The sky was clear this morning, with the sun shining brightly over Halton. A strong wind was also blowing through the trees— creating a rustling, scratching sound that reverberated across the countryside like an ocean of leaves falling in the woods. I was standing by myself in the fields, leaning against a tree and out of breath.

I had been in this field since dawn, practicing my shield spells and trying different defensive techniques in between laps. The meadow was quiet, and I was alone, but it was peaceful. I could hear birds chirping and the occasional animal moving around in the underbrush, but other than that, it was dead silent.

Taking a deep breath, I cast a levitation spell and floated myself into the air. I rose about twenty feet off the ground and began drifting back and forth gently in the air.

It felt nice to float in the wind like this.

After a few minutes of drifting around aimlessly, I decided to test out a new spell I'd read up on yesterday. I focused my mind— centering my mind on casting a spell was difficult when floating in the sky without anything to push against. However, after a brief struggle, I was able to anchor myself.

Before long, I traced a spell formula in my mind. My surroundings seemed to warp and distort slightly as soon as I did. I finished the spell, willing it into a shape around me. Suddenly, there was a transparent glowing shield made of light surrounding me. I tested out the strength of the shield by letting go of my levitation spell to stand on it. It held firm, and I smiled with a tiny hint of satisfaction. That was the first time I managed that spell without a wand.

Speaking of which, I pulled out my wand, and with another deep breath, I ceased both spells and let myself fall.

The shield shattered behind me as I fell through space toward the hard-packed dirt below. I felt my heart skip a beat as everything rushed up at me. As I was falling, I quickly activated a 'Slowfall' spell I'd been practicing, which slowed me down enough so that I didn't hit the ground too fast. I turned and twisted in the air, orienting myself before landing gently on my feet. My landing probably created a thudding noise, but all I could hear was my heart thumping in my chest.

I shook my head, trying to clear the sudden jolt of dizziness from trying to use magic in my impromptu skydiving session. There were safer ways to do what I just did, but slowly and surely, I was getting confident in the basics.

Taking another deep breath, I steadied my nerves and reminded myself that I didn't die. I stood back upright and fixed my posture, wand in hand, before casting a basic sediment manipulation spell on the ground. The earth burst open as three basketball-sized rocks floated out of the floor and rose into the air. With a wave of my hand to reinforce my will and intent, I used a telekinesis spell to launch them high into the air. Then, I traced another spell immediately.

The moment I finished my spell, there was a flash of light, and a volley of six blue orbs of light burst from my wand and flew straight upward at the rocks like bullet tracers. They impacted one after the other, shattering the stones into pieces that scattered across the field— like snowflakes on the wind. When it was over, little wisps of dust slowly drifted downwards to the ground below.

I grinned in satisfaction and cast another spell, vacuuming the dust above me in the air back into a compact ball of sediment and dirt. As soon as I'd gathered up enough dirt to pave the holes back over, which took less than two minutes by this point — I filled in the gaps and made my way back inside.

Not too shabby for a morning of exercise and spellwork practice.

I quietly opened the door to my room, stepping carefully so I didn't disturb Lori's sleep. She was still curled up on the couch in the living room — the poor girl had slept for well around ten hours. I had a strong feeling she hadn't slept all that well recently.

Taking care not to wake Lori, I entered the kitchen area, grabbed a glass from the cupboard, and started pouring water from the tap. My hands were shaking as I did so, but I kept drinking steadily, trying to keep myself calm, focused, and centered as much as possible. I idly double-purified the water, tossed the extract into a bin and downed the glass with one shot.

Even if the place had running water and decent amenities, I didn't trust a society at early-modern technology levels.

After gulping down my second glass of purified water, I sighed softly— relieved my mind finally settled back together after my momentary adrenaline shock.

I set aside my kitchenware and walked into the living room to check on Lori. As soon as I stepped inside the doorway, though, I stopped dead in my tracks — she wasn't on the couch anymore. She was sitting with her legs folded beneath her on an armchair across the room, facing away from me.

I stood there for a few seconds, unsure how to react, before calling out at her.

"Lori?" I called out. "Are you okay?"

There was no response, and I walked over to look at her from the front.

Her eyes were closed, and she looked like she was still asleep.

I bit my lower lip thoughtfully and hesitantly walked close to her. When I reached her side, she let out a soft snore with a massive anime snot bubble — she was still asleep. Staring at her with bemused eyes, I gently poked her cheek.

She jerked awake with a start and span around, only to run right into me when she tried to stand; she caught herself awkwardly, flailing her arms. Then, she backflipped off the armchair, breathing and screaming at the top of her lungs like a terrified little girl.

I smiled with relief when she hit the ground and cartwheeled onto her feet like a cat. That kind of reaction was just...so typical of her.

