ã€ŠI Got Tripped Into The Haken&#x27;s Worldã€‹


 PROLOGUE

    -- Prologue --

    The smell of burning tobacco blended with the crisp air as sentries gathered around a crackling fire. They laughed and talked while enjoying their brief respite after patrolling the Draxurion Wall, a massive barrier of stone and mortar, running along a mountain range in the eastern and northern parts of the kingdom. The fire''s warmth was a good help against the bone-chilling cold, and the flames formed dancing shadows on their faces. Nearby, other sentries led their horses to designated areas to ensure they were secure for the night.

    "It''s time to switch with the lads," one sentry announced, stubbing out his tobacco. Another sentry, feeling sufficiently warmed by the campfire, volunteered to head up first.

    The way to the top of the wall was through a wooden winch cage. It took considerable strength to turn the wheel and lift the cage, protected by a wooden roof, to the top. Three operators strained at the mechanism, their muscles bulging with effort as the cage slowly ascended until the panoramic view of the little village could be seen below: buildings and streets lit up by lanterns and torches.

    After what felt like ages, the winch cage finally reached the top. The operators stopped cranking it. The sentry stepped out and immediately noticed three guards lying on the cold stone floor. Rushing over, he checked for signs of life and found none. The bodies were lifeless, their faces frozen in expressions of shock and fear.

    Suddenly, the torches along the wall began to extinguish one by one, plunging the wall into darkness. Only one torch remained lit. There was no moon, and the stars in the sky were hidden behind the heavy clouds. He wasn''t sure if he was more afraid or intrigued by this. For a moment, a figure came into view, walking slowly forward from darkness.

    He grabbed the last torch, "Show yourself!"

    The figure in a cloak stepped closer to the breathless sentries, and the sentry instinctively stepped back, the smouldering torchlight showing only the edges of the cloak. Fear mounted as he shouted down and waved the torch urgently to the operators below, "Pull back the winch cage now!"

    The operators saw his sign. They immediately followed the order but they struggled to operate the winch as their efforts were hampered by the strain and the cold. With a loud snap, the wooden roof of the cage broke, rendering the winch useless. The sentry was trapped on the wall, alone with the unknown individual.

    Desperate, he waved the torch again, trying to see his adversary more clearly while waiting for the cage to come up without knowing it was already broken in this moment of emergency. He looked in every corner as he held the torch defensively, but the figure vanished, only to reappear behind him. Then, a sudden cold hand gripped his head, and he felt a terrible draining sensation as he listened to an ominous whisper: Shadow and night, end thyself. Light die, embrace the void. His reign shall rise once more. The torch slipped from his hand to the ground as his strength and life force were siphoned away. His eyes rolled back, turning a ghastly white as his whole body went limp.

    Thud.

    A lifeless body in military uniform crashed brutally onto a campfire below. The sentries, who had been busy talking amongst themselves, now sat frozen in terror, their faces blanched with fear as they suddenly recognized the identity of their fallen comrade.

    February 15 - Gregorian Calendar ( Day 27 )

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    A cemetery, where the rows of tombstones stuffy in the still and heavy atmosphere, as if holding its breath. Here, Ella sat on the ground with her back against a weathered tombstone. She clutched a can of beer in one hand, the other absently stroking a sleek white cat named Michiko in her lap.

    Tears streaked down her face, combining with sporadic revel. The silence of the surroundings was only interrupted when her voice cracked as she spoke to the tombstone with sorrow and irony.

    "We...we used to joke about all those wack fantasies, but I''m shook AF that one actually came true," she said. "I mean, of all the things we imagined, this? The whole world just hit PAUSE n'' sht? It sounds straight out of one of our wild stories, no cap. But hey, I''m here in this crazy-ass nightmare while you''re chillin'' safe now. Far AF away from this madness."

    She took a sip again, then laughed. Being the only one left moving in a world frozen in time was something she couldn''t know how to handle. But when she looked down at Michiko, the cat''s steady purring was a small comfort in the overwhelming silence. At least she had him, a tiny anchor in this strange, silent world.

    No more drama. She sighed heavily and pushed herself to her feet while wiping the tears with the edge of a sleeve of her maroon jacket. Crying over her friend''s tombstone wouldn¡¯t help bring the world back to normal anyway. She gave the cat one last pat before tossing the empty beer can into a nearby trash bin.

    Almost a month had passed since everything had come to a standstill. She had thought the cause might be low iron levels because she often stayed up late after her part-time job. To check if she was imagining things, she had even slapped her cheeks multiple times, but the pain had told her it was real. Everything had truly stopped. The sun hadn¡¯t moved from morning to noon or evening which made herself realize that time itself was frozen. She had speculated about possible explanations for it: a temporal anomaly or a cosmic disturbance. But none of her theories mattered now. The world was steady, time itself seemingly halted, and she was the only one left to witness it.

    The streets were still, cars abandoned mid-journey, their drivers and passengers locked in place. She walked past them, glancing at her reflection in a side mirror. Her eyes were red and puffy, and she couldn''t help but laugh like a lunatic. While Michiko, seemingly unimpressed, meowed, making her stop from laughing aloud. Then, she continued her walk as if she were window shopping at a mall. Pedestrians stood frozen in mid-step, their expressions and motions captured in time. She weaved through the immobile crowd, feeling like a ghost haunting the living.

    Michiko faithfully followed her everywhere until they paused by a bus stop, where people waited patiently for a bus that would never come. Her eyes scanned the frozen faces, and gave them a faint smile before continuing to walk away.

    On the way home, she looked up to see the motionless group of birds and airplane. Nothing changed.

    When she reached the front of her apartment building, she looked at the sky again and noticed a twinkling dot in the grew steadily larger that transforming from a curious spot into a unsure presence. What was that? She felt a sense of unease growing with it. She squinted, then blinked two times, until the object had become a massive, blue meteor, moving at a great speed toward her home. It was too late to run.

    Her heart thumped as she instinctively covered her eyes and bent down, bracing for impact. She expected to hear a deafening crash and feel the ground shake, but nothing happened. There was no loud thud, no crumbling of walls, no sound at all. Moreover, she still alive. It was as if the meteor had simply vanished.

    Cautiously, she opened her eyes and straightened up. The building stood as it always had, untouched and undamaged. Confusion befuddled her but her urgency overrode it. She broke into a run, heading toward her apartment on the fifth floor. And the frozen landlord was still there in front of the door, just as he had been a month ago when he had knocked on her door at 6:30 am, grumbling about overdue payments. She barely glanced at him as she pushed past and entered her apartment.

    Breathless, she paused in the middle. Her gaze swept over every corner, but nothing seemed out of place. She moved to the window, expecting to see some sign of the meteor''s impact, but the view outside was as still and unchanged as ever. What was going on? Had she imagined it?

    The apartment seemed to resonanate with a faint energy, a barely perceptible vibration that made the hairs on her arms stand on end. She turned away from the window until an aquatic light on the floor caught her eye. It was coming from her room and the slightly -ajar door. Her neck craned forward to get a look inside as she approached. She pushed the door slowly, the light growing stronger as it flooded the way.

    "What the..." What she saw made her gasp. She wasn''t tipsy nor intoxicated. No one would believe her when everything went back to normal, even if her cat could vouch for her. The world had stopped, frozen in time, and now a large, fiery, aquatic-blue circle appeared in her little room.

 01: The Uninvited Guest

    --The Uninvited Guest--

    Ordinary World

    Ella''s eyes constricted as she focused on the massive circle in front of her that taking up most of the bedroom. The aquatic fire around the ring, moved as fluid grace of a swaying corals in the current, its flames undulating gently as if dancing in an underwater ballet. And the center''s surface was smooth and undisturbed similar to the lake that seemed to be mysterious despite its calmness. It felt like staring into a dream. She observed and wondered if she was hallucinating like the way she thought on the first day of the world stopping.

    "What in the world..." she said slowly.

    Before her mind could even register its presence, suddenly, Michiko moved closer to the edge of the fiery ring, causing her fear to spike. "No, Michiko, don''t!" But as her cat began to hiss, her hand stopped in mid-air, unsure whether to risk agitating him further or to let him confront whatever had disturbed him. And to her surprise, she watched as the flame touched around his fur but didn''t even burn.

    Each hiss from the cat seemed to punctuate the tension in the room as his fangs bared and his fur puffed-up - ready to attack. What something behind the flame that making Michiko behave like that? Not too long, a silhouette figure became visible. It was moving! She urged, grabbing her cat protectively as she picked the baseball bat under the bed. With each step backward, her nerves frayed as the unidentified presence approaching. Then, a squeaky voice began to hear.

    "[ You, ]" it began. "[ You look horrified. ]"

    A soul left her body in a split second. Who wouldn''t look so shocked seeing a seemingly stuffed toy speak as if possessed by a demon? It was talking to her! A small, doll-sized creature with silvery hair that billowed around its delicate form. Its crystal-blue eyes framed by long, fluttering lashes, giving it dreamlike look. At first glance, the creature appeared innocent but upon closer inspection, its slender hands boast razor-sharp nails that hint at a hidden strength and danger. The creature''s skin was milky-white and luminescent, with a texture like that of a white dragon''s scales, and its ears were shaped like half-folded butterfly wings.

    "Stay back, demon!" Her grip on the baseball bat tightened as she aimed it.

    Was she really on Earth? She considered this as rationally as one could in such a odd situation. Impossible things had become possible¡ªfrom the world stopping to seeing a creature that should only exist in a movie. But what exactly was it? These past few days, she thought she might still be dreaming, but no, this nightmare was as real as it got. She was alone with her cat, witnessing everything.

    "[Ella Sanford from Planetary Earth]"

    Moreover, the creature knew her name. As if its purpose was directly to her when it addressed her. Was it an alien? Theoretically, it might be. Especially since a meteor had landed near her apartment earlier. But where was the meteor? The creature must be the reason the whole building remained intact and shooting star''s disappearance. Her cat sprang from her arms, inexplicably walked towards the creature. Then, she cried out again as her cat, who moments ago had been hissing and baring his fangs, now nestled affectionately. The creature gently stored Michiko''s fur and said.

    "[I''m no harm.]"

    Its squeaky voice crept Ella but when the creature began to show off something. Her eyes wide-opened with awe when it suddenly emitted a radiant golden imprint as it hovered in the air. Her gaze followed it. The sight reminded her of a fairy from a children''s storybook, with its glittering aura and very fine features. Even her cat usually so wary of strangers, appeared enchanted by the sight. This thing might look magical, but she doubted it.

    "What...what exactly are you?"

    "[I''m a Haken]," it declared.

    She thought it was a fairy but appeared to be a Haken. What in the world was that? Haken? She had never heard of such a creature before, not in any fairy tale or fantasy novel she had ever read. The Haken descended onto Michiko''s back, and explained that it was a being tasked with seeking out potential contract companions across the vast expanse of the cosmos. Because of that, Ella speculated that it must be here for business.

    The Haken then confirmed her thoughts, but she was still bothered by why this creature had come to her apartment...and her world? She thought it should be in a company or with a businessman, making contracts.

    In response, the Haken laughed which made her feel like it was mocking her. She brandished her baseball bat threateningly, making its laughter trailed off as it regarded her with a curious expression. Slowly, it closed its mouth, and opened again.

    "[You''re my intended contractual partner]."

    "What nonsense are you spewing about?"

    It descended from Michiko''s back and approached slowly.

    "[Contracts can be formed in even the most unlikely of places. Often, they can be made on the road, in forests, or even in the middle of the ocean.]"

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    "How tf do those places even become spots for making business moves?"

    It smiled, but she furrowed. Then, it started to notice the surroundings of her room as it sat down and leaned against Michiko''s stomach. It observed that everything was soulless. Additionally, the Haken was surprised to find that Ella and her cat were not affected by the phenomenon at all.

    From the moment she saw the flash movements at the sky until meeting the uninvited guest in her apartment, the thoughts about being alone in a motionless world had skidded for awhile. The Haken continued, explaining that this was the first time it had visited a star where everything had stopped. It wondered aloud about the cause but it didn''t matter since it had sole purpose in Earth anyway - make a contract with her immediately. So, it started to offer.

    "[I assure you, any wish you desire shall be mine to fulfill.]"

    It was sound ridiculous for Ella and it reflected to her brow that stretched together. "Hey, you claimin'' you can grant any wish? Right, sure thing. If I say, wake me up from this hellhole,'' you gonna actually do it or what?" she scoffed.

    But the Haken clarified to her that everything happening here was not even a dream. And the creature also was part of it. At the matter of wish, if Ella wanted to get everything back to normal, this would be a modest request compared to what Haken was capable of offering.

    Her doubt began to waver as she considered the possibility that this strange being truly had the power to grant her deepest desire.

    "[Is it what you desire the most, isn''t it?]"

    "What the... are you like, a god from another planet?"

    Could this strange creature truly be a god to make such a promise?

    "[Call me what you will, yet I am no God.]"

    Then, with a swift motion, the Haken snapped its little fingers, and suddenly, a multitude of screens showed up in the air around them. Each screen displayed a different scenario from Ella''s life, exhibiting moments of embarrassment, failure, and disappointment. All were negative.

    "[Your admission to a prestigious university shall be my guarantee.]"

    One screen showed the moment at the bus stop when she discovered her name wasn''t on the list of those who passed the university entrance exam.

    "[Any person you hold dear shall be ensnared in the depths of infatuation.]"

    Another screen displayed the same day and location at the bus stop, where she saw Cedric with another girl.

    "[Wealth and luxury shall be yours; a grand mansion and ample funds will be yours to command.]"

    A third screen showed her landlord harassing her in the middle of the night for rent, with most of her salary going straight to apartment bill payments.

    Those screens were making Ella felt overwhelm with frustration as she watched them. Watching those moments of her life, sense of helplessness even grew stronger like making her feeling exposed. The Haken had no right to do this! How could ---

    "[I have granted the wishes of my contracted partners, without regard for their morality or character.]"

    So, how far-reaching were the consequences of those fulfilled wishes? And what price did its partners pay for such power? Staring at the screens float in the air was undesirable. As a further matter, when one of them changed, showing a scene from her past. A past she wanted to bury in the deepest part of the Earth. It was the day her friend Anna died, right before her eyes. Her heart submerged as those memories rushed back, hitting her like a ton of bricks. Panic rose within, suffocating her as she relived that moment of loss. Her breaths were shallow, and her hands started to tremble. It was as if the pain of that day was happening all over again, right in front of her.

    "[I can assist you to obliterate this dark past of yours.]"

    It extended an unexpected offer which quelled the panic a bit that had been building inside her. The idea of releasing the burden of her darkest memories tempted her like it gave a tiny bit of hope in the middle of despair.

    She opened her mouth, "Hold up, wait a minute. So what went down afterwards with those peeps you were workin'' with?"

    The Haken swayed Michiko''s fluffy tail and stood up.

    "[They each lived an existence true to their desires.]"

    Turning back to the Haken, Ella noticed a sudden change in its leverage. It was now knelt with its right knee on the ground, a look of vulnerability clouding its body. Warning signs began to shine unsteadily and float around the creature along with static on the screens.

    "Hey! WTF is goin'' on?"

    Ignoring her question, the Haken continued to speak in its squeaky tone but in weak state.

    "[How long will you endure your monotonous life?]" it questioned. "[You''re trapped in the world where nothing else to see but inert beings. This is not a dream... it is your reality. Awaken to the truth and break free from this confinement.]"

    The truth in its words was like a bitter pill to swallow, but, Ella couldn''t deny the painful truth in what the Haken was saying. Like, it seriously hit hard. She couldn''t help but kind of agree with Haken''s assessment.

    "Why me tho? Like, why did this all have to happen to me? I''m just so confused, it''s trippin'' me out. Why?"

    "[You, and only you, have the exceptional qualities that make you eligible to become my contractual partner.]"

    The Haken''s response left her baffled. Why would someone as unfortunate as her be considered as worthy? But in that moment, a tiny spark of hope started to shine through her trouble mind.

    "So, about that contract. I gotta know ¨C how many times can I ask for wishes?"

    The Haken''s smirk hinted at its proximity to achieving its objective. And she was hyped up, thinking it''d be like getting wishes from a genie or something. Unfortunately, it wasn''t as she hoped for.

    [ Only one. ]

    [ One wish is all it takes...]

    [Consider the wish carefully to avoid heavy consequences.]

    After the creature uttered, the warnings began to echo ominously inside the room. As the irritation from the buzzing sound kept going, Ella squinted at the static screens surrounding them.

    "How much longer you gonna keep that annoying noise goin''? And what''s with all these floatin'' screens?"

    With a snap of its fingers, the Haken swiftly dispelled the static screens, leaving her in a state of perplexity. But the persistent sound remained.

    "The sound... It''s so loud, my eardrums are about to burst or somethin''. Hey!"

    "[I apologize, that''s to be outside my immediate control...]"

    "[Unless you sign a contract.]"

    The Haken''s complexity staggered Ella''s understanding. It possessed the power to grant extraordinary wishes, yet it couldn''t silence a little annoyance. She observed as she trying to tolerate the sound. Just then, as she noticed the Haken''s weakened state, its knee still pressed to the ground. A suspicion formed in her mind. Could it be that the warning was somehow linked to the Haken''s condition?

    She stared at the Haken, ready to voice her questions, but it beat her to it.

    "[Hear me, mortal. I offer you a bargain. Make a contact with me....]"

    "[ Death is upon me.]"

    The words showed up in the air, each of them flashing moderately.

    [[ Warning! Your ''Presence'' is extremely low! ]]

    [[ Warning! Your body is severely in danger! ]]

    [[ Warning! Warning! ]]

    [[ Warning! ]]

 02: Disappearance Individuals

    --Disappearance Individuals--

    Draxuropolis

    Felix stepped into the small tavern, the hood of his cloak pulled low over his face to hide his identity. Inside, the hubbub among the drinkers, making the room chaotic as it accompanied by the smell of ale and smoke of tobacco. He made his way to the counter as his boots tapping against the worn wooden floor.

    Complain as he could inwardly, there was nothing could do but accept the command from Duke Alexander. His plan go to Dravana had postponed forcefully today because of that. He had traveled for four days to Draxuropolis for a mission. The disappearance individuals had been a matter of interest that needed to be solved as part of his quest as Duke''s son.

    An Inheritor - soon, he would take his father''s position in the Dukedom, but he hoped the day of his inheritance wouldn''t come immediately. He was not yet ready for that.

    The bartender at the counter, a burly man with a thick beard streaked with gray, glanced up as Felix approached. His eyes were watchful. He wore simple, well-worn clothes: a faded tunic, dark trousers, and a leather apron that had seen better days. His teeth, though not perfectly white, were far from yellowed could be noticed as he spoke.

    "What''ll it be, traveler?" the bartender asked.

    Settled onto a stool, Felix replied. "I''ll have the Dionysus'' Favor." It was a rare and expensive wine, not something typically ordered in a place like this, but it was also the agreed-upon signal.

    Seeing the bartender''s wide eyes, the order was definitely unusual but gave no other sign as he turned back from Felix to retrieve a dusty bottle from a hidden shelf beneath the counter.

    After a brief moment, the bartender poured the wine into a glass until a group of drinkers at a nearby table raised their voices, one of them slurring slightly from too much ale. "Barkeep! It''s the harvest festival! How about some free drinks for everyone?"

    The others agreed along and began to pummel their wooden mugs on the table.

    "Free drinks, you say? Well, if I gave away all the ale, I''d have to start harvesting my own crops to pay for it! And trust me, you don''t want to drink anything I''ve grown," the bartender said with a good-natured grin.

    They laughed to the obvious excuse. Today marked the Feast of the Vintners'' Glory in Draxuropolis, a day of celebration based on the grape harvest. As part of the tradition, everyone would stomp the grapes with their feet while sharing festivity throughout the city. It would be a day of merriment for all its people.

    A wink from bartender received by Felix as he set the glass of wine in front. Discreetly, he slid a small folded piece of parchment next to it and smiled. "Enjoy."

    Then, Felix picked up the glass and took a sip to wash over his tongue. He palmed the parchment and slipped it into his cloak, careful not to draw attention. And as the bartender moved away to attend to other customers, he unfolded the parchment under the cover of his cloak, and read the brief message:

    Room at the back with crimson door. Knock twice, pause, then knock thrice. He folded it back and slipped it into his pocket. Then, he finished his wine in one gulp and stood up, making his way to the back of the tavern. He expected to see the crimson door immediately, but instead, he found himself walking down a long hallway where the torches lined the walls.

    A most fitting setting for business rendezvous. He was surprised the tavern had such a place. It felt like a secret route. And thanks to his friend, Igner, for telling about guild of intelligence''s secret establishment. He still wondered how his friend knew about this. But that didn''t matter for this moment as his pacing continued. His purpose was to meet the Guild Master of Intelligence, a person everyone sought for information in the capital.

    Finally, at the end of the hallway, he reached the crimson door. And remembering the instructions, he knocked twice, paused, then knocked three times. Just a second, the door opened slowly.

    With the quick scan, the room was big and too plain. The men inside the room, they didn''t quite match the image he had in mind for the guild master. And there, a table was placed in the center, directly facing the door. No one was sitting there. He wondered where the person he supposed to meet was. But then, his eyes were drawn to a thin brown fabric that hung on one wall. He notice a silhouette moving behind it, hidden from view. The guild master was there.

    Felix wasted no time and began to step forward, but after three steps, two men guarding the door stepped in front of him. Both were tall and muscular, with hard expressions and hands resting on the hilts of their swords.

    "Hold yourself, and don''t even think about crossing the line," one of the men pointed with his chin. Felix looked down and saw a thick line on the floor, the same color as the door. It marked a clear border between the guild master and the customer. He hadn''t noticed it when he entered the room, but now it seemed glaringly obvious.

    One of the men pulled a wooden chair from the side and placed it on Felix''s side of the line, ordering him to sit. He then seated as he kept his hood up while ensuring his face stayed hidden. For a moment, a low voice heard behind the fabric.

    "What brings the son of a duke to my establishment?"

    That was a unexpected, the guild master knew his customer identity right away. And the men in the room turned their eyes to Felix. There was no need to hide his face anymore after the guild master addressed him who he was. He removed his hood, displaying his hair was as dark as the abyss, and the men straighten up as they confirmed it -he was indeed the son of a duke.

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    One man left the room while the other stayed behind. He handed Felix a parchment and a writing instrument. This was the document needed to start the negotiation. After Felix signed it, the man took the parchment and writing instrument, placed them in a wooden drawer in the corner of the room, then left.

    The brief silence interrupted when the guild master spoke again, guessing his customer came over for wall incident''s information. The latest news spread like wildfire throughout the kingdom: four sentries stationed at the eastern border were found dead under unknown circumstances. Their deaths were unexplainable and rumours began to circulate that the kingdom might be under threat from a foreign spy. Some believed that the spy had crossed the border by eliminating the sentries that night.

    Felix''s brow stretched up together. He had heard about the incident last night but he didn''t pay much attention about it. But the way the guild master mentioned it made it sound far more significant.

    "But I see you have other business."

    Even though the man''s face remained hidden, Felix could sense those eyes looking at him. "I''m here to request information...People have been disappearing these past few days in my city."

    These past few days, some complaints reached the Duke''s ear about missing people. Among them was the apprentice of the Duchess''s favorite tailor. She was last seen few days ago, and no one had heard from her since. The Duke had resources at his disposal, including a military force and a group of loyal followers who could assist in investigations and locate missing individuals. But he assigned this important task to his son.

    Asking information always came at a price, and Felix knew this well. He reached into his cloak and carefully pulled out a small, ornate box. With a flick of his wrist, he opened it to show a gleaming ruby. The gem was worth a small fortune, but in Felix¡¯s line of work, some things were priceless. Once the deal was struck, there would be no turning back. The exchange was more than just a transaction...it was a binding commitment, one that could set events in motion far beyond anyone''s control.

    "Speak your questions, and I will see what can be provided."

    They started to start their negotiation as the guild master listened to Felix''s account. The disappearance of individuals wasn''t limited to the Dukedom alone. It had spread across the entire kingdom. Although considered a minor concern, it hadn''t yet reached the knowledge of the king. It had been keeping an eye by the guild since before. And few people from capital were also went missing and yet not found.

    Based on the information they gathered, there seemed to be a pattern. The people who had vanished came from all walks of life, and they had no obvious connection to one another. But based on the timing and locations of the disappearances, it seemed to be that they were being targeted by someone or something specific.

    At first, the disappearances seemed random and unrelated. But as more cases came to guild''s attention, they began to notice certain patterns. People from different parts of the city, of different ages and backgrounds, were vanishing at the same time every night. From what report they had gathered, the disappearances appear to be occurring between the hours of midnight and dawn. It was as if something was specifically targeting people during that time frame.

    Now, Felix thought based on what the guild master shared, one theory he considered was that the disappearances might be related to enslavement. It was possible that whoever was behind these kidnappings was targeting people who were vulnerable or easy to kidnap, with the aim of selling them into slavery.

    By the gods, this was outrageous!

    "It''s a horrific thought, but it''s unfortunately not unheard of. There have been reports of people being forcibly taken and sold into slavery in the past, and the city has a dark history of slavery, which hasn''t been totally eradicated," said guild master.

    He was right. Since under the rule of a tyrannical king, King Edmond Draxurio, the kingdom had been caused continual numerous issues, with slavery being one of the most prominent. One particularly egregious example of this was the practice of conscripting every family''s first-born sons into military service from the age of seven until their death. This inhumane practice forced many talented and promising young individuals to spend their entire lives serving the whims of the former king. But in the present, might be the one of the primary orchestras of the illegal slave trade in the city was the Black market. It was network of thugs and criminals who operate on the outskirts of the city where trying to sell all sorts of illegal goods and services, including slaves, poisons, and weapons.

    Lawbreakers, who could be? Someone with power and influence, someone with access to slaves and the resources to make people disappear without a trace. He glanced around the room as he thinking the possibilities.

    This particular mission proved to be an headache than anything Felix had ever thought. To emphasize the importance of the ruby as a priceless piece of information, the guild master had provided additional. There were a number of buildings and locations in the city, some of which had secret basements and subterranean passages.

    "How is it that you know of these secret routes? The map of the entire city is kept secure by the Royal Cartography Office. Such knowledge should be beyond the reach of most," Felix asked.

    But maps were not the only way to know a city¡¯s secrets. The eyes and ears of the guild were everywhere, and over time, they had pieced together knowledge that even the royals might overlook.

    ¡°What the Royal Cartography Office holds is a map of what is known and shown to the world. What we possess are the truths that lie beneath¡ªhidden paths and the secrets would prefer to keep buried. If it pleases you, young master, you may take a copy of our map. It awaits you in that very drawer."

    As soon as the guild master told about the map, Felix rose from his chair and made his way toward the wooden drawer where his signed parchment now rested. There was really a map. He retrieved and returned to his seat. His eyes started to study the lines and markings. It was clear that this map went far beyond the official one held by the Royal Cartography Office. Every hidden passage, every secret basement, every underground tunnel was too detailed.

