"Uhm?"

 

"Hm?"

 

"What exactly does the special department do?"

 

"Mhm... MHM!"

 

"Vil...!"

 

"Gulb! The Special Department is for investigating smuggling, hunting or trafficking rare or protected species."

 

"Ah! Ok."

 

I started to read on.

 

First investigations, on the part of humans, led to a disturbing result. Traces led me to Eltin, the city of Count Eltenant territory.

 

After extensive investigation, I had to stop the investigation, suddenly because of a lack of traces, and further prosecution in Eltin was prohibited, by the count.

 

I have pronounced a serious suspicion about the Count into my report and his possible involvement with it.

 

5 Otordris 1602

 

The Count had found a "clearing" ideal for a border town. This clearing is where the horned rabbits lived until half a month ago.

 

I reported this to the HQ again, but further investigations were denied.

 

The record was over...

 

"That's all?"

 

"That's all."

 

"That means the whereabouts of my fam-..., of the horned rabbits are unknown?"

 

"Correct."

 

A feeling was smoldering inside my chest. I couldn't say it was fear, anger, despair, or worry, maybe a little bit of everything.

 

"I have to go!"

 

I got up hastily and moved towards the exit. Before I left the room, I turned around again, and a faint "thank you" came over my lips.

 

This city... This goddamn city has been build on the blood of my family and friends.

 

As I climbed down the stairs, my facial features finally derailed, tears streaming down my face, the snot just streaming from my nose, and I gasped desperately for air. My vision was blurred.

 

I ran into a nearby side street, and without much thought, I just wanted to get away.

 

I turned left and right a few times, the side streets became alleys and in the end, I ended up in a dead-end.

 

I sat in front of the wall in the dead-end and rolled up.

 

How so…! But why…! Would I have been there...!

 

I sank into self-pity and sadness.

 

(Eris! Eris, what's going on!)

 

Please, Tyche, not now!

 

(Eris!)

 

Not now!

 

(Eris, please, please look at your hands.)

 

My hands? What!?

 

I raised my head and saw how little flames arose on my hands.

 

What's going on here?

 

(Concentrate, your magic is out of control, you have to sort out your emotions!)

 

How? I don't know how!?

 

(Slow your breath, and try to take a deep breath.)

 

I tried to listen to Tyche's tips, but I didn't feel any changes, and my emotions were still not stable.

 

The flames grew bigger until I could not hold them back.

 

*BOOM*

 

The flames exploded and created a shockwave of fire.

 

(That was an uncontrolled(phoenix inferno)!?)

 

...

 

(Eris?)

 

The building walls around me began to crumble.

 

I tried to gain some distance, but my body felt numb.

 

I... I can not move!

 

A light blinded my vision, and everything went black.

 

What's going on here!?

 

"So, she was right!"

 

I heard a young male's voice. 

 

"Don’t worry. You'll feel better soon."

 

F*ck you, as if I would listen to someone unknown?

 

I tried (phoenix fire) to throw in the direction of the voice, but I felt that nothing happened!?

 

What is going on here!? Why is Tyche silent all the time!?

 

"Hmm... I guess I'll have to help."

 

I heard the person pulling something out.

 

"A sleeping night, sleep spell!"

 

A spell...?

 

===

 

Where am I?

 

I opened my eyes and looked at an unknown ceiling.

 

I tried to get up, only to realize that I was no longer in human form.

 

What's going on here? Why am I back in my default form?

 

(Something unexpected... I'm sorry...)

 

Tyche, do you know where we are? And what happened to you?

 

(I don't know... I just woke up just before you... I don't know what it was exactly, but before I could get through to you, it felt like your subconscious mind shut me out... the broken connection to me interrupted also the human form.)

 

So...

 

A voice interrupted my conversation with Tyche.

 

"So, you are awake? How are you feeling?"

 

It was Dario.

 

"What's going on here?"

 

"Whoa! Wait, this is also new to me! "

 

I was confused by his reaction.

 

"Eh?"

 

"Do you know how strange it is that you can talk to me. You're a rabbit and have the same voice as in your human form?"

 

"What? Wait, you understand me?"

 

"Yes!? Always, you speak in your current form also "Gerasian"."

 

"Uh? What is "Gerasian"?"

 

"Uh?"

 

"Uh?"

 

"...you talk to me, you know that, hopefully?"

 

"Yes!"

 

"And "Gerasian" is the language spoken on the continents Syrras and Kerge."