"How are you feeling?" I asked gently. "Did you sleep well?"

She stared at me blankly for a moment — then sighed and wiped the sleep out of her eyes with her sleeve.

"Yeah." Lori nodded slightly before suddenly glancing over my shoulder with a sharp gaze.

That made me turn to see where she was looking, but there wasn't anyone there. There was just an open door leading out to the kitchen area; as far as my eyes could see, it was empty.

Before I could comment, however, Lori abruptly shook her head sharply and blinked hard in an attempt to clear away whatever had bothered her.

"I'm sorry," she said after a second or two. "Just shaking off the sleep fog. What did you ask me? Oh yeah, I feel fine now. Did you need something from me, Alice?"

I frowned at her behavior. I knew better than to ignore the look she'd just made, but I'd mentally file it away for now.

"No. I was just checking to make sure you're alright. I hope you got a good amount of sleep last night— you should really try to get more on a day to day, you know? You passed out there for well over ten hours."

Lori blushed faintly and shrugged.

"We've all had a long week, and I guess the stress has been kind of getting to me," she said quietly, sitting back down on the armchair with her legs crossed. "I'll be fine though."

She paused thoughtfully, fiddling with her fingers together. "There is one thing that's been kind of weighing on me. How are we going to find our parents? They're definitely still out there." Her eyes flicked up to meet mine as if she expected an answer.

Lori's question made me bite my lip in frustration. I didn't have Alice's memories and context, and it would be impossible for me to help much without more information. This was one of many things I was trying to work out right then, and I had absolutely nothing helpful. No notes, no ideas, and no new thoughts to add regarding the greater scope of what was going on.

I sighed deeply, slouching against the wall beside the door, letting Lori see the defeat in my posture like a punch to the gut.

"I'm sorry," I admitted reluctantly. "I wouldn't even know where to start finding information myself."

Lori sat silently, biting her bottom lip in contemplation. After a few seconds, she shook her head suddenly. "Nevermind. One step at a time, I guess."

She got up to walk past me and into the kitchen area again. "How about we go over to the guild today? The funeral is tomorrow and we should go pay our respects. That, and well, everything else that comes with a tragedy like this..."

I followed Lori into the kitchen and helped light the stove with my magic. She heated up some tea water, and I moved over to the icebox. It was time to fix us some breakfast.

Suddenly, we heard a knock on the front door. I froze, leaning in and staring suspiciously at the door as I listened to someone pounding on the door.

Lori suddenly stepped sharply to the door from behind me, nudging me aside so she could stand in front of the door. I just blinked at her in confusion as she grabbed her sword off the floor before moving up to the peephole. She peered through for several moments, her hand pressed to the cold wooden door — then she opened the door without saying anything.

A human girl around Lori's age stood on the other side — wearing a well-tailored, frilly French maid outfit with red roses pinned all over her uniform. Her eyes were rose red, and her hair was a light brown and styled into a neat bob haircut. She was incredibly charming and pretty, in the way that a formal and prim girl in her 20s could be.

"Greetings, Lady Liddell," said the maid with a bow of her head. Her head was adorned with a white headpiece decorated with flowers. "My mistress has sent me here to see how the two of you are faring after your ordeal. She also wishes to inquire about the status of your monthly payment. She also wishes to inform you that Lord and Lady Liddell successfully liquidated a sum of three-thousand two hundred and seventeen crowns before their disappearance."

As soon as she finished speaking, the maid gave another small curtsy and straightened herself back up again, hands clasped at her waist. The whole thing looked like it had been practiced until she'd gotten it exactly right.

Lori blinked at the girl for a moment before sighing and rubbing her forehead with two fingers.

"Yeah, yeah...we've got the Consortium's money. Let Countess Rauleanne know that we're fine, though. We're alive and trying to get things back to normal."

The girl nodded once, her face remaining completely expressionless as Lori turned around to the sack of money in our living room— which was currently overflowing with silver coins. Lori quickly counted the required sum using Tarrant's coin counter and handed it over to Margarita. The maid sorted through the pile of silver faster than a professional card dealer, counting the coins with her eyes closed. When she was done, she put the money into a leather bag and tied the ends tightly shut with a strangely elegant knot shaped like butterfly wings.

When the job was complete, the maid respectfully bowed and backed away from the doorway.

"Thank you, milady. As always, please don't hesitate to call upon your Rita. I will come at the usual time next month and bring tidings from the mistress."

With that, the girl left— leaving Lori and me alone in the house.

Lori let out a deep breath and rubbed her temples. "I swear every time they send someone to get me or mom to pay the bills, I get a new wrinkle. I'm going to have a head full of gray hair before I'm thirty at this rate!" Lori wailed as she went back into the kitchen, pulling the door behind her shut and leaning against it for support. She dropped her sword like an old woman would. Then, she made her way over to the lit stove.