    While, he was busy studying the map, the guild master continued to speak in related to the passages. It was believed that these individuals were using these tunnels to carry out their operations which making it easier for them to disappear unnoticed. The intricate network of tunnels beneath the city had been used for various purposes for centuries, including but not limited to, smuggling and slave trading. It was conceivable that these individuals were employing these tunnels as a way to navigate their way through the metropolis without being spotted. Their utilization of these tunnel systems would not only facilitate the swiftness of their movements but would also serve to shield their whereabouts from the watchful eyes of the kingdom.

    "Today''s festivity, is it easier to target new victims?" The guild master''s silhouette on the fabric, leaned back in his chair, assuming the figure four lock pose.

    It was undeniable that those responsible for the illegal disappearances could certainly have an easier time targeting individuals in the capital today. With the harvest festival in full swing, there was a large crowd and a plethora of activities taking place, which could make it easier for criminals to act without being detected. Moreover, the distractions of the festival may cause individuals to lower their guard and become less cautious, considering them as vulnerable targets, especially at night.

 03: Agreement

    --Agreement--

    Ordinary World

    Ella pondered for a minute as her gaze roamed across the interior of her apartment and observed the walls, their paint shabby and marked. The ceiling appeared worn, as if it had been exposed to a series of harsh weather conditions over the years. But despite the lack of furnishings, with minimal belongings, there was an openness that made the apartment seem larger. Well, of course, now the space looked like it was just a personal playground, all because of a bizarre ring brought by a weak Haken who patiently awaited her response, leaned back against the soft, furry cushion that was the Michiko¡¯s belly.

    After drinking last two cans of San Biguel beer stored from her little refrigerator awhile ago, she finally opened her mouth. "Ahhhh, what a refreshing! Hey, how long is your time remaining?" she turned towards the Haken, then back to the air, looking up at the warnings that floating there.

    "[An hour.]" The Haken''s response seemed to weaken, though the time was running out faster than it claimed.

    With each tick of the clock, the creature''s fate became clear. If it died here and now, would its warnings vanish too? Would the weird aquatic ring in her apartment disappear, like it was never there? But then she felt worrisome. What if Haken''s death sent out a cosmic ''help wanted'' ad to its akin, who were exploring around in the deep, dark void of space? If they came knocking, she''d be fresh out of luck, left to face whatever nightmares they cooked up until she was nothing but a memory.

    That''s incredibly scary!

    She shook her head and took a deep breath.

    "Damn, out of all the places in the universe, why Earth? And why me, of all people? Seriously, what''s with this cosmic spotlight on me?" Plopping down on the floor, legs crossed like she was about to meditate on how her life got so weird.

    The Haken hesitated, its frail form seeming to struggle with the effort of speaking.

    "[There are species of such noble qualities on every planet in the endless expanse of creation. Yet, they do not all arise at the very same moment in time. Some are still gestating, awaiting the moment of their conception, while others have not yet drawn breath within in their world.]"

    "[And know this, that these beings of such great worth require not less than twenty years from the moment of their conception until they fully embody the qualities that make them truly exceptional. You''re not far from the last planet I visited, and our meeting here is a mere coincidence.]"

    Its words became apparent to Ella. And its entire purpose seemed to revolve around making deals with creatures on every planet it landed on. The catch? It had to wait for more than twenty years, waiting for prospective contractual - someone like her. She couldn''t help but wonder just how old the Haken really was and how many contracts it had sealed before this.

    Space traveler! It was still wrapping her head around it. The whole idea was mind-blowing, but she couldn''t resist digging deeper. "So, how do you even manage to find someone to make a deal with if you¡¯ve got to hop around every planet? You only popped into my apartment like, thirty minutes ago, right after leaving the last one."

    Despite the Haken obvious ailment, it started laughing. Because of that, she couldn''t fathom where it found the strength to laugh. Was it tickled by her question, or was this just how it dealt with the fact that it was knocking on death''s door? It felt more like the latter. Like that final, rebellious laugh someone lets out when they''ve just accepted the death thing.

    "[Mortal, you have many questions, indeed.]"

    Wasn''t that obvious? Ella raised an eyebrow. She had been asking them all along but apparently the Haken had only just caught on to it now. She gave a disapproving gaze at the creature before witnessing its villainous laughter subside, replaced by a gentle petting of Michiko''s fur with its pointed nails.

    "[There is a map for Hakens...]"

    With a snap of its fingers, an image of the Universe popped out in the air. Planets dotted the screen like fireflies in the night, their glow lighting up the darkness of spaces. The spectacle was impressive as the Haken deftly navigated the screen showing the infinite vast expanse of the Universe.

    "Is that what you call a map?"

    "[By means of this map, we have found the one with whom we shall establish our contractual agreement.]"

    Delicately navigated Haken''s tiny fingers, the screen seemed to respond, zooming in to display a breathtaking sight. Before their eyes, a galaxy appeared-the Milky Way. Amongst the stars, a few planets shimmered with a soft blue hue...and red?

    "[This is your dominion,]" the Haken announced.

    "I already knew that, but thanks for pointing out."

    The Haken chuckled softly before explaining the meaning of blue dots on screen. "[You have undoubtedly noticed the presence of these bluish marks that appear on the screen. They serve to identify the locations where we might find our prospective contractual partners. I must confess, I''m somewhat surprised by the relatively small number of potential contractuals that inhabit this dominion.]"

    "Those marks? Not just blue, there''s some red ones too." She untangled her legs and stood, curiosity pulling her closer to the screen. With awe, she sidled up to the transparent display, eyes narrowing as she took it all in. Through the screen, she could see the Haken on the other side, tracing its index finger along the glowing points like it was mapping out constellations. But those bluish marks weren¡¯t just hanging out with the stars¡ªthere were a lot of red ones too, and they definitely weren¡¯t there for decoration.

    "[Those red marks you see,]" the Haken shot her a quick glance through the transparent screen, its eyes locking onto hers for a brief, almost conspiratorial second. "[they signify the ones who have saved my kind, and myself. They represent those who once held contracts with the Hakens.]"

    Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel.

    She wasn¡¯t exactly sure what to think about those who had made contracts with the Haken before. Maybe they got what they were promised¡ªor maybe they ended up as cosmic cautionary tales. But now, standing in front of this transparent OLED screen that looked like something straight out of a sci-fi movie, she felt like she was looking at a cosmic version of Google Maps. Only this map wasn¡¯t just street-level; it was universe-level. It looked like the Haken had its own satellite network, casually keeping tabs on every corner of the cosmos. Honestly, if NASA knew about it, they''d be scrambling to collaborate with the Haken.

    "[Look upon that lone bluish mark, which illuminates the globe you call home,] it pointed at Earth on the map. "[It was through this very map that I first came across an existence, and the potential for a contractual agreement between us was revealed]."

    And in the middle of universe, a lone blue dot stood out that representing a remarkable individual. Despite the vastness of the space, one person had been singled out ¨C a young woman named Ella.

    ***

    Ella retracted the denial she drove in front of the Haken earlier. "Alright, so this is the conditions of the contract..." She examined the magical paper in her hand that causing a soft glow across her face.

    ______________

    Contract Agreement

    - The partners agree that they will act by this Agreement.

    - The term of this Agreement shall commence upon the contractual entry into the gate and terminate when the contractor''s Presence Bar is completed.

    - The Contractual shall have no right to terminate this Agreement.

    - The Contractor bound his life to a contractual partner who is performing the service. When the contract dies, the contractor shall die too.

    - The contract paper shall not be copied and eliminated.

    Compensation :

    - One wish.

    - A wish shall be fulfilled after the agreement ends.

    ______________

    It was her first time entering into a contract, and the strange circumstances made it all the more unusual - striking a deal not with a human being, but with a creature seemed like straight out of myth. And as she scanned the contract agreement, one thing attracted her attention. She gestured towards the aquatic ring and asked.

    "Hold up, that''s a portal??"

    [ Indeed.]

    "Nooo Waaay!"

    The legendary gateway to another world. She felt like the universe had yanked her out of reality and dropped her into a TV show. Fictional, that¡¯s what her life had become. Just month ago, she hit rock bottom. Lost her job, flunked the entrance exam, got rejected by her crush, and to top it all off, watched her last paycheck vanish like Houdini''s rabbit. And now, here she was, staring at a freaking portal. Her expression must have betrayed her awe and curiosity. The Haken noticed that, and with its knowing grin, seemed to sense her thoughts.

    As the reality of the situation, she couldn''t help but feel a rush of excitement at the possibility of traversing another world to those found only in fantasy tales. Therefore, her mind already wandering to the fantasy of fantasy fiction.

    "Ehem, hey, what''s on the other side?"

    With a hint of whimsy, she imagined the gate leading to a world straight from the pages of her favorite novels. What if it were a place where her beloved characters resided? Would she have the chance to build a lovey-dovey relationship with them, to bind their destinies together?

    But the response from the Haken was unexpected, suddenly breaking her train of thought and shattering any imaginative images she had been envisioning in her mind.

    "[My home.]"

    WHAT?! The fantastical worlds she had imagined moment ago, led to Haken''s world, and that was low-key disappointed.

    "...like, does that mean I''ll get to meet your co-Hakens or something? Sounds cool, hihi..."

    The Haken''s response left her perplexed. "[No.]" And left her with more questions than answers.

    Ever since the warning appeared, the word "Presence" had stayed in her mind. So, she asked about and found out that it was the essence of the issue. The Haken required one''s presence to sustain itself. Then, as if to make things even weirder, a progress bar appeared in the air beside the creature that resembling a battery indicator with labeled levels.

    "[This is my Presence Bar, which must be filled. And the level that poses the greatest threat to my existence, measured by the number of attempts made on my life, is marked in red.]"

    Come to think of it, it was similar to the Android phone battery bar, the red level indicated that the battery was running critically low and needed to be recharged soon to avoid shutting down due to lack of power. Was this creature some kind of technological device? The Haken looked at Ella, but its eyes, each blink seemed like a struggle, as if battling against an invisible force pulling them shut.

    "[Your presence alone has the power to fill this very bar,]" it explained with a strain voice. "[However, the process is not simply one of mere addition, but a delicate and complex balance that must be maintained. Only when your presence resides in my world can this bar be truly filled.]"

    Her thoughts grew increasingly complex. At the same time, she doubted something. "You''re seriously going to eat me until I''m gone, huh?" She began to feel sore, as she considered the possibility that if while she was in the creature''s world, her body might gradually transform into particles and scatter into thin air, becoming an energy that could potentially fill the creature''s presence bar. "You need my presence... and --"

    But before she could complete her sentence, the Haken cut her word and spoke with its all might to clear the misunderstanding.

    "[ Mortal, the contract has the essence at the end of it is to fulfill a wish. The contract is inviolable. How do you intend to make your wish and receive it if you no longer exist?]"

    And as the conversation continued, the atmosphere grew tense, and the room overflowed with foreboding warnings. Suddenly, the Haken started to convulse and expel golden liquid, a viscous substance that seemed to flow out of it involuntarily.

    "You''re not okay," Ella hesitantly reached out and scooped up the struggling creature in her palm. It was alarming to see its breathing weaken and its skin slowly darkening.

    "[Please, just a single drop of your blood on the contract parchment is all I need, then proceed through the gate.]"

    The idea of binding herself to this creature, of stepping through that gate into who knows what, weighed heavily on her mind. She still unsure whether to sign the contract.

    "How about you?"

    "[I shall be fine as long as your presence resides within my realm.]"

    A faint smile formed on Haken''s withered face. She studied the creature closely. It was now becoming progressively worsen. Each breath coming slower, shallower. Then, the sight triggered memory, unbidden and painful¡ªher friend, lying helpless, as she watched, unable to do anything. The image of their face, the finality of that moment. Her heart clenched, and she found her other hand quilling into a tight fist.

    With a gentle touch, Ella lowered the Haken from her hand. She couldn¡¯t watch another life fade in front of her, not again. The decision made in that right away. Without another word, she reached for the magical paper and allowed a small drop of her blood. As the blood made contact, the paper began to glow blindingly. After the agreement was officially confirmed, she approached the gate. But a sudden thought halted her steps.

    "Can I bring Michiko?"

    Her cat was nestling against the ailing Haken.

    "[This being is not worthy.]"

    "But he''ll be left behind..."

    Michiko then meowed at her as if to say that it was okay to be left by his owner. After all, this was something he had grown accustomed to when she everytime would return home late from her part-time job and school.

    "[ Your pet shall be fine and well.]"

    Seeing how focused Michiko was on the Haken, Ella felt a bit guilty. But she still trusted that her cat would be alright with the Haken. Hopefully, at least. She won''t be gone too long anyway.

    Since the world in the other side was still mysterious to her, there was one more thing she needed to know first before to take a step. "Hey, Haken, like, am I going to be alright in your world, right? I just wanna make sure I''m not gonna, um, get totally screwed or anything."

    The Haken, though weakened, didn''t meet her gaze. But still, its response was clear. "[Yes.]"

    Taking a deep breath, Ella made her decision. "So, please take care of my cat." With those words, she stepped forward into the gate, resolute in her choice. As she moved forward, the Haken offered one final piece of advice. "[Don''t...die there...]"

 04: Responsibility

    --Responsibility--

    The Citadel of Draxurio

    The King of Draxurio stood at the edge of a pond that surrounded by transparent crystal rocks. In the center, the seed floated steadily, small yet impossibly radiant with its five golden leaves gleamed with a light of its own that reflecting on the water below. He watched the most precious treasure of their family which it also remained to remind him to his unwanted responsibility.

    This wasn''t how it was. He was never meant to sit on the throne. It was his grandfather, a man known more for his iron fist than his wisdom, who made that decision on his deathbed. The former king, a tyrant in every sense, ruled the kingdom of Draxurio for over six decades with firm hand that silencing dissent and brokering fear. On his deathbed, with eyes as cold as the winter that grasped the northern lands, King Edmond pointed a withered finger at his grandson, Adheesh, commanding him to be king. His last words were not of love or guidance, but a strict order.

    ¡°K-Keep...the seed...safe.¡±

    The young boy, didn''t fully understand the weight of those words, was definitely not prepared to rule. The seed¡ªwhat was it? A relic? A symbol? He was left with a lot of questions, and though decades have passed, those questions remain. Now, as an old man, the mysteries of the seed still confuse him. What was it about that seed that held such importance? What was the matter with it, that even a tyrant obsessed over its safety?

    He remembered the first time he laid eyes on it. It was just after his grandfather¡¯s death, on the day of his ascension. While others enjoyed in the ceremony for the new king, his thoughts were not in the celebration but drawn to the secret sanctum his grandfather had guarded by. A place restricted to all but the old king, and now to him. The moment the crown touched his head, the sanctum became his obsession. He didn''t stayed in the halls of celebration, nor did he bask in the glory of his newfound power. Instead, he slipped away, driven by a compulsion he couldn''t name.

    When he finally entered the sanctum, there, in the center of the room, surrounded by crystal rocks, he saw it¡ªa seed, floating impossibly in midair. He was astonished by it. It was magical. How else could a mere seed defy gravity, glowing with a gilded light? It was unlike anything he had ever seen, and in that moment, he understood why his grandfather had kept this place so fiercely guarded. But even with all its wonder, the seed made him uneasy. It was a burden passed down to him, one he didn¡¯t fully understand.

    Now, after all these years, he stood there, still staring at that seed, no closer to understanding its true nature. He had ruled with the wisdom age had granted him, far removed from the cruelty of his grandfather, yet the seed remained a riddle.

    The door of the sanctum made a noise, opened, and an old man as aged as the king himself, entered. He carried a leather bag and had a circular glass perched over one eye, the kind used by scholars and those who studied ancient texts. As he stepped forward, he bowed respectfully and addressed the king.

    ¡°Your Majesty, King Adheesh.¡±

    The old man was Clement¨¦, the king¡¯s old friend and former tutor. He had just arrived in the capital from Dravana. The king had heard of Clement¨¦¡¯s return through the Duke, who had been his student many years ago, just like the Duke¡¯s son now was. King Adheesh had sent an order to bring Clement¨¦ to the palace immediately. There was something more important than a reunion that something that couldn¡¯t wait until after the parade for the harvest festival in Draxuropolis.

    Clement¨¦ was well aware of the seed in the palace too, having spent many years trying to study its nature. Today, he wasn¡¯t alone; the king had invited also a cleric, Rufus. "Your Royal Highness."

    The purpose of this small meeting was clear. King Adheesh had summoned the two men who, alongside him, were among the few who knew of the seed¡¯s existence. Even the temple, with all its mysteries, knew of the seed. The king needed to inform them of something strange he had noticed¡ªa dark spot on one of the seed¡¯s leaves, something that had not been there before.

    Rufus, the cleric, was the first to act. Before he approached the seed, he paused and bowed his head in prayer. It was his tradition, one deeply rooted in the beliefs of the temple. To Rufus and the temple, the seed was a divine gift from the gods and goddesses, a sacred connector between mortal and immortal beings. His prayer was short, but sincere, a plea for guidance and understanding as he prepared to observe the seed.

    After his prayer, cleric carefully stepped into the pond, moving toward the seed that floated at its center. The water rippled around his legs as he moved, each step slow and measured, as though the pond held secrets he might disturb. His cassock soaked up the water. His usually holy attire was now heavy and drenched, the fabric dragging with each motion as he moved closer to it. His movements were careful that filled with great respect for what he believed was a holy relic. To him, the seed was more than just a plant¡ªit was a living link to the divine, a reminder that the gods, though silent for millennia, had once walked among them.

    The king watched but his thoughts were different from the cleric¡¯s devotion. He didn¡¯t share Rufus¡¯beliefs, nor did he put much stock in the tales of gods and magic. Because for him, the seed was the only piece of the past that held any truth. The legends said that gods and magic were real, but they had vanished after the death of the first ruler of the kingdom and left behind only stories. The king had always been doubtful, believing in what he could see and touch¡ªexcept for the seed. That was the one thing he could never fully understand, and now, with this new dark mark appearing on its leaf, he feared it might be the beginning of something even more mysterious.

    Clement¨¦ joined Rufus. He adjusted his glass and leaned closer to the floating seed. His keen eyes narrowed as he observed something look terrible.

    ¡°Your Majesty, I must bring something to your attention,¡± he said. ¡°one of the seed¡¯s leaves has begun to petrify.¡±

    He pointed to a single golden leaf, its edges had an unnatural gray, a stark contrast to other leaves. After a long moment of inspection, he straightened, his movements careful to avoid disturbing the balance of the water around him. He walked after Rufus toward the King, his steps heavy, and his wet clothes slapping against his legs. And when he finally rose, water streaming from his soaked garments.

    This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.

    "The seed is dying¡­."

    Rufus lifted his head to see azure sky above through the glass roof of the sanctum. "This is no ordinary change. It is a sign. Great gods and goddesses, if this seed is truly your gift to us, grant us the wisdom to understand this sign and protect what remains of your blessing.¡±

    The King glanced skeptically at the cleric. Rufus always speak of gods and their blessings. But what if this was not a sign from them?

    ¡°Your Majesty, I cannot help but feel that the changes in the seed are a divine message. The gods and goddesses have always communicated through signs and symbols, and this seed is their way of speaking to us now. The petrification of the leaf¡ªit¡¯s a warning. Perhaps we have drifted too far from their teachings, and they are calling us back.¡±

    King Adheesh stepped backward from the side of the pond and turned around to face Rufus. ¡°You¡¯ve always spoken with such conviction about the gods, Rufus. But what if this is just a natural occurrence? After all, the world is full of mysteries that we¡¯ve yet to understand. Why must everything be tied to the divine?¡±

    ¡°Your Majesty, the gods are in everything. The sun that rises each day, the rain that falls, even the seed that floats in this sanctum¡ªall are manifestations of their will. We are but mortals, and our understanding is limited. The petrification may seem like a mere natural phenomenon, but it could be a call for us to return to our faith, to seek their guidance more fervently.¡±

    The kingdom faced some real threats, and the king knew them well. Drought had dried up the northern fields which leaving people desperate for food. Bandits had become bolder on attacking merchants and disrupting trade. The lords were growing uneasy, their complaints growing louder and more frequent. And the latest, the wall incident.

    ¡°And what would you have us do? Should we abandon reason in favor of rituals and prayers? The kingdom faces real, tangible threats¡ªdroughts, famine... Can we truly rely on the gods to solve these problems?¡±

    Rufus gestured widely with his right hand that letting his wide sleeve of his cassocks fly out and making him look like spreading a giant half-wing. His face was taut with conviction. ¡°We should not abandon reason, Your Majesty, but neither should we abandon faith. The gods and goddesses may not intervene directly, but they provide us with the strength and wisdom to overcome our challenges. The harvest festival is upon us, a time when we give thanks for their blessings. Perhaps, by honoring them, we can gain their favor once more.¡±

    ¡°The festival... Yes, it¡¯s a time of celebration, of giving thanks for the harvest. But it¡¯s also a time for the people to feel secure, to know that their king is taking action to protect them.¡±

    Protect the people? The thought rung in his mind, bringing with it a wave of doubt. He had been crowned king at fifteen, thrust into a role he hadn¡¯t been prepared for, and now, decades later, the weight of the crown still felt as burdensome as it had on that first day. How long could he protect them? His mind slipping to the news that had reached him only last night¡ªthe death of the sentries at the Eastern border. Their bodies, broken and lifeless, were now being mourned by their families.

    The king¡¯s gaze moved from Rufus to Clement¨¦, who had remained silent throughout the exchange. Clement¨¦¡¯s eyes were focused on the floating seed, his brow slightly furrowed as if lost in deep thought. There was something in the way Clement¨¦ stared at the seed that confused the king. It was as if the scholar wanted to share something.

    ¡°And that''s why it¡¯s important to balance both. Let the people see that their king respects the traditions and honors the gods. It will strengthen their faith and give them hope. At the same time, your actions...your leadership will show them that you are addressing the issues that threaten the kingdom," Rufus replied.

    King Adheesh listened, and for a moment, he found himself thinking that perhaps Rufus was right. There was wisdom in what the cleric said, a logic that resonated with the responsibilities of a king. What would be the purpose of calling a cleric like Rufus from the temple if he doubted everything he said about the gods and goddesses?

    Still, Adheesh¡¯s doubts were deeply rooted, born from a past that had distanced him from the religious fervor that many others held dear. He had seen too much suffering, too much loss, to place his faith in unseen deities. Perhaps it was the hardships of his youth¡ªthe constant battles for power, the loss of those he cared about¡ªthat had hardened his heart against the divine. The gods, if they existed, had seemed silent during the darkest times of his life. And so, he had learned to rely on himself, on his own strength and judgment, rather than on prayers and rituals.

    Time passed, and now they were walking down the grand hallway of the palace. The morning light passed through the tall windows. Rufus bid farewell to King Adheesh. With a respectful bow, he turned and made his way back to the temple. The king watched him go, then shifted his focus to Clement¨¦, who had been quietly following behind.

    It had been three years since their last conversation, and now Clement¨¦ had returned to the capital from Dravana. His arrival had nothing to do with the harvest festival or meeting with his former student, the Duke''s son. Instead, Clement¨¦ had come with a far more important concern: the drought in the northern regions.

    ¡°So, Clement¨¦, tell me...what have you learned about the situation in the north?¡±

    ¡°Your Majesty, the north is facing an unprecedented crisis. Last winter, the snow that usually blankets the region barely fell. There was some snowfall, but it was sparse and melted away quickly. The usual reservoirs of snow that feed the rivers and streams in the warmer months were never replenished. And now, without that water, the land has dried up. Crops are failing, and the people are struggling," Clement¨¦ said.

    The northern regions had always relied on the winter snows to sustain them through the year. Without it, they were vulnerable to drought¡ªa threat that had now become a harsh reality.

    Clement¨¦ continued. ¡°This kind of natural phenomenon is rare, but it¡¯s not unheard of. Particular areas in the north have experienced something similar in the past, though never on this scale. I came back to the capital to find a solution..."

    The drought was more than just a local issue¡ªit had the potential to destabilize the entire kingdom if left unchecked. Clement¨¦¡¯s return, though unexpected, might be the key to addressing this growing crisis.

    ¡°....and the solution I seek...may not be entirely related to natural occurrences.¡±

    King Adheesh, who had been listening, narrowed his eyes as he placed his right hand above the left hand behind. ¡°Are you saying that you, too, believe in the tales that others speak of? Like what the temple claims?¡±

    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t say that I believe in tales outright, Your Majesty. But I¡¯ve spent many nights reading and trying to understand the contents of ancient texts. The languages are difficult, the meanings often obscure, but from what I¡¯ve gathered...there is one conclusion I cannot ignore.¡±

    The king raised an eyebrow, urging him to continue.

    ¡°The seed,¡± Clement¨¦ said slowly, ¡°may be protecting the kingdom from something¡ªsomething dark."

    Just then, a servant approached them, bowing deeply before speaking. ¡°Your Majesty, the parade is ready to begin. The people are waiting for your signal.¡±

    The king looked out toward the palace gates, where the distant sound of drums and horns signaled the gathering crowds. The parade, a grand celebration of the harvest festival, would only start once the king gave his approval. King Adheesh turned to the servant.

    ¡°Inform the attendants that I will be there shortly."

    The servant bowed again and quickly departed to relay the king¡¯s message.

    The king turned back to Clement¨¦. The conversation was far from over.

    ¡°At the feast tonight, you must tell me everything you know, Clement¨¦. I need to understand what we are dealing with.¡±

    The scholar nodded respectfully.

    Tonight might bring answers or raise even more questions about the true nature of the seed. But how much did Clement¨¦ truly know?

 05: Reunion

    --Reunion--

    Draxuropolis

    Felix left the tavern with the map. Outside, the world was more alive than the Guild of Intelligence''s establishment. The sun rays peered through the colorful banderas hanging above the street. His cloak''s hem fluttered as he walked with Draxuropolian.

    The street was crowded because of the festival. Vendors lined both sides, their stalls filled with different varieties of grapes: concord, flame seedless, grenache, and chardonnay - fresh from the harvest. Buyers moved from stall to stall, inspecting and smelling the grapes before making their purchase. Some stores offered food and wine made from grapes, while others displayed fresh flowers from the garden.

    If the guild master was right, then some of these people wouldn¡¯t make it through the day. He looked the faces around him¡ªvendors selling their goods, parents watching their children play, young couples laughing as they browsed the stalls. Who among them was marked? The man haggling over a bunch of grapes? The woman arranging flowers at her stall? Or perhaps the group of youths sampling wine? Any of them could be targets, or worse, involved in the dark business.

    "Kind sir in the cloak!"

    He turned slightly and saw a young girl standing by a flower stall, her hands holding a single bloom. The flower, a bright red, stood out among the more modest offerings nearby.

    The girl stepped closer, holding the flower up to him with a hopeful smile.

    "For you, sir. A token of the harvest festival¡¯s blessings. The God of Love watches over those who carry such a flower today."

    Eyeing the child with mild interest. She couldn¡¯t have been more than eight, but there was a practiced charm in her - something in the way she pitched her voice just right, almost like a well-trained merchant.

    Before Felix could open his mouth, the girl leaned in a little closer, lowering her voice as if sharing a secret.

    "And if you¡¯ve got someone special in mind, sir, well¡­ giving them this flower today might just catch the eye of the God of Love. They say it¡¯s how the strongest bonds are made during the festival."

