《Kathleen's Revenge》


 A Strange Encounter

    A girl ran through a forest shrouded in a deep fog. She was a young swordsman with long blue hair flowing behind her as she moved. Above her hempen clothing, she wore light iron armor and an iron forehead protector. The sword in her right hand, though somewhat small, was sturdily made.


    "Haa...haa...haa..."


    The girl had been injured. Her hempen clothes were ripped all over, exposing sharp cuts on her skin. Her iron armor was heavily damaged, and both of her hands had burn marks. In addition, blood spilled down her body and stained her shoes a deep red. They were wounds that would have taken out an ordinary woman.


    The girl''s name was Kathleen Ailis, and she is 16 years old.


    Kathleen looked back over her shoulder while she ran. The fog and the thick leaves obstructed the light and made the center of the forest dark. But looking towards the thick, dark fog, she could see the faint silhouettes of humans.


    They had been following Kathleen. They closed the distance to within twenty meters of her.


    This is bad.


    The moment she thought that, a voice echoed through the forest.


    "There!" the shout came from a woman, her voice like a soft, high-pitched baby bird.


    "Shit!"


    At the same time as she heard her speak, a blade sprung out from under Kathleen''s feet, and some arrows flew just past her, missing her face by an inch. Though it was about three meters of white steel, it suddenly sprouted out from the plain ground. The tip was aimed precisely at her heart.


    Kathleen swung the sword she was holding in a reverse grip, and the quartz adorning the pommel of her sword just barely managed to block the tip of the attacking blade. Kathleen''s body was flung backward from the recoil, and the attacking sword shattered into pieces.


    Tumbling backward, she thrust her sword into the ground, then lifted her body and jumped using just the power of her arms. The next instant, three blades sprung up from the ground to attack. Their tips only grazed her body. The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.


    "Did I get you?" her female pursuer asked.


    "How optimistic. You''ll have to be stealthier than that if you want to finish me off," Kathleen replied as she landed on the ground and immediately resumed her escape. Her pursuer''s figure faded into the fog to the point where she could no longer see her.


    "Try harder! Do you think you can catch me like that?"


    "You''re so stubborn," the girl shouted as she continued her pursuit.


    As she ran, Kathleen applied pressure to her right arm. Truthfully, she hadn''t been able to completely repel all of her attacks before. And now her upper arm was torn open with blood dripping down. So, acting like she was composed and calm was just her bluffing to the best of her ability to hide her injury.


    Kathleen asked herself, "How the heck did I get into this mess?"


    As far as she remembered, everything was fine. She was living a very happy life in the village with her friends. And all of a sudden, she was pursued by a psychopath girl and her army who wanted to kill her for a crime she didn''t even commit.


    "You still haven''t given up?" shouted the voice of her pursuer from behind her.


    Kathleen was desperately running from both her and the swords rushing upwards in attack beneath her feet. But all the blood loss was causing her vision to blur. Her fingertips were growing numb, and her legs were tripping up under herself. However, that didn''t mean she stopped running. If her pursuer caught up with her, she''d be killed.


    Why is this happening? Kathleen thought again.


    Suddenly, Kathleen heard a strange voice from above. It was a male voice. She looked up and saw a man coming down from the tree, and then, out of sheer bad luck, Kathleen''s legs gave out because of the blood loss.


    "Please don''t kill me," were her last words as she collapsed. Her pursuers caught up with her. Kathleen thought to herself, *Am I going to die now after putting in this much effort?*


    The strange man who jumped from the tree stood there with a puzzled look on his face. And then he spoke for the first time.


    "Who are you? And why do they want to kill you? Are you a criminal?"


    Kathleen gathered her last breath and just managed to say one thing.


    "NO."


    And she lost consciousness.


    "....."


    "....."


    "What happened? Where am I? Am I dead?"


    Kathleen slowly started to regain her senses.


    "It hurts a lot," she thought. Because of the attacks, Kathleen''s whole body was in pain. As her senses started coming back to her, she started hearing the crackling of the fire near her. Then she finally noticed the man sitting next to the fireplace.


    "...."


    "Who are you? And what happened to the woman and the soldiers?" Kathleen asked in a very low voice.


    *To Be Continued.*


    ---

 A Sentient Magic User

    "Did you hear that, Theo?"


    "Yes, it''s like someone is being followed, I think."


    "Yes, I agree."


    "The smell of blood... someone is injured."


    "Theo, you hide here. I will go and check what''s happening. No matter what, don''t come out of your camouflage."


    Saying that, the boy started climbing a large tree with super speed, like it was nothing, and he started jumping around from branch to branch. Finally, he disappeared completely.


    Theo Haynes was a 17-year-old boy with red hair. He was not that powerful and didn''t have an aptitude for magic, so he wasn''t that helpful in this situation. Unlike him, his brother was way more capable.


    On the other hand, just one year older than Theo, Eddy is just the opposite of Theo. They both have the same red hair, but Eddy has longer hair than Theo. As for magical abilities, Eddy can only wield fire and wind magic, but he also has a special sentient magic called Gate magic.


    Theo stared, hiding inside a bush and watching Eddy as he traversed through the forest. That hopeless feeling hit him once again. Despite being brothers, Eddy is way out of his league in terms of magical and physical abilities. He knows if he insists on going with his brother, he will be a burden to Eddy.


    Jumping from tree to tree, Theo''s brother finally arrived at the spot and then jumped in front of the blue-haired girl. Suddenly, the girl''s legs gave out, and she collapsed to the ground.


    He had too many questions in his mind, but he asked only three of them: "Who are you? And why do they want to kill you? Are you a criminal?"


    Hearing this, the girl said in a very low voice, "NO," and then she lost consciousness. He then noticed he was already surrounded by soldiers from every direction.


    "Boy, if you love your life, then stay away from that girl, and we will make an exception and spare you without killing you," came a shout from a woman. The woman had a very creepy smile on her face.


    He did not move an inch.


    "Ha... what''s that? So you don''t want to live anymore, I see... then die," she said once again, with the same creepy smile.


    At the same time as he heard her speak, a blade sprung out from under the boy''s feet. If he had been a second late, the blade would have hit him, but he managed to dodge it this time.


    "Oh... what''s that? You actually can dodge my attacks? Then you must be pretty strong. Let''s see," she said, and one more blade sprung out from under the boy''s feet, but this time a lot faster. This time, he didn''t dodge it but used his magic and created a portal of some kind. When the blade touched the magic circle, it disappeared into thin air.


    "Impossible! A sentient magic user? Interesting. I thought you were just a normal dude who just wanted to show off in front of a girl, but it seems I was wrong."


    As she spoke, he noticed a magic circle starting to form under the girl and himself. Then, out of the blue, they both disappeared into thin air.


    "What? They are gone? Impossible! Where did they go?" Everyone started to panic, but the woman''s face didn''t change a bit.


    "Run as much as you like but there is no escape from me"


    ---


    In this world, there were only seven types of magical aptitudes. Fire, Wind, Water, and Earth were the most common, and Light and Dark Magic were kind of rare. Only a small number of people could use them. But there was also another 2 type of magic One Of which is called sentient Magic, As the name suggests it''s so rare That there is only a hand full spells know to mankind. As for the another type no one ever known what it''s called or what it do because in the past 1000 years there isn''t even I single magic user who have the aptitude for this type of magic.


    If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.In this world, when a person is born, there is a chance they won''t have any magical aptitude or will have only one or two aptitudes. Having three, four, or five was very rare. In the history of the world, there hasn''t been a single person who could use all six.


    sentient Magic is different from basic magic. As far as mankind knows, there are only a handfull of Rare Magic spells, and one of them is teleportation magic, simply called the GATE spell.


    For the basic six magic types, anyone can test their magic aptitude by simply calling for the element. If the element reacts, then that person has that attribute. For example, if someone wants to check their fire attribute, they just simply have to say "Fireball." If a fire spark generates in their hand, then the person has a fire attribute. The same goes for the rest of them. But sentient Magic only activates when the person is truly in need of that power, like in a life-or-death situation. After that, they can use the spell anytime, anywhere.


    To use any kind of spell, a person needs something called mana. Mana is the basis of using magic. If someone has very little mana, despite having magic attributes, they can''t use any spells at all. Mana differs from person to person and is also affected by training. The more you train, the more effective your usage of it becomes. But sentient Magic doesn''t use mana. To this day, no one can figure out what it uses as fuel.


    ---


    Kathleen stirred, her eyelids fluttering open. Her head throbbed, and a strange unease lingered, like she had seen something she wasn''t meant to. Try as she might, the details of her dream slipped away¡ªshadows of a corridor, a figure she couldn''t place. She frowned, shaking the thought away as her surroundings came into focus


    "What happened? Where am I? Am I dead?"