"How how much did they take there?" I asked, joining Lori in the kitchen. The sack of money from our expedition was now nearly empty - languishing in the middle of the table. All that effort we'd put in had been chunked away just like that.

"Four hundred. Gold coins." Lori replied without turning around, "if we can't come up with that up every month, the Crown takes our house."

I winced in response to that — if I was running the math right, the creditors would have wanted a merchant who'd been utterly crushed to repay a loan in less than six years under that payment plan.

That wasn't even accounting for interest rates, which were bound to be ridiculous since the society's monetary system ran off gold and silver.

"Anyway, let's worry about this another time, alright? We made the payment today and it's not like they're going to come knocking at our door on the first of next month." Lori said with a dismissive wave of her hand.

I didn't answer her or bother thinking too hard about what she said. It was definitely reassuring to hear that we won't be dumped out on the streets any time soon.

Still, I had to find a way to resolve that little issue and keep a roof over our heads. Even if it was brief, ending up on the streets was something I didn't want to relive from my other life.

After a quick breakfast, we changed into white clothes — the traditional color of mourning in the culture, and made our way to the Adventurer's Guild. A wake was being held, and everyone was meeting to settle last-minute logistics and respects for the funeral tomorrow. On the way over, we stopped at a flower shop and purchased some chrysanthemum-like flowers called Myta's Embrace. The weather was pretty decent today and only slightly brisk and chilly.

When we got to the building, the large tiled room of the guild hall was far more somber and less chaotic than I'd gotten used to. It was my first day here since the night we'd returned, and I looked around at some temporary changes. Nearly everything normally in the room that served as a large tavern and restaurant had been cleared out. The entrance hall somehow felt smaller than it usually did, despite having more space to walk around.

It was hard not to notice some people in the mess hall looking at me when we walked through the front doors. Before long, a few saw the two of us and began whispering excitedly amongst themselves while staring in our direction. The attention made me uncomfortable... there went any remaining hope that people hadn't noticed me sealing the Knave of Hearts.

Lori picked up on it immediately, and she squeezed my hand while she gave the whispering crowd a sad frown and shake of her head. We made our way into the guild hall, ignoring everyone's eyes like a curtain of chilly air fell before us, and we stopped at the memorial.

Everyone was here— most of the adventurers we'd worked with during our last expedition. The hall settled back into silence as everyone returned to mourning. Our surroundings were filled with those who had survived the event and the loved ones of the deceased adventurers. The atmosphere was heavy, but given the circumstances, it wasn't unwarranted or uncomfortably so.

The walls around the entrance hall were lined with magically-imbued paintings and hologram-like visages of the adventurers who had perished. A wide array of helmets, weapons, instruments, and religious symbols were spread throughout the room. Most of them were either placed beneath the adventurers' portraits or magically levitated in front of their visages. There were refreshments at the front consisting of a beverage that smelled like cocoa and assorted teas.

I spotted a familiar tuft of orange hair, and I could only stare in surprise when I saw Tarrant kneeling in front of the portraits of five adventurers. He was joined by a familiar muscle-bound dwarf, and the two seemed to be praying; his shoulders shook quietly under his white cloak as he sobbed in front of their images. He looked very different without a top hat on, and his hair was tamed and combed over for once. Both of them had their eyes closed, and were mumbling beneath their breaths.

As my eyes roved across the room, I carefully looked over every portrait and glamoured hologram, carving their images into my memory. Soon, I spotted a pair of middle-aged parents with brown hair — standing somberly in front of the picture of a youth. An elderly woman stood beside them, both hands held tight to her chest while tears rolled down her cheeks silently. Her golden eyes were unblinking and hollow, and she wore mourning clothes like armor. It gave her a grim look that would have been intimidating if not for her petite frame and age.

I looked up at Lori, who gave me a nod and a smile. Then, I left her to approach the mourning family while glancing at the hologram they stood in front of. I walked up next to them before bowing my head low in greeting.

"Hello." I greeted the grieving family politely, though I could feel the hesitation in my voice. "My name is Alice. A-are you here because your son was lost in this expedition?" I asked with a slight whisper.

The grief was palpable here, and it made me hesitate even more. Was it rude to talk about him like that? Still, there was no time for second thoughts now.

I watched the father wipe away a tear from the corner of the man's eye before he gave a single, brief nod in confirmation. "Yes, our boy was one of the victims of the monster attack. We came to the Adventurer's Guild to offer our condolences to the other families. Did you know him?"

I bit my lip, before responding, "I was a member of the expedition — a merchant, really. But I...I recovered his body from the battlefield in the aftermath. I'm