    The girl was playing on emotions¡ªthose of hope, affection, perhaps even unspoken love. She knew how to persuade her audience well. People at festivals were often swayed by the idea of divine favor, especially when it came to matters of the heart and luck.

    "You wouldn¡¯t want to miss out on his blessings, would you? A simple flower could make all the difference, especially today."

    She had a point¡ªmany in the crowd would be drawn in by such an offer, especially if they had someone in mind. Her pitch was flawless, designed to make him picture the person he might gift the flower to, and the potential favor that might come from it.

    He looked down at the girl as he pulled out a small coin and handed it to her, taking the flower in exchange. "For your effort," he said simply, slipping the bloom into a pocket inside his cloak.

    "Thank you, kind sir! May the God of Love bless you and the one you hold dear!"

    She gave a quick bow and turned back to her stall, ready to work her charm on the next passerby.

    Ta-rah, ta-rah, ta-rah!

    A distant sound of trumpet heard, and the crowd around him began to agitated through the crowd as people hurried to align themselves along both sides of the street. Their necks craned in eagerness to catch the first glimpse of the approaching parade.

    It was a strange feeling, standing there among the crowd. In his twenty-three years of existence, this was the first time he had ever done such a thing¡ªwaiting for a parade like an ordinary festival-goer. When he was a young boy, while others might have been excited by the prospect of such events, he had always chosen a different path. Instead of joining in the festivities, he spent his days practicing swordsmanship, building his skills under the strict guidance of his master.

    "Take the sword."

    The young Felix hesitant. "This¡­ this is real steel, Master. Shouldn''t I start with a wooden sword?"

    "A wooden sword is for children and cowards. Are you a child, or do you fear the blade?"

    "No, Master. But I¡¯ve never held a sword before. What if I¡ª"

    "What if you what? Fail? Get hurt? Do you think your enemies will hand you a wooden sword on the battlefield?"

    "But...it''s heavy."

    "Lift it!"

    He still remembered the first day of his training; the grueling hours left him with trembling limbs and a fever by nightfall. His body had been unprepared for a relentless demands, but those moments were precious.

    The thought brought a slight smile to Felix¡¯s lips, but it quickly faded as his eyes caught sight of a familiar face. He slipped out of the crowd immediately, and made his way toward a nearby building. He pushed open the door and stepped inside, removing his hood as he did so.

    Inside, there was a man standing at a counter, carefully examining a pair of eyeglasses. He approached him quietly, his steps light but purposeful. The man didn¡¯t turn around, but Felix knew his presence had been sensed.

    Instinctively, Felix''s hand moved to the hilt of his sword, and as he drew closer, he could see the man¡¯s free hand subtly moving toward on his chest. The moment Felix''s sword cleared its scabbard, the man moved with lightning speed, spinning around just enough to meet Felix¡¯s gaze while simultaneously drawing the dagger and aiming it straight at Felix¡¯s throat. At the same time, Felix¡¯s sword was aimed at the man¡¯s throat. They were locked in a sudden standoff, weapons poised to strike, neither one willing to back down.

    The man, his face calm despite the steel at his neck. "Is this your idea of a proper welcome for your master?"

    ¡°Only when I¡¯m not sure if it¡¯s really him," Felix sword steady, meeting the man¡¯s gaze with equal calmness.

    The room felt like a ticking time bomb, ready to explode anytime. The shopkeeper and staff, who had been quietly going about their business moments before, were now stunned in place. One by one, they slowly backed away, slipping out of the room or taking cover behind counters.

    Then, without a word, the weapons clashed, their blades ringing out inside the shop. The fight began, not as a life-and-death struggle, but as a form of communication¡ªa conversation of steel between student and master. Felix''s sword weaved through the air, like a skilled dance partner, effortlessly countering the man''s dagger in a harmonious display of skill. Each clash and parry revealed his mastery.

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    At one point, their battle led them onto the top of a sturdy wooden table. Felix¡¯s footwork was specific as he moved across the tabletop, while the man displayed the same effortless grace, his dagger weaving through defenses. A vase on a table nearby began to wobble precariously. In the midst of a swift strike, Felix, with quick thinking and impressive reflexes, managed to save the vase by catching it with the edge of his sword. He flicked it up and set it down on a nearby Corinthian table, all without missing a beat in the clash. The man couldn''t help but give a slight smile.

    The clash of weapons rung in the small space while the parade outside was proceeding. Felix¡¯s strikes grew more focused, more conscious, as he pushed the man back. The man countered with accurate movements even though his weapon was small, testing Felix, pushing him to his limits. They moved as one, their weapons an extension of their will, until finally, Felix found his opening.

    After a final, powerful cautious attack, Felix positioned his sword at the man¡¯s throat again, this time with an advantage. The man''s dagger had been effectively countered, leaving him immobilized as Felix¡¯s sword pressed lightly against his skin.

    The room was silent. The man slowly lowered his dagger and smiled.

    ¡°Well done,¡± he said. ¡°Young Duke.¡±

    Felix could hardly believe it¡ªClement¨¦ was here, in the capital, when he had expected him to be anywhere on the north but. He lowered his sword immediately too and replied.

    ¡°Master."

    His plan to go to Dravana was suddenly irrelevant. Felix entire reason for making that journey was to track down his master, who had seemed to be avoiding any serious talk of returning to the capital. He had intended to surprise his master there, thinking he might finally corner him for a long-overdue conversation. Yet here his master was, in front of him, without the need for any pursuit.

    So, he was serious about coming back. His master, who had always been elusive, always a step ahead, had once again turned the tables on him. Instead of Felix catching him by surprise, it was the master who had caught him unaware¡ªstanding here calmly as if he¡¯d been in the capital all along.

    Everyone in the capital knew Clement¨¦ as a professor in the academia, lecturing in history classes with a deep, authoritative knowledge of the past. But only few people knew the truth¡ªthe king and Felix among them. Clement¨¦ was not just a scholar; he was also a skilled swordsman from the north, a man who had chosen to keep his martial skills a secret. Instead of pursuing fame on the battlefield, he had decided to live the quieter life of a professor. Even Felix''s intense training sessions with him had been kept hidden, a secret not even the Duke, Felix¡¯s father, was aware of.

    "You''ve returned, Master."

    "I have. The capital¡¯s call was inevitable, and my duties have multiplied. But I wanted to purchase a pair glasses first."

    "I see the city hasn¡¯t softened you," Felix chuckled lightly.

    The apprehensive staff, who had been hidden nearby, slowly came out of their concealed locations.

    Now, outside the building, the two men stood as the festival continued. People were throwing petals of flowers onto the street, where dancers in colorful attire twirled and leaped to the beat of trumpets and drums. The loud sound of celebration all around them.

    Clement¨¦, adjusting his new eyeglasses, finally seemed satisfied with the pair he had chosen. He placed them on his face, the lenses catching the rays of the sun as he glanced over at Felix, studying him carefully from head to toe.

    ¡°The Young Duke has grown."

    It had been thirty-six long moons since master and student had seen each other, and during that time, a lot had changed. Felix had grown into a young adult. Gone was the boyishness of his youth, replaced by a leaner, more mature physique and a sharper gaze. The time they had spent apart, training had clearly done much.

    ¡°It¡¯s been a long time since you last saw your student. Time doesn¡¯t stand still, even if our training might¡¯ve made it seem that way."

    ¡°Indeed, time has its way, whether we¡¯re ready or not. But it seems the Young Duke put it to good use. Your stance, your presence¡ªthey¡¯ve changed."

    Clement¨¦, the other hand, was visibly older now, with a head full of white hair and a stoop that betrayed his age.

    "Your lessons are not so easily forgotten, Master," Felix smirked.

    His master watched the parade and turned to him. "And yet, the Dukedom will test your resolve in a way I cannot. Politics and power are more treacherous than any blade."

    Before Felix could respond, a golden carriage caught his eye, drawing his attention away from Clement¨¦. As it passed by, he stepped aside, his focus shifting completely. Inside the first carriage, he saw a lady.

    His chest tightened as he watched her, his hand instinctively clenching into a fist. The image of the young girl at the flower stall crossed in his mind. He looked down at his chest, where the bloom she had sold him rested in his cloak pocket. For a moment, he hesitated, his fingers hovering over the flower. The urge to pull it out, to offer it to someone¡ªperhaps to Princess Sierra¡ªwarred with the unsureness that troubled at him.

    Would this simple flower, bought from a child¡¯s hands, be enough to convey anything? Or would it just be lost in the grandeur of the moment, unnoticed in the shadow of royalty?

    He took a deep breath, his hand slowly dropping away from the pocket. Not now, he thought, pushing the temptation aside. Suddenly, he realized that his master was no longer beside him. He snapped out of his reverie, quickly moving his head from side to side, scanning the crowd, but Clement¨¦ was nowhere to be seen. The festival had swallowed him up.

    Just then, last royal carriage passed by, more ornate and imposing than the ones before it. It was the King''s carriage, adorned with the kingdom''s crest, and beside the King sat the Queen. The carriage was followed by a procession of Royal Knights, their armor gleaming in the sunlight. And among the knights, Felix spotted a his rival, the Captain of the Royal Knights. The man¡¯s eyes scanned the crowd, and Felix instinctively lowered his hood, not wanting to be seen. It wasn¡¯t the time for glaring exchange, and the last thing he needed was to draw attention to himself.

    With the parade moving on, Felix made a decision. He needed to find his master, to claim what Clement¨¦ promised him. He moved away and struggled to choose a path that might lead him to his master. The festival''s noise faded behind him as he entered less crowded streets. The alleys and winding roads made his search feel like a maze.

    His master had disappeared so suddenly, without a word. But Clement¨¦ was not one to vanish without reason, and Felix believed that.

    Felix walked along the cobblestone pavement. His pace quickened until a sudden collision with a figure ahead paused him.

    A man crumpled to the ground in front of him, trembling, his hands outstretched in desperate supplication.

    ¡°S-Sir, p-please, h-help me...¡± The words tumbled out between ragged breaths.

    The thin man was a pitiful sight¡ªclothed in filthy rags that barely clung to his emaciated frame, his feet bare and bloodied. A dark bruise marred his cheek, and his sunken eyes spoke of untold suffering. It was as though the world itself had beaten him down, and now, here he was, at Felix¡¯s mercy.

    Passersby looked with disapproving glances, whispering amongst themselves, but none stopped to offer help.

    ¡°T-They¡¯re coming! C-Coming for me... Help me! Sobs... m-my s-sister... Sobs, they have her.¡±

    Felix knelt calmly to face the crying man. ¡°Who is after you?¡±

    ¡°T-They¡­ they took her¡­ p-please¡­ help¡­ I¡­I¡­ they¡¯ll¡­ kill us!¡±

    "Tell me, who ---"

    The man¡¯s eyes widened, but not at Felix''s incomplete question. A thin, deadly whistling sound sliced through the air, Swoosh, almost imperceptible amid the street noise, until it found its mark.

    Thud.

    A long, thin stake embedded itself into the man¡¯s skull, the force of it snapping his head back. Felix¡¯s breath caught in his throat as the man¡¯s wide, terrified eyes locked onto his oceanic eyes.

    Blood flow beneath the man¡¯s head as he collapsed forward.

    Someone screamed until others realized it.

    Felix¡¯s eyes darted through the crowd, immediately scanning the surroundings for any sign of the attacker. Then, he caught sight of a fleeting limb, the unmistakable curve of a bow held by a figure disappearing into a side street.

    He sheathed his sword and followed the unidentified individual in the narrow street. Unfortunately, the attacker had scaped already. He lost the chance. This was no ordinary criminal¡ªwhoever that individual was, they were skilled.

    Could they be...?

    The thought made Felix¡¯s pulse quicken. If his suspicions were right, then these people could be involved in the disappearances that had plagued the kingdom.

    All while the outside world continued around. A few knights patrolling at the other edge of the alley. They were keeping a watchful eye on the parade, but only in the areas where the festival crowds gathered. If only they knew what might be happening just a few streets away... They were focused solely on maintaining order where the festivities were brightest.

    ¡°hey, hey, hey, wake up!¡±

    Paused.

    A voice from somewhere ahead. It was a woman''s voice, speaking panicky.

    "Nah, no, no..."

    Felix dashed forward, following the voice. The alley was long, extending between the walls. His pace quickened until finally, he rounded a corner and froze.

    "I need to hear it...you hearin'' me? Hey sir!"

    There, lying on the ground in a pool of blood, was the man he had been searching for.

    His master¡¯s eyes were closed, his face pale, and blood stained his clothes, spreading out from a wound he couldn¡¯t yet see.

    The woman knelt beside his master, her hands stained red.

    And just like that, he found Clement¨¦...dying.

 06: New World

    --New World--

    Draxuropolis

    Ella stepped through the gate while thinking about the Haken''s last word. What the hell was the Haken telling her ''don''t die''?

    Now, everything around her vanished, and only saw nothing but infinity of darkness between the two worlds. She gasped as her body felt a sudden freezing chill. In lasted seconds, blackness was quickly replaced by bright. A new world came to a view.

    She blinked, suddenly facing a stone wall. The whole experience felt like something out of a fever dream¡ªportals were supposed to stay in books. But now, she experienced it firsthand.

    Instantly, she explored her eyes around the surroundings, and realized she was standing in a narrow, grimy alley. The walls were crumbling, some stones barely holding on, and cracks spidered across the surface. The ground was a mess, cluttered with debris and discarded junk¡ªclearly, this forgotten corner had turned into the neighborhood¡¯s personal dump.

    "Is this really what Haken considers a world? Seriously, this place is straight-up trash!"

    She carefully picking her way through the debris.

    Every step felt like navigating a minefield, and she was simultaneously swatting at sticky webs clinging to her shirt. The air was thick with the stench of rotting waste, and she had to cover her nose just to keep from gagging. Meanwhile, swarms of flies buzzed around the trash, their annoying hum adding insult to injury. She''d stepped through a magical portal only to end up in the universe¡¯s trash heap.

    The reality of the environment hit her like a bucket of cold water¡ªnothing like the enchanted world filled with mythical creatures and twinkling lights she''d imagined. Instead, this place was dim, dreary, and depressingly mundane. The walls were draped in old, tattered clothes and thick with cobwebs that looked like they hadn¡¯t been disturbed in ages. It was clear that the sorry state of this abandoned alleyway wasn¡¯t the handiwork of some mischievous fairies, but rather human.

    She sighed and began clearing a path, sweeping away the sticky webs as she trudged along the lengthy alley. Her patience was wearing thin, but she still determined to see where this depressing corridor led. Faint noises echoed in the distance, just enough to keep her moving forward.

    "This must be my first task - clearing these damn webs. At least now, someone can walk through here without getting caught up."

    According to the Haken, as long as Ella remained in this world, it would keep on ticking. But the contract had been suspiciously vague about what services she''d be expected to provide. So why was she stuck in a place that looked like it hadn¡¯t seen a broom in decades instead of somewhere neat and fresh?

    Despite all her efforts to clear away the webs, she hadn¡¯t run into a single spider.

    Something wasn''t right. With a firm grip on the baseball bat, she swung it like she was aiming for a home run, breaking through the webs and kicking aside any debris that dared to block her path. The sticky strands clung to her shirt, but she ignored them, too focused on escaping.

    The distant sounds she¡¯d been hearing grew louder, morphing into the unmistakable yells of nearby residents. Intrigued, she quickened her pace, eager to finally reach the end of this cursed alley. But, of course, her enthusiasm was short-lived. A towering wooden barrier suddenly loomed in front of her, blocking the way like the universe¡¯s idea of a sick joke.

    She just wanted to get out but the alley seemed to be giving her the quest. It was driving her mad. Without a second thought, she swung her baseball bat at the barrier with all the pent-up frustration she could muster. The sound of splintering wood filled the air as the barrier gave way, creating a hole just big enough for her to squeeze through.

    She made it. Stepping through to the other side gave her a fleeting sense of relief¡ªuntil that relief quickly morphed into dread. Standing at the end of the alley was an immovable guardian, its presence far beyond anything she could¡¯ve imagined. And by the looks of it, this thing had been waiting for her all along.

    ***

    "If my intuition is accurate, it''s been about twenty minutes now," she stopped in her tracks and looked up at the sky, trying to gauge the time. As she trudged along, she drew lines in the sandy ground using the baseball bat that she was carrying.

    Of course, the Haken had conveniently left out the part about the monstrous arachnid now hanging from its web at the edge of the alley. Lovely, eyeing the creature warily. Its legs stretched out like rulers, its bulbous abdomen looking uncomfortably like a baby human¡¯s head, and those fangs¡ªwell, let¡¯s just say they were long enough to make her seriously rethink her life choices. And the sheer hairiness of the thing? Enough to make her skin crawl right off her bones. The spider from her worst nightmares.

    She squatted at a safe distance from the spider, trying to catch her breath and thinking back to those simpler days in her apartment. She used to be fearless when it came to spiders. In fact, she¡¯d turned dealing with them into a bizarre game, pitting them against each other in tiny arenas she made whenever boredom struck. But now? All that bravado had evaporated, leaving her with a fear she couldn''t help but feel.

    "I totally should''ve booted Haken out the moment we met," she nibbled her nail, cursing the agreement that had landed her in this mess.

    It felt like karma, coming back to bite her.

    She rubbed her temples, trying to come up with a plan, when it suddenly hit her¡ªshe hadn¡¯t even had time to brush her teeth or change out of her pajamas before stepping through that portal. All Haken¡¯s fault, she thought bitterly. Its urgent plea had eaten up all her time. But those trivial concerns quickly faded as her focus returned to the spider, perched comfortably on its web at the alley¡¯s end. It sat there, perfectly still, almost as if it were mocking her¡ªlike it knew she was running out of time.

    Hesitant but insistent on, she rose to her feet and scanned the area for anything she could use as an additional weapon. Her eyes landed on a sharp wooden stake, just the right size for her grip.

    "It''s no different from the spiders in my apartment, except now it¡¯s playing the ¡®bigger is better¡¯ card... which, honestly, I didn¡¯t sign up for!"

    Biting her lower lip as she tried to steady her nerves. It was like her old eight-legged nemeses decided to hit the gym and bulk up.

    She felt a cold sweat trickling down her forehead as she advanced toward the monstrous spider, her heart pounding like it was trying to escape her chest. With the baseball bat gripped tightly in one hand and a backup stake tucked at her waist, she took slow, measured steps, trying not to spook the creature. The spider was enormous, its hairy legs spreading across the entire path like it owned the place. One wrong move, and she knew she could be toast.

    Hold up.

    Reaching down, she picked up a fist-sized stone, testing its weight in her palm. Her eyes stayed locked on the spider as she crept closer, every muscle in her body tense, ready to bolt if needed.

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    In the face of danger, her brain kicked into high gear. She knew she had to act fast. Taking a deep breath, she hurled the stone at the web. Her goal wasn¡¯t to harm the spider¡ªshe wasn¡¯t that delusional¡ªbut to create enough of a distraction to give herself a chance to escape this nightmare.

    Thwack!

    To her immense relief, the stone struck the web, and the spider recoiled, its massive body shifting away from her. This was might actually work. Without wasting a second, she grabbed more stones and chucked them at the web, Thwack! Smack! Thwack!, each hit causing the spider to retreat further.

    She pumped her clenched fist into the air when the web finally gave out, sending the spider crashing down.

    "Take that, arachnid!"

    It wasn¡¯t a permanent solution, but it bought her the time she needed to make her escape.

    Pressing her back against the cold shabby wall, she carefully sidestepped, her breath held tight as if even a whisper could set the spider off. Their distance was barely the length of a ruler, and she could practically feel the spider¡¯s many eyes boring into her, each limb unfurling slowly, with a creepiness that sent shivers. She gulped and took another cautious step¡ªonly to slam her foot straight into a protruding rock.

    "Ouch! Damn it, my¡ªah, ah!" she yelped, hopping on one foot while clutching her injured toe. The sharp pain radiated through her, forcing her to sit down for a moment, grimacing in agony.

    As she caught her breath, she glanced back at the spider¡ªonly to find it wasn¡¯t in its spot anymore. She froze, heart pounding in her ears, her eyes darting from side to side in search of any movement. That¡¯s when she felt it¡ªa faint tickle on her back. Her head turned slowly, dread pooling in her stomach, and she caught a glimpse of something long and hairy crawling up her shoulder.

    "Accckkkk!"

    With a scream, she recoiled, her hand flying to her back, where it made contact with something soft but a bit thorny and unnervingly large.

    "G-Go awayyYyyy...no, no, ackkk! Mamaaa acckkkk!"

    Without thinking, she grabbed it, her fingers closing around what she now realized was one of the spider¡¯s legs. Instinct took over, and she hurled it away with all the strength she could call together, the leg landing with a soft thud on the ground.

    The spider¡¯s eight legs twitched wildly as it righted itself, its multiple eyes locking onto her with disturb. It was personal. The creature inched closer as if it sensed her fear. Instinctively, she pushed herself backward, her hands trembling as she tried to keep her gaze focused on the approaching arachnid. But the spider was relentless, surging towards her. A predator zeroing in on its prey.

    She reached for her baseball bat, but in her panic, it slipped from her grasp, clattering loudly against the pavement. Perfect timing, butterfingers, she mentally cursed as she frantically kicked at the spider, trying to fend it off. But her efforts were useless. The arachnid''s hairy legs crawled up her body, sending fear as she scrambled backward. Its fangs became visible closer with every passing second, its hissing filling the air with a sound that could only be described as pure nightmare fuel.

    In a desperate bid for survival, she acted purely on instinct. One hand clutched desperately at the spider¡¯s hairy legs, wrestling to keep its venomous bite at bay, while the other groped blindly for the stake she had grabbed earlier. Her heart pounded in her chest as she struggled to maintain her grip on the enraged arachnid, its weight pressing down on her like a suffocating blanket.

    The spider spat a web at her, narrowly missing her face by mere inches. As she finally managed to grasp the stake. Summoning every ounce of strength she had left, she thrust it forward with all her might, the wood piercing the spider¡¯s abdomen with a sickening crunch.

    It let out a guttural screech of agony, its lifeblood spilling onto her. She grimaced as the spider¡¯s innards oozed across her pants, staining them with vile fluids. These were her favorite pants too. She watched the spider thrash, its limbs flailing in a grotesque dance of death.

    Despite its agony, the spider continued to hiss.

    Enough was enough. With a grim resolve, she grabbed a hefty rock and brought it crashing down on the spider''s head, repetitively, until its struggles came to an end, and silence fell over the alley.

    She was breathing heavily and collapsed to the ground, shocked by the aggression she had encountered. Feeling overwhelmed by what she had just done, she experienced both relief and repulsion. And then, she stared at the lifeless creature before her. Yet, as she gazed down the length of the alley, she knew that this was just the beginning.

    ***

    With a grimace of disgust, Ella carefully removed the few clinging hairs of the spider queen from her palm. Then, she proceeded to gather up spider silk in an attempt to wipe away the remnants of the encounter from her pants. It was awful!

    She threw away the soiled silk, but the damp stain it left behind remained.

    Leaving the narrow confines of the alley, her heart lightened, and smiled like an idiot.

    "Alright, where the hell is that noise coming from now?"

    She walked and didn''t look back.

    Although she was only a few steps from the end of the alley, the area seemed strangely deserted. But curiosity, that pesky little bugger, pulled her towards a faint sound from afar. As she continued walking, she noticed the labyrinthine streets with timber-framed buildings that hung precariously over cobblestone pathways they were in on some ancient secret.

    "Um, eenie, meenie, miney, moe, catch a spider by its toe, if it scurries, let it go. Eenie, meenie, miney, moe... Alright, let''s go right!"

    Standing the crossroads, both paths seemed to call her name, each one whispering sweet nothings of potential doom or salvation. She glanced down at her palm, which had been itching like mad ever since her encounter with the spider. She scratched it absentmindedly, only to realize that the source of her discomfort might just be a few stray spider hairs sticking stubbornly to her skin.

    Naturally, she did what any self-respecting unsure person would do¡ªshe let randomness take the wheel. Sometimes, a little chaos was the key to making the right decision. With a shrug and a slightly itchy hand, she veered left.

    The voices grew louder, pulling her closer like a magnet to the sound''s core.

    "Huzzah!"

    "Hoorahhhh!"

    Right wasn¡¯t always right, and she felt pretty smug about that as she took in the scene infront of her¡ªa scene ripped straight from a historical fantasy novel. Unlike the situation of her world, where everyone was stuck like mannequins in a cosmic freeze-frame, here, people were alive, moving and yelling.

    The people dressed in what could only be described as ''ten centuries ago chic.'' Their accents were thick, like they had all just walked out of a medieval drama.

    She spotted a ladder leaning against a nearby wall. Without much thought, she scrambled up, eager to get a better view of the commotion below. As she reached the top, her eyes widened in awe. A parade? This was a first for her, especially looked like this. Squinting down at the street, and there it was¡ª she saw a carriage rolling through the crowd. But not just any carriage. This one was practically dripping with elegance. And inside? Ella''s breath caught when she saw the woman seated within. She was a vision, with golden hair that seemed to capture every ray of sunlight, turning it into a glowing halo around her head. The lady¡¯s gown was something out of a dream, deep emerald green with intricate gold patterns that sparkled with each graceful movement.

    Ella blinked, barely trusting her eyes. Another carriage, and this one looked straight out of a fairytale!

    "All hail the King and the Queen!"

    "Long live the reign of King Adheesh!"

    "Huzzah!"

    Inside, she could just make out the silhouettes¡ªa King and Queen, no less. The Queen was decked out in one of those regal outfits with a high collar and sleeves that seemed to go on forever, the kind you''d only expect to see in webtoon. She wore it with a grace that screamed, ''Admire me, peasants,'' and honestly, who wouldn¡¯t?

    The King, sporting a crown that practically glittered with authority, waved to the crowd with a smile so soft yet undeniably royal that it felt like a gentle command to be in awe. As petals showered down on the street like some magical confetti, Ella couldn¡¯t help but think she¡¯d wandered into an enchanted world. She whispered to herself, "Wow," because what else could you say?

    Then, thunderous sound of hoofbeats heard through the street, and as the riders drew closer, their gleaming silver armor caught the sunlight in a way that made her squint. Among them was a figure that clearly led the charge, radiating authority like it was his side gig.

    ¡°So, this is what they mean by a knight in shining armor, huh."

    A wry smile forming at her lips. The whole scene felt like it had been scripted for maximum drama. She half-expected him to pull off his helmet and reveal some impossibly handsome face, all chiseled jawline and heroic hair flowing in the wind. But no, he just kept riding.

    Just as Ella was getting comfortable atop the ladder, a sudden crack rang out, startling her out of her moment of amazement. Panic shot through her as she wobbled shaky, but with quick reflexes, she managed to steady herself, narrowly avoiding an embarrassing and painful tumble. With her newfound wisdom in mind, she climbed down, deciding that mingling with the crowd was a safer bet than playing human Jenga.

    By the time her feet hit the ground, the knights were already fading into the distance. Disappointed. She barely managed to catch a fleeting glimpse of their armored backs.