    Kathleen slowly started to regain her senses.


    "It hurts a lot," she thought. Because of the attacks, Kathleen''s whole body was hurting like crazy. Then she finally noticed the man sitting next to the fireplace.


    "...."


    "Who are you, and what happened to the woman and the soldiers?" Kathleen asked in a very low voice.


    The boy slowly turned to Kathleen but did not answer.


    Once again, Kathleen asked him, "Who are you, and what happened to the woman and the soldiers?"


    Finally, the boy answered, "I am Eddy Haynes And this is my brother Theo. And what about you? What''s your name?"


    "My name is Kathleen Ailis. You didn''t answer my question. What happened to the woman and the soldiers?"


    Eddy started to explain to Kathleen about the woman, how she attacked him, and how he managed to escape using his sentient Magic, GATE.


    Kathleen''s eyes widened. ''sentient Magic?'' She''d heard of it¡ªa type of magic so rare that only a few spells were known to exist. Could this Guy truly wield the legendary Gate spell?"


    "You were out cold for a while. Did you see something? You kept mumbling in your sleep." Theo asked?


    "I don''t remember¡­ but it felt Like Something very important."


    "...."


    Kathleen''s breath caught. "We''re not alone," she whispered, her voice trembling as she scanned the shadows.


    Eddy''s face hardened. "No kidding. They''ve already found us"


    *To Be Continued.*


    ¡ª

 The Dream

    Kathleen''s mind floated in the void, untethered and hazy. She wasn''t awake, but she wasn''t quite asleep, either. Images blurred before her, unclear and shifting like a half-forgotten memory.


    She stood barefoot in a strange, metallic corridor. The walls around her gleamed with a cold light, pulsating faintly as if alive, though she can''t feel any magic power in them. The air was suffocatingly still, yet an unnatural hum reverberated beneath her feet, unsettling her.


    Ahead, through the thick, swirling haze, she saw a figure. Kathleen squinted, trying to make sense of what she was seeing. The figure was sitting on a strange, moving structure¡ªone that seemed to glide forward even though the floor stayed still. The figure''s face was blurry, indistinct, but something about her was eerily familiar.


    Kathleen stepped closer, her heartbeat quickening as recognition hit her like a bolt of lightning. The figure was her.


    But not. She wore strange clothes¡ªsharp and dark, made of fabrics Kathleen had never seen before. Her hair, tied back loosely, was the same deep blue, but her face was different. It was younger, weary, and carried a hollowness that unsettled Kathleen to her core.


    The air around them was thick with an oppressive silence, broken only by the rhythmic sound of the strange place. Kathleen reached out a trembling hand toward the other her.


    "Who... who are you?" she whispered, though the words felt heavy and foreign in her mouth.


    The figure didn''t move. She stared blankly out of a transparent panel beside her, where streaks of motion¡ªlight and shadow¡ªblurred by in a way Kathleen couldn''t understand.


    Kathleen took another step, her hand brushing against the figure''s shoulder. But her fingers passed through, as though the figure were made of smoke.


    Her heart sank, and a deep unease settled in her chest. "What is this?" she muttered. "Is this... me?"


    The figure remained unresponsive, her lips moving faintly, as though she were speaking words Kathleen couldn''t hear. The entire scene felt wrong, like something she doesn''t meant to see ¡ªa vision of something distant and unreal, yet painfully personal.


    The world around her began to dissolve, the walls and floor melting into the haze. Kathleen tried to hold on, to understand, but the harder she focused, the more everything slipped away.


    "No!" she cried out, her voice swallowed by the void. "What does this mean?"


    The last thing she saw was the other version of herself, her form fading into nothingness, leaving only a faint achingin her chest.


    Kathleen''s eyes shot open, her body aching as if it had been torn apart. The metallic hum of the dream was gone, replaced by the crackling of a fire nearby. The scent of burning wood filled her nose.


    Her senses sharpened slowly, and she became aware of the boy sitting beside the fire. The dream''s fog lingered in her mind, like a shadow she couldn''t shake.


    "What happened?" she muttered, her voice low. "Where am I?"


    Eddy turned to her, startled, but Kathleen barely noticed. The vision was already slipping from her memory, like sand through her fingers, leaving only a deep, unshakable unease in its wake.


    "What happened? Where am I? Am I dead?"Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.


    Kathleen slowly started to regain her senses.


    Kathleen shook her head, trying to clear her thoughts. The dream, the feeling of dread, it all seemed connected¡ªbut to what?


    "Are you okay?" Theo asked. "You were mumbling in your sleep."


    "It seems I can''t remember my dream, but I don''t know why... it feels like I''m forgetting something very important."


    "How are your wounds?" Eddy asked Kathleen.


    "I''m okay. The wounds aren''t too deep, so I''ll pull through this time."


    "...."


    "Can you hear that?" Kathleen asked hurriedly.


    "Oh, so you''ve noticed them too. It seems they''ve caught up with us," Eddy frowned.


    Kathleen started to get up and said, "Well, thanks for saving me back then. I can''t stay here much longer, or they will catch up."


    "Where are you going? And also, what did you do to them?" Theo asked.


    "I don''t know... I have no place to go. The village I called home was destroyed because of me. I don''t know what they want from me, but they are bad News, so I can''t stay anywhere. I will only put that place at risk as well," Kathleen said as tears started dripping from her eyes.


    "Wait, are you from Ashfell Village? I heard that village was attacked by a bandit camp two days ago," Theo asked.


    "Yes, I am from Ashfell Village," she replied.


    "Then that means they''re the ones who attacked your village, not some bandits. And you''ve been getting chased for the past two days?" Theo said.


    "Yes," Kathleen murmured.


    Eddy, who had been listening carefully, interrupted, "We don''t have time for this idle chitchat. Now come close¡ªhurry!"


    Theo hurried to Kathleen''s side, and Eddy cast a gate spell once again.


    "GATE!" Eddy exclaimed.


    Once again, they vanished from in front of the fire, leaving only the burning fires as proof that someone had been there.


    Someone came out of the jungle bushes.


    "So."


    "They vanished once again. Interesting," said the psychopath woman, smiling creepily.


    "You the solder on the far end of left go to our lord and notify him that it''s going as planned. We pillaged the village, and finally, they have met each other, and our plane was a success" the woman ordered the soldier and given him a strange emblem.


    The emblem features a fusion of a lion and a human. At the center, the lion''s face is sculpted , its eyes sharp and alert, yet there is a subtle human influence in the facial features. The human side of the emblem takes on an almost ethereal quality, with a finely detailed forehead and a strong jawline, The lines where the lion''s fur meets the human''s skin are intricate, as if drawn with a careful hand, giving the impression of a seamless transformation between beast and man.


    The soldier, as ordered, turned back into the forest, and the rest of them stood there, waiting for their next order from their LORD.


    "..."


    After some time, the soldier arrived at a small settlement in the middle of the jungle.


    The small settlement was deep within the the jungle, hidden by thick foliage and trees. A simple wooden fence surrounded the settlement, its planks roughly cut but sturdy, clearly built for defense . Vines clung to the fence, giving the impression that nature itself started to reclaim the area.


    At the main entrance, two soldiers standing guard. They were are wearing lightweight armor, designed for mobility in the dense jungle, with blades strapped to their waists and spears in hand.


    "Hold" Said the solder on the right.


    "I have a message for lord its from our lady "


    "show me the emblem of proof"


    the first solder hurriedly showed the half lion half human emblem.


    "ok can enter now"


    As the soldier entered the settlement, he got more and more excited. At last, after two years of tireless service, he could finally see the Lord in front of him.


    Inside the settlement, a cluster of small wooden huts formed the core, their roofs made of dried leaves. In front of him, he could see smoke curled lazily from a central fire pit, but for some reason, he couldn''t shake the uneasy feeling he was having.


    But finally, he arrived in front of the hut where the Lord resided.


    "What do you want?" the guard asked.


    "I have a message for the Lord; it''s from our lady," and here is the proof.


    "Okay, you may enter."


    He started walking inside the hut. On one side, he was excited about meeting the Lord, but on the other side, that uneasy feeling which he couldn''t get rid of lingered.


    He finally arrived in front of the throne where the Lord was sitting. In that small hut, the throne was very out of place.


    "My Lord, I am a humble soldier in your service. I have a message for you from our lady," the soldier said, kneeling down in front of the throne.


    "SPEAK."


    That uneasy feeling increased tenfold in the soldier''s heart. He said, stumbling over his words:


    "My Lord Our mission was successful. We managed to chase Kathleen into the jungle, and she finally met Eddy and his brother Theo."


    "Wonderful"


    "...."


