed before pulling the thing off her and turning to face Varis, who smiled sheepishly. ¡°Father told me before we left to get an extra blanket.¡± he pointed to the fabric in her hand. ¡°You might want to hide under that, cause¡­ you know father said he doesn¡¯t want people bother us.¡±

    She pursed her lips and glanced at the plain blue blanket. It was thick and large, far too cumbersome to carry around casually. If she had a knife, she¡¯d cut it shorter. Though Varis made a point, and father was wise to think this far ahead, at least. Truth nodded. ¡°Good thinking, Varis.¡± Truth pulled the blanket over her shoulders. ¡°Next time, though, warn me before tossing stuff over my head.¡±

    Varis blushed and smirked. ¡°Okay.¡± He nodded.

    Slyran had to park the wagon a little further up the path away from the clinic to avoid taking up space in the makeshift triage. The three of them hopped off the wagon, and Slyran hesitated before telling Ruby not to go anywhere without them. After a few moments of repeating this, the strider squawked and bobbed her large head.

    They then began to walk towards the tent. Inside Truth, Luna yearned to do something. She was practically pleading with Truth to heal those they encountered. Bundled beneath their tight blanket, which she pulled over her head, she hissed, ¡°No. I told you, we need to lay low for now.¡±

    ¡°We can¡¯t just leave them here to die, look at most of them.¡± Luna urged. ¡°We can help these people.¡±

    ¡°I know we can, but so can they.¡± Truth¡¯s eyes flicked over to a few acolytes performing a rejuvenation scroll on a middle-aged woman whose torso was bloodied with shrapnel wounds.

    ¡°Yes, but what¡¯s the likelihood that they¡¯re reserving such magic for those who desperately need it? What about those who will live but suffer life long debilitating issues? We can fix everyone.¡±

    ¡°Jesus Christ, Weepy, we¡¯ve been over this.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not Weepy!¡± Luna cried.

    ¡°Yes you are,¡± Truth hissed. ¡°We¡¯ve been over this. Your mother and father have been over this with you. Yes we can help these people, but at what cost? Alerting everyone to our presence? Consuming all our magic and leaving us tired? What if Putinov comes back and hears about this? He¡¯ll know where to find us, and we¡¯ll be all tuckered out¨C¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re just reaching¨C¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m thinking rationally, Luna. That¡¯s why I¡¯m here. That¡¯s why you finally let me out. To think rationally for you. I know it hurts, I know you want to help these people, but you need to stop going off just your emotions.¡±

    ¡°So you want me to become cold hearted?¡±

    Truth stopped in her tracks as Varis and Father went on ahead. Varis stopped and turned to her. ¡°Luna?¡±

    ¡°Hold on,¡± She said to them.

    ¡°Voice?¡± Slyran asked with an arched brow, and Truth lied with a nod.

    ¡°Run that by me again?¡± Truth asked Luna.

    ¡°I-I, uh, I said¡­¡± She stammered, trailed off, and in a low voice, she said, ¡°I asked if you want me to become cold-hearted.¡±

    Truth scowled. ¡°That¡¯s what I thought.¡± She shook her head. ¡°You really are dense aren¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡± Luna shrunk.

    ¡°Dense. Not stupid, I know we¡¯re smart, but you¡¯re dense. Like a brick wall.¡±

    Luna shrunk further. ¡°Why are you acting like a dick now?¡±

    ¡°Oh, shut the¡­¡± Truth gripped her little fists. ¡°If we were in the Cerebellium I¡¯d smack the denseness out of you. I¡¯m the dick? Really? The one who offered to take over when you started spiraling? The one who¡¯s been laying the facts out for you and helping you. I¡¯m the dick, really? Matter of fact, lets go back a bit. Cold hearted? You think what we¡¯re doing is cold hearted? No, Luna. Think, think!¡±

    ¡°I-I¡­ I¡¯m sorry¡­¡± Was all she whimpered.

    Truth sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose. ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± she said, ¡°I shouldn¡¯t have gotten riled up like that. Luna, I asked you to trust me. I know we never got along in the past, but know that I want to help. I do. That¡¯s why you created me anyway.¡±

    ¡°Created¡­? You?¡±

    Truth sighed. ¡°Oh, sweet summer child, you bottled that away, didn¡¯t you?¡± She shrugged and began walking forward again. ¡°We¡¯ll talk about it later.¡±