    She wove through the crowd of people and couldn¡¯t help but felt the uneasy sensation that she was being watched. It felt like every pair of eyes in the crowd was zeroed in on her, particularly at the bottom of her back. The whispering didn¡¯t help, either¡ªit was like being at the center of some gossip mill.

    Deciding she''d had enough of the scrutinizing stares and the suffocating blend of odors that hung heavy in the air, she quickly slipped away from the crowd. She had no intention of becoming the next topic of conversation or, worse, being trapped.

    Ella needed fresh air.

 07: Descendant

    --Descendant--

    Draxuropolis

    Clement¨¦''s gray hair whipped in the air as a powerful gust emanated from the glowing spell circle marked into the ground. His eyes narrowed, every line of the intricate symbols blazing with an unnatural light. This was beyond belief¡ªmagic was real. And this was not good. It shouldn¡¯t be happening, especially not a summoning spell.

    "Sceadows andas nihtes, hirienc me nu and secgeon to minum summan."

    He was few steps away from the spellcaster who spoke the incantation in a strange, ancient tongue. Each word was like a physical force, and Clement¨¦ could feel the power that was being invoked.

    "You must stop this now! It''s too dangerous!" he shouted.

    But the guy stood just outside the circle and didn''t even listen. He uttered those words from an ancient book held open before him. He didn''t even glance up, seemingly oblivious to the tension around them, instead concentrating on what was beginning to show up at the circle''s center.

    "Geferhe tonne ealdor of the defenedan, and brengie t¨¡ra g?sta fore of the lifl¨­can."

    The night pressed in around, the darkness barely held at bay by the circle¡¯s eerie glow and the light of two torches. They stood in the middle of weathered pillars, covered in moss and remnants of a long-ruined building.

    "Sylus!"

    Slowly, the ancient pillars and rocks around them began to lift from the ground, floating in the air as if drawn into the spell''s pull. Clement¨¦ instinctively raised his arm, shielding himself from the surging force. This spell was spiraling out of control¡ªsomething unimaginable could break free.

    "Sylus, hear me now. You tread on dangerous grounds. You must cease this reckless path you have set yourself upon!"

    His feet moving before he made the decision. He rushed towards the spellcaster, aiming the tome.

    "I have already commanded you to desist in your actions! Yet, you persist in your stubbornness!"

    Caught off guard by Clemente''s unexpected approach, the spellcaster suddenly winched and the incantation interrupted.

    "Agh! No...S-Stay bacK!"

    Sylus started to feel pain, clenching his fists, and gritting his teeth as if trying to fend off the sensation. Clement¨¦ knew the cause - breaking ten-radius rule. But he had to come closer more. Three steps. Two steps. One step. Then, he reached out the tome.

    "What are you doing, Professor?!" Sylus angrily asked while trying to bare the pain.

    "Sylus! Magic possesses great power and can bring both wonder and ruin. You know not the forces you toy with, nor the cataclysmic fate that may be unleashed by that circle."

    "I don''t care how dangerous it seems! This is the only way left!"

    He ripped the book back and shoved Clement¨¦ away from him with more strength than expected. The pain he felt slowly faded away.

    "Ugh, I said halt it now!"

    With a straight face, Sylus replied, "I''m sorry, Professor. This kid is truly desperate."

    Then, the incantation continued.

    "Nooooo!"

    Coming here had been a mistake¡ªa grave one. Clement¨¦ cursed himself for ever mentioning the book to Sylus, for not hiding it away after separating it from the sword. If only he hadn¡¯t brought it into his home, Sylus would have never known of its existence. The worst of it was that Clement¨¦ himself had foolishly suggested that magic might hold the answer to Sylus¡¯s problem. And now, he feared what that mistake might unleash.

    "T¨± ee te of the sceadu dwellest, gehirie minra beboden and foreferhe minne willan."

    The ground beneath them trembled. The words spilled from Sylus lips in an ancient language, each syllable vibrating with a power. And the spell circle pulsed brighter, the light now blinding.

    "You¡¯re tampering with forces beyond our understanding! If you open that gate, you won¡¯t be able to control what comes through!" Clement¨¦ warned.

    There was no respond. Sylus was lost, his mind consumed by the incantation that flowed from his lips like a rapid stream. The words came faster, more desperate!

    The shadows within the circle swirled, thickening with every second, their tendrils reaching out as if they could sense the desperation fueling the spell.

    "Drefe tone g?sta of the ¨¡frera and bring..."

    The phrase was old, older than the ruins themselves, a relic of past when magic had been as much a part of life as the air they breathed. It had to work¡ªthis had to be the answer. It was all he had left.

    Clement¨¦ watched in silence as Sylus¡¯s voice grew louder as he approached the final words, the climax of the spell that he hoped would bring him salvation. His entire body trembled with the effort while holding the tome.

    "...tone ?l!"

    With the last syllable, the shadows in the circle began to coalesce, taking on a more defined shape, a human form.

    Both of them held their breath as they watched the figure solidify.

    The figure became clearer, the details of a face beginning to form. And Sylus¡¯s hope flaring within him. But just as the figure seemed on the verge of becoming whole, there was a violent shudder, and in an instant, it exploded into a burst of dark smoke.

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    BOOM!

    The shadows recoiled as if in pain, retreating back into the depths of the circle, and the ground beneath them stilled. The light of the ancient lines faded into the earth as if it had never been there at all.

    ¡°It cannot be...¡± Sylus whispered, stunned.

    The spell failed him unfortunately.

    ¡°It''s over. Stop now," Clement¨¦ said.

    Sylus gritted and turned to face the man on the ground - Clement¨¦. "You don¡¯t understand!" His nails digging into his palms so they drew blood. He was truly angry. "This illness is killing me! It¡¯s eating me alive, day by day, and nothing¡ªnot the priests, not the temple¡¯s holy water¡ªnothing has even slowed it down!"

    Loss for words. Clement¨¦ had known Sylus was suffering, but hearing it laid bare like this-he could feel the despondency. The torment that clawed at the young guy''s sanity day by day.

    "But at what cost? What if the entity you seek to conjure is not as you presume? What if it is a trick, a deceitful trap that may cost you all that you possess? There must be another way, kid, a path that does not involve such dangerous enchantments."

    ¡°There is no other way!¡± Sylus shouted again. ¡°I¡¯ve searched for years, Professor! Years! And this is the only lead I have left. You promised me you¡¯d help me find a way. You gave me this chance, and now you¡¯re trying to take it away?!¡±

    Clement¨¦ stared at Sylus with pang of guild, at the blood on his hands, at the madness in his mismatched eyes. He had never seen him like this, so far gone.

    And in that moment, he knew. He had made a terrible mistake.

    ***

    After that night, a full moon had passed, and Clement¨¦ hadn''t seen Sylus again in the north. The memory of that night haunted him, yet here he stood in the Citadel of Draxurio''s secret sanctum, staring at the seed with King Adheesh and the cleric Rufus by his side.

    He overthought every possibility¡ªcould the petrification be a result of Sylus''s desperate actions? Perhaps they had awakened something supernatural that should have remained buried in the past, left as mere legends. He knew Rufus believed the seed was divine, but Clement¨¦ had read deeper into his family¡¯s legacy, the old tome passed down through generations. It was more than just a seed. And he had only shared his suspicions with Sylus¡ªthe one stubborn enough to follow through on them.

    Coming back to the capital wasn¡¯t about meeting the king or solving the northern drought problem. He had lied to the king and the Duke about that. In truth, his real reason was more baleful, he needed to confirm if the hidden vault existed. And he did.

    He saw it submerged beneath the pond in the sanctum without knowledge of the king and the cleric.

    The vault was really there. But what was in it?

    Right after the meeting, he had promised the king he would tell something he knew¡ªbut that didn¡¯t mean he would disclose the truth about the magic or the tome. His plan was simple: reveal only the vault and see what lay inside. That was all.

    "That wilful youth..."

    His eyeglass, cracked from that night¡¯s encounter in the ruin land. He wondered where Sylus had gone¡ªprobably back to the Dukedom or to the place where only Sylus was allowed to enter.

    Since, he already in the the Capital, he had plans to head there himself to meet his former student and fulfill a promise. But those plans changed the moment he bumped into Felix¡ªhis student¡ªright here in the store, and the boy had boldly greeted him with a sword to his neck.

    The fight that followed was more of a reunion, a test of skill rather than hostility. Felix had grown, his swordsmanship improve. Clement¨¦ found himself amazed by how much the young boy had developed over the years of training. The scuffle ended with mutual chuckled, but he was proud¡ªproud of the boy who now stood before him as a man.

    "Well done."

    "You''ve returned, Master."

    They left the store and stepped into the festival outside, watching the parade that moved through the streets. For Felix, this was his first time among the festival-goers¡ªsomething Clement¨¦ knew all too well, having stolen away Felix¡¯s time during these celebrations in favor of rigorous training.

    He looked around until something caught his eyes. A woman on a ladder. Her clothes unlike anything he had ever seen before. While everyone around her wore traditional garments of wool and linen, this woman¡¯s attire was strange¡ªbright, structured, and foreign.

    "Katrina..." he mumbled.

    The woman descended from the ladder and left the crowd.

    He then left Felix without a word, and followed her into the alley. His boots scuffed against the cobblestones.

    ¡°Katrina?¡± he called out, hopeful. But she hadn¡¯t even turned around. She was fast.

    He moved faster. ¡°Katrina!¡± he called again.

    It couldn''t be her... Katrina was gone.

    The woman disappeared around another corner.

    ¡°Katrina!¡±

    Just as he was about to round the corner, a figure appeared in his path. It stood still as a statue, cloaked in shadow. Clement¨¦ stopped. The figure was shrouded in black, but as he peered closer, he realized there was no face beneath the hood¡ªjust darkness.

    No¡­ not human.

    The faceless figure watched him, unmoving, but then¡ªin an instant¡ªit was in front of him, as if it had crossed the distance between them in a flash. The figure¡¯s cold grip closed around Clement¨¦¡¯s wrist, the one holding the dagger.

    "You have that Paladin''s shield¡¯s eyes," the figure hissed.

    Widened in shock as the faceless individual spoke to him ominously. ¡°What... what...what are you speaking of?¡± his voice wavered as he struggled to free his hand.

    He waved the dagger at the figure, hoping to catch it off guard, but the blade met only air. Before he could react, the figure vanished and reappeared behind him. A shove from an unseen force slammed him into the rough stone wall.

    "Argh....! W-What''s your aim...upon me...?"

    The figure approached, then a cold hand wrapped around his throat, tightening slowly.

    ¡°Where is the Skull?¡± the figure rasped, the pressure on his neck making it harder to breathe.

    And the dagger floated just inches from his abdomen.

    ¡°Where is the Skull?¡±

    His vision blurring as the force constricted his airway. The figure leaned in closer, its faceless void almost brushing against his forehead.

    "Your ancestor," the figure sneered, "the so-called Shield of Paladin¡ªhe paid a price for his arrogance. He dared to mark me, to scar my face in that cursed war three thousand years ago. Do you even know what that means, descendant? The debt has never been repaid."

    "I...I....Idon¡¯t know what you¡¯re speaking of!" he gasped.

    "Lie."

    Its anger manifesting in the way the dagger''s point dipped lower, just grazing Clement¨¦''s skin, threatening to plunge deeper. He winched.

    "You bear his blood, you have his eyes, the same eyes that witnessed my disgrace. Tell me where the Skull is, or you¡¯ll join him in death."

    The pain was sharp as the blade pressed against Clement¨¦''s abdomen, a thin line of blood beginning to seep through his robes. He felt the heat of the metal, the coldness of the figure¡¯s malevolence, and a surge of desperate energy ignited within him.

    "Y-You won''t find it!"

    The figure leaned in closer, the void where a face should have been mere inches from Clement¨¦''s. Shadows twisted where eyes might be, but only darkness stared back at him.

    ¡°You¡¯re a useless descendant,¡± the figure hissed. "Perhaps, I should find the other Shields'' bloodline instead. At least they might be worth something."

    "Ughhhhhh"

    The figure tilted its head, mocking ominous laughter escaping from the abyss where its mouth should be. "Or maybe I¡¯ll seek out the cursed prince instead,"  it sneered, delighting in Clement¨¦¡¯s bewilderment. "He must be somewhere near...I can sense the presence of his curse..."

    Cursed Prince?

    Before Clement¨¦ could process the threat, the figure¡¯s hand twisted in the air, and the floating dagger stabbed deep...so deep into his stomach. Gurgled. Pain exploded through him.

    "You must know him...do you?"

    The figure stepped back, watching with cruel satisfaction as Clement¨¦ gasped and struggled, the dagger rooted in his flesh.

    Squelch.

    "The descendant of that Paladin King, I expected them to be extinguished from this world entirely. But I sense one..."

    Then, its dismissive glance, the figure turned and continued before vanishing.

    "He will soon meet his doom, but I must compel him first to guide me to the skull."

    Swoosh.

    ¡°Sir! What the¡ªSir!¡±

    A woman voice heard.

    Clement¨¦ knees collapsed onto the ground. As he fell, his vision blurred, but he caught a glimpse of her¡ªthe woman he had mistaken for Katrina.

    ¡°B-Blood! Can you hear me? Sir!¡±

    Indeed. She was not the Katrina he had once known.

 08: Citys Escape

    --City''s Escape--

    Draxuropolis

    Ella¡¯s hand trembled. It wasn¡¯t just a little shake, like when she got nervous before speaking in front of a crowd. This was more like a full-on earthquake, and her hand was the epicenter. Blood¡ªbright red and definitely not hers¡ªcovered her fingers, staining her skin as she looked down at the old man lying on the ground. She wasn¡¯t even sure how she ended up here. She¡¯d been lost, wandering around, and somehow kept ending up in the same place. But this? Unexpected.

    "911 -" Fear roared within her. Her mind scrambled for emergency hotlines that didn¡¯t exist in this world. She took off her jacket and bundled it up, then, she pressed it over the wound.

    "Help! Anybody?!¡±

    The sullied dagger on the ground must be the thing used to the man''s abdomen. But who was the freak person did this to a poor man? She started to feel dizziness because of the never ending blood flow from the wound. She smelled it...coppery.  A-Am I doing it right? He gonna be ok...right? I don''t know...I don''t know... The thoughts noised around her head like a swarm of confused bees. She wasn¡¯t a doctor. She didn¡¯t know the first thing about treating a wound like this. What if she made it worse? Her hands were already slick with blood¡ªhis blood¡ªand she couldn¡¯t stop them from shaking.

    The crimson stains were all over her hands, and the man¡ªthis poor, collapsing soul¡ªwas far from fine. The jacket she used was already drenched in blood. She needed to bring this man to the hospital immediately.

    "Sir, just stay awake, ok?" she murmured. "I''ll call for help." She tried to rush away, but the old man, blood soaking his clothes, grabbed the edge of her shirt, stopping her to stand.

    She knelt back beside the old man, her hands trembling as they remain over his fragile form. She wasn¡¯t sure what she was supposed to do in a situation like this¡ªwas she supposed to hold his hand, say something comforting? All she could think was that he shouldn¡¯t be dying here, not like this, not in front of her.

    His eyes were glazed, lost in some other time, some other place. He was muttering something, almost too faint to hear while still holding her shirt.

    ¡°Katrina¡­¡± The name escaped his lips like a prayer.

    Who was Katrina? The name sounded like a plea, a desperate cry.

    ¡°K-Katrina? Do you want me to call her? Where''s she? Is she here?¡± she stammered. But as soon as the words left her mouth, she realized how ridiculous they sounded. She had no idea who this Katrina was, let alone where to find her.

    He opened his mouth to respond, but was overtaken by another fit of coughing. The sound was wet, rattling, like something was breaking inside him. She reached out, as if she could catch the life slipping away from him.

    ¡°I¡¯ll find her. I¡¯ll be right back, Sir,¡± she promised, though she didn¡¯t even know where to begin.

    The old man was lost in some kind of illusion. He spoke again, his voice weak, the words barely a whisper.

    ¡°Katrina¡­ f..find him¡­ destroy the Skull...Sylus¡­danger¡­¡± the man¡¯s eyes struggle to stay open, each blink was heavier. He coughed again - with blood this time.

    This wasn¡¯t the kind of thing that happened in real life-a dying man supposed asked something different to save his life. The skull?

    ¡°Who? W-What? Skull?¡± she shakily demanded. ¡°You need to stay awake, okay? Don¡¯t close your eyes!¡± She was grasping at straws, trying to keep him tied up to reality, to something she could understand. But she was way out of her depth, lost in whatever dark world the old man was trapped in.

    In a world with proper medical care, someone would already be working to save him. But here¡­ she knew deep down that he wouldn¡¯t survive without immediate aid. And in this place, there was no doctor to call, no hospital to rush him to.

    ¡°Please, stay with me!¡± she pleaded. His eyes were growing heavy, each blink became slower. She could feel his life slipping away.

    Suddenly, a voice from other edge of the alley shattered the moment. ¡°Sir! The spy is here!¡±

    The shout pierced through the air, jarring her out of her frantic thoughts. The sound of footsteps followed¡ªheavy, armored, and getting closer. Her head snapped up, and she saw them: a group of knights.

    ¡°There¡ªon the ground!¡± one of them barked.

    ¡°It¡¯s a spy¡­ indeed a spy!¡± another confirmed with conviction.

    Disbelief and fear intertwined within her.  A spy?  How could they think that? She was just trying to help! The blood on her hands, the old man¡¯s blood, now felt like a damning mark, staining her with guilt she didn¡¯t deserve.

    ¡°Wait! No, I¡¯m not¡ª¡± she started to protest, but the words died in her throat as the knights began to close in, their swords drawn.

    ¡°Run¡­ you have to¡­ run¡­¡± The old man¡¯s voice rasped beside her. He coughed violently, the sound wet and agonizing, and blood sprayed from his mouth, staining his lips and chin a dark, foreboding red.

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    ¡°No, I can¡¯t leave you! You need help¡ªyou need a hospital!¡± she said desperately.

    How could she abandon him now? He was dying, and if she ran, he¡¯d be gone before she could even think of coming back.

    For a moment, it seemed as though the old man understood, as though he had heard that word before, maybe from this Katrina he kept mentioning. But the recognition was brief, and his face contorted with pain once more.

    He tried to speak again, but his voice was now too low, too weak to be heard. His lips moved soundlessly, his message lost to the world, yet his eyes, desperate and pleading, told her everything. Stay away from the knights. Run.

    ¡°No, no, no¡­ stay awake¡­¡± she willed him to fight. ¡°Please, you need¡ª¡± But his eyes slowly closing, his breathing growing fainter. He kept whispering, urging her to run, until his voice faded to nothing. Then, with a final, shuddering breath, his eyes shut, and he went still.

    Her breath caught in her throat. The old man was gone.

    Her hands still pressing against his wound, she hesitated, her thoughts a chaotic jumble. But when she saw the knights running in her direction, swords ready, something clicked. She had to go.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­¡± she whispered, her brow furrowed with guilt as she reluctantly pulled her hands away from the wound. Blood smeared across her palms, but she forced herself to stand, knowing she couldn¡¯t stay.

    One of the knights called out, ¡°Halt!¡±

    Instinctively, she raised her hands, palms open and smeared with blood, the universal gesture of surrender. She must have looked like a criminal, caught red-handed in some heinous act.

    Thump, Thump, Thump...

    Torn between wanting to stay and the undeniable instinct to flee. She couldn¡¯t just leave him here. Every part of her screamed to fight, to resist the urge to abandon him. But they''re calling me a spy. Why are they calling me a spy?  Her thoughts twisted into knots, the old man¡¯s words conflicting with everything she knew, everything she believed was right. She had to run. Now.

    "Damn it!"

    She grabbed her baseball bat, giving off one last, pained glance at the old man. The knights were closing in, only about fifteen steps away now. Her eyes were frantically scanned her surroundings for an escape route.

    Which way?

    The pathway where the knights were charging? To the left, where a figure in a dark cloak, approaching? Or the alley to the right, barely wide enough to squeeze through?

    There was no time to think. Instinct took over. She ran toward the latter choice of course.

    The rough stone walls pressing in on either side. The walls were so close that they almost brush against her shoulders.

    The air was cooler here, and as she moved deeper into the passage, the light from behind faded quickly. Her breath came in quick, shallow gasps as she slid her feet forward, careful not to trip on the uneven ground beneath.

    After a moment, she stumbled out of the path and found herself in a street where people moving in every direction. There was a smell of food and animals, and the noise of the marketplace surrounded her. But there was no time to think. The knights were close behind.

    Her eyes scanned the street quickly. She spotted a stall piled high with baskets of grapes. Running toward it, she grabed the edge and pull hard. The baskets toppled over, grapes spilling everywhere and rolling across the ground.

    "By the gods! What madness is this?" The vendor yelled angrily.

    "Sorry!" she yelled back, not daring to stop. She glanced back and saw the knights slipping on the grapes, slowing them down.

    She pushed through the crowd, knocking people aside in her rush. A woman dropped what she was carrying, but Ella kept going. Her legs were burning, her chest tightened, but she couldn''t stop now. Up ahead, chickens flapped wildly as she knock over a crate, sending them flying. Feathers in the air as people shouted in surprise.

    Then, she heard a voice from same person again. It was the resident who accused her moment ago, running beside the knights, pointing and shouting to the crowd, "There! She¡¯s the one! Stop her!"

    More eyes turned toward her.

    As she realized the crowd was noticing her, and some might try to help the knights. She forced herself to keep running, even faster now. Her eyes locked onto a narrow pathway again between two stone buildings. It was small than the other one before, but it was her best shot. She took a sharp turn and ran into the alley.

    While running for her life, she absentmindedly scratched her palm violently. It burned and felt swollen where the spider¡¯s fur stuck earlier, but her mind was too foggy to focus on it.

    Her head felt heavier with each step, and the world started to blur. The walls seemed to close in, and her legs tremble. She stumble, catching herself against the stone. A wave of dizziness hit, making everything spin.

    Thirst gripped her throat, dry and scratchy. She swallow, but it didn''t help. Leaning against the wall, she try to catch her breath, but her body felt like it was burning up.

    She knew she needed to keep going, but her legs were weak. Pushing off the wall, she forced herself forward, even though she was barely holding on. Her hand kept scratching at the swollen skin, but all she wanted was to find a place to rest.

    "Ugh..."

    The walls, damp with condensation, glisten faintly in the feeble light. She reached out spontaneously, her fingers grazing the rough stone for balance as she kept forward. The path narrowed, and soon she was forced to shuffle sideways, the walls pressing against her chest and back. Every step felt like a battle with the very earth itself, as if it was trying to trap her.

    The darkness increased around her, swallowing the feeble light from earlier. The sound of dripping water echoed through the passage, and the musty scent of earth filled her nose. She quickened her pace. The tightness of the passage made it hard to breathe, but she focused on moving, on escaping.

    Not too long, a glint of light appeared ahead, faint but enough to ignite hope. She squeezed through the last narrow gap, the cold stone scraping her shoulders. The light brightened, and with one final push, she bursted into the open air.

    She found herself in a slim channel where the city¡¯s drainage route flowed. There was no choice but to follow it, each step an effort as she waded through shallow water. The air smelled of mildew and decay, and her breathing grew heavier, her body trembling with exhaustion. The heat in her body build, her skin clammy and slicked with sweat. The swelling in her hand throbbed with pain.

    Finally, the channel widened, and she stumbled into the open wilderness. The cool air felt like a stark difference to the fever burning inside her. Dizzy and weak, the world around her was spinning, the trees and sky blurring together. She dragged herself to the nearest grove and collapse against a tree, its rough bark digging into her back as she gasped for air. Chills ran through her fevered body, and her hand burned like fire.

    She glanced up at the sky, visible through the branches. In her dazed state, anger flares. "Damn you, Haken," she cursed. "When this is over, I¡¯ll swat you like a bug with my baseball bat. Just wait until you fill your fuckin'' battery bar, you piece of¡ª"

    Her voice trailed off as the dizziness worsened. The voices from nearby - maybe from knights were faint now. She was too weak to run, too tired to fight. Part of her wondered if she would let them find her, let them drag her back. But she knew the blood on her hands wasn''t hers to bear¡ªsomeone deserved it.

    The eyelids grew heavy. The cold ground beneath her felt distant as sleep pulled her under. And the last thing she felt was the world slipping away.

 09: A Crown Prince

    --A Crown Prince--

    The Citadel of Draxurio

    King Adheesh felt something wrong. He couldn¡¯t escape the feeling of unease that kept nibbling at him. For the fourth time, he leaned over to his royal consultant. ¡°Has the scholar arrived yet?¡±

    The consultant shook his head. ¡°Not yet, Your Majesty.¡±

    He ran a hand through his white beard in thought. His old friend was supposed to join the feast, yet there was no sign of him.

    Around him, the long oak table stretched across the hall, lined with noblemen and advisors from both the High and Low Councils. The hall was lit by chandeliers, glowing over the feast. Plates of roasted meats, fruits, and bread were spread across the table, but the king¡¯s mind was elsewhere. The feast wasn¡¯t just a celebration of the harvest festival¡ªit was also a carefully disguised political meeting. He gazed at the grape on the circular golden plate, its size reminded him of the magical seed.

    At the far end of the table, the conversation had come to a close on the matter of the north. Lord Harren of the High Council had just finished proposing a temporary solution to the drought. ¡°We should consider diverting some of the southern rivers to the north. It will take time, but the infrastructure could save them from ruin.¡±

    A few agreed, while others murmured their doubts.

    ¡°Diverting rivers? Easier said than done,¡± Lord Darnell whispered.

    ¡°And what of the south? Will they not revolt if we steal their water?¡± Lady Brielle muttered to her companion.

    "Costly, too. Who''s paying for this grand scheme?" Lord Varnen grumbled.

    The king nodded, half-listening, his fingers absentmindedly tapping the side of his goblet. It had been an hours since Clement¨¦¡¯s return, and the scholar''s unexpected absence at the feast bothered him. The drought was important, yes, but there was a deeper worry tied to Clement¨¦¡¯s research and his findings on the seed.

    ¡°Ahem, Your Majesty,¡± a member of the Low Council spoke, clearing his throat. ¡°We should also discuss..." There was a pause - too long pause.

    "Speak it, Lord Rayner," from higher council said.

    Lord Rayner was sweating profusely. And the king met his gaze. "Forgive me, Your Majesty, for my abruptness. We should discuss also the matter of appointing a crown prince.¡±

    The hall grew silent. The suggestion was abrupt, and the king¡¯s brow furrowed slightly as murmurs of concern echoed around.

    He leaned back on his chair. The question of appointing a crown prince had been looming for years, yet he found himself unable to make a decision. Prince Lionel, his eldest son with Queen Maldria, was the obvious candidate for the crown, yet something held King Adheesh back. Lionel was capable, but the king found himself hesitant, unable to commit to naming him as the heir.

    Then there was his daughter, Princess Sierra, the only child from his union with deceased Queen Aelira. Her beauty and grace admired by all. But despite her charm, Sierra had never shown much interest in political matters. She was gentle and fragile, more suited to courtly life than the harsh realities of governance. The council knew this as well, and while she was adored by the people, she was not considered for the throne. The tradition still favored a male heir.