    To be continued

 Barren Blackthorn

    "Where are we?" Kathleen asked.


    "Look in front of you," Eddy said, gasping for breath.


    "What happened? Are you okay? Theo, what happened to him?" Kathleen asked worriedly.


    "I am fine. It''s just that I''ve used my Gate spell a bit too much. That''s why I''m feeling exhausted. Let''s go to the city first¡ªyou will need some medical attention."


    Kathleen noticed then that somehow they were at the very edge of the forest and, in front of them, the Luminas city gate.


    "Let''s go," Theo said.


    They started walking toward the city door. Luminas City is as big as it is beautiful. The city is surrounded by deep forest on two sides and mountains on the other, so because of protection reasons, it''s surrounded by huge walls which cover the city from every side, making it hard to invade by monsters. In the center of the city, there is the largest guild hall in the world, where many adventurers dream of becoming pro adventurers. There is a river which flows in the middle of the city. Luminas City is not as old as other cities, but because of the guild and the surrounding forest and mountain area, a flock of adventurers comes every day. Because of that, a lot of traders from neighboring cities and villages come to Luminas City to sell off their stock, making it the busiest city compared to the other cities.


    "So this is Luminas City. I heard a lot of stories from the villagers who came regularly to trade in the city," Kathleen said.


    As they approached the city gate, Kathleen noticed the enormous gate and the walls which surround the city.


    "This is huge," Kathleen frowned and looked at the people who were waiting patiently just to enter the city.


    There were all kinds of people there. Some were traders from other villages, easily noticed by their huge luggage. Some were adventurers wearing armor and carrying swords and bows.


    Because there was a line and people were not stopping coming, Eddy went ahead to take the spot. As for Kathleen and Theo, they were walking slowly because of Kathleen''s wounds, and also this was the first time Kathleen came to the city, so she was taking in as much of the scenery as possible.


    "Hey, miss!" someone called Kathleen from behind.


    Kathleen turned to them. Two guys¡ªone wearing light armor, probably a mage, and the other one who called Kathleen was carrying a long sword. Safe to say, they were adventurers who were also entering the city.


    "Hey, miss, join us. You won''t go far with these losers as your partners," said the swordsman.


    Kathleen and Theo tried to ignore them for some time, but they kept following and harassing them. Then suddenly, the mage tried to touch Kathleen from behind. Due to the suddenness of the situation, Kathleen reacted very violently and tried unsheathing her sword. At that very moment, Theo realized what Kathleen was about to do and stopped her from unsheathing her sword.


    "Don''t do this here," Theo muttered quietly.


    "Hey, can you please stop following us?" Theo asked the adventurers.


    "Look at this guy¡ªhe can talk," the swordsman muttered angrily.


    "Oh, did we make you angry?" the mage said, laughing.


    Theo was about to say something, but then someone came from behind the adventurers and said in a very harsh voice:This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.


    "Scram."


    Hearing that voice, the adventurers looked behind them and tried to say something, but they froze in absolute shock.


    The man stood there silently, not saying a word.


    "These guys are with you? I am sorry. We didn''t know that. We deeply apologize for our mistakes, sir," one of the adventurers stammered.


    Then they ran away in the direction of the jungle.


    Theo and Kathleen were surprised. Who was this man? They didn''t know him, but still, he had helped them.


    "New to the city? From the looks of your equipment and the sword you''re carrying, miss, I assume you are here to join the adventurers'' guild," the man asked, smiling.


    Kathleen was about to answer, but Theo jumped in first. "Yes, we are. Who might you be, sir?"


    "Oh, so I was right! I am Barren Blackthorn, a regular member of the guild¡ªthough for some reason, everyone thinks of me as some kind of big shot."


    Kathleen thought to herself, I''m not surprised. The massive amount of muscles and that huge sword, which puts a normal two-handed greatsword to shame¡ªhe''s like a wild beast.


    Kathleen bowed as she said, "Thank you, sir, for helping us."


    "HA HA HA HA!"


    "No need to thank me¡ªI didn''t do anything," Barren said, puffing his chest.


    Barren was not a normal-looking adventurer. With his 6-foot-2 height and massive muscles, he could be compared to a gorilla, though no one actually dared to call him that. The man had brownish hair combed backward, which suited him quite nicely. He also wore heavy armor that bore countless marks of battle.


    In battle, Barren was a force of nature, wielding his greatsword with precision and strength that belied its enormous size.


    "What are you doing here? I was waiting for you guys at the entrance," Eddy questioned angrily.


    Kathleen was so engrossed in her own thoughts about Barren that she didn''t even notice Eddy approach from behind. Eddy''s voice hit her like a truck, returning her to reality.


    "Oh, Eddy! Some adventurers were harassing us when Sir Barren showed up and helped us fend them off," Theo interjected.


    "Wait, Eddy," Barren said, surprised. "How long has it been? Where have you been?" Barren asked, smiling.


    "Wait¡ªyou know my brother?" Theo asked, surprised.


    "Know him? We''re old friends. When I first joined the guild, I would regularly go adventuring with your brother. Those were the days, am I right, Eddy?"


    "Thank you so much, Barren, for saving my brother and my friend," Eddy said with the same dull expression.


    "Come on, man, don''t say that," Barren said, blushing.


    "Is this guy really blushing like a child over a compliment?" Kathleen thought to herself.


    "Anyway, let''s enter the city first. My friend needs some medical attention," Eddy said.


    "Oh, what happened? Let me see," Barren asked Kathleen.


    "Nothing, it''s just a minor wound," said Kathleen as she showed her upper arm, which had been wounded while running from that woman.


    "Give me just one second," Barren said and started chanting:


    "By the grace of the sacred star, let wounds be closed, and life restored. Heal."


    As soon as Barren''s chant ended, a bright, glowing light covered Kathleen''s upper arm.


    Kathleen was looking at her arm in shock; she had never in her life seen healing magic.


    As the light started disappearing, Kathleen began feeling the pain go away. When the light fully vanished, her upper arm was as good as new¡ªnot a single scratch remained.


    The basic four elemental magics¡ªwind, earth, water, and fire¡ªwere very common, so Kathleen had seen them back in the village. But she had never seen any light magic or dark magic spells, so this was a very shocking experience for her.


    Kathleen said as she looked astonished at her upper arm, "So this is light magic."


    Kathleen knew that dark magic spells were primarily summoning magic, and light magic was for healing. But knowing something and seeing it were two completely different things.


    "Thank you, sir," Kathleen bowed once again in front of Barren.


    Kathleen couldn''t even imagine that this huge guy would use such gentle magic as light magic.


    "Hey now, don''t embarrass me. Get up. I''m just helping a friend in need."


    "But¡ª"


    "No ''ifs'' and ''buts.'' You''re a friend of Eddy, so you''re my friend too."


    "You know what? You remind me of Eddy when we used to adventure. So cheerful, gentle, and always thanking us for every little thing."


    Kathleen and Theo were both surprised as they looked at Eddy at the same time.


    Kathleen thought to herself, I don''t know this guy for long, but gentle, curious, cheerful¡ªare we speaking about the same person?


    Looking at Theo''s face, Kathleen could easily determine what Theo was thinking too.


    "Enough of the useless chatter. Let''s go to the city first," Eddy frowned, clearly wanting this conversation to end.


    "I know what you''re thinking. What I described and what you''re seeing are totally different, right?" Barren said, looking very sad.


    "O


    n that fateful day, the Eddy I knew got lost..."


    To be continued.

 Kathleens Escape

    "On that fateful day, the Eddy I knew got lost..." Barren said, looking in the direction of Eddy as he started walking toward the city gate.


    "It''s going to be night soon. Do you guys have anywhere to stay?" Barren asked Theo.


    "No, we thought we would just stay at an inn near the guild hall," Eddy interjected before Theo could respond.


    Theo took the hint and said, "Yes, after we visit the apothecary, we''ll head to the inn."


    Kathleen was shocked but didn''t interject.


    "Let''s go. We don''t need to visit the apothecary now, so let''s head to the inn," Barren said as he started walking fast to catch up with Eddy.


    "Sorry about that, but we can''t make a mistake now. You told us you didn''t know the attackers, right? We still don''t know their motive or who they were. As for Ashfell Village, we heard that not a single villager was killed, and nothing was stolen either. The people who got injured were those who actively tried to protect their homes and fight back. It''s almost as if the bandits were ordered by someone to destroy the houses and nothing else."


    Kathleen was shocked to hear that.


    "But¡­ but that can''t be. I was there when they attacked. I saw everything."


    "They attacked the village and then came to the orphanage. I can still recall the frightened faces of the kids. They came inside, breaking the main door. Everyone panicked and started screaming. I was the only one who could fight them, so that''s what I did¡ªI tried to hold them off as much as possible. But then I looked back and saw the sight I will never forget," Kathleen said, starting to weep as she exclaimed.