 

"Oh?"

 

Soul language... completely forgotten.

 

"What are you planning to do with me?"

 

"Nothing yet, but we have questions for you. Would you follow me?"

 

Tyche?

 

(Yes?)

 

What should I do?

 

(I do not feel bad intentions, listen to their questions, do you know that you often have very negative thoughts?)

 

...

 

"Okay."

 

"Thanks. Follow me, please."

 

He opened the door and went ahead. I hopped after him.

 

He opened a nearby door and signaled me to go inside.

 

"Take a seat wherever you want. I will go and pick Daria, Vil & Nymira up. I'll leave the door unlocked, you can go anytime, but I hope you stay."

 

Dario closed the door behind him and left me alone in the room.

 

=== POV Dario (We turn back the time by a few hours.)

 

"I have to go."

 

The girl named Eris jumped up hastily and ran away.

 

"What sting her? It looked like her emotions were getting out of control, about what she read."

 

Daria just shook her head.

 

I sat on the same side as Eris, and therefore I couldn't see her face as she jumped up.

 

"Dario."

 

"Yeah, Vil?"

 

"Please go after her."

 

"May I ask why?"

 

"Her appearance looks like that of a Rabbit Werebeast, but she has a magical core. Even if (Appraisal) is tricked by her, my eyes can see through her flowing mana. The concentrated mana in her chest shows that she has a magical core."

 

Daria looked surprised at Vil.

 

"She has a core!?"

 

"How is that possible?"

 

"I'm not sure. I have some ideas, but one choice sounded worse than the others. Please, hurry!"

 

"It's good!"

 

I jumped up and ran out the door. I pulled out my wand.

 

"Magic around me, hear my call, presence magic, detection!"

 

A faint red light appeared and flew after Eris's tracks. I followed the light.

 

I followed the light through the ever-diminishing streets as...

 

*BOOM*

 

"W-what's going on!?"

 

That was in the direction she went!?

 

 I ran to the source of the explosion.

 

Since the buildings were build of stone, no fire had broken out, but some walls had begun to crumble and looked as if they could collapse at any moment.

 

The first stones fell off the walls when I noticed a black figure in the dead-end.

 

It was a little black rabbit.

 

"So, she was right!"

 

Unconsciously, I expressed my thoughts.

 

"Don’t worry. You'll feel better soon."

 

I wanted to pick up the rabbit, but it emanated a hostile aura, which stopped me.

 

"Hmm... I guess I'll have to help."

 

I took my wand out of its holder.

 

"A sleeping night, sleep spell!"

 

The rabbit fell asleep.

 

If this is Eris...

 

I picked her up.

 

Should I first tell Vil or take Eris away...

 

===

 

"Take a seat wherever you want. I will go and pick Daria, Vil & Nymira up. I'll leave the door unlocked, you can go anytime, but I hope you stay."

 

I closed the door behind me and made my way to catch up with the others.

 

=== POV Eris

 

I don't know how long I wait in this room. The room was almost empty, apart from a dining table with chairs.

 

I had switched back into my human form because the only halfway interesting thing in here was to look out of the window.

 

The view of the window made it possible for me to look into the garden behind the house. In the garden were different vegetables were planted, some were known to me, like tomatoes or cucumbers, but others were completely new to me. 

 

*Knock* *Knock*

 

Someone knocked on the door, but without waiting for an answer, it was slowly opened.

 

"Oh! Good! You're still here."

 

Dario entered the room first, and the others followed him in.

 

After him entered Vilavil the room, she nodded to me and sat down at the table. She was followed by Daria, who sat down on the other side of the table.

 

Vilavil addressed me.

 

"Come and sit with me."

 

She pointed to the chair.

 

I nodded and sat down next to her.

 

Dario sat down to my left, next to his sister.

 

Shouldn’t it be 3 people... What was the name Dario said... Ni...

 

(Nymira!)

 

Exactly, Nymira!

 

I looked at the place next to Vilavil and was surprised that someone had sat down there without me noticing.

 

The woman, or girl, was a dryad. She had a slight resemblance to Crete, but Crete's facial features, as well as body stature, were far more similar to humans.

 

The Dryad, Nymira, had a relatively small shape, she appeared not older then 13-15-year-old in human years.

 

Nobody spoke so I started talking.

 

"And now?"

 

"Eris, let me ask you directly. Are you a Tamorph?"

 

"Please, WHAT!?"