    As the king wrestled, Lord Roderick, a respected voice in the High Council, spoke up. ¡°Your Majesty, we have yet to consider your second son, Prince Eodred.¡±

    The council members exchanged glances.

    Prince Eodred, younger and more reserved than Prince Lionel, had largely stayed out of the public eye. He had neither the commanding presence of his elder brother nor the fragile charm of Sierra. Still, there were those who thought his neutrality might make him a suitable candidate for the crown.

    Just then, the large doors to the hall creaked open, interrupting Lord Roderick¡¯s words. A palace consultant, his face pale and his movements quick, stepped inside. He bowed deeply. He felt nervous.

    ¡°Your Majesty,¡± the consultant began urgently. ¡°I bring news.¡±

    "Has the scholar finally arrived?"

    The consultant hesitated, glancing around at the council members, as if unsure whether to continue in such a public setting. His eyes held a heavy concern, and the king¡¯s instincts told him this was no ordinary message.

    ¡°Where is he?¡± the king asked firmly.

    ¡°Your Majesty,¡± the consultant stammered, ¡°the knights¡­ and the son of Duke¡­ they are here. They¡¯ve brought something¡­ something you must see immediately.¡±

    As the king listened, the consultant¡¯s urgent tone still hanging, King Adheesh narrowed his eyes. ¡°The son of the Duke?¡± he asked, glancing at Duke Alexander. ¡°It has been years since your son set foot in the capital. Does he finally intend to address the matter of¡­ Princess Sierra?¡± The king¡¯s voice held a note of tension as his thoughts briefly drifted to the unspoken expectations surrounding his daughter and the Duke¡¯s son. There had long been a notion that a union between them might solidify political ties, yet nothing had come of it.

    The hall remained quiet, and as all eyes turned to Duke Alexander. The Duke, however, remained calm. With a respectful bow of his head, he spoke in a measured tone. ¡°Your Majesty, I cannot speak for my son. Felix has always been one to follow his own path, and he has shared little with me of his intentions since his departure from the capital.¡± He met the king¡¯s eyes steadily. ¡°If his visit has other purposes, I am as unaware as you, my king.¡±

    Lords exchanged knowing glances, their whispers too low for the king to hear clearly, but their meaning unmistakable. Four years had passed since the rumors first spread ¡ª whispers of a budding romance between Princess Sierra and Felix, the Duke¡¯s son. Though there had been no confirmation, many recalled the king¡¯s bold offer at Felix¡¯s birthday celebration. The offer of his daughter¡¯s hand, which, if the rumors were to be believed, Felix had quietly rejected. Since then, Felix had not set foot in the capital.

    One councilor leaned in close to another. ¡°The young lord never returned after the princess was offered to him. Surely there¡¯s more to this.¡±

    Across the table, Lord Cain, seated among the Low Council, sipped his wine with a calm. He watched Duke Alexander closely, his lips curling into a subtle smile as he listened to the murmurs. He was a man who understood the politics of power all too well, Lord Cain could see the shifting tides. He set his goblet down softly.

    ¡°With all due respect, Your Majesty,¡± Lord Cain spoke smoothly, ¡°perhaps young lord returns with other matters on his mind. After all, much has changed in his absence.¡± His eyes glinted as they met the king¡¯s. ¡°It may be that his ambitions now extend beyond simple marital alliances.¡±

    A few council members shifted uncomfortably, while others nodded. They had all heard the latest rumors¡ªrumors that Princess Sierra and Elijah, Lord Cain¡¯s own son, had grown close during Felix¡¯s absence. Cain¡¯s smile widened just slightly, though he kept his expression otherwise unreadable, the perfect picture of a loyal councilor, even as he silently relished the pretending drama.

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    But before their conversation could wander further, the consultant took a step forward. ¡°Your Majesty, I believe this is not about that. This matter¡­ it is unexpected, and urgent.¡±

    If the Duke¡¯s son had returned, it would have made sense for him to join the feast and reintroduce himself formally, especially given the unspoken expectations of the court. The king had hoped that if the young man were finally addressing the issue of marriage, he would handle it with decorum. But the consultant¡¯s urgency suggested something far graver.

    ¡°What could be so pressing that it cannot wait until the feast concludes or at least until we are in my office?¡±

    The consultant swallowed. ¡°Your Majesty, this is¡­ not something that can wait. I ask for your forgiveness, but you must see it immediately."

    Whatever had brought the Duke¡¯s son back to the capital, it was clearly not the reunion or political discussion the king had expected. He thought. He glanced at the doors to the grand hall, considering the ongoing feast and the council members within.

    ¡°Very well,¡± the king resigned. ¡°Lead the way.¡±

    As they took a step toward the door, ready to follow the consultant, another commotion stirred at the entrance of the hall. This time, a second messenger hurried in, his face flushed with panic, and he stumbled as he rushed to bow before the king.

    ¡°Your Majesty,¡± the man gasped. ¡°Forgive the interruption, but¡­ there¡¯s urgent news from the town square.¡±

    The king, already tense from the unknown message about the Duke¡¯s son, turned to face the new arrival. ¡°Speak,¡± he commanded.

    The messenger, still catching his breath, glanced nervously at the council before blurting out the words. ¡°The town square¡­ it¡¯s on fire! A great blaze has broken out, and it¡¯s spreading quickly. We fear it will reach the marketplace if it¡¯s not contained soon.¡±

    ¡°Fire? In the heart of Draxuropolis?¡± one of the lords muttered.

    ¡°How could this happen during the festival?¡± another councilor added.

    The hall was now abuzz with voices, some rising in alarm, others whispering in frantic consultation. King Adheesh remained still. First the message about the Duke¡¯s son and now the fire.

    ¡°Enough!¡± he ordered. The council fell quiet, all eyes now on the king.

    Turning to the first consultant, who still stood beside him, the king''s eyes narrowed. ¡°This matter with the Duke¡¯s son and Clement¨¦ will have to wait,¡± he said coldly. Then, moving his gaze to the messenger, he added, ¡°Send word to the town guard. They are to do everything in their power to contain the fire.¡±

    The first consultant stepped forward cautiously. "Your Majesty, a few of the town guards are already here... with the son of the Duke."

    "What?" he asked. "The town guards are supposed to be guarding the square, especially during the festival. What are they doing here?"

    The messenger shifted uneasily, glancing nervously between the king and the consultant. ¡°Your Majesty, the fire... it¡¯s believed to have been caused by a spy¡­ a witch.¡±

    "A witch?" King Adheesh echoed, and the councils hear it. "Are we telling children¡¯s stories now? What nonsense is this? A spy? Spy of what? Another kingdom? How do we have spies within our borders during the festival?"

    The messenger, caught off guard by the king¡¯s sudden outburst, stammered, ¡°Your Majesty, I¨Cit¡¯s not just rumor. The townspeople believe it was a witch... but she could be a spy from another kingdom...they saw her..."

    ¡°A spy, or a witch?" the king growled. "You throw around these wild claims¡ªwitches don¡¯t exist, not outside of bedtime stories. Who exactly do you think is spying on us during our most public festival? And where are our guards if we¡¯re under threat?¡±

    The messenger glanced at the consultant whose eyes remained focused on the floor. The king¡¯s impatience grew.

    ¡°Answer me!¡±

    The messenger swallowed hard. ¡°Sire, the guards are... they are here, with the Duke¡¯s son. They were there when it happened.¡±

    ¡°When what happened?¡± the king pressed frustratingly. ¡°The fire, the witch, the spy¡ªwhat exactly am I supposed to believe?¡±

    The consultant stepped in, finally breaking his silence. ¡°Your Majesty, this... witch, or spy¡ªwhoever she was¡ªattacked Lord Clement¨¦.¡±

    King Adheesh¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Attacked... Clement¨¦?¡± He repeated, stunned. "This is what you meant to show me?"

    ¡°Yes, Your Majesty. I''m afraid... The scholar is no longer alive.¡±

    The king¡¯s breath caught in his throat as the room seemed to shrink around him.

    In an instant, the king brushed past them both, unwilling to wait for further explanations, leaving the council murmuring in shock. The only thing in his mind was the unexpected news tragedy of his oldest friend.

    He felt a sudden tightness on his chest as he walked down the hallway. It couldn''t be. The man who had promised to join the feast, to finally shed light on the mystery of the seed¡ªwas now gone.

    Minutes later, the king arrived in the chamber where Clement¨¦¡¯s lifeless body was laid on a stone slab. His breath hitched when his eyes landed on the scholar. His hands clenched at his sides. His old friend who had traveled far and wide for knowledge, the one he had waited for all these years, lay silent and cold.

    How could this happen?

    Everyone noticed the king''s presence. They bowed.

    Royal Captain Nikolai stood a few feet away, engaged in conversation with a town guard, their voices low. In lasted seconds, he approached the king, holding a piece of parchment. ¡°Your Majesty,¡± he said, handing over the paper. ¡°We managed to gather descriptions from the town guards. This is a sketch of the woman they believe is responsible for Lord Clement¨¦''s death.¡±

    The king took the paper and stared at the image. It was a rough sketch of a woman, her features soft and her long hair flowing down her back, and her face small.  There was nothing inherently dangerous about her appearance, but her unfamiliar features stood out¡ªshe did not seem to be from this kingdom.

    ¡°A woman?¡±

    The captain continued. ¡°Not all the guards saw the same thing, but many witnessed her running toward the outskirts after she... after Lord Clement¨¦ was attacked. It''s as if she vanished."

    Before the conversation could go further, Felix, who had been standing nearby, interrupted.  ¡°With all due respect, Captain, I don¡¯t believe this woman is responsible. I was there, and I swear to you¡ªshe didn¡¯t kill my master. She was terrified, yes, but a murderer? No.¡±

    "I understand your loyalty, but the town guards saw her with the scholar. They saw her hands stained with blood before she fled," Nikolai narrowed.

    Felix¡¯s jaw tightened, and he took a deep breath before responding. ¡°Stained with blood? That proves nothing, Captain. I saw her tending to my master with this.¡± He held up the blood-soaked cloth, his eyes locking with Nikolai¡¯s. ¡°Fear does strange things to people¡ªshe ran because she was scared.¡±

    ¡°Fear? Or guilt? But fear doesn¡¯t explain why the town guards saw her fleeing, covered in blood, with a dagger at her feet. You may have seen her aiding your master, but others saw her standing over him. Tell me, why did she run if she was innocent? We find your master dead. That¡¯s not fear, that¡¯s guilt. You¡¯re trying to defend someone who fled the scene of a murder."

    ¡°You¡¯re jumping to conclusions, Captain. If she¡¯s innocent, and you hunt her down like some criminal, you¡¯ll be condemning someone without knowing the truth. Aren¡¯t you supposed to uphold justice? She might¡¯ve been scared of being accused¡ªscared of knights like you who¡¯d rather find a scapegoat than the truth," Felix''s tone though was calm but deep down, he was reeling as he tried to convince himself not to sheath his sword.

    Nikolai narrowed, not backing down. ¡°Scapegoat? Justice is exactly what I¡¯m upholding. We have eyewitnesses, and we have a dead scholar. Innocent people don¡¯t run with blood. Your loyalty to Lord Clement¨¦ doesn¡¯t excuse blind defense of the wrong person. I¡¯m not about to let your emotions cloud the facts."

    Felix clenched the bloodied-cloth on his side, making the little blood dripped on the floor. "Facts can be misinterpreted, especially when fear is involved. If you¡¯re wrong, Captain, you¡¯ll have blood on your hands. I¡¯m not blind. I, too, saw her with my own eyes. She was trying to help him.¡±

    ¡°And yet,¡± Nikolai countered. ¡°the only evidence we have is a dead scholar, the dagger, and a woman fleeing the scene. Helping? I¡¯d say that¡¯s more than questionable.¡±

    ¡°You think catching her will bring you justice? Or are you more interested in a swift conviction?¡± Felix''s eyes flared.

    Nikolai smirked, though his eyes remained hard. ¡°Justice is about ensuring those responsible face the consequences, whether you like it or not. I''ll bring her back to the palace, and if she¡¯s innocent, she¡¯ll prove it. But if not...¡±

    The king had heard enough. ¡°Enough both of you!¡± the king commanded. Both men turned to face him as he glanced down at Clement¨¦¡¯s body.  ¡°Pay your respects to me as your king and to the dead before you tear into each other."

    Both Felix and Nikolai fell silent, bowing their heads slightly in acknowledgment.

    ¡°Whatever the truth is,¡± the king said. ¡°I want that woman found and brought to me. Alive. Now!"

    Nikolai gave a stiff nod. ¡°I will see to it, sire.¡± He stepped back from the king¡¯s presence, his posture snapping to attention as he turned toward the gathered knights. ¡°Royal Knights, prepare to ride out immediately! We have a fugitive to find.¡±

    As he walked past Felix, he mumbled just loud enough for him to hear, ¡°Murderer or not, that woman needs to be punished. One way or another, I¡¯ll have her in the palace before anyone else could do it.¡±

    Meanwhile, Felix, his jaw clenched. He looked over his shoulder as Nikolai walked away with cold confidence, the knights falling in line behind him. He remained silent, though his heart raged. His master deserved justice, but not the kind Nikolai seemed so eager to deliver.

    He needed to find that woman.

 10: Attack

    --Attack--

    Outskirts

    Ella¡¯s throat was dry, her body weak, and she could feel herself drenched in sweat. It was that feeling¡ªthe kind that sneaks up on you when you¡¯re sick, when your body feels too heavy, like it¡¯s sinking into the ground, and sweat hold onto your skin.

    Her mind revolved in a haze, and she was dully aware that she was moving, even though she hadn¡¯t opened her eyes yet. The world felt unstable beneath her, like she was being carried or dragged. She could feel her back pressed against something hard and moving, her body swaying with every bump.

    She wasn¡¯t fully awake, not yet. The light behind her eyelids told her it wasn¡¯t dark anymore, but she couldn¡¯t bring herself to open her eyes just yet. It took too much effort. The warmth of the above hit her skin, making her even more uncomfortable, and the dizziness rolled through her like waves.

    Where am I?

    Slowly, she forced her eyes open, squinting against the light. The sky greeted her first¡ªburning orange and gold, the sun sinking slowly. She blinked, her vision swimming as she tried to focus. Faces loomed over her, women and and few kids. The faces around her were haggard, hollowed by fear and exhaustion. Their clothes with dirt smeared into the fabric as if they hadn¡¯t had a chance to clean themselves in days¡ªmaybe weeks. They embraced to each other, some with tear-streaked cheeks, others with wide, haunted eyes. They looked broken.

    A murmurs reached her, soft and unintelligible at first, until she could make out bits of what they were saying.

    ¡°What kingdom do you think she¡¯s from?¡± one woman whispered.

    "Such attire is unlike any I''ve heretofore witnessed in these lands," another said, looking at the front of her shirt. They weren¡¯t markings¡ªthey were just the graphic on her favorite t-shirt, but here, it might as well have been some kind of alien symbol.

    Her body was screaming at her to stay still, but her mind wouldn¡¯t settle. She was burning up, her eyes felt raw, and her hands... Why do they feel like they¡¯re on fire?

    Suddenly, something caught her eye¡ªa woman at the corner was holding her baseball bat, examining it strangely. The woman turned it over in her hands, frowning as she tried to figure out what it was. Then, to Ella¡¯s horror, she watched the woman positioned it awkwardly between her legs, clearly confused about its purpose, as if trying to figure out whether it had some sort of... other use.

    This time not from exhaustion, she had to close her eyes again but to fight the nausea that was creeping up from the motion of wherever they were going. She swallowed hard, trying to keep herself from vomiting as everything around her spun.

    After a few moments, she forced her eyes open again, trying to sit up. The world lurched as she moved. She pressed her hand to her head, breathing heavily.

    She blinked, her eyes on the wooden floor of the cage, trying to steady herself. She took in a few slow breaths before finally looking up. Everyone was staring at her like she was something strange.

    They were all inside the cage. And Ella realized that just by now. She swallowed, trying to suppress the bile rising in her throat.

    Beside their wooden cage, she noticed another cage, this one made of iron, rusted and scratched. Whatever was inside it was¡­ furious. She could hear it thrashing, the cage rattling violently as it let out low, guttural sounds. It was big, whatever it was, slamming itself against the bars in rage. The cage shook so hard she thought it might break open, but somehow, it held firm. The men guarding it glanced at the cage nervously from time to time, though they made a point to keep their distance. They seemed to be carrying something¡ªa bundle or object¡ªwhich they slipped into a small hole in the cage. Whatever it was seemed to pacify the creature inside, though she could still hear it seething, its angry growls never quite fading.

    Her eyes drifted to the men riding alongside the cages. One of them a brute of a man with a face that made her stomach churn. His skin was leathery, thick with scars, and his nose crooked as if it had been broken too many times to count. His mouth twisted into a cruel sneer, revealing yellowed teeth. He was riding a brown horse, his posture lazy, as if this whole thing was routine for him. He barked at the other man beside him, who was also on horseback. This one was just as grotesque¡ªhis face was marred by a massive X-shaped scar, his eyes cold and empty. A bow hung over his back, swaying as his horse moved.

    "SILENCE that infernal noise," the first man growled gravelly. His companion grunted in response, moving toward the iron cage with a huff.

    The cage she was in wasn¡¯t the only one. As she glanced down the line, she saw at least three more cages, all of them with people inside¡ªwomen, all looking just as terrified as the ones around her.

    The sky, now a deepening orange, was slowly fading into twilight. Branches from the thickening forest began to block out what little sunlight remained, and soon the men riding with them lit torches.

    It didn¡¯t seem like they had any intention of stopping. The journey felt endless, and the forest loomed around them like a suffocating, blackened shroud.

    Her head swam, her body feverish and weak, but what caught her attention next made her blood run cold. Some of the men were talking.

    One of the riders laughed, his eyes looked on the cages. ¡°Look at ¡®em. Plenty of fine choices tonight, eh? That one there, with the brown hair¡­ she¡¯ll fetch a good price.¡± He grinned.

    Fucking perverted men...

    Another man, closer now, urged his horse forward and leaned down, running his thumb along the lips of one of the women in the cage next to Ella¡¯s. The woman flinched, recoiling in disgust, but didn¡¯t dare move away.

    ¡°Oi, stop it,¡± a gruff voice called from the front of the convoy. The man¡¯s name was Vargo, from what she could hear. He didn¡¯t sound like he had any noble intentions, though. ¡°Unless you¡¯ve got enough coin to buy one of ¡®em for your chambers, hands off.¡± The other men laughed crudely at that with perverted intent. The men kept laughing, the dark humor only growing worse as they talked about buying women like they were livestock, about what they¡¯d do with them once they had the coin.

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    I¡¯m one of them. She was being abducted, just like the others. I¡¯m going to be sold. Her head spinning. Her hands clenched into weak fists, and she cursed inwardly, unable to voice her disgust.

    But it was. She was just another body to them. Another price tag.

    The nausea returned, stronger this time, and before she could stop it, she leaned over and vomited. Just dry heaving and the bitter taste of bile.

    Her co-abductees was looking at her but she didn''t mind them. She used at this everytime during her school travel trips. No difference. Disgust.

    When it passed, she wiped her mouth with the back of her hand and realized no more blood stained. Her chest clenched all of sudden as she remember that old man. Sighed. She forced herself to sit back up. Then, she extended her hand toward the woman who had been holding her baseball bat. She couldn''t bear to see it in someone''s else''s hands any longer so she finally opened her mouth.

    ¡°Give it back¡­ the bat¡­ it¡¯s mine," she said hoarsely. The woman, startled by her tone, handed back the baseball bat without a word. "Don''t get any wrong idea..." she adjusted her position, groaning slightly because of her weakened state and continued. "this thing...is a weapon."

    Then, an angelic voice from someone here in the cage reached her ear. ¡°Where are you from?¡± At first, she didn¡¯t realize the words were directed at her.

    While she felt the world was spinning, she lifted her head slightly, squinting through the dark. It was too dark to make out the woman¡¯s face clearly.

    ¡°You must be today¡¯s victim,¡± the woman said, the tone almost resigned, like she had seen this too many times before.

    There was no reply but the woman didn¡¯t seem to mind Ella''s silent. She continued. ¡°Everyone else in this cage¡­ except you¡­ we were all taken two weeks ago by those vile men. They¡¯ve been moving us from place to place, never staying long. They¡¯re waiting to reach the final destination. That¡¯s where our value will be determined. Where we¡¯ll be sold.¡±

    This was real. They were being trafficked. And Ella was unlucky one among them too.

    ¡°They¡¯ll appraise us, you see,¡± she said, almost as if it were routine. ¡°Each of us will have a price, depending on how much we¡¯re worth to them.¡±

    ¡°What is she talking about, sister?¡± a young girl spoke as she heard what the woman said.

    That sister embraced her innocent younger sister without answering. But Ella spoke instead, "They...they want to use us to make dough. It''s all about getting that money."

    Silent.

    Anyway...

    Just as she was starting to vomit again, a strange sound came from the surrounding forest. It grew louder¡ªa series of guttural sounds with much grunting and whimpering noises.

    People panicked as they hear approaching sinister noises around.

    "I''m scared, sister."

    "W-What is that?"

    While some people staring blankly.

    "Monsters..." someone mumbled whose eyes fixed on something not yet visible from darkness.

    For a moment, a hunched figures moving in the shadows, and as the creatures drew closer, she finally saw them in the torchlight. They were short, no taller than a child, with sickly green skin, elongated ears, and sharp, jagged teeth protruding from grinning mouths.

    Are those...?

    Their eyes gleamed with malice, and each one carried a makeshift weapon¡ªcrudely fashioned daggers, rusty swords, and a few primitive clubs. Their skin glistened with a greasy sheen, and their tattered clothes were a mix of scavenged rags and crude leather armor. Their movements were jittery, as if they were both excited and nervous at the same time.

    It was exactly like something out of the fantasy novels she used to binge-read.

    "Damn it... goblins?"

    The goblins¡¯ eyes darted to the cages, and Ella felt her pulse quicken. One of the creatures licked its lips, eyeing the women like they were part of some twisted treasure hoard. They hissed in their guttural language, one of them laughing and pointing toward the cages.

    She had read about goblins a hundred times, but seeing them in real life, here, in the middle of a dark forest? That was something else completely.

    ¡°Oi! What are those little demons?¡± one of the men shouted, standing up on his horse and drawing his sword.

    ¡°T-They look like they crawled out of the pits of hell,¡± another man spat, unsheathing his own blade.

    The goblins advanced. One of them, braver than the rest, reached through the bars of the cage where Ella was, its grubby little hands grasping at the air, trying to grab the young girl huddled in the corner. The kid whimpered, backing away as far as they could, but the cage left little room to escape.

    "Ack!"

    Meanwhile, Ella, forcing herself to move despite the dizziness. Her muscles screamed in protest, but she lifted her bat, poking the goblin square in the chest. "Back off, ugly!"

    The goblin screeched in surprise, stumbling back and hissing at her like an angry cat. And the men charged forward, swords drawn. The goblins shrieked, scattering in all directions. One of the goblins managed to stab at a guard¡¯s leg, but was quickly skewered by another man¡¯s sword. The battle was brief but violent, with the goblins scrambling to fight back, only to be cut down by the well-armed men.

    One of the perverted men from earlier, a goblin leaping onto his back with a screech. The man let out a high-pitched scream¡ªfar too shrill for someone who had acted so tough moments ago¡ªflailing wildly as the creature clawed at him.

    "Aargh, get them off me! Help me, I beg you! These wicked demons are attacking me from behind, and I''m in dire need of your aid!" he shrieked, stumbling as the goblin bit into his shoulder.

    Another man rushed to help, using his torch to swat at the creature. The flames licked at the goblin¡¯s skin, and with a piercing screech, it fell off the man, rolling on the ground in an attempt to put out the fire. Ella winced as the goblin¡¯s skin sizzled, but she couldn¡¯t look away.

    This¡­ this is insane.

    She looked around, her eyes finding the man with the X-shaped scar on his face. He had his bow in hand, already nocking an arrow as if this was just another day in the woods for him. His eyes focused, calm in the chaos, as he took aim. Then, with a practiced smoothness, he let the arrow fly.

    Swoosh

    Thud

    It struck one of the goblins square in the chest. He didn¡¯t even pause before drawing another arrow, letting it loose just as another goblin tried to jump at him. The second arrow found its mark too, right between the goblin¡¯s eyes.

    But even with the archer picking them off, the goblins weren¡¯t giving up. They kept coming. Some of the men were holding their own, but others weren¡¯t so lucky. Ella watched as another man stumbled, his sword slipping from his hands as a goblin slashed at his leg. He fell to the ground, screaming as the goblin pounced on him.

    Her stomach twisted. The world around her spun, and she swallowed hard, trying to keep herself from throwing up.

    The battle continued around them, but after what felt like an infinity, the goblins finally started to retreat. The remaining men, panting and bloodied, stood tall, watching as the creatures slunk back into the forest, their glowing eyes disappearing into the night.

    One of the men picked up a dead goblin by the leg, holding it up like it was some disgusting trophy. ¡°What in the seven hells are these things doing here?¡±

    "By the gods, I have never beheld such a creature so close to our secret route before. What manner of beast is this, I wonder, and how such a monstrosity came to be in these parts?" another man said, wiping his sword clean. ¡°Filthy little vermin.¡±

    Vargo, the leader of the group, grunted. "But it matters not, for it lies slain at our feet and we still draw breath. We shall not tarry here a moment longer - we must press onward, and not halt until we are firmly out of this forest."

    The men mounted their horses, lighting fresh torches to replace the ones that had burned out in the chaos. And those abductees inside the cage were stunned and their fear increasingly more. While, Ella, still looking where the goblins went away, slumped back against the bars of the cage. Speechless.

    Then, the cages continued to move.

 11: Value

    --Value--

    Outskirts

    Ella could barely focus, her body weak from hunger. She hadn¡¯t eaten in what felt like days. If felt like her muscle cells inside the stomach could start to produce acidic juices.  It hurts.

    "Look at ''em waitin'' like sheep to the slaughter. Let''s get these whores ready, lads."

    "Heh, ¡®fore the sun sets, they¡¯ll fetch a pretty coin. Keep ''em in line, no slackin'' now!"

    There was a tunnel ahead, a gaping, dark maw of stone. The torchlight barely penetrated its depths. Four men stood guard at the entrance, swords drawn, their faces hardened like stone.

    The captives were being released from the cage one by one, only to be tied together with thick, coarse rope. The knots were tight around their wrists, forming a line of people, like some twisted human centipede.

    Clop, clop, clop!

    She was near the end of the line, her wrists burning as the rough rope bit into her skin. The tunnel ahead stretched on like an endless corridor of stone and darkness, and the thought of walking through it with these bastards pulling her along made her feel scared. What if something emerge? Goblin?

    Her head spun with dizziness, the fever making her feel like she was walking in slow motion. Every step felt so heavy. And every part of her body screamed for rest, but there was none. Her right palm was swollen, red, and pulsing with heat, like it was on fire. She clenched her teeth, trying to focus, but all she could think about was how much she needed to eat. I¡¯d kill for a cheeseburger.