    "I couldn''t protect them. They outnumbered me and got inside the house. Then¡­ that woman came."


    Kathleen''s voice trembled as she continued. "I can still vividly remember what she said."


    "Leave those children. We can easily kill them later. She is the one we were looking for," the woman said, pointing at Kathleen.


    "Whoever manages to kill this woman, our LORD will bless him with a reward," the woman added with a creepy smile.


    "How does it feel knowing that everything is happening because of you? You! Because of your mistake, all the villagers had to suffer and get killed," Kathleen recalled the woman saying, her words cutting deep.


    Kathleen stood there, utterly shocked.


    "You are the reason those children will die¡ªbecause of you and you alone!"


    "What did I do?" Kathleen shouted, tears flowing from her eyes, yet she still held her sword, ready to attack at any moment.


    "What have I done? Tell me!"


    "You¡­ you are after me. I made the mistake, right? Then why did they have to suffer? Why?" Kathleen shouted again, her voice filled with anguish.


    "That''s simple," the woman replied coldly. "Because you think of them as family, and we will not only kill you but also destroy everything you love."


    The woman''s face twisted into a grin as she gave the order.


    "Soldiers, kill this woman now!" she commanded.


    Hearing that order, the soldiers began moving toward Kathleen.


    At that moment, Kathleen thought to herself, "If these guys are after me, then there''s a chance if I start running toward the forest, they will follow me."


    Acting on her plan, she started running toward the forest.


    As she expected, every single soldier started running, following her. Kathleen''s plan worked.


    "As she entered the forest, she saw for the last time the orphanage she had called home for the last couple of years."


    She kept running, tears in her eyes, and thought to herself, "If I die today, that''s okay¡ªif I can give them a chance to survive."


    For the entire first day, she ran without stopping, sometimes hiding in the thick foliage.


    On the second day, they finally caught up to her and attacked her several times. With the last ounces of her strength, she ran, dodging their attacks, sometimes blocking them. But then, finally, it happened¡ªher legs gave out.


    At that moment, she thought, "This is how I''m going to die. But if I die today, at least I gave them a final chance to escape."


    As she was about to collapse, she heard a male voice asking her:


    "Who are you? And why do they want to kill you? Are you a criminal?"


    With her last breath, she said, "No."


    "And then I woke up with you guys sitting next to me in the forest," Kathleen concluded, stopping her story.


    "I am so sorry," Theo said apologetically.


    Stolen novel; please report."Why are you apologizing?" Kathleen asked.


    "Because of me, you had to remember that horrible day," Theo said.


    "Okay, so we can conclude from the story that they were primarily after you and were ordered not to kill you or any villagers," Barren said, looking back at them.


    Kathleen and Theo were both shocked by Barren''s sudden intervention.


    "Don''t be shocked. From the moment I saw that wound, I had a hunch something big happened, and you guys were hiding something from me. So, I used a little spell around us," Barren said.


    "Wait, what? Since when?" Theo asked, shocked.


    "From the moment Eddy started walking and I followed him."


    "Can''t you notice the dead silence around us?"


    Kathleen and Theo then noticed.


    "Now that you''ve said it, it''s like we''re in a closed room with no contact with the outside," Kathleen mumbled.


    "Yes, it''s my sound barrier," Barren said, puffing his chest as if proud of his achievement.


    "Barren, listening to someone''s secret conversation is rude," Eddy frowned at him.


    "Look who''s talking! I created the barrier, you noticed it, but you didn''t stop me. That means you were listening in too! Don''t make me the bad guy here," Barren said angrily, pouting.


    "What is this guy? Is he pouting now?" Kathleen thought to herself.


    Eddy didn''t reply.


    "Hey, from now on, I''ll call you ''Kath,'' okay? You can call me whenever you want," Barren said, smiling.


    "Okay then, Kath. From what you''ve told us, I think it''s a very serious matter, and Eddy here knows that too."


    "Good to know that inside this tough guy, the good old Eddy I know is still lingering," Barren said, looking at Eddy.


    "Stop that. I was just doing what I had to. When they saw me, they started attacking me too," Eddy said.


    "That''s why when I was escaping from their attack, I used a Gate spell on myself, but she got caught in it and was teleported as well," Eddy explained.


    Kathleen looked surprised in Eddy''s direction.


    "Okay, okay, I understand. You don''t have to explain, you big softy," Barren teased.


    "As far as I can understand, you didn''t choose Luminas City randomly. You could''ve gone anywhere, but no¡ªyou came here. I can clearly see your intention," Barren said, rubbing Eddy''s head.


    "Stop that," Eddy said, forcefully removing Barren''s hand.


    "Hey, don''t be so mean," Barren said, pouting angrily once again. "You were so sweet back then, and look at you now. You used to smile whenever we rubbed your head!"


    "Isn''t this guy too sweet for his looks?" Kathleen thought to herself.


    "Let''s go to a restaurant first. I''m very hungry," Barren said as he started rubbing his belly. "And for this occasion, it''s my treat."


    As they stood in front of the city gate, Barren lowered the sound barrier, and suddenly, every noise returned. Kathleen and Theo were surprised by the stark difference¡ªit felt like an entirely different world. They could finally hear the soldiers checking and talking with the people waiting to enter the city.


    "..........." Barren said something in a very low voice.


    "What? Speak up! We can''t hear you in this noise," Theo interjected, screaming.


    "You don''t have to scream, Theo," Eddy frowned. "Talk normally¡ªwe''re near you."


    "Oh, sorry, my bad. I forgot about my own barrier," Barren said embarrassedly and then started talking normally. "This is an aftereffect of my air barrier¡ªeveryone forgets how normal voices sound."


    "HA HA HA HA," Barren started laughing.


    "I''ll put up the barrier again once we enter the city. Then, tell me in detail what happened with the woman and the soldiers," Barren said as he stepped forward to answer the soldiers'' questions.


    After 10 minutes of thorough checks and questioning, they finally entered Luminas City.


    Luminas City was as beautiful from the inside as it was from the outside.


    With its well-planned roads and architecturally stunning buildings, the city felt like a masterpiece, especially to first-timers.


    "Okay, let''s do this," Barren said.


    "Air, encircle and protect! Barrier of the wind, arise!"


    The surrounding sounds disappeared as Barren chanted the spell.


    "Okay, now, Kath, explain," Barren said.


    Kathleen began explaining everything in detail.


    "Okay, now I understand. I was right¡ªthey didn''t want to kill you at all," Barren said, scratching his non existent beard.


    "How can you say that for sure that they were not trying to harm her?" Eddy interjected.


    "Okay then, let me explain¡­."


    To be continued

 Kathleen Ailis

    "So first of all, let''s think about it. A village got attacked by some bandits who didn''t want to steal anything or kill anyone unless they were attacked in self-defense.


    Then there''s one more thing: if they wanted to just kill Kathleen, they could''ve done it much more easily. They could''ve simply attacked the orphanage. There was no need to attack the entire village unless they had no idea where their target might be. And so, they started attacking the village."


    "Wait, but¡ª"


    "Let me finish first," Barren said angrily, cutting Theo off mid-sentence.


    "Then there''s the fact that the woman you mentioned specifically stopped the soldiers from attacking anyone in the orphanage by ordering them all to focus on Kathleen. Lastly, we all know how rare sentient magic is. A handful of soldiers and a sentient magic user couldn''t manage to kill a single woman? That''s way too far-fetched to me," Barren exclaimed, scratching his head.


    "The woman who can use blade magic¡ªI think I''ve heard about her. And because of how rare sentient magic is, we can easily assume we''re talking about the same woman."


    "But¡ª"


    "There''s a huge problem with this predicament. When Eddy and I used to go on adventures together, we occasionally heard about a sentient magic user. The problem is, all the rumors we heard at that time described that woman as very kind and gentle¡ªnot some kind of psychopath."


    "She''s telling the truth. I''ve seen Scarlet. She attacked me as well when I tried to help Kathleen, and I can assure you that woman was most definitely Scarlet Dawnfield," Eddy interjected.


    "Okay, then there''s no doubt about it. It was actually Scarlet, as confirmed by Eddy," Barren smirked.


    Kathleen then noticed that Theo was standing there, staring blankly as if he wasn''t even present in the conversation.


    "Hi, Sir Barren, can you explain that once again?" Theo said.


    "...."


    "A village got attacked by bandits but the bandits didn''t want to steal or kill anyone. So what did they want? They wanted fear in their target. Secondly, they didn''t know who their target was. The reason why I''m saying this is because if they knew where Kathleen was, they could have easily created fear by just attacking the orphanage. You care a lot about that orphanage, am I right, Kathleen?" Barren asked.


