A young woman dashes through the empty streets, but she slowed down once she had gotten near the city gates. She stopped and steadied her breathing before approaching the gate.

"Halt!" A guard said, "You are not allowed to leave at this hour."

Elytia stopped and took out a piece of parchment from her breast pocket and handed it to the guards, "I'm under the orders of His Majesty The King."

The guard slightly trembled as he inspected the piece of parchment, it had the crest of the Royal Family painted on it, "M-my apologies, Ma'am, we can't open the main gates at this hour, but you can use the side door."

Elytia was relieved that she will be able to leave the capital, 'Good thing that worked.' she thought to herself as she left.

She hadn't even gotten far when she suddenly heard some commotion coming from the city gates behind her. Once she heard some screams, she began running as fast as she could.

'I can't be caught now, I still need to let the duke know what happened to the otherworlders.' she thought to herself as she ran.

Once she had gained some distance from the capital, she stopped to catch her breath. She leaned on a tree by the roadside gasping for air.

'I need some water.' she thought to herself while her panting continued.

She rested for a few minutes before continuing her journey. As she was about to go, she saw a figure walking towards her.

"Hello? Who are you!?" she shouted at the figure.

She waited for a response, but none came back. Instead, the figure continued moving towards her. She picked up a fist sized rock and threw it at the figure, but she missed, “Stay back!”.

The figure refused to heed Elytia’s warning as it continued moving towards her. She picked up another fist sized stone and threw it before she ran into the forest. The rock she threw hit the figure, but it didn’t even flinch when it was hit, instead it continued to pursue Elytia into the forest.

Elytia kept running through the forest, occasionally looking back to check if she's still being pursued, and everytime she looks back, she sees the figure weaving through the trees.

"STAY AWAY FROM ME!" she screamed frantically.

She grabbed whatever she could and threw them at her pursuer. Most of them missed but some still hit her pursuer. Even though her pursuer was hit, it did not even flinch, but continued pursuing.

Elytia kept on running until she eventually came out of the forest and saw a ravine. She peered down the ravine, 'It must be around 4 or 5 metros. How can I cross this?'

As she was pondering her next move, her pursuer also came out of the forest. She scanned her surroundings and found a branch as thick as her arm.

She swung it around wildly, "DON'T COME NEAR ME.” she yelled as she slowly backed off. With her pursuer in the front and a ravine at her back, her options are now limited.

Her pursuer slowly approached her, “STAY BACK! I’M WARNING YOU!” she yelled again, but this time her voice was shaky.

Her pursuer stopped just a few paces away from her. She still couldn’t see her pursuer’s face because of the darkness, but based on the outline she assumed that her pursuer was a young man.

The young man crouched low as if readying to pounce, in response to this Elytia raised the branch over her head ready to strike. The young man pounced at her and she swung down the branch.

*THWAAACK*

The sound of a sharp blow was heard, Elyria’s blow scored a direct hit on the young man. The blow might’ve connected, but it wasn’t enough to stop the young man’s pounce. Elyria didn’t have enough time to evade, thus she was pushed down and fell into the ravine together with the young man that pushed her.

“AAAAAAAAAH” her scream resounded through the quiet forest followed by  2 huge splashes.

+ + + + +

In one of the castle dungeon’s cell, a man wearing armor was torturing one of the prisoners.

“You gave a very nice fight back there.” The knight said as he drove his fist on the tied man’s stomach. “Too bad you lost.”

“Guh- “ the tied man suppressed his scream, “Is that all you got? A go… blin hits ha.. rder than you. Some knight leader you ar-GUh!”

“SHUT UP YOU FUCK.” roared the knight as he continuously drove his fists onto the man.

After a dozen or so punches the knight stopped, “Feel like talking yet?”

“Pweh-” the man spat blood and saliva at the knight, “As if i’d t… alk to s.. cum li.. ke you..”

“YOU FUCKIN BASTARD.” the knight roared as he unsheathed his sword and struck the man with the pommel.

“That’s enough.” Said a voice outside the dungeon cell.

The knight turned to look, “Huh!? Old man? What’re you doing here? I thought you didn’t like the smell down here.”

“I heard you returned and when I asked where you were, they said you went here. So here I am.” Antonius replied.

“Oooh, what does the great and mighty Antonius need from a lowly knight leader such as myself.” the knight replied mockingly.

“Hmmp.” Antonius scowled before asking, “Where is His Majesty’s sniffing dog?”

“Oh that? I sent it after this man’s colleague.” the knight pointed at the tied man “She was wearing a castle servant’s dress you know.”

“YOU WHAT!?” Antonius shouted as he grabbed the knight by the shoulders.

“Whoa whoa whoa, calm down old man.” the knight said as he pushed Antonius away, “I thought that was disposable.”

“It is disposable, and the crown prince wants it.” Antonius said as he heaved a sigh. “It’s your fault the prince’s dog is gone, go find some other toy for him after you finish your business here, and report to His Majesty later.”

“Will do old man. But this right here is a tough nut to crack.” the knight said while tapping the tied man’s head with his sword. “Want to give me some help with your hypnosis magic or something?”

“It’s your problem not mine, don’t drag me into it. And my magic’s too pure for garbage like that.” Antonius said as he pointed at the man.

“Tsk.” the knight clicked his tongue, “Fine i’ll do it on my own, leave me alone already so I can do my stuff.”

“With pleasure.” Antonius replied before quickly making his way out of the dungeon.

As he listened to the court sorcerer’s fading footsteps, the knight turned to the bloodied man again. “Now then, let’s continue where we left off shall we?”

The man spat at the ground, “This coun.. try can go to the dark a… byss to.. gether with your damn ki… ng.”

The knight slapped the man, “Watch what you say about His Majesty, trash like you don’t deserve to address His Majesty The King.”

“HAHAHA, what a.. Fucking lo.. yal dog you are.” the man scoffed.

“I do the talking here you damn filthy peasant.” said the knight as he swung his sword at the man’s tied hands, “I’ll take those, you won’t need them anymore.”

“AAAAARGH!! YOU FUCKING LAPDOG.” the man roared.

“That;s more like it, scream like the animal you truly are.” the knight said, “We still have a long night ahead of us.”

+ + + + +

Antonios entered the King’s Study; he went there right after his visit to the dungeon.

“Your Majesty, the otherworlder might not return anymore.” Antonius reported.

“I see, too bad Eliyas won’t have a new toy.” the king replied.

“About that, I already ordered the 2nd King’s Guard Leader, Claudius, to get something for his Royal Highness.” Antonius said.

“Quick work as always.” the king praised, “The otherworlders will begin their training tomorrow, train them well. The Principality of Elyu and The Kingdom of Alenburg are moving their troops to the borders.”

“That’s earlier than expected, but fear not, I will train the otherworlders as quickly as possible so that they may join the fight.” Antonius replied.

“That is to be expected, see to it done.” the king said.

“By Your Will Your Majesty.” Antonius answered before leaving the room.

+ + + + +

The following morning, in a riverbank some ways away from the capital, two bodies were washed ashore. A young man and a young woman.

“*Cough* *Cough*” the young woman was the first one to regain consciousness as she coughed out water.

“*Cough* wh-where am I.” she asked even though no one was there to answer her.

She looked around her surroundings and quickly stood up once she saw another body near her. ‘Th-that’s’