    ¡°Lucky, aren¡¯t you?¡±

    The greasy leader of this whole sick operation, stepped toward her. His hand, rough and calloused, gripped her chin, forcing her to look up at him.

    Up close, he was even uglier than she¡¯d imagined. His face was pockmarked, and his breath reeked of stale ale and sweat. Worst of all were his teeth, a hideous shade of yellow that made her gag.

    ¡°If we hadn¡¯t found you so prettily resting under that tree, we¡¯d have missed out on quite the prize,¡± Vargo sneered, his foul breath hot against her face. "A woman donned in such unusual attire yet made from finer cloth, surely hail from some distant realm of nobility. I have no doubt the auction shall relish such a splendid prize. Thy worth shall be considerable and set a record-breaking price, I daresay."

    The man laughed, showing his yellow teeth infront of Ella''s face. Then, her stomach twisted, and before she could stop herself, she vomited.

    "Blarghhhh."

    Right on Vargo''s boots.

    The world seemed to stop for a moment. The man stared at his soiled boots.

    ¡°You filthy whore!¡± he snarled, his hand moving faster than she could react.

    Slap!

    The hit came hard and fast, the sting of it sharp on her already feverish skin. Her head snapped to the side, pain exploding in her cheek. For a second, her vision blurred completely, and she swayed on her feet, barely able to keep her balance.

    But even in her weakened state, she wasn¡¯t the type to let things slide. She might have been out of her element, sick, and starved, but she wasn¡¯t about to let some ugly thug treat her like this.

    "You..." she began. The man gripped her chin again, his face so close to hers now. "Eh? Dost thou speak in whispers, wench? Come hither and repeat thy words that I might glean the meaning thou seekest to hide from mine ears."

    She was well aware of her own foul odor. If it wasn''t for escaping through that drainage... Her perfume would have been remained in her shirt. But this man infront of her was underrated.

    "Art thou preparing to beg for mercy, wench? I assure thee that thou shalt soon be naught but a toy for someone else''s perverse desires. I shall make certain of it."

    ¡°Damn it, man. Have you ever heard of a breath mint?¡± she spat, wiping her mouth. ¡°You¡¯re disgusting.¡±

    Vargo¡¯s face flushed red. ¡°You little¡ª¡± His hand raised again, but this time, it wasn¡¯t just for a slap. He grabbed at her waist, fingers digging into her side, and she flinched.

    Before Vargo could do anything more, the man with the X-shaped scar stepped forward, grabbing Vargo by the wrist. The grip was firm. ¡°Leave it,¡± the man said, his voice calm but cold. ¡°We¡¯ve got to move the others to the auction. We don¡¯t have time for this.¡±

    Vargo growled, yanking his hand away, but he didn¡¯t argue. He spat at Ella¡¯s feet, his yellowed teeth bared in a sneer before turning away, barking orders to the other men.

    Sighed, her stomach still rolling with nausea. Her pride wanted her to shout something after him, to fight back.

    By the way, the man with the X-shaped scar turned to her, his eyes narrowing slightly as he glanced at her swollen hand. He reached out, and despite herself, she flinched. But his touch was surprisingly gentle as he took her injured right hand in his. His fingers brushed over the inflamed skin, and for a brief moment, he frowned, like he was seeing something he didn¡¯t expect.

    ¡°Ow,¡± she winched, watching him with a wary gaze. Their eyes met briefly, and she couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°Why are you doing this? Why are you treating innocent women like this? For money?¡±

    For a moment, it looked like the man might answer, but then, just as quickly, he looked away. Without a word, he took her left hand and tied it to her right, securing the rope around her wrists.

    The moment didn¡¯t last long. Another guard came up behind her, shoving her roughly forward. ¡°Move it!¡± he barked, pushing her into the line with the other captives.

    Her feet dragged beneath her as the group was herded toward the dark tunnel.

    "Hic¡­hic..."

    "Shut yer wailin''! Or I''ll give ye somethin'' to cry about!"

    This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.

    "Sniff...sniff..."

    "Get movin''! No one''s payin'' for slack-jawed wenches!"

    "Aye, make it quick. Buyers¡¯ll be ¡®ere soon."

    The torches on the wall barely lit the way as they moved deeper into the tunnel.

    When they reached its end, one of the men in the group pushed open the door. The captives inside were huddled together. And Ella¡¯s body felt like it was made of lead as she stood in the cold, dark room. They¡¯d been lined up against the stone wall, their wrists bound, waiting for the inevitable.

    A few women were already being taken, one by one, to the stage where the bidding took place. She could hear the distant sound of voices, of men shouting prices like they were buying cattle instead of people.

    The women beside her were crying¡ªsoft, pitiful sobs that never seemed to stop. One woman, in particular, had been weeping the entire time.

    The men guarding them were growing impatient. One of them barked at the women, ¡°Enough with the crying!¡± His voice was harsh, irritated. ¡°You¡¯ll make us more coin if you keep your mouths shut.¡±

    It was then that Ella finally saw her¡ªthe woman who had spoken to her back in the cage. The woman with the angelic voice. Now, in the torchlight, her features were fully visible. She was stunning, with freckles dotting her pale cheeks and long, thick hair that was an almost unnatural shade of red¡ªlike fire. Her face had a kind of soft beauty that made her stand out from everyone else in the room, and yet there was something tragic in her expression.

    ¡°How did you end up here?¡± she asked. A woman who looked like that¡ªbeautiful, almost serene¡ªdidn¡¯t belong in a place like this. She didn¡¯t look like the others, beaten down and terrified.

    The woman turned her head, her emerald eyes catching the faint light. She smiled softly, but it didn¡¯t reach her eyes. ¡°I wasn¡¯t abducted,¡± she said. ¡°I came here willingly.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean, willingly?¡± her brows knitting together as she asked. ¡°You want to be here? Are you trying to sell yourself or something? That¡¯s crazy.¡±

    But the woman didn¡¯t seem bothered by her reaction. She nodded. ¡°It¡¯s not so simple. I¡¯m doing this to pay off my mother''s debt...a debt so large that my family could never repay it... unless that I offered myself in her place.

    It was like something out of a twisted fairy tale. A woman like her, giving herself up like that? It wasn¡¯t human. It wasn¡¯t right.

    ¡°What kind of deal could be worth... this?¡±

    ¡°A deal to save my family,¡± she said simply. ¡°In exchange for my service, the Baron will clear my mother¡¯s debt.¡±

    This woman, standing here like she was part of some sick bargain, offering herself up like a sacrifice. In this Haken''s world, debts and bargains were made with flesh and blood, and there was no room for morals.

    For a moment, the men started moving them again, pulling the next woman in line toward the stage. One by one, they were dragged forward, their fates sealed with the sound of coins and bids.

    Then, Ella now, the man dragged her toward the entrance.

    There, the crowd was massive, and the masks made it all the worse. Hidden behind them perhaps were nobles, or merchants, or gods knew what other kinds of powerful, disgusting people. She recognized the scene from every fantasy book she''d ever read. An auction. A place where people buy and sell things¡ªor in this case, people.

    Her body felt so heavy. She had no energy left to resist.  She felt like being guided forward like some kind of puppet with no strings left. As soon as her feet touched the stage, she could go no further. She folded her legs beneath her and dropped to the floor, sitting with her back slumped against the wooden platform.

    Their eyes on her, cold and calculating, as if they were sizing her up like livestock.

    The announcer, a man with a high, theatrical voice, hesitated as he approached her. His eyes scanned her up and down, clearly unsure how to describe her. "Ah... well, uh, a curious specimen here," he stammered, scratching the back of his head. "Strange... attire. A noblewoman, perhaps? Or perhaps from a distant land?" He waved a hand over her. "A rarity, indeed. Bidders, this one will make a fine addition to... whatever you desire."

    ¡°Twenty gold pieces!¡± one of them shouted.

    ¡°Thirty-five!¡± another followed.

    "Where¡¯s she from?" someone else asked from the back, his voice gruff. ¡°What kingdom?¡±

    The announcer leaned over her, tilting his head curiously. ¡°No idea. But look at her! Surely, someone this unusual will fetch a high price! Fifty! Do I hear fifty?¡±

    The fact that people were bidding on her in higher prices. Fifty? Seventy? Hundred?

    Everything seemed distant, like she was watching it happen from outside her own body. The torchlight illuminated her, making her feel like a pitiful main character, center stage for all to see. But she couldn¡¯t lose consciousness here. She had to stay awake. I needed to wait for a while.

    She somehow managed to look up at the crowd. 3 seconds, 2 seconds, 1 second...her hazy view of the crowd caught a flash of silver.

    Finally, they''re here.

    She smirked faintly.

    "Knights! Cut down every last one of these slavers!"

    "What in the devil''s name...? Raiders! Sound the alarm!"

    "Get out of my way! I paid for her¡ªmove!"

    "Hold the line, you cowards! Fight or lose yer heads!"

    "Find that woman!"

    People screamed and scrambled to flee as the silver-armored figures advanced with their swords. The abductees cried out in confusion and fear. The men who had been guarding them drew their weapons, some charging forward to fight, while others ran, abandoning the scene.

    Ella knew they¡¯d come. Of course they would...

    "These knights! I¡¯m not dyin¡¯ fer this!"

    "Momma! Momma, where are you?!"

    "We¡¯re losin¡¯! Grab what ye can and get out!"

    Because they¡¯ve been hunting her ever since they decided she was a spy, ever since they blamed her for that old man¡¯s death.

    They wouldn¡¯t stop. Knights don¡¯t quit once they¡¯ve made up their minds. They¡¯re trained for this ¡ª to hunt, to capture, to punish. And now, thanks to whatever twisted misunderstanding they¡¯ve conjured up, she was enemy number one.

    The ground shook beneath her as people trampled past, and for a moment, she thought she was going to be left behind in the madness.

    "Over there!" a knight pointed to her direction.

    Unfortunately, she was being spotted immediately.

    Clang! Clang!

    She had only moments before they caught up to her. Her limbs felt leaden but she forced herself to stand.

    Every movement was sluggish, as if she was moving through thick mud, but she willed herself forward. There was no time for rest. She stumbled toward the back of the stage, her mind screaming to keep going.

    ¡°This way,¡± a hand of a woman grabbed her wrist. ¡°We need to get out of here.¡± A red-haired woman, pulled her.

    They ducked behind a stack of crates as a leering buyer appeared.

    ¡°Where do you think you¡¯re going my pretty whores?¡± he growled.

    Without hesitation, the red-haired woman slammed her elbow into his stomach. ¡°Get help from the knights!¡± she hissed at Ella.

    The knights? The ones who were after her? She stared at the red-haired woman, and replied. ¡°I can¡¯t.¡±

    The woman¡¯s face twisted but... ¡°Go!¡± she shouted, shoving Ella forward. Then, a knight from earlier appeared. He struck the leering buyer across the face.

    After that, he approached the red-haired woman. "You," he said. He held up a parchment, unrolling it quickly to reveal a sketch of a face. Ella¡¯s face stared back at her from the page.

    The woman glanced back at the corridor, but she said nothing. The knight took her silence as confirmation.

    ¡°That¡¯s enough,¡± he muttered under his breath. He turned on his heel and called out, ¡°Captain! She¡¯s heading for the back!¡±

    Back to fleeing feeble Ella, her feet dragged against the ground. She tried to catch her breath, her head heavy and her thoughts hazy. The voices behind her began to fade, but a new fear bite at her gut.

    The path was growing darker, the torches fewer and farther between. Despite her efforts to find safety, she found herself wandering into an unexpected area of silence, far away from the war. The noise of the raid seemed distant, like it was happening in another world. Above her, a large hole in the ceiling of the tunnel let in a soft beam of moonlight, illuminating the path just enough to guide her.

    Right in front of her was a large mud pool, the surface thick and murky. One wrong step, and she''d be knee-deep in that mess.

    But then¡ªthere it was. That feeling. The shift in the air behind her. The kind of shift that made the hair on the back of her neck stand up. She froze, her muscles tensing as instinct kicked in. Someone¡¯s there.

    She didn''t dare look back right away, instead, spoke inwardly. Do I run? Can I even run in this condition? Her eyes darted to the mud pool again. One wrong move and I¡¯m sinking.

    The presence behind her stopped. Huh? She could feel it¡ªthe someone''s gaze on her back. With shaky hands, she slowly began to turn around, her stomach doing flips. And then she saw...

    him.

    Now, she was being cornered.

 12: Reflections of Suffering

    -- Reflections of Suffering --

    Draxuropolis

    Sylus stared into the hand-held mirror, his mismatched eyes glaring back at him. His finger drummed idly against the wooden armchair, a habit he picked up whenever he was in deep thought. The crimson eye, in particular, was a reminder of what he had become¡ªan object of fear. People who caught even a glimpse of that eye were quick to turn away, as if the sight alone cursed them with some unspeakable dread.

    He hadn¡¯t always been this way. He remembered a time, not so long ago, when both his eyes were perfectly normal, matching like anyone else¡¯s. Back then, he lived a simple life, unburdened by the other people¡¯s misery. He could walk down the street without flinching, without feeling the crushing despair that now lurked around every corner. Life had been quiet, uneventful¡ªjust the way he liked it.

    Then came his seventeenth birthday. The day everything changed.

    He could still picture it vividly. He had been walking by the river when he spotted the girl, thrashing desperately in the water, her cries drowned by the current. He then jumped in without hesitation for to save her. But the moment their eyes met, something shifted inside him. It wasn¡¯t just the terror in her face¡ªit was as if her very soul had latched onto his, dragging all its pain, all its suffering, into him. Her trauma became his, her agony wound itself around his heart.

    That had been the first time. The first time he experienced someone else¡¯s suffering as if it were his own.

    At first, it was just her. He thought the sensation would fade, that he would return to normal once the shock wore off. But it didn¡¯t. The very next day, as he walked through the crowded streets, it happened again. A wave of anguish hit him out of nowhere, voices crying out in his mind, a cacophony of pain from every direction. He could feel their wounds, their traumas, their fears, all crashing into him at once. He was surrounded by invisible horrors, and there was no escape.

    He soon realized that the crimson eye was no coincidence. It had appeared that day, after he had saved the girl, and with it came the curse. The eye was a reflection of everything he now carried¡ªevery sin, every scar, every broken soul that came near him.

    ¡°How did you manage to acquire the map?¡± a voice broke the silence. Sylus didn¡¯t even have to look to know who it was. Reyr, with his ever-judging eyes, stepped through the doorway. He crossed his arms, leaning against the frame as though waiting for an explanation. "I don''t recall, not a single member of our guild has any insights regarding the routes taken by the abduction perpetrators, nor do we know the precise location of their main black market base."

    ¡°Maybe it''s a counterfeit,¡± a mutter from another one who just emerged - Khalid, as usual, quieter, but never one to let things slide. ¡°But, could it really be true that you would defraud your own cousin in such a brazen manner?¡±

    It hadn¡¯t been long since Felix had paid a visit, and while Sylus was expecting him¡ªthanks to Igner¡¯s warning¡ªhis cousin¡¯s interest had been¡­ surprising. He thought the Duke''s son had come to discuss the recent border incident, but no, his cousin¡¯s focus had been elsewhere¡ªon the abductions. And at the perfect moment too, since Sylus had something valuable to offer in exchange. The map.

    The map wasn¡¯t fake. It wasn¡¯t some hurried forgery designed to trick Felix. It was the real deal.

    ¡°Our business,¡± Sylus began, ¡°is to provide plausible information. I hate to tell you, but the map is authentic.¡±

    ¡°Is that so?¡± Reyr frowned as he thought that Sylus was still fooling around. ¡°How do you even get your hands on something like that? You¡¯re not telling us everything. Unless you¡¯ve been working with someone else behind our backs?¡±

    Sylus rolled his eyes to the accusation. ¡°I stole it,¡± he said nonchalantly, as if discussing the weather. ¡°I¡¯m not about to waste my entire life making up lies just to find the cancers of society.¡±

    ¡°You stole it? From where?¡±

    Khalid jumped in, then guessed. ¡°The black market, right? Or maybe some underground broker?¡±

    Sighed, exhaling in exaggerated boredom as Sylus looked into the small mirror, he ran a hand through his hair to fix the unruly strands with little care for their disbelief. ¡°No,¡± he replied. ¡°I stole it from the palace.¡±

    For a moment, the room went silent.

    ¡°You did what?¡± Reyr blurted.

    Khalid was similarly stunned, but it quickly gave way, then Reyr spoke again. "Sylus, you are acting erratically and recklessly! What you have done borders on insanity! Trespassing into the palace is not only foolhardy but life-threatening, and worse, you¡¯ve dragged us into this!¡±

    ¡°What were you thinking? You can¡¯t just waltz into the palace and steal a map like it¡¯s some kind of game!¡± Khalid threw his hands in the air.

    "I was yearning for a break from routine and desired some lighthearted enjoyment," Sylus gave a lazy shrug, offering an offhanded excuse.

    ¡°Enjoyment?¡± Khalid repeated. ¡°You risked your neck¡ªour necks¡ªfor enjoyment?¡±

    ¡°Relax,¡± Sylus said with teasing smile. "You tend to worry more than necessary."

    But the truth lingered beneath the surface. He hadn¡¯t exactly come by the map in the most¡­ legitimate way. Bagus¡ªQueen Maldria¡¯s older brother¡ªwas the one who had it, and Bagus, with his title and responsibilities in handling the kingdom¡¯s maps, was no ordinary man. He had access to all sorts of information, especially regarding Draxurio, where the map was centered. Being a member of the lower council granted him certain privileges. Sylus hadn¡¯t planned on stealing from him¡ªit had been pure chance. He¡¯d snuck into the palace with another goal in mind but had stumbled upon the map instead. A coincidence, but one that could¡¯ve gotten him executed if anyone had found out.

    Yet, he had been lucky. For now.

    ¡°By the gods...¡± Reyr¡¯s voice pulled him back to the present. ¡°You need to return the map, Sylus. Bring it back before it¡¯s too late.¡±

    ¡°Why would I return it?¡± Sylus said evenly. ¡°The negotiation has already been made."

    The concern was if the palace found out that the Duke''s son had that map, it won¡¯t just be Sylus in trouble. His cousin could be dragged into this too, whether Felix knew it or not. And when the palace got involved, the guild could face consequences just for being associated with him.

    ¡°Reyr¡¯s right. The palace isn¡¯t going to care about the details. They¡¯ll come down on all of us, and if the Duke''son gets caught in the crossfire, so do we. You¡¯ve made this everyone¡¯s problem," Khalid added.

    With no longer interested in his reflection, Sylus turned to face them both. For a moment, neither Reyr nor Khalid said a word, the uncomfortable sight of his crimson and bronzed eyes making them shift uneasy. Then, he smirked. "He has already put himself in danger. I just gave him something to make his plan easier.¡±

    ¡°Since when do you care about helping your cousin?" Reyr furrowed.

    That question made Sylus'' smile fading slowly. He and Felix had never been close, not even as children. They had always kept their distance, walking separate paths, neither of them particularly eager to bridge the gap between them. Sylus had his reasons, and the Duke''s son¡­ well, Felix had his own.

    ¡°I don¡¯t,¡± he replied flatly, then shifted the conversation back to the map, deciding to clarify. ¡°Besides, the map isn¡¯t even from the palace. If it were an official document, it would have the kingdom¡¯s crest, the royal stamp of authentication. It doesn¡¯t. That¡¯s how I know it doesn¡¯t belong to the palace.¡±

    This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings.

    Yes. If it had the crest, he wouldn¡¯t have taken it. That map was something else¡ªsomething Bagus probably shouldn¡¯t have had in the first place. But it wasn''t the kingdom¡¯s property.

    Reyr and Khalid exchanged looks of resignation because there was no point in continuing their argument with Sylus. His stubbornness was as impenetrable as ever, so they decided to change the conversation.

    "So," Khalid crossed his arm. ¡°Have there been any new developments or progress updates regarding the border incident?¡±

    The question made Sylus stiff slightly, a reaction too small for most to catch, but Khalid was observant. "It appears that you have information that you are withholding. Am I correct in assuming this?"

    The border incident had been bothering him, but he couldn¡¯t reveal everything. He was still unsure. Even though Reyr and Khalid were the closest he had to confidants, there were still some secrets he had to keep. Especially about what he¡¯d witnessed in the ruins. No¡ªit wasn¡¯t the right time. Not until he could locate the seed hidden somewhere in the palace.

    He had his hands on more than just a map. Ancient tome, scrap of history, vague mentions of the seed. He knew it was connected to the palace, but the key to finding it was still out of reach. The tome lacked was that one crucial detail: the key¡¯s location. He suspected it was on Clemente¡¯s estate, in the north. But returning there¡ªreturning to his so-called grandfather¡ªwasn¡¯t something Sylus was eager to do.

    The thought of Clemente made him pause. He wondered, for just a moment, what the old man was doing now. Probably tending to the animals on his farm, missing that favorite horse Sylus had taken without a word. Or maybe he was busy in his dusty library, poring over one of his ancient books. Perhaps, deep down, he was waiting for Sylus to return.

    But no. It didn¡¯t matter. Clemente had broken his promise, and Sylus wasn¡¯t even his real grandson. He had only been adopted into that life because of his mother. She was the one Clemente had taken in, not him.

    He clenched his jaw, pushing the memories aside. He couldn¡¯t afford to dwell on the past. Not with everything that ~~~

    ¡°I saw the bodies,¡± Reyr said, still frustrated. ¡°The sentries¡­ they didn¡¯t look like anything a human could have done. Their bodies were so severely desiccated that it was difficult to identify their features, as if all their life force and blood had been extracted from them. Dried up, as if life had been sucked out entirely. It was unnatural.¡±

    Sylus glanced at Reyr from the corner of his eye, sensing what his confidant was hinting at. ¡°An omen or harbinger of the kingdom¡¯s downfall,¡± Reyr added.

    "If this marks the beginning of the downfall, it is perhaps wise to consider an escape strategy. It may be prudent to seek refuge in a different kingdom before I find myself ensnared and reduced to the status of slaves," Khalid said.

    "So, you''d willingly forsake your own kin, while I remain here, battling and fighting for the sake of this land?"

    Khalid stretched out his lips and replied. "My intention is not to remain here indefinitely if things take a turn for the worse. I refuse to let myself be subjugated or held captive."

    While listening to the bickering duo, Sylus couldn''t help but wondered why he was feeling so uneasy. Something was really off.

    Reyr finally sobered, looking back at Sylus with a pointed stare. "But I would like to inquire about your knowledge of the recent border incident. I have noticed that you have been rather reticent on the subject."

    He couldn¡¯t share everything, not now. Too much was at risk. With a slight shake of his head, he redirected the conversation.

    ¡°Forget about the border for now. I need both of you to keep an eye on Bagus."

    Khalid and Reyr exchanged confused glances again.

    ¡°I¡¯m serious,¡± Sylus continued. ¡°I believe Bagus has something to do with the disappearances. If you gather any information, don¡¯t come to me. Go straight to the Duke''s son and assist him. It''s part of the negotiation after all."

    The two about to open their mouth again to protest but Sylus raised a finger to stop them and with a smile on his lips that could only be described as idiotically confident. ¡°I¡¯m currently occupied,¡± he said, rising from the chair and placing the small mirror he had been holding in its place. ¡°I''ve got a lot on my plate.¡±

    He made his way toward the door, but Reyr wasn¡¯t ready to let him off. ¡°I¡¯d rather go with you!¡± he shouted. "Despite your somewhat difficult attitude, it is still preferable to offer my assistance rather than aid your cousin. The son of a duke? He is as cold and aloof as a winter''s frost."

    But Sylus was already left the room. He had heard enough... A lot from the two, especially from Reyr''s mouth.

    "Your entreaties are likely to fall on deaf ears, Reyr. It might be best for you to remain silent already," Khalid scoff.

    ¡°Easy for you to say. You¡¯ve never faced the threat of a sword wielded by the Duke''s son. I was this close to losing my head that day.¡± He held up his fingers to demonstrate how close. "It seems that fate favored me on that day. I¡¯d rather go with someone who doesn¡¯t even know how to wield a sword than risk that again.¡±

    "Refrain from underestimating Sylus'' capabilities. Who knows, maybe he¡¯s even more¡­ than you realize.¡±

    Reyr¡¯s eyes looked on the door Sylus had walked through, a quiet sigh escaping his lips. That stubborn guy... He tilted his head toward Khalid. "What do you think he has been so occupied with lately?"

    Standing still, Khalid followed Reyr''s gaze to the door but his eyes soon dropped to the crimson line etched into the floor¡ªa mark neither of them dared to cross. He remained silent while his mind wandering to what Sylus could possibly be up to. Whatever it was, it wasn¡¯t something easily explained. The master of the guild was always a mystery.

    Meanwhile, Sylus was already far from the tavern, leaving the two men behind with all their unanswered questions. His mind preoccupied with thoughts of returning to the palace. He needed to find the seed¡ªthat seed. He had spent so long searching, and yet, with every door he opened, it seemed even further from his grasp.

    Thirteen doors. He had opened at least thirteen doors by now. His patience was getting thinner. How many more would it take until he finally found what he was looking for? The palace was vast, a maze of corridors, and each door led to nothing but frustration.

    Today had been his chance¡ªthe parade. Everyone would be distracted, the palace security thinned out. It would have been the perfect time to slip in unnoticed, to pick up his search again. But, of course, that plan had been ruined by none other than his cousin, showing up and forcing him to change course.

    Igner. He had practically begged Sylus to help Felix. Sure, he got it¡ªFelix was a big deal, and as his right hand, Igner was dragged into every political mess the Duke''s son was involved in. But honestly, to Sylus, Igner was just lazy and whiny. Always complaining about how tired he was. Well, too bad. Sylus had better things to do than play along with his cousin''s business.

    His thoughts spiraled deeper into frustration as he walked down the street. He could¡¯ve been at the palace by now. He could¡¯ve been one step closer to the seed. Maybe it was time to consider other options. He had the ancient tome, after all. There was a section on teleportation that he¡¯d skimmed through. It could help him move through the palace faster, skip all those cursed doors and get straight to where he needed to be. But teleportation was advanced magic, and learning it would take time¡ªmore time than he had.

    The ancient language itself was a puzzle, the words complicated and hard to read. He¡¯d tried to pronounce them that night in the ruins, but something had gone wrong. He probably mispronounced something, and the summoning spell had failed.

    He stopped in his tracks. If the summoning hadn¡¯t worked that night¡­ then why had he felt so uneasy about the border incident? That night, the figure he¡¯d tried to summon. It hadn¡¯t fully formed¡ªit had been incomplete. A strange, changing outline that flickered for a brief moment before¡­ boom. The spell had failed. But still, something about it bothered him.

    Then something caught his eyes - a wisp of smoke in the sky.

    His steps slowed and looked narrowly toward the source. The air thickened with a dark, cloudy effect that spiraled upward.

    ¡°Smoke¡­¡± he mumbled.

    It was unmistakable now, the smoke billowed from the direction of the central.

    The town square¡­ was on fire.

    When he got there, he witnessed the flames danced like hungry beasts. And the townsfolk stumbled around.