    "Yes," Kathleen replied.


    "As it should be¡ªthey were like a family to you. Am I right about that?"


    Kathleen looked puzzled at Barren.


    "Wait, wait, wait! I''m confused again. How do you know that Kathleen cared about the orphanage? You just met her," Theo said, panicking.


    Kathleen thought the same thing, but Theo beat her to the question.


    "That''s very simple. If protecting the orphanage was just an obligation for her, she wouldn''t have thought about sacrificing herself over the orphanage that she''s only been with for two or three years," Barren explained.


    "You aren''t actually from Ashfall Village," Barren added as he pointed out a restaurant on the side. "Let''s go to this one. The food is quite delicious here."


    Kathleen looked absolutely shocked as she tried to think back. When did I mention all of that?If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.


    "You''re correct, but how did you know about that? Did I know you before two years ago?" Kathleen asked.


    "No, no, I can assure you that this is the first time we''ve met," Barren said as he looked at Theo.


    Theo looked completely empty, as if his soul itself had left his body.


    "Come on, cheer up, Theo," Eddy said as they finally entered the restaurant.A sweet bell sound rimmed as they opened the door.


    The restaurant was cozy yet elegant. The walls were painted in soft pastel tones, accented by paintings and small hanging plants. Delicate fairy lights were strung along the edges of the ceiling, casting a gentle golden glow that made the space feel welcoming.


    The six tables were evenly spaced, each covered with white tablecloths that reached just below the polished wooden tops. At each table were four comfortable chairs with cushioned seats. A small vase of fresh flowers sat in the center of every table, adding a splash of color and a subtle floral scent to the air.


    The atmosphere was further elevated by the faint sound of soft music playing in the background, blending seamlessly with the low hum of conversations from the few patrons enjoying their meals.


    Moving gracefully between the tables was the restaurant''s one and only waitress, a gorgeous figure with fair skin and a pair of adorable fake cat ears that twitched occasionally as she worked. Her uniform was simple¡ªa neat dress in light pastel colors with a fitted apron tied around her waist. Her large, expressive eyes radiated warmth, and her cheerful smile made everyone feel at ease. Her fake cat-like tail swished gently behind her as she expertly balanced trays of food, attending to customers.


    "Let''s go to that table at the very end so we don''t have to use the sound barrier," Barren suggested.


    Finally, Kathleen noticed that she could hear the other diners'' voices and the sweet melody playing in the background.


    "Welcome!"


    "Sit anywhere you like, naya. Just give me a call when you''re ready to order, naya," the waitress said in a cute, cat-like voice.


    With her fake cat ears, tail, and playful talking style, anyone could easily be fooled into thinking she was a real nekomata.


    "Let me order right here," Barren said, waving the waitress over.


    "Oh sure, let me write it down, naya," she replied cheerfully.


    Eddy, Theo, and Kathleen stood there, surprised, as Barren began rattling off his order.


    After ordering 20 or so dishes, Barren finally said, "That will be it, thank you," and then turned to the others. "What do you guys want? I recommend their fried omurice¡ªit''s the best."


    Snapping out of her daze, Kathleen said, "Okay, I''ll have one of those."


    "Same for us," Eddy said as he began walking toward the back seats.


    Finally sitting down, Kathleen noticed one of the paintings hanging on the front wall. It depicted a huge black vehicle of some kind, with massive wheels and two tracks at the front where the wheels rolled. As she stared at it, Kathleen''s head began to ache as if she had seen that vehicle somewhere before but couldn''t remember where.


    "Hey, Kathleen, are you okay? You look pale," Theo asked worriedly.


    "I''m okay, but¡­ what is that painting on the wall?" Kathleen asked, pointing at it.


    "Oh, that one? That''s supposed to be a magic cart," Barren explained. "It was a very cool idea, but alas, magic has its limitations."


    "What happened to the magic cart?" Kathleen asked.


    "Nothing. The development on that project just stopped. Those things required a ton of mana just to move from one place to another. And don''t even get me started on the mastery of wind magic it needed! You''d have to push the cart with wind magic from behind while simultaneously creating negative wind pressure in the front by removing the air so the thing could run. Otherwise, the air resistance would act like a barrier," Barren said, looking around for the waitress.


    "Are you really okay, Kathleen? Your face is getting pale," Theo asked again, worried.


    "Yes, but this headache¡­ it''s like there''s something my mind desperately wants me to remember, but I can''t," Kathleen said, placing her hand on her forehead.


    "My healing magic can cure any wound, but it''s useless against any kind of sickness, headache, or cold," Barren said apologetically. "We should visit an apothecary after eating."


    As Barren said this, the waitress came to their table and served four freshly made hot fried omurice dishes. As the name suggested, it was fried rice topped with a huge omelet. The waitress carefully poured some sauce over each omelet, then used a knife to cut the omelet open. As she sliced it, a rich yellow liquid spilled out, covering the entire rice dish.


    "If you need anything, just call me. As for you, sir, I''ll bring the rest of your orders in a bit," the waitress said to Barren with a polite smile.


    "Let''s dig in!" Barren said as he started eating at a rapid pace.


    "You guys eat too. Don''t let it get cold. We''ll talk after eating," he said between bites.


    As they ate, the waitress brought another of Barren''s many orders to the table.


    .....To be continued

 The Setup

    "That was a great meal," Barren said, rubbing his belly. "How was the omurice?"


    "It''s very delicious," said Kathleen.


    "You guys need to eat more. Order something else, man. At this rate, I''ll feel bad," Barren added.


    Kathleen looked at Barren, shocked, and said, "Let me finish this first."


    Kathleen was very hungry because she hadn''t eaten the previous day, but even so, she couldn''t finish one plate.


    Not only Kathleen, but Theo was also struggling to finish his dish.


    When Theo and Kathleen finally finished, Theo exclaimed, "How did you manage to finish all those dishes? Here we are, struggling to finish one plate, and we''re already full to the brim!"


    "Waiter!" Barren shouted.


    The cat girl came running to their table.


    "We''re ready to order our desserts," Barren said, smiling.


    "Sure, what will it be?" the cat girl asked, swinging her fake tail from left to right.


    This time, not only Kathleen and Theo, but even Eddy was looking at Barren in shock.


    Then Barren proceeded to order a large number of desserts as well.


    "What is this guy made of? After eating that much food, he still has room for more?" Kathleen thought to herself.


    "Is that going to be it, sir?" the waitress asked.


    "Hey, what are you guys looking at me so shocked for? Order some desserts, will you!" Barren said.


    "No, thank you, I''m good," Eddy said.


    As soon as Eddy said that, Theo and Kathleen both shouted, "We''re full!" Then, realizing they didn''t need to shout, they looked at each other, embarrassed.


    "Okay, then, I''ll be back with your order soon," the waitress said as she walked away from the table with a smile on her face.


    "Okay, then. Let''s continue where we left off," Barren said, changing his expression to a more serious one.


    "What are you going to do now?" Barren asked Kathleen.


    "I don''t know. A lot of things happened in the last two days. My village got attacked, and I''ve been chased for my life. I don''t know what''s happening anymore."


    "I don''t think I would have even survived if it wasn''t for Eddy," Kathleen said, glancing at Eddy''s direction.


    "That''s it!" Barren shouted.


    "It keeps getting interesting."


    "Eddy, why did you go to the jungle today?" Barren asked impatiently.


    "We were coming to Luminas City because of a letter we received four days ago." Eddy handed over the letter to Barren.


    "My God."


    "If I''m understanding correctly, this was pre-planned by someone."


    "Hi, can you guys talk in English?" Theo said, scratching his head.


    For the first time, Kathleen was also confused by what Barren was pointing at, so she asked, "What? I didn''t understand either."


    "Okay, let''s do it like this," Barren said, explaining with the toothpicks on the table.If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.


    "Suppose this toothpick is you, in Ashfall Village, and this toothpick on the far east is me. And these two on the north are Eddy and Theo. And in the center, this flowerpot is Luminas City."


    "Now notice something: Just four days ago, we were very far from each other and also from Luminas City. Then suddenly, Eddy got a letter from someone. Let me read out the content of the letter for you guys," Barren said as he started reading.


    "By the light and darkness that pierces the veil, reveal what lies beyond the matter. Show me the mirror of existence¡ªGate of the null room, open my sight!"


    "That''s it," Barren said, putting down the letter.


    "This spell brings back a lot of bad memories, doesn''t it, Eddy?"


    "Yes. When I got the letter, I was shocked to see this spell. We thought we had completely destroyed anything and everything related to this cursed spell," Eddy frowned angrily.


    "Let''s check the sender''s address on this letter. Oh, look at that. It came from the guild of Luminas City. That means someone from the guild or an adventurer sent this to you."


    "That''s the reason I started my journey to Luminas City."


    "Then why didn''t you use your Gate spell?" Kathleen asked Eddy.


    "My Gate spell isn''t infinite. It has a range of only 1 km around me, so I was using my Gate spell. But as you know, sentient magic doesn''t cost mana¡ªit varies from person to person. For me, it uses your stamina as the power source, exactly the amount I would burn from running to that distance," Eddy said.


    "That''s why you were so exhausted when you used the Gate to teleport us to the city gate," Kathleen said.


    "That''s why I was resting at that time. Then we started hearing footsteps. That''s when I met her," Eddy said, looking at Barren.


    "On the other hand, I was on a quest four days ago when a boy suddenly gave this to me out of nowhere and said, ''I have a message for you, come to Luminas City,'' and ran off. When I opened the letter, I was shocked."


    "Look at this," Barren showed the letter.


    Inside the letter, Kathleen read the same spell written as before:


    "By the light and darkness that pierces the veil, reveal what lies beyond the matter. Show me the mirror of existence¡ªGate of the null room, open my sight!"


    The same letter, sent from the same place as it was for Eddy.


    "That''s why I completed my quest as soon as possible and then came to Luminas City. Then I met you guys at the city gate."


    "As for you, Kathleen, you were living a peaceful life in Ashfall Village, and then out of the blue, the village got attacked. You were blamed for the attack and then pursued in the forest by a horde of soldiers."


    "Here''s why I think this is bullshit," Barren said confidently.


    "First of all, for the village attack, my theory is that they only knew you lived in Ashfall Village but didn''t know where, so they started destroying the homes, forcing everyone to come out without a choice. This served a purpose. Then, when they finally found you at the orphanage, they ignored everyone else and focused on you. They made you believe you were the reason your loved ones were suffering, so you ran to the forest in hopes they''d follow you and leave the orphanage alone. They used your fear against you. They made you believe that you were the one making the choice by sacrificing yourself, but the actual plan was from someone else entirely."


    "Then there''s the one-day chase. The Scarlet we knew and heard of was very gentle and kind, but also a beast of an adventurer, an expert of her own blade magic."


    "That''s why I don''t think Scarlet was actually trying to lead you to Eddy in the jungle. Their goal wasn''t to kill you, but the union of Eddy and you," Barren said as the waiter brought a lot of desserts¡ªice cream, parfaits, everything.


    "Do you remember the adventurers you met at the gate?" Barren asked as he started digging into the desserts.


    "Yes, what about them?" Theo asked this time.


    "Rumor has it that in the jungle, there''s a cult operating that targets innocent adventurers and brainwashes them to join their cult. The only identifying feature about them is an emblem. The emblem features a half lion and half human person."


    "When I was about to enter the city, I noticed you guys getting surrounded by them. I didn''t think much of it at first. Truth be told, I was going to ignore you guys, but then I noticed the emblem on their hands. So I rushed over because I thought they were about to brainwash you into joining their cult, and it would be pretty much undeniable proof of their crime. And then, the rest of what happened, you already know. I thought that if I budged in, they would''ve attacked me or something, but they just ran away."


    "Now, what if that was also a setup? What if those guys were there just to get me to meet you?"


    Kathleen was listening intently, then she suddenly shouted, "I remember now!"


    "You don''t have to shout. We''re sitting very close," Barren said, looking around.


    The customers in the restaurant were now looking at them.


    "Sorry about that, but the emblem¡ªI''ve seen it on the woman who was following me."


    "That''s it! We''ve got our proof too!" Barren said, puffing his chest as his theory was confirmed.


    Kathleen thought to herself, What is with this guy? He seems so childish yet so cunning.


    "Okay, here''s the gist for Theo," Barren said as he finished all the desserts.


    Then Kathleen noticed Theo.


    He was staring blankly, as if the life had been shocked out of his body.


    "Four people met in front of the city gate¡ªit wasn''t a coincidence because it was preplanned."


    "Okay, that means someone set us up!" Theo exclaimed as the life returned to his body.


    "I finally understand! Why didn''t you say that before?" Theo said happily.


    "Okay, here''s the plan: we''re going to stay at the inn together, and then we''ll investigate tomorrow," Barren said decisively.


    To be continued...

 Game plan

    "My Lord, Kathleen and Eddy have finally met up with Barren," the woman said as she started approaching the man on the throne. Darkness covered every single inch of the hut, making it feel suffocating. Yet, the sheer size of the throne at the far end of the hut made the entire space feel small and cramped in comparison.


    "Oh, Scarlet, what would I do without you?" the man said as he raised his hand.


    "It isn¡¯t going to be long until our plan finally moves into motion. Then I can have the one thing I desire most. Is that so much to ask, Scarlet?"


    "This time, for sure, I will not fail. With you by my side, surely this time will be different."


    "Yes, my Lord," the woman said as she grabbed the man''s hand in mid-air.


    "---------------"


    "Okay, let¡¯s go to the inn," Barren said after paying the entire bill all by himself, as promised.


    The inn wasn¡¯t far from the restaurant, so they got there in just a minute.


    Upon entering, the first floor opened into a warm and inviting reception area. The air carried a faint scent of polished wood, while a cozy fireplace crackled gently to one side, casting soft shadows across the room. The walls were lined with town maps, various posters, and a few paintings.


    At the center of the reception area stood a polished wooden counter, behind which sat a cute young receptionist. She had fair skin and bright, expressive eyes that sparkled with energy. Her uniform¡ªa simple yet stylish tunic with a matching apron¡ªperfectly complemented her cheerful demeanor.


    Her voice was soft but lively, welcoming every guest with an infectious smile. As adventurers approached the counter to check-in, she greeted them with an enthusiastic, "Welcome to The Silver Lantern! How can I assist you today?"


    To the side of the reception area was a small lounge with comfortable chairs and tables, where adventurers could relax. A staircase at the far end led to the upper floors, where the rooms were situated, each offering a comfortable retreat after a long day¡¯s journey.


    "Welcome to The Silver Lantern! How can I assist you today?" the girl asked, bowing.


    "Hi, can we get two rooms¡ªone for three and the other for one?" Barren asked the girl.


    "Sure, sir. That will be five silvers per night for the two rooms."Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel.


    "Does anyone have any objection to that? Eddy? Kathleen?" Barren asked, glancing at the two.


    "I have no objection," Eddy replied.


    Kathleen seemed like she was about to say something, but Barren noticed and cut her off. "Okay then. Let¡¯s go to our rooms."


    "Here are your room keys for room numbers 7 and 9. They¡¯re on the second floor. Thank you for your patronage," the receptionist said, bowing once again.


    "Hey, Kathleen, go to your room and freshen up, will you? Then come to our room¡ªwe need to discuses the plan for tomorrow," Eddy said.


    "Don¡¯t look so down," Barren said, rubbing Kathleen¡¯s head.


    "But¡ª"


    "Oh, don¡¯t worry about it. Just do as Eddy said. We¡¯ll talk later," Barren added with a reassuring smile.


    "---------------"


    Knock, knock.


    Theo opened the door and said, "Come in."


    "Ah, she¡¯s here! Come on in and join us," Barren said, stepping out of the bathroom, freshly showered and wiping his hair with a white towel.


    The room was not as large as Kathleen initially thought, but it was still bigger compared to her own room. It had a double bed on one side and a single bed on the other. The room was well-decorated with flower pots and paintings on the walls.


    The lighting was dim, provided by softly glowing magic lamps, giving the room a cozy ambiance.


    "Are you feeling okay now? What happened to you at the restaurant?" Theo asked Kathleen as she sat down on the double bed, with Eddy already sitting in the corner.


    "I don¡¯t know, but that vehicle¡ªI think I¡¯ve seen it some where, not only that I think i have rode on it too" Kathleen said vaguely.


    "What? That¡¯s impossible. Even I¡¯ve never seen a magic train!" Barren said, jumping onto the single bed. The sudden motion made Theo jump in shock, as he wasn¡¯t expecting it.


    "Let¡¯s leave it at that for now and decide what to do next," Eddy said.


    "Thank you, guys," Kathleen said, lowering her head. "I don¡¯t even know how to thank you properly. You¡¯ve done so much for me. How can I ever repay you?"


    "Okay, then, do as I say," Barren said. "There¡¯s someone who wants us to meet so badly."


    "And the only thing we know so far is the half-lion, half-human emblem and the cult that uses it as their symbol."


    "Let¡¯s go to the guild tomorrow and ask around the guild hall. I think we¡¯ll find some clues about the cult for sure because that¡¯s the location the letters were sent from," Eddy said.