    ¡°Fire! Fire! The stalls are burning!¡±

    ¡°My wares¡ªoh, by the gods¡ªsave what you can! My shop will be ruined!¡±

    ¡°Someone fetch water! Quickly, before it spreads to the houses!¡±

    The scent of burning wooden stalls mixed with the panic of the people, and he stayed at the edge of the alley, hesitant to step any closer. He knew what would happen if people got within ten meters of his border.

    The curse that tied to him¡ªthe ability to feel, hear, and see the suffering of others¡ªwasn''t something he wanted to confront here, not with so many in pain.

    So, he stayed back and watched the flames devour the heart of the square.

    ¡°Where are the guards? Why aren¡¯t they helping?¡±

    He spotted that individual who was running with cloth bag away from the blaze. The festival was supposed to bring joy, yet here it was, devolving into chaos. How had it turned so quickly? Had the fire started near the lanterns?

    ¡°The wind... It¡¯s fanning the flames! We¡¯re doomed if it reaches the granary!¡± a man stumbled out of the smoke, coughing, his words barely coherent.

    But Sylus knew it didn¡¯t make sense. The lanterns weren¡¯t scheduled to be lit until nightfall. This wasn¡¯t an accident.

    Something¡ªor someone¡ªhad caused this.

    ¡°Witch!¡± someone screamed the word like a death knell.

    ¡°Witch!¡± came another shout.

    Witch? He repeated the word in his mind.

    Then, a figure cloaked emerged from the smoke.

    Curious...at the same time he felt nervous all of a sudden. He had a choice to make, but as the figure came to a view, the thing he believed was¡ª

    A flash of fire ignited in the hands.

    From the responsible one of the chaos...

 13: Incomplete

    --Incomplete--

    Soraya knelt amidst the ruins of battle. The ground soaked with the blood of soldiers, monsters, and fallen comrades, the acrid smoke of fire stinging her eyes, she knew it was over.

    The head of the dark lord, her king, was among the carnage, severed and discarded like so many others. His reign had ended. This wasn¡¯t how it was supposed to be. The taste of defeat filled her mouth as her breath came in ragged, exhausted gasps. It shouldn''t have ended like this.

    A sword pointed at her throat. It was Gerald, the paladin whose blade had already claimed countless lives in this war. Her rage, burning hotter than the fires around her, flared. She grasped for her sword and lunged at the paladin with all her fury, but her exhaustion betrayed her. Her own movement was too wild, too uncoordinated, and his sword sliced across her face¡ªan accidental strike from brow to cheek. The wound was deep, her blood pouring down her face as she winched at the pain.

    She touched her bloodied cheek, then, a voice reached her ears. Tristan. The king of the paladins approached. He saw Gerald¡¯s bloodied sword and her wounded face but offered no sympathy. She began to cry, her body trembling as she knelt before him, looking up into his unforgiving eyes.

    ¡°P-Please,¡± Soraya pleaded.

    Tristan¡¯s brow knotted as he knelt to her level. His hand reached out. He brushed the blood from her face as she cried harder. The tears mixed with the blood. He examined her with a kind of detached curiosity, but there was no pity in his eyes.

    "You''ve chosen the wrong side," Tristan said. "Justice prevails, and you¡¯ll face it now. It¡¯s time to answer for your sins, Soraya."

    Her heart sank as she thought Tristan would help her. She removed her hand to his and launched herself at him. Fury exploded, at the same time devastated. But as expected, Gerald intercepted her and pinned her down. Tristan didn¡¯t even flinch.

    A woman stepped forward, and Soraya recognized her. Becka. They had once studied magic together. But in this war, Becka stood beside Tristan, looking at her with pity. Their enemy.

    ¡°What shall we do with her?¡± Gerald asked.

    ¡°Put her in the prison,¡± Tristan said simply, turning his back on her. "That will be her fate." And with that, he walked away.

    Then, she screamed after him. ¡°You coward! Kill me! You should have killed me on the battlefield, not leave me to rot!¡± But he didn¡¯t look back.

    She was dragged away, shouting and cursing his name.

    Seasons passed. Winter¡¯s cold, spring¡¯s renewal, summer¡¯s heat, autumn¡¯s decay¡ªall of it meant nothing in the darkness of the prison. No visitors came except those who brought her food, and they never spoke a word.

    One day, she learned that Tristan had taken Becka as his wife. The great paladin king had abandoned his vow of chastity. She had heard the whispers. Her rage reignited like a dormant volcano, and she screamed through the prison walls.

    She was told of the wedding, of the celebrations, and in the prison, she howled with madness, driven insane by her isolation and the betrayal of the man she had once thought she could understand.

    More time passed. A son was born, and the kingdom celebrated. It was the perfect distraction, and the guards were careless. Soraya escaped from her cell with a burning desire for vengeance. She made her way to where Tristan¡¯s newborn son lay.

    ¡°Soraya, please¡­ don¡¯t hurt him,¡± Becka begged.

    Soraya laughed. ¡°You think I¡¯m here to talk? You stole everything from me! You, with your innocent face, spreading your legs for the paladin king, making him sin and forsake his vows!¡±

    ¡°P-Please, Soraya, have mercy. He¡¯s just a child!¡±

    Something inside her twisted as she looked at the crying baby on her arms. The boy looked so much like Tristan which made her lip quivered, and before she realized it, she had bitten down so hard on her lower lip that it bled.

    The moment shattered when Tristan bursted into the room, followed by knights. Her mind screamed for vengeance. The urge to exact her revenge was overwhelming, but her body still wouldn¡¯t obey. Her muscles refused to act. Tristan¡¯s gaze held hers, cold, as the knights moved in, surrounding her. She was paralyzed, trapped by her own weakness.

    Gerald stepped forward and pried the baby from her arms. His movements were careful, almost gentle, as if he pitied her. Pity? The thought burned her like acid, yet she could do nothing to stop him. He handed the child to Becka, who was already crying in the corner. Soraya watched, helpless, as Becka embraced her son close, her tear-streaked face pressed against the boy¡¯s tiny head.

    The knights grabbed Soraya and forcing her to her knees. The weight of their hands pressed down on her shoulders, but the true burden came from within. She was defeated again.

    She knelt there, surrounded by her enemies, her eyes lifted to the family before her. Her breath hitched as tears welled up in her eyes. She tried to blink them away, but they spilled down her cheeks, hot and bitter. Jealousy and hatred ate her.

    She hated them all.

    The villagers gathered in the square that night, stones in hand, ready to throw them at her, who was tied to a wooden pole. Ropes bound her hands, her feet, and her waist. The fire was lit beneath her feet, and the flames began to creep toward her.

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    The rocks pelted her, and the fire climbed higher, she lifted her gaze toward Tristan and Becka, standing side by side. She felt pain but she refused to scream.

    Instead, she laughed¡ªwild, deranged laughter that silenced the crowd. ¡° You think this is over??¡± she roared through the flames. ¡°You¡¯ll never know peace. Not in this life, not in any life after. I curse you! You will witness pain, suffering. It will follow you, haunt you. Every firstborn son of your bloodline will carry the weight of my curse. You will all go mad, just as I have. Until your last breath, you will suffer!¡±

    Her laughter like a dark omen. Fear gripped the hearts of all who listened, and Becka gave a nod to someone nearby.

    Then, an arrow flew through the air until it pierced to Soraya¡¯s heart.

    Her villainous laughter stopped and the fire consumed her body as she died.

    Three thousand years had passed, yet Soraya¡¯s soul found no rest. In the shadows of time, something pulled her back from the void. Her form was incomplete, her body a mere echo of what it once had been, but the curse she had unleashed so long ago had bound her to this world once more. Vengeance simmered in her every thought¡ªthis time, she would finish what she started.

    Her first return was brutal. The sentries at the border never saw her coming, and she moved like a shadow, a blur of death. Her hands, cold and hollow, took their lives before they could even scream. Yet, as their body drained, she felt nothing but the void where her face should be. The battlefield from centuries past crossed her mind¡ªher last moments of rage and defeat. Her master needed to return, and she would see it done. Nothing else mattered.

    Then, she crossed paths with him¡ªa descendant of Gerald, the very paladin who had scarred her face and dragged her to the dungeon all those years ago. Her rage ignited at the sight of him. Though her void face could not show emotion, fury burned inside her. This man was of no use to her, but revenge? That was something she could take.

    With the dagger owned by the man, she left him coughing up blood, her magic burning in her hands as he fell to the ground. But as she turned to leave, she heard something¡ªsomeone. A woman knelt beside him, whose soul wasn''t belong to this world. She was desperate, trembling, trying to save him. Soraya stayed in the shadows, eavesdropping.  A cursed prince... and the skull. The words sent a thrill through her. She had been right. The man had known something, after all.

    But this land... it was not the battlefield she had died on. The Paladin King''s descendants had built their kingdom far from those ruins, yet to her, it all felt the same. This place, too, would crumble beneath her wrath.

    She watched as the man¡¯s life slipped away, the woman looking guilty over his body. Soraya felt a shift inside her¡ªan old power slowly reawakening. With his death, a piece of her strength returned, but it was not enough. Not yet. There was a desperate hunger biting at her soul. Whoever had brought her back had done so incomplete, and she would make them pay for it. But first, she needed more power. More faces.

    With a grin that did not fully form on her void-like face, she carefully observed the woman from a distance. The woman was beautiful, a perfect disguise for Soraya¡¯s purposes. If she was to hunt the every shields'' descendants, she needed a face that would allow her to blend in, something far more human than the void she had become.

    She focused, channeling her limited power, attempting to replicate the woman¡¯s face. The magic felt sluggish, weak from the centuries of imprisonment and the incomplete resurrection. She could sense the process was imperfect even as she began. Her powers were not yet fully restored, and shape-shifting, once effortless, now required considerable effort.

    As her features changed, she realized the copied face wasn¡¯t quite right. The woman¡¯s beauty was still there, but subtle imperfections marred the transformation. The eyes were slightly too narrow, the nose a little too sharp, and the lips curled at odd angles. It was close enough, but not flawless. Soraya glanced at a nearby bucket of water. The face would pass among common folk, though those who looked closely might notice something off.

    But it didn¡¯t matter. The woman she had copied was unaware. Soraya had kept her distance. There was no need to kill or even approach the woman; Soraya¡¯s power, despite being weakened, still allowed her to observe and imitate from afar.

    It¡¯s not perfect, she touched the uneven edges of her new face,  but it will do for now.  The humans wouldn¡¯t notice the small flaws. And with this borrowed face, she could move more freely, biding her time until she regained her full strength.

    Walking among humans once again, the memories of battle were still fresh in her mind. As if the war had been fought only yesterday. She strolled through the market, running her fingers over the fruits at the stalls, smiling absently at the vendors. They, in turn, began to grow suspicious, realizing she had no intention to buy. Their anger boiled, but it was nothing compared to the fury building in her.

    With a flick of her hand, she summoned fire, setting the stall ablaze. The vendor¡¯s shock turned to panic as flames devoured his goods and wooden parts of his stall. She laughed and glanced around at the festival decorations, then, her gaze settled on unlit lanterns. With another wave of her hand, she set them all ablaze, their sudden gust of fire drawing gasps and screams from the Draxuropolians.

    The knights who moved to intervene found themselves blocked by a wall of fire she conjured between them. But her magic was still limited, her strength not yet fully restored. She could feel her powers draining with every flame she cast, and her body weakened. Yet even as her energy fluffed, she sensed it¡ªa familiar presence. One she had waited centuries to confront.

    Tristan¡¯s descendant stood at the edge of the smoke, watching her. Expecting her.

    He looked so much like Tristan¡ªhandsome. His bloodline had not weakened. But she had long since learned that men like him were all the same¡ªweak beneath their honor, easily manipulated by their desires. They all deserved to be punished, especially what Tristan did to her. He betrayed her.

    Her hands blazed with fire as she cast another flame toward the descendant. The burst of heat forced him to back away. His expression changed as he locked eyes with the face she wore. He wasn¡¯t sure whether to run or fight. His lips parted.

    ¡°You??" he mumbled, stepping back cautiously. "Why are you even HERE??"

    The sound of his voice, the way he questioned her as though he had the right to¡ªlike he was the one who belonged here¡ªmade her blood boil. But her lips curled into a twisted, maniacal grin, and she spat back with venom.

    ¡°Why am I here? You dare to ask me that? I am your reckoning!"

    She flicked her hands again flames before the descendant could speak again.

    "Run while you can, descendant. Run, and watch your world burn!"

    She let out a roar, which pushed him to a decision.

    ¡°Run!¡± Soraya shrieked. ¡°Run, little rat, but you won¡¯t escape me! No one can!¡± she followed behind through the alley. ¡°I can sense the curse on you! I¡¯ll find you, and I¡¯ll finish what your ancestors started!¡±

    But even as her voice echoed, her strength was failing. She could feel it. Her body shuddered, her magic weakening. Her chest heaved with the effort to keep the flames alive, but it was no use. The power that had once coursed through her was now a mere ember. The stolen face she wore beginning to blur and warp, the void returning. She was weak¡ªtoo weak to continue like this. She cursed under her breath.

    She couldn¡¯t keep wasting time. She needed more power. She needed to find the rest of the descendants. Only through them would she regain her full strength. Only through them could she bring her master back into this world and reclaim the power that was once hers.

    I need to find them. I need to be whole again. And when she was, she would finish what she had failed three thousand years ago. Vengeance, not just for herself, but for the king she had served, for the blood she had spilled in his name.

    The descendant had escaped her for now, but it didn¡¯t matter. Because she knew that he would lead her to what she sought. To the skull.

 14: Accusation

    --Accusation--

    Outskirts

    Ella scratched at her swollen right hand. She had assumed Vargo was already in the hands of the knights, dragged off with the rest of the scum. But no, the ugly bastard had been lucky. He slipped away from the raid to follow her.

    Looking at him, there was no mistaking his intent. She had seen that look on his face earlier, back when she was in the cage. The way his gaze stayed too long, the way he licked his lips with that perverted grin. He was no different now¡ªmaybe worse. He slowly caressed his scruffy beard while inching closer, his eyes roaming up and down her body like a predator sizing up its prey.

    If someone were to slap a pair of pointy ears on him and squash his nose just a bit, he would be a dead ringer for the goblin she had shove earlier. The thought crawled into her mind unbidden, but it was hard to ignore the resemblance. His greasy, patchy beard, his hunched posture, and those beady eyes with malice¡ªall of it reminded her of the disgusting creatures from the forest. The comparison might have been laughable if it weren¡¯t for the perverted intent radiating from him.

    Vargo stepped into the beam of moonlight. "I knew ye were special," he drawled, his accent thick as he tilted his head. "Even the knights have their eyes on ye." His voice dropped low, like he was trying to draw her in. "And now, it''s just ye and me."

    Her feet were frozen in place, the mud pool behind her a looming threat. She couldn''t step back. One wrong move and she''d slip, and who knows how deep that disgusting pool was. She swallowed hard.

    "Ye¡¯re the reason for all this, aren''t ye?" he spat, jabbing a finger at her. "The knights... the raid. Everything went to shite because of ye!" His grin twisted into something darker.

    She bit her feverish lip. Her baseball bat was missing, and she had no weapon to defend herself. So, her mind spiraled with regret. Why didn¡¯t I ever go through with those martial arts lessons? It was a bitter thought. Not that she could have afforded them anyway. Life as a broke student had left her scraping by, penny to penny. Besides, back home, she hadn¡¯t needed to know how to fight. Bullies and troublemakers had always been someone else¡¯s problem. Or, when they were hers, someone had always been there to step in and save her. Someone like Cedrick.

    Almost picture him now, standing in the frozen world she had left behind, in a different time with Michiko.

    But here, in this damn Haken''s world, there was no one. No knight in shining armor. No one would save her now.

    It was just her.

    And Vargo.

    "It matters not if those captured souls have managed to escape," he took another slow step towards her. "Tis ye whom I wanted. The prize I shall claim, for thou art the most desirable of all." Each syllable of his word sinking in deeper as the gap between them narrowed. Three more steps and he''d reach her and his callused dirty hands outstretched as if already claiming his prize.

    She glanced back to the edge of the mud pool at her feet. Vargo was right¡ªshe¡¯d taken a wrong turn, and now she was cornered. It wasn¡¯t her fault, though. None of this was. Still, she had somehow ended up here.

    "S-Stay back..." she stammered weakly. This was only she could do...pushing him verbally as if it would work.

    Vargo laughed cruelly.

    Do I dive into the mud and hope to disappear?  She could already imagine herself sinking, the thick, cold sludge swallowing her whole. Or should she fight, try to kick his ass somehow? The idea felt ridiculous¡ªshe was too weak. Her brain felt like it was on fire, barely functioning enough to string two coherent thoughts together.

    "That''s right..." He loomed closer like a monster whose shadow spreading across her like a suffocating blanket. His smile and eyes looked so creepy. "Just behave now. I''m going to be ye master, wench."

    There was out of options. Her brain scrambled to come up with a plan, any plan. She was readying herself for a last-ditch attempt¡ªperhaps trying to trip him or make a run for it.

    Vargo''s hands were approaching slowly. Twenty inches? He took a final step. Twelve inches? She swallowed hard as he body stood still. And now, almost there...

    His hands were going down to her shoulder-when out of nowhere, there was a sudden, hard sound heard.

    Smack!

    The pommel of a sword smashed into Vargo''s head. His eyes went wide, and his body pitched forward, collapsing toward her.

    "H-hey, that... no, no, no~~~ "

    Her feet moved backward a little, then, suddenly her body went into a mini panic mode, trying to find a balance point amidst the unexpected loss of stability at the edge of the pool.

    "Aackkkk!"

    In a quick, jarring moment, her arms flailing as she braced herself for the aftermath.

    "I hate this..." she closed her eyes.

    But before Vargo could fall on her, a strong hand gripped her right arm, pulling her aside just in time.

    It happened so fast, and the rush of it, her mind couldn''t keep pace.

    With eyes shut tight, she slowly opened one to witness the sight of an unconscious body being swallowed by the mud.

    Plop, plop, plop...

    For a brief moment, she even forgot the large, strong hand holding her wrist. Too tight...and it hurts. She blinked, trying to ground herself in the present, and turned to her right, where the grip held firm.

    Her eyes traced upward, slowly at first, until she realized the figure towering over her. He was tall¡ªtall enough that her head barely reached his shoulder. Even in her fevered state, with her thoughts a tangled mess, she couldn¡¯t help but notice him clearly. Her vision, blurred moments ago, seemed to sharpen the longer she stared.

    Thanks to the moonlight, she could tell also about his oceanic eyes. And his hair... it was so dark, like the deepest shadows that cuddled to the corners of the corridor they stood in.

    However, the sudden chill on her skin wasn¡¯t just from the fever burning inside her. It was the way he looked at her¡ªcold. He gripped on her wrist so tight she thought it might bruise. He had saved her from falling earlier, but now... now his intentions were unclear, and every nerve in her body screamed caution.

    Had he followed her? Just like that perverted man whose body now sank beneath the mud, invisible under its filthy surface? She swallowed hard, trying to pull her wrist from his grasp, but he held on tighter.

    "Ugh..."

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    Maybe he was one of them. Maybe he had been at that auction, bidding for her like a piece of property.

    Then, his deep and aristocratic voice revealed, a tone of authority she couldn¡¯t ignore.

    "Who are you?"

    She stared at him, too stunned to answer at first. His grip was too tight¡ªher wrist throbbed, it pained her swollen skin.

    "L-Let go of my arm," she stammered, frowning at him.

    He held her gaze, those cold eyes searching hers. For what, she couldn¡¯t tell. But after what felt like an eternity, he released her. She barely had time to feel the relief before he stepped back and¡ªno¡ªdrew his sword, its edge gleaming as it pointed straight at her throat.

    "It seems unnecessary to repeat myself, doesn''t it?" His words were calm but the danger in them was undeniable.

    She could barely breathe. Her feverish body wanted to collapse anytime but she tried not to. With trembling lips, she managed to choke out a response.

    "I... I don''t understand," her voice was weak. And her eyelids droopy, making it difficult to maintain eye contact. "You...you might be a knight, but it''s not very nice to point a sword at someone innocent like me."

    More importantly, what was his deal?

    This was unlike anything she''d ever experienced before¡ªnot just the first time having a weapon at her throat but also the first time feeling so vulnerable and scared in her entire life. Even the events that led up to this moment were all brand new to her, from stumbling upon that alley to the current situation she found herself in.

    He tilted, impatient. "I assuredly know you comprehend the implications of my question."

    Question? Her mind scrambled to recall what he had just asked her. Slowly, the words floated back.

    The guy grew more impatient. The cold steel of his sword pressed lightly against her skin. It was a warning. She winced, instinctively raising her hand to touch her neck, and when she pulled it away, there was blood.

    Thump, thump, THUMP!

    She nonplussed.

    "I¡ªI''m Ella," she blurted out. "Twenty years old, and... and I''m a working student, but I lost my job... I¡ªI have so many dreams, and I haven''t appreciated my youth yet...Hic! Please, don¡¯t kill me, o-ok?"

    A warmth tears welled up in her eyes. Regret twisted inside her¡ªregret for signing that cursed agreement, for trusting Haken.

    Why bother rescuing me from falling if he intended to kill me afterward?

    The man tilted his head to the side forty-five degrees while scrunching his eyebrows. The gaze fixed on her as if attempting to read her soul. Not too long, he withdrew his sword.

    "Looks like you¡¯ve had quite the journey, haven¡¯t you?"

    Unsure how much to say, still wiping at her eyes with swollen hand. "Y-You came here just to ask about a nobody like me?" she asked with distrust. "Y-You seem a bit off."

    He just looked at her with straight face, as if he was dissecting every word she said.

    Silence occured between them for a second.

    Then, suddenly, the air itself seemed to shudder as a voice of someone thundered which reverberating off the stone walls.

    "Seize her!"

    Her body jolted, instinctively turning toward the sound. Down the narrow, dark way of corridor, the light of torches flickered wildly against the walls. And within those shadows, a group of knights advanced.

    They were coming for her.

    Glancing back at the guy in front of her, she searched his expression for answers, but his cold gaze gave nothing away. Was he with them? Her legs threatened to buckle beneath her. She was cornered. The walls felt like they were closing in on her.

    There was nowhere to run, no way out. The knights were too close. Every path of escape had vanished and she stranded in a web of fear.

    And all she could do was stand there, waiting for whatever fate was about to befall her.

    In five.

    Four.

    Three.

    Two.

    One.

    Now, they had her.

    "L-Let me go!" she stammered as she pushed against the knight''s grip. But he didn¡¯t budge. And another knight approached to grip her left arm. "Don''t resist," he said.

    She tried again to pull free, but the two knights'' strength far outmatched hers. The more she struggled, the more futile it became.

    This was it. No more running. She was at their mercy now.

    One knight, different from the others, stepped forward with an air of authority. His armor was more ornate, and immediately, she recognized him. Ella had seen him before, at the parade¡ªan event she never thought would cross paths with her current situation. How twisted this all was. How could a knight she once admired now stand among those who hunted her?

    "Thank you for your cooperation," the knight said to the man she had been speaking to.

    Cooperation? His words surprised her a bit from her thoughts, but the guy next to her the one who had saved her¡ªif she could even call it that¡ªlooked just as confused as she felt. He responded but with a low growl of anger?

    "What''s the meaning of thiS?"

    The atmosphere between them crackled. Man versus Man. And it was awkward to watched them. But his confusion, or even his anger, meant little to her now. Ella''s focus was on the knights, all of them surrounding her with unsheathed swords. And those faces filled with cold indifference, and hostility.

    ¡°Have you forgotten?¡± The authoritative knight¡ªthe one she recognized¡ªbarked. "The king commanded me to bring the witch.¡± His gaze fell squarely on her.

    Wait¡ªdid she hear that right? They accused her of being a what? "W-Witch? Me?"

    The Knight''s expression was stern, he responded with accusatory, as if he had already sentenced her in his mind. "You led us on a chase through here desolate place, and now you''re pretending to be innocent?"

    And...the King? How could the king know about her? She had only been in this world for what felt like maybe sixteen hours, though the blur of confusion made it hard to tell for sure.  I''m famous now, she wondered. Then her thoughts darted back to that old man in the alley¡ªhis lifeless body, the accusation that followed. Could that be why? Maybe he was someone important. Maybe a noble, or someone whose death mattered enough to catch the attention of the king himself. But she wasn¡¯t a killer. She hadn¡¯t done anything wrong.

    The guy scoff. "Ah, how careless I have been to overlook informing you that King Adheesh himself has granted me permission to bring her to the palace as well." His said, his eyes locked in a heated stare with the knight. "Release her at once! I laid claim to her first. She is under my protection now, and I will not tolerate any interference."

    Stunned, her mouth slightly agape. What was happening? Since when had she become the center of some royal command, a pawn in a game between these two men? Two different orders from the same king. She wasn¡¯t just wanted; she was the most sought-after person in this place.

    "Take her!" The knight commanded, disregarding that guy''s explanation.

    Ella flinched as the order rang out. She wasn¡¯t a witch, she wasn¡¯t anything¡ªjust a girl trying to survive in a world that had never been kind to her.

    "You''ve got it all wrong," she protested. "I''m innocent! I swear!"

    But the guy next to her¡ªwhoever he was¡ªwouldn¡¯t let them touch her. His teeth gritted as he drew his sword.

    "I said release her," he growled, stepping forward to block the knights. His voice held an edge of danger she hadn¡¯t heard before. "It appears that even the Captain dares to disregard my commands, despite the fact that I too have received the king''s word on this matter."

    Captain? Indeed. The knight was a captain. But who was this guy who dared challenge him so boldly? Looking at him, his cloak drawn tightly around him, it was clear he wasn¡¯t one of the knights in front of her. Was he from another faction? Another order of knights? How many different groups were looking for her?

    The Captain scoffed as his eyes glinted with mockery. "The woman you''ve been gallivanting with here was the one trying to burn the whole city and killed the scholar, in case you missed it," he said with condescension. "It''s better to take her into our custody immediately, rather than risk the witch fleeing. And your knights, you ask? It seems they are nowhere to be found - have they abandoned you in your time of need?"

    The guy¡¯s face darkened at the Captain¡¯s taunt, but she barely heard their exchange. Her mind spun, dizzy with everything.

    ¡°There¡¯s no certainty she¡¯s the one who burned the square or killed the scholar," he shot back. "You¡¯re quick to accuse. Did you witness it yourself?¡± His tone dripped with sarcasm, a mockery of the Captain¡¯s own. "Or perhaps you''re just eager to bring a trophy back to the king, regardless of whether it''s the right one?"

    Burn the city? What were they talking about? This had to be some mistake¡ªsome terrible mistake. But as she stood there, surrounded by knights and accusations, it didn¡¯t matter what was true. It only mattered what they believed.

    The Captain¡¯s lip curled into a sneer, unimpressed. ¡°But that doesn¡¯t change the fact that we cannot overlook the presence of an intruder,¡± he said coldly. His hand gripped the hilt of his sword as if preparing for confrontation. ¡°Take her into custody,¡± he ordered. ¡°Arresting her is within my jurisdiction, and I won¡¯t have a witch slipping through my fingers.¡±

    And right now, they believed she was a witch.