    "Okay then, it¡¯s a deal. Let¡¯s call it a day. I know you guys have been through a lot, especially Kathleen," Barren said as he casually pushed Theo off the bed with his hand and started snoring in an instant.


    "Why did you push me¡ª" Theo began to say but stopped when he noticed that Barren was already out cold.


    "Let it go," Eddy said. "Come here. And as for you, Kathleen, go to your room and get some rest. You¡¯re way too fatigued."


    As Eddy said that, Kathleen nodded and left the room, heading back to her own.


    As she walked through the dimly lit hallway, she suddenly felt someone¡¯s presence near the corner.


    "Who¡¯s there?" she asked, her voice steady but cautious, as she started walking toward the turn.


    When she arrived at the corner, there was no one there.


    Kathleen thought she must have made a mistake and turned back to head toward her own room.


    "---------------"


    "Where am I?" Kathleen thought as she started looking around. "And who are they?"


    As the thick fog started clearing, she noticed four figures.


    "What? How can this be...?"


    To be continued...

 The Mysterious Figures

    Kathleen''s mind floated in the void. She wasn''t awake, but she wasn''t quite asleep either. Images blurred before her, unclear and shifting like half-forgotten memories.


    She stood barefoot in a strange room filled with desks and chairs. The walls around her gleamed with a cold light, though she couldn''t feel any magic power in them. The air was suffocating still, yet she could sense multiple presences in the room with her. Where are they? The unsettling feeling crept into her chest. Ahead, through the thick, swirling haze, she saw four figures. Kathleen squinted, trying to make sense of what she was seeing. The figures'' faces were blurry, indistinct, but something about them felt eerily familiar.


    One of them was a girl, sitting right next to a window which was glowing from the outside light as if it is a middle of day. In front of her sat a guy, positioned sideways on a chair, looking at a large figure standing nearby. The last figure stood directly in front of the girl.


    Kathleen¡¯s eyes widened as she look at the strange outfit the girl was wearing. It wasn¡¯t armor, nor was it the layered tunic . The fabric was unnaturally smooth, with colors so vibrant they almost glowed¡ªa deep green paired with a stark white. It clung neatly to the girl¡¯s body, with crisp lines and a strange ribbon tied around her neck. The ribbon seemed decorative, not functional, yet it added a touch of formality that Kathleen couldn¡¯t quite place.


    The lower garment confused her even more¡ªa skirt, she realized, but cut far shorter than any she had ever seen. It ended well above the knees, revealing the girl¡¯s legs, which were covered in thin, black fabric. Were they stockings? Why wear something that mimicked bare skin instead of covering it properly? The girl also wore strange, shiny black footwear with small, sturdy heels¡ªnothing like the worn boots or leather sandals Kathleen was used to.


    ¡°What strange armor,¡± Kathleen murmured to herself. ¡°But it doesn¡¯t look like it could withstand even the smallest blade.


    Kathleen turned her gaze to the boys standing nearby. there attire was equally puzzling and unlike anything she had ever seen before. It was neat and structured, almost resembling the formal wear of a noble. The upper garment was a deep green jacket with sharp, clean lines, buttoned up the front with small, shiny fasteners. The fabric was smooth. Beneath the jacket, a stark white shirt peeked out at the collar, crisp and perfectly fitted. His lower garments confused her even more. They were not breeches or anything loose-fitting like she was used to seeing. Instead, they were snug trousers that seemed to mold to his legs, made of the same fine material as the jacket. Kathleen couldn¡¯t help but wonder how he could move or fight in something so restricting.


    And it was practically the same for the other three boys, which made Kathleen even more shocked. ¡°What kind of order do they belong to?¡± Kathleen whispered to herself, her mind racing. She had seen knights in formation, soldiers on the march, even monks in their robes, but never had she seen boys so uniformly dressed but uniformly unarmed.


    Though she could see all of this, the thick fog still obscured the faces of the figure, leaving them blurry and indistinct. No matter how hard she squinted or focused, their features seemed to melt into the haze, just out of reach.


    "Who are you?" Kathleen asked, raising her hand in front of the girl. As she moved her arm, it felt heavy¡ªunbearably heavy.


    The fog started to clear, and fragments of another dream flooded back to her mind¡ªthe one where she had seen herself riding a magic train. As the haze began to dissipate, Kathleen finally noticed the faces of the figures, and her heart stopped in absolute shock. She recognized three of them.


    This novel''s true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there.Though they looked slightly different from what she remembered, Kathleen was certain of their identities. The girl sitting by the window¡ªit was her. Yes, her own self from the forgotten dream.


    The one sitting sideways on the chair, glancing back, was Theo. There was no doubt about it.


    And in front of Theo, the towering figure was unmistakable¡ªit was Barren.


    How can this be? Who are they? What are these dreams? Kathleen''s thoughts raced.


    The fourth figure then turned toward Kathleen, almost as if inviting her closer. Before she could respond, another figure suddenly passed through her, sending chills down her spine.


    The new figure stepped in front of Theo''s chair and began playfully rubbing Theo''s head.


    How is this possible? Why does he feel so familiar? Kathleen thought. Then it hit her. Though it was hard to recognize at first, she realized the fifth figure was Eddy¡ªmuch younger, but there was no doubt in her mind. It was him. Kathleen could see all their mouths moving, but she couldn''t hear a single word. She tried to step closer to them, but the fog began to thicken once again. Just like before, the five figures, the desks, and the chairs started vanishing, dissolving into the void.


    This time, however, one figure remained.


    The lone figure began walking toward her, stopping right in front of her.


    The closer the figure came, the more Kathleen noticed its face¡ªor rather, the lack of one. Calling it a face felt wrong; it was a black void, an empty mask with no eyes, no nose, no mouth¡ªnothing. Kathleen was so terrified by the sight that she screamed and tried to turn and run.


    But what was this? She couldn¡¯t move. She couldn¡¯t even turn her eyes away from that faceless void.


    Forced to stare at it, she began to feel her consciousness slipping away, as though she was being hypnotized. In the haze of her fading awareness, she saw the figure reaching out, trying to grab her hand, as if it wanted to keep her there. But its grip couldn¡¯t hold her, and she finally lost consciousness.


    ".........."


    "Pant, pant, pant!"


    "Where am I?" Kathleen frantically looked around, taking in her surroundings.


    She was on the bed in the inn where she had come with Eddy, Theo, and Barren. Sweat dripped from her forehead as she thought about the crazy dream she had just experienced. But no matter how hard she tried, she couldn¡¯t remember what she had seen. That oppressive, uneasy feeling lingered, though¡ªhaunting her.


    She stood up from the bed and turned on the magiclight. As the light illuminated the entire room, Kathleen walked toward the window by the bedside and opened it.


    A cold breeze swept into the room, chilling her to the core.


    It was still dark, with some time left before daybreak. She closed the window and returned to her bed, but the feeling of uneasiness made her restless. She sat on the bed, staring into the dim room, waiting for morning.


    It didn¡¯t take long¡ªafter about half an hour, the window began to glow with the soft light of dawn.


    Knock, knock.


    "Are you awake?" a voice came from the door.


    The sudden voice startled Kathleen.


    Knock, knock.


    "Kathleen, are you awake?"


    Finally, she recognized the voice¡ªit was Barren calling to her.


    "I-I¡¯m awake," she answered.


    "Freshen up, will you? Let¡¯s head to the guild first. We¡¯re leaving the inn in one hour."


    "Okay, sure," Kathleen replied, opening the door.


    "Oh, good morning!" Barren said loudly, grinning.


    "Morning," Kathleen replied softly.


    "I thought you¡¯d still be asleep, so I came to wake you up. But since you¡¯re already up, my job here is done," Barren said cheerfully.


    "Hey, Barren," Kathleen said, her expression turning serious. "There¡¯s something... Never mind. Nothing. Go ahead, I¡¯ll freshen up."


    "Hey, don¡¯t leave me hanging!" Barren said, frowning. "Finish what you wanted to say."


    "It¡¯s nothing special. Forget about it," Kathleen replied, brushing him off.


    "Fine," Barren said, shaking his head. "If you don¡¯t want to tell me, I won¡¯t push you. But know this¡ªif something happens to you, don¡¯t hesitate to ask me for help, okay?"


    With that, Barren turned and headed back toward their room.


    Kathleen closed the door behind him and tried once more to recall the dream. But still, nothing came back. It was as though the memories had vanished from her mind.


    Yet, the uneasy feeling remained¡ªa nagging voice in the back of her mind, whispering that something is not right.


    To be continued...

 Chapter 10 - Viola

    "Is she gone?"


    "Wait, you¡¯re awake?" Theo looked surprised as Barren seemingly woke up from his slumber.