    Her vision blurred. She felt something strange at the corner of her mouth. Her fingers brushed her lips, and she realized with growing horror that something was indeed bubbling up¡ªher mouth felt numb. She hadn¡¯t even noticed before, but the symptoms were unmistakable now.

    The world around her began to spin wildly. The knights¡¯ voices, the Captain¡¯s commands, all sounded distant, like echoes in a tunnel. She couldn¡¯t focus on their faces anymore¡ªjust blurs of color and movement.

    Her legs wobbled beneath her, refusing to hold her weight any longer. She felt so tired, so unbearably weak.  I can¡¯t... stay awake.

    Rest... I just need... rest...

    Therefore, everything went black, and she collapsed onto the ground.

 15: New Day

    New Day

    Outskirts

    Ella opened her eyes and found herself lying on the ground in the same location where her journey had begun. To her horror, there were now far more webs than before, thicker and denser that coating the alleyway like a suffocating veil. She rubbed her eyes, hoping it was just a hallucination. But nothing changed¡ªthe webbing remained as real and ominous as ever. Her pulse quickened. This was the place where she''d nearly died from terror. The monstrous spider.

    "... Hell nah...! Why am I here again??"

    Suddenly, the alley turned pitch black, as if something immense loomed overhead. She glanced up and felt her blood run cold because above her was a spider, far larger than before, its enormous hairy body descending. Its malformed chest heaved with each breath, sending tremors through the thick webs around her. Desperate, she began tearing at the sticky strands, trying to flee, but they stuck to her like glue, binding her in place.

    "No no no it can''t be!"

    The webs wrapped tighter around her arms and legs, restricting her movement. The sticky threads held fast, trapping her like a fly. The spider queen, which was unexpectedly huge, enough to swallow a human being, was coming toward her as if it had discovered food in its den.

    "Don''t come closer!! Somebody out there! Help me!"

    The spider queen hissed, her legs straining the webs as she drew nearer in just a few strides. Her grotesque mouth opened wide, ready to swallow Ella whole. Paralyzed by fear, she couldn¡¯t even scream anymore. She squeezed her eyes shut, bracing for the end.

    But the bite never came.

    Instead, she heard a sickening hiss of pain. Hesitant, she cracked her eyes open and was met with an unbelievable sight. The spider queen¡¯s body collapsed mere inches from her, and standing above its dead form was the same guy who had once held a sword to her throat back in the tunnel. His blade was embedded deep in the creature¡¯s hide.

    "Y-You! Did you bring me here after I passed out??"

    He yanked his sword free from the spider queen''s corpse, his eyes cold as they met hers. Without lowering his weapon, he spoke in a harsh, accusing tone.

    ¡°Tell me,¡± he demanded. ¡°Did you kill my master? Or shall I leave you to rot in this place?¡±

    "No! I didn''t kill anyone!"

    ¡°Lies!¡± A voice interrupted from behind him. It was the Captain, flanked by his knights.

    ¡°She¡¯s the witch!¡± Another voice snarled. It was Vargo, his face covered in mud but still wearing that perverse grin.

    A look of confusion on her face while she was looking at everyone infront of her. Even with an armour mask covering half of those knights'' faces, they had a hint of a villainous smirk in their eyes. They were all here, against her.

    The guy glanced at her one last time with straight face. Then, turning away, he uttered the  words.

    ¡°Then embrace this place.¡±

    "Noooo!"

    A tide of tiny spiders began swarming from the dark corners of the alley to crawle over her, wrap around her limbs, her torso, until her entire body was engulfed. She screamed.

    "NOOOOOO!!

    The pressure built, suffocating her, until her body went still.

    Her final breath slipped from her lips, her world fading to black.

    She died.

    .

    .

    .

    .

    .

    .

    .

    .

    .

    .

    She woke up with a start.

    The first thing that caught her attention was a leaf being held close to her face by someone sitting nearby. It had a guava-like scent, which made her nose twitch.

    "She finally awake."

    "Summon Igner at once."

    Two voices drifted into her ears, but the relaxed tone of one of them was unmistakable. Felix. Ella''s eyes snapped to him in surprise. She hadn¡¯t expected to see anything remarkable, but there he was, sitting calmly in front of her. Her eyes widened, and her brows shot up as if she was seeing something enchanted.

    "I thought you had no intention of waking up." He stored the leaf, then sat down on the wooden chair.

    Where am I? she wondered, sitting up despite a lingering dizziness. That was when she noticed bandages wrapped around both her neck and her right hand.

    She took a moment to observe her surroundings. She was in a small tent, and it was the middle of the night. Outside, the sounds of hushed voices and the glow of a campfire filtered through the open tent flap. Through the entrance, she could see a group of women warming themselves by the fire, one of whom she recognized¡ªred-haired, one of the victims from the auction. It hit her then that they were all finally free from the clutches of those vile abductors.

    Her stomach growled suddenly, the mouthwatering scent of food pulling her attention to the small table in front of Felix. Her eyes locked on the plate of grilled meat and soup. Felix noticed her gaze but remained expressionless. Ella licked her lips and swallowed hard. Her empty stomach twisted painfully which reminded her just how long it had been since she¡¯d eaten. The hunger was unbearable, but so was the awkward silence with Felix, who, despite his calm demeanor, still unnerved her.

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    "Eat," said Felix to her but it sounded more like a command.

    Without thinking, she scrambled out of bed and sat in the vacant wooden chair next to him. Her hunger overrode her embarrassment, and she dug into the food without hesitation. She grabbed a piece of grilled rabbit with her unbandaged left hand and took a big bite.

    "This is heaven..." she said between bites, stuffing the meat and soup into her mouth like someone who hadn¡¯t eaten in days.

    It had been nearly 24 hours since her last meal¡ªat least in Earth¡¯s time. Her focus was entirely on the food, unaware of how Felix was watching her. Then, he broke the silence.

    "It seems that you''ve encountered the tarantula."

    "You mean that gigantic spider?" she responded while struggling to peel a banana, eventually giving up. "You have no idea what I went through in that alley. That was the first time in my life I¡¯ve seen something so huge and terrifying."

    She took another sip of soup.

    The banana that she had given up on peeling, was now peeled, and Felix placed it nearer to her. "How did you manage to get exposed to its poisonous fur?"

    "Self-defense," she replied. "I had no choice but to touch that ugly creature."

    "Is that so?"

    Suddenly, Ella stopped mid-bite. A vivid image of Felix¡¯s face from her earlier nightmare flashed through her mind. Why was she sitting here, talking casually to the same guy who had once held a sword to her throat? She narrowed her eyes, her guard going up again.

    "State your intentions, if you have any, with your gaze," he said.

    She immediately swallowed what was in her mouth and replied, "I had a nightmare." You''re the fucking villain.

    At that moment, the tent flap rustled, and three knights entered. Leading them was the Captain, then he commanded.

    "Take her."

    Ella¡¯s heart dropped. This nightmare wasn¡¯t over¡ªit had followed her into reality.

    Once everyone was ready, a knight with tanned skin and brunette hair approached to check her swollen hand. She remembered overhearing someone call him Igner. It seemed he had treated her hand while she was unconscious.

    "Thank you."

    Igner didn¡¯t say a word, only offering her a small, before stepping back.

    "Everyone, get ready!" The Captain barked.

    It was still night, though dawn was just around the corner. The injustice of her situation weighed heavily on Ella. She had been a victim too, abducted just like the other women. Yet here she was, hands bound with rope, while the other women boarded a carriage for freedom. She, on the other hand, was being forced to walk alongside the horses with the rope at her wrists.

    The campfire was extinguished, and they began moving through the vast forest. The path they followed wasn¡¯t the same one where the goblins had ambushed the abductors. As they marched on, the sky gradually lightened, with slivers of sunlight piercing through the gaps between the trees. The knights extinguished their torches as the new day broke.

    Haken''s world was not what she had imagined. It was nothing like the stories she had read about ''another worlds thingy''. Maybe cruelty and hardship genres were meant for her.

    "How cruel they are," she said almost with a normal volume of her voice. She immediately shut her mouth and darted her eyes to the right, hoping no one heard her. But she wasn¡¯t that lucky. The Captain was already looking her way.

    O-ouh. Let''s avoid this guy for a while.

    Though her swollen hand had been treated, it still itched terribly. The rope tied around her wrists didn¡¯t help either. She tried scratching her hand discreetly as her teeth gritting in irritation.

    The horse she was tied to picked up its pace, forcing her to walk faster to keep up. But her bare feet were raw, and each step became more painful.

    This is so cruel. How can they treat me like this?

    She could feel the tears building. Her lower lip curved up, and she suddenly stopped walking.

    "Wait!" she cried out as tears spilled over. The entire group halted, and now everyone¡¯s attention was on her. Even the horses had stopped.

    Her chest heaving with frustration and exhaustion caused her tears to stream on her face. The knights watched her but she didn¡¯t care anymore.

    ¡°This¡ªthis is ridiculous!¡± she sputtered. ¡°I was kidnapped, nearly eaten by a giant spider, and now you¡¯re dragging me through the forest like some criminal?!¡±

    Her arms flailed as she tugged at the rope binding her wrists, but it only caused the horse to shift impatiently.

    ¡°I don¡¯t even have shoes! My feet are killing me! And do you even realize how heavy this rope is? I mean, look at me! Do I look like someone who could burn down a city? I can barely make it through a forest without collapsing!¡±

    She tried to take a deep breath to calm herself but ended up sobbing harder. ¡°I didn¡¯t even ask to be here! One minute I¡¯m minding my own business, the next I¡¯m¡ª" she paused for dramatic effect, "¡ªfalling into spider pits and getting accused of being a witch! A witch, for crying out loud!¡±

    She threw her hands up in exasperation, the rope jerking again as the horse flicked its ears. "I''ve never even done magic! Unless you count tripping over my own feet as some kind of curse!"

    One of the knights, the one she thought was named Igner, changed uncomfortably, as though unsure whether to help or just keep watching the spectacle.

    ¡°I¡¯m tired,¡± she whimpered, her voice small now as she looked up at Felix. ¡°Please. Can¡¯t we take a break? Can¡¯t you at least give me a ride?"

    Then, Felix, who had been silent up until now, leaned back on his saddle.

    ¡°Well, she does make a compelling point.¡±

    The Captain, however, was not amused. He pinched the bridge of his nose, trying to maintain his patience.

    ¡°Get a hold of yourself, woman."

    Damn you, man. Ella bit her lip.

    ¡°We¡¯ve no time for theatrics. You will walk, or we will drag you.¡±

    Just as the Captain turned to move forward, an arrow whizzed past and embedded itself into the trunk of a tree. The horses neighed in startled, rearing back on their hind legs, hooves pounding the dirt as the knights struggled to steady them.

    "Form up!" The Captain drew his sword.

    The knights moved into position, shields raised, swords drawn, forming a protective circle around the carriage and the women. Felix, who had been perched on his horse, leapt down with surprising agility.

    A second arrow came, this time embedding itself in the dirt near the Captain¡¯s feet. His head snapped toward the direction it had come from, and a muscle in his jaw clenched.

    "Ambush!" he hissed. "Eyes up, archers in the trees!"

    Archers? In the trees?

    Ella''s breath was shallow as her thoughts spun out of control. Was this the end? Another attack on her life? Or were these people after the knights? Either way, it didn¡¯t look good for her.

    Suddenly another figure emerged from the dense foliage¡ªcloaked and silent, moving with purpose. While, Ella stood still there behind Felix.

    The cloaked stranger tossed something at Felix¡¯s feet.

    Her heart leaped.

    It was her baseball bat. The same one she had carried with her when she first arrived in this world, the same one that had been taken from her during the abduction. Her fingers itched to grab it.

    "You," Felix gripped his sword. He took a step forward, his eyes never leaving the stranger. It was the same person¡ªthe one who had killed that man in the Capital, right in front of him.

    The cloaked stranger''s face remained hidden, but for a brief moment, his gazed at Felix. Then, Felix tensed, ready to charge, but something in the stranger¡¯s eyes stopped him. It wasn¡¯t a look of challenge. It was something far more cryptic.

    Then, those eyes turned to Ella, lingering on her for just a heartbeat. Ella confused as her fingers finally wrapping around the handle of her bat as if it were her lifeline. The stranger didn¡¯t speak, didn¡¯t give any indication of why he had appeared.

    Without a word, the cloaked stranger turned and started to walk away.

    "After him!" Felix ordered.

    Igner and some of the knights took off after the stranger.

    Ella, on the other hand, her mind kept racing back to the man who had just slipped away, the one she now realized knew far more about her fate than she did herself.

    Who are you really?

 16: Capital

    Ella¡¯s chest tensed from the continuous pace of the horse and her back uncomfortably thudding against Felix¡¯s rigid. The ride felt punishing rather than exhilarating, with every jolt pressing her harder into his chest.

    Though it was her first time riding a horse, it hardly matched her idea of a thrill. Her limbs were heavy, her legs aching. Yet the most maddening thing was the itch on her hand. She fought the urge to scratch, only to lose the battle.

    "I shouldn¡¯t have touched that spider."

    A sigh slipping out before she realized she¡¯d spoken aloud which it caused Felix¡¯s gaze drifted down. "Did you perhaps utter something of significance?"

    She bit her lip while scratching the irritated skin until it began to sting.

    ¡°I was only wondering,¡± she replied. ¡°how much longer we¡¯re to endure this¡­ ordeal.¡±

    Across from her, Igner¡¯s expression was a silent rebuke, his brow arched as if asking, ¡°Have you lost your senses?¡± He¡¯d taken time to treat her hand, and she was undoing his work. But she couldn¡¯t help it¡ªthe more she scratched, the worse it got.

    Igner and the others had returned after a futile chase for the archer. She could only imagine the frustration of this stoic knight, seated behind her now, who, it turned out, was a Captain also. That explained his confidence in dealing with the actual Captain earlier, as if they were long-standing adversaries. She wondered if perhaps Felix belonged to another order, or maybe even a hidden faction.

    ¡°If you had not stirred a ruckus, we would be at the capital by now," Felix said, guiding the horse with effortless ease.

    She frowned, holding back a huff. ¡°But if you guys had let me walk, we might still be in that area. Given our current circumstances, riding might help us save some time duhhh."

    Not that she looked forward to reaching the capital. The thought of facing the king, who had ordered her capture, made her nerves shaking now. And with that unexpected archer¡¯s appearance earlier who happened to toss her baseball bat back to her¡ªshe was sure the Captain Nikolai''s suspicions had only intensified. He¡¯d probably be all too happy to call her a spy, murderer, arsonist, or a member of some clandestine band.

    ¡°Press on! Move, all of you!¡± Captain Nikolai commanded.

    His order sent an energy through the knights, and the horses lurched forward with renewed speed. They were eager to be home. Ella tightened her grip on the saddle as they hurtled through the last stretch of trees. Each hoofbeat seemed to echo louder that pounding in time with her heartbeat. Then, in an instant, they burst from the forest into an open landscape that left her breathless.

    Draxuropolis lay sprawled before them, the heart of the kingdom. From this vantage point, the sight was something out of a fairytale. It was nothing like the cramped outskirts or the narrow alleys where Ella had first stumbled upon this world. The castle stood high above the city, perched on a grand hill that stretched into the sky, its walls kissed by the first rays of dawn. From the topmost tower, a crimson flag unfurled and waved in the wind, bold against the lightening sky, as if proclaiming the kingdom¡¯s grandeur.

    Her gaze wandered over the city below, tucked neatly within its high walls that stretched protectively around it. The roads wound like rivers between clusters of stone buildings, their rooftops dotted with chimneys and steeped in history. She had to admit, it was beautiful¡ªan impossible beauty, like something she¡¯d only seen in the movies or on someone''s digital artwork.

    As they drew closer to the capital¡¯s outer wall, the castle itself became less visible, hidden behind the thick stone ramparts. But its presence loomed, a silent guardian watching over its people from above. It was a strange feeling, really, to be so close to something that seemed untouchable from afar.

    Ahead of her, a very tall wooden gate stood framed by the city¡¯s walls, as grand as it was foreboding. Each heavy timber looked like it could withstand an army. And as they approached it, her eyes lingering on the red flag fluttering high above¡ªemblem of a world.

    The armored guards of the massive door stood watch there, with eyes sharp beneath their helms as the knights and their prisoner approached. One of the guards, broad-shouldered and tall, raised his arm in acknowledgment. He turned to his companion, nodding.

    ¡°Open the gate.¡±

    With a creak of immense wood and iron, the great doors of Draxuropolis slowly swung open. The sound reverberated, a slow groaning that spoke of age and weight. Ella held her breath as the city unfolded before her.

    "You can do this," she whispered under her breath.

    Beyond the gate, the cobbled streets were lined with merchant stalls. Stone houses with ivy climbing their walls gave the place a storybook charm, yet the people walking those streets weren¡¯t admiring the scenery. No, they were looking at her.

    Whispers rose from the crowd as they noticed her bound hands and the grim expressions of the knights around her. She could feel their stares prickling her skin. The murmurs grew louder until all around her screamed.

    "Witch!¡±

    ¡°Is she the one? The murderer!¡±

    ¡°The witch who burned the ~~¡±

    "Spy!"

    A small rock suddenly came hurtling from the crowd, striking her shoulder. She flinched in surprise, but there was no chance to react before another followed. Just as a third rock arced her way, Felix moved in, raising his arm to shield her from the hit.

    Igner and other knights belong to Captain Nikolai''s closed ranks around her, creating a barrier that forced the townspeople back.

    Meanwhile, Ella, she looked around, feeling like a specimen on display. It was strange. She¡¯d read about this kind of scene, seen characters being paraded through streets, shamed, or scorned in movies. Yet being here, with these people¡¯s accusing eyes on her, felt nothing like she had imagined. Their words and how they treated her, made her eyes water.

    It''s okay, Ella...

    But here, in this world, she might as well have been the Wicked Witch of the West, cursed and feared by people who didn¡¯t know her. They didn¡¯t see a girl from another world; they saw a creature capable of bringing ruin. Like a viral sensation on social media, except here, there was no screen to hide behind¡ªjust her, vulnerable and bare in front of all these faces.

    The knights urged her forward, she forced herself to keep her sense awake, might a big rock hit her head and died here before she could prove her innocent to the king.

    Soon, they neared the town square, and Ella¡¯s eyes caught sight of something unsettling¡ªa large, charred patch of ground surrounded by crumbling stone and wood. Blackened timbers jutted out like skeletal remains, and ash dusted the cobblestones.

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    So this¡­ this is what they think I did? she thought, glancing at the ruin that had so many whispering ¡°witch.¡± But as she looked closer, she couldn¡¯t help feeling how utterly absurd it all was.

    I didn¡¯t even pass through this area when I was running.

    The day she¡¯d fled from the knights, she¡¯d taken narrow alleys and hidden corners¡ªnowhere near the square, and certainly with no torch in hand. Who¡¯d be carrying a torch in the blazing heat of the afternoon sun, anyway? Her brows knitted together as she scratched her hand, which still itched with that infuriating burn from her encounter with the spider. This whole accusation was ridiculous. But maybe that¡¯s just how things worked here.

    Could witches really be real in this world?

    Perhaps here, those supernaturals thingy weren¡¯t the stuff of stories¡ªthey were feared and hunted in real life.

    And yet¡­ why a witch? A spy she could almost understand; she¡¯d been sneaking around, clearly out of place. But a witch? The label felt like a terrible, twisted exaggeration. She bit her lip as she glanced down at her wrists, bound and on display.

    Who the hell decided I was a witch?

    As they left the crowded Centro, the crowd¡¯s murmurs faded gradually as they led her deeper into the city, though the wary looks and sidelong glances stayed until the noise of the townspeople no longer to hear, replaced by the clopping hooves of horses against the road. Ella could feel her heart thudding, each step of the horses bringing her closer to the presence of the palace¡ªand to King Adheesh, a name that seemed to stir awe and reverence from everyone. And now, she was about to meet him.

    The narrow roads slowly widened, giving way to a winding, grand avenue lined with stone statues of warriors and scholars from a time long past. She gazed up in reluctant awe, taking in the intricately chiseled details: the armor, the expressions, each figure frozen in an eternal vigil. Their silent presence seemed to demand respect, even from an outsider like her. It was strange and overwhelming.

    The further they went, the more the landscape shifted. It felt like the edge of a fairytale¡ªsmall, sunlit streams cut across the fields, weaving through clusters of tall pine trees. And just above the treetops, she could make out the spires of the castle.

    It was a sight straight out of fantasy, the kind of place you¡¯d see in digital artworks, maybe, or in a carefully curated Instagram post.

    From this distance, she could see the detail in its architecture¡ªglistening windows, polished stone, and turrets. The walls were tall, stretching protectively around the palace grounds, and the red flags seemed almost like a warning or a proclamation to anyone looking up.

    The knights around her sat straighter, their eyes set ahead, focused on their duty. There was an unspoken reverence, as if the road itself demanded silence and attention. They were nearing the place of ultimate authority¡ªthe residence of the king, where decisions were made, where fate was decided.

    So this is where they¡¯ll decide mine.

    The castle gates with ornate silver pattern loomed larger as they approached. It was a world built to awe, to impress upon anyone who approached it that this was a place of power.

    Waiting in perfect formation just outside the gates were more knights. Unlike Felix''s group, these knights bore a different insignia, something with an intricate crest of intertwining dragons and flames. They seemed to be belong to Captain Nikolai''s unit. And they looked as if they''d stepped straight from the pages of a legend, each knight rigid, eyes trained on the approaching group with solemn purpose.

    Felix and Captain Nikolai barely acknowledged them as they approached. There was no welcoming smile, no exchange of pleasantries. These new knights simply moved forward in a precise, unbroken line, their gazes were on her, as though they had been waiting just outside of the entrance.

    Then, a tall, armored knight at the head of the line raised his hand. Without so much as a glance at Felix or Nikolai, he signaled to two knights, who stepped forward. Ella felt her pulse quicken as they drew nearer. She opened her mouth to protest, but before she could find the words, she felt their iron-clad hands gripping her arms which the suddenness of it made her flinch, her mouth opening in shock.

    ¡°And where, pray tell, do you intend to take her?¡± Felix demanded to the knights infront of them.

    ¡°Isn¡¯t the king expecting us? His instruction was clear¡ªthis woman was to be brought before him directly," Captain Nikolai added, and glanced back at the palace gates as though expecting King Adheesh to appear any moment.

    One of the palace knights inclined his head respectfully toward Nikolai. ¡°Captain, the king has given new orders. This woman is to be taken to the dungeons until her trial.¡±

    Ella¡¯s jaw dropped.

    ¡°The dungeon?¡± She repeated, then swallowed.

    This was not happening. The image of dark, damp cells filling her mind, the kind she¡¯d only read about, like in those old torture scenes. But as a Gen-Z girl who enjoyed her coffee shops and Wi-Fi, this was not part of her expectations. She nearly laughed¡ªexcept, there was nothing funny about it.

    ¡°Hold on a sec,¡± she started. ¡°I know I didn¡¯t ask for a five-star treatment here, but the dungeon? Are we serious?¡±

    "The dungeon,¡± Felix said slowly, while still calm, had a subtle of crease of disapproval in his face. ¡°A place unfit even for a true criminal, much less an accused woman. You risk the wrath of the king by placing her there before judgment is cast.¡±

    The knight didn¡¯t waver and met Felix''s gaze. ¡°His Majesty anticipated your reaction, My Lord. However, his instructions stand: no audience, no trial¡ªnot until the appointed time.¡±

    "The dungeon was not constructed for any humane purpose," Felix replied as he looked at the knight steely. "It is no more than a tomb for the living."

    But when the knight only stiffened, Felix held his tongue, then, Captain Nikolai stepped forward as if content to observe the exchange.

    ¡°Seems we¡¯re only pawns in the king¡¯s hand, then. I¡¯ll hear what else this messenger of His Majesty has to say.¡±

    The knight, with only a curt nod, gestured for his comrades to continue. And with that, they began to pull Ella along.

    "H-Hey, that...t-think somewhere else, please," her feet slid on the dusty ground as she forced not to come along. "Not to the dungeon huhu. That place is not meant for me. I swear..."

    Her gaze swept over the group of women who had been rescued alongside her¡ªnow, standing free. Among them, a flash of red hair caught her eye, drawing her to the face of one woman who¡¯d shown her a hint of kindness last night. The woman looked at her now, somewhat worry or¡­ disappointment? Or was it something else?

    Does she believe I¡¯m guilty too? A witch? A criminal?

    It was as though the woman¡¯s silent judgment confirmed what everyone else had assumed, as if they all thought her monstrous now.

    The knights'' grips tightened on her arms and dragged her away from the open courtyard. And the distance between her and those women grew.

    They passed beneath the shadows of the castle walls, she looked back one last time. But the courtyard had vanished behind a thick stone archway.

    Dungeon...It would be better to put me back on the cage! Damn...

    This wasn¡¯t just some grimy cell¡ªshe knew what a dungeon meant in a place like this. She¡¯d read enough to know. In the stories, the dungeon was always the place they threw the unlucky souls they wanted forgotten, a place hidden deep underground, filled with thick iron bars, damp stone walls, and cold shadows.

    The cells there meant no sunlight, no escape, nothing but the slow trickle of time that left a person losing their mind.

    She had hoped¡ªhoped desperately¡ªthat she wouldn¡¯t find ghost or goblin, but here she was, being led into a place where light seemed to go to die.

    Along the way, her eyes caught glimpses through barred cells. A rusted hand reaching out. Hollow eyes peering from the dark. Bones piled in one corner, scraps of cloth trailing off skeletal remains in another cell. The stench of decay and mildew was overpowering. And still, the knights dragged her on, indifferent to her attempts to slow them down.

    Finally, they reached an empty cell, illuminated by the torchlight on the wall. She was thrown in the cell. Just as she stumbled to her feet, one knight gripped the iron bars with one hand, and slammed the door shut.

    "Don''t be a dick. Manners might be nice!" she shouted to the knights who about to turn away. Then, one of the two spoke back. He even came closer to the bars. "Hold your tongue, you insolent prisoner! I have no time for your impudence. You''re but a lowly prisoner, a mere insect beneath my boot."

    Ella spit on the knight''s boots, which made him want to unsheathe his sword, but his companion held him back and stopped him from doing so.

    ¡°Being imprisoned doesn''t make me less a person. And tell your king¡ªwhoever he is¡ªthat I¡¯ll see him at the trial. I¡¯ll prove my innocence," she said.

    ¡°Ah, the innocent, full of hope and naivety,¡± he said mockingly. ¡°As if His Majesty would be swayed by the words of a mere wench. But fret not, I¡¯m certain he¡¯ll find great amusement in whatever feeble tale you weave.¡± He tipped his helmet with a mocking bow. ¡°Enjoy the comforts of your new abode, m¡¯lady. This the best you¡¯ll see for a good, long while.¡±

    With that, the knights turned, and walked away, leaving her alone in the silence of the dungeon. Ella¡¯s fingers were on the bars as she knelt on the ground motionless, staring the leaving knights.

    And the minutes passed by, she pulled herself from the bars and leaned her back against the wall. The entire experience left her speechless.