    "What? I was just pretending to be asleep. No human can fall asleep that fast," Barren said.


    "Let it go, Theo," Eddy said.


    "Eddy, she¡¯s alive. I can¡¯t believe my eyes," Barren said with a sad expression.


    "It can¡¯t be her. That¡¯s not possible," Eddy said, his face reflecting the same sadness.


    "What are you talking about?" Theo asked. "Do you already know Kathleen?" Theo added, her expression filled with confusion.


    Barren said, "I never thought she would come in front of me. How can this be possible? Eddy, you were there¡ªyou saw what happened that day."


    "Yes, that¡¯s why I¡¯m saying it¡¯s not possible. It¡¯s not her. It can¡¯t be," Eddy added.


    "Barren, you¡¯re overthinking this. It can¡¯t be her. I know they look the same, but the way she talks, walks, or does anything¡ªit¡¯s all different from her," Eddy said firmly.


    "Hey, guys, can you explain?" Theo asked.


    "Theo, you know your brother was an adventurer before, right?"


    "Yeah, I know. Sometime before, he was part of the city guild as an adventurer. Then, out of nowhere, he just came back to our village and said no more adventuring. He was... like a totally different person."


    "Yes," Barren said. "That happened because of that fateful day."


    "We were a group of four adventurers¡ªme, your brother Eddy, Simon, a friend of ours, and her."


    "Her?" Theo asked, confused.


    "Her name was Viola," Barren continued. "A gentle, carefree, and careful girl who was basically inseparable from Eddy. You could say she was Eddy¡¯s girlfriend."


    "Girlfriend?" Theo repeated, grinning as he glanced at Eddy.


    Eddy didn¡¯t react, his expression stoic.


    "They were so alike. Whenever a fight broke out between Simon and me, they¡¯d both say in unison, ''Girls, girls, you¡¯re both beautiful¡ªnow stop fighting!''" Barren¡¯s voice softened, tinged with sadness.


    "Those were the days," he said with a heavy sigh.


    "Then... where are they now?" Theo asked, his energy fading as the weight of the moment settled in.


    "That day broke us to the core," Barren said quietly. "To put it simply, she¡¯s dead. Viola is no more."


    "She died in my hands," Eddy added, his voice trembling as his eyes filled with tears.


    "We got out of that dungeon because of the Gate spell, which came to Eddy at the brink of that moment. Otherwise, all of us would have died in there," Barren said, his voice heavy with the memory.


    "As for Simon... I don¡¯t know. After that incident, when we parted ways, I haven¡¯t heard anything about Simon to this day. It¡¯s like he vanished," Barren added.


    "Me too," Eddy said. "I¡¯ve checked regularly with the guild, but they also don¡¯t know where Simon is."


    "And you¡¯re saying Kathleen looks just like her? What was her name again? V..."


    "Viola," Barren corrected.


    "She¡¯s a spitting image of Viola. When I saw her at the city gate today, I couldn¡¯t believe my eyes. I was about to shout her name, but she didn¡¯t even recognize me. That¡¯s when I thought I must have made a mistake or something, but..."Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    "Yes, when I saw her in the forest, I was also about to burst with emotion. But the look in her eyes told me not to. It was like she was asking for help from a random stranger. And then again, when she woke up after that, she asked me who I was," Eddy interjected.


    "How can this be possible? Did Viola have a twin sister or something?" Theo asked.


    "We¡¯ve been thinking the same thing, actually," Barren replied. "Viola was a very open-minded girl, but she never talked about her family in front of us. So, we don¡¯t know for sure."


    "Let¡¯s not drag this matter on anymore. Get some rest for tomorrow," Eddy said as he lay down on the bed.


    "Yeah, he¡¯s right. Let¡¯s get some much-needed rest," Barren agreed.


    "Theo, don¡¯t even mention this in front of Kathleen, okay?" Eddy said with a serious face.


    "Make sure this topic doesn¡¯t leave these four walls," he added firmly.


    "I agree with that," Barren said.


    "Okay, that¡¯s fine," Theo replied.


    "....."


    Knock, knock.


    "Are you ready, Kathleen?" Barren asked impatiently.


    "Yeah, I¡¯m ready to go," Kathleen said as she opened the door.


    "Let¡¯s go, then," Theo said.


    "Let¡¯s stop by the restaurant and eat something before heading to the guild hall," Eddy said as he started walking toward the stairs.


    ...


    After finishing breakfast, they began heading for the guild hall. On the way, Kathleen thought about telling Barren what had happened last night¡ªthe mysterious figure in the hallway and the dream she couldn¡¯t remember, no matter how hard she tried.


    "Hey, Kathleen, did something happen?" Theo asked. "You seem down."


    "It¡¯s nothing," Kathleen said, hesitating. "It¡¯s just... yesterday, when I was heading back to my room, I had this feeling someone was watching me from the corner. But when I went to check, there was no one there."


    "And also..." Kathleen hesitated before murmuring, "The dream... No, never mind."


    "I think that was just your imagination. Don¡¯t stress about it," Barren said cheerfully.


    "Here we are¡ªthe Luminous City Guild," he added, gesturing toward the impressive building ahead.


    As they were just about to enter the guild hall, they heard someone shouting from behind them.


    "It can¡¯t be... is it you guys?" the boy called out as he quickly came closer to them.


    The boy was very tall¡ªalmost as tall as Barren¡ªbut without the overly grown muscles, which made him look skinny and awkward. He was wearing typical adventuring clothes, the kind you could easily find in any guild, and it was obvious to anyone that he was a mage-style adventurer.


    His blond hair was messy, looking like he hadn¡¯t bothered to comb it, and it didn¡¯t suit him at all. The way he was standing there silently, it was clear he hadn¡¯t thought about what to say next. In the heat of the moment, he had shouted out of the blue, and now he looked visibly embarrassed.


    Eddy and Barren were behind Kathleen and Theo, so they turned first and noticed the boy.


    "Simon!" Barren shouted happily. "Where have you been?" He quickly started moving toward the boy.


    Barren was about to say something, but that¡¯s when Kathleen and Theo turned, and Simon finally looked at Kathleen¡¯s face.


    "You¡¯re alive," he said, tears starting to flow from his eyes. "I thought you were dead, V..."


    As he was about to say the name, Eddy suddenly and forcefully hugged Simon. The abruptness of the hug shocked Simon so much that he stopped mid-sentence.


    "Hey, Theo, take Kathleen inside, will you? There¡¯s a lot to catch up on with our friend here," Barren said, smiling forcefully as he glanced at Theo.


    Theo got the hint and replied, "Yeah, let¡¯s go inside, Kathleen."


    Kathleen was too shocked to say anything, so she just followed Theo¡¯s lead and asked, "Who is that?"


    "Oh, that¡¯s one of my brother¡¯s friends," Theo replied quickly.


    "Why did he say he thought I was dead?" Kathleen asked, her voice still filled with confusion.


    "No, no, you got it wrong. He was saying that to my brother. They¡¯re old pals. Let¡¯s give them some time to reconnect," Theo said smoothly. As he spoke, he looked back toward Barren and gave him a reassuring smile, as if to say everything was fine and there was no need to worry about Kathleen.


    Barren smiled back, silently thanking Theo for his quick thinking.


    As Kathleen began walking toward the guild hall, she noticed it was much larger than she had imagined. It was filled to the brim with adventurers.


    In the middle of the guild hall was a reception area, and right beside it was a huge board covered with all kinds of quest posters. Some were for hunting monsters, others for guarding duties, and there were even requests specifically for mages¡ªmostly odd jobs like planting, watering, or other farming-related tasks. The rest were healing requests.


    On the other side of the reception area were tables and chairs for adventurers to plan their quests and grab something to drink. A nekomata waitress with cat ears and a tail was busy serving adventurers there. As Kathleen observed her, she couldn¡¯t help but think, What is this city¡¯s fascination with nekomatas?


    In the middle of the reception area were six receptionists, each talking to adventurers who had already decided on which quests they were going to take. There was also a stand where some basic armor, swords, staffs, and potions were on sale.


    Kathleen was thinking about the guild when, suddenly, she felt that same feeling again ¨C that someone was watching her. She abruptly looked around, but with the amount of adventurers present, she couldn¡¯t find anyone who was looking her way. Everyone was busy with their tasks.


    ¡°Hi, miss! Someone called Kathleen?¡± a voice called from behind. ¡°Are you new here? Want to join our party? We¡¯re going for a hunting quest with a big reward.¡±


    The adventurer said, smiling toward Kathleen.


    ¡°No, thank you,¡± Theo interjected. ¡°We are already on a quest.¡±


    ¡°Too bad. Let¡¯s go, boys,¡±he said, and the whole party started to leave the guild.


    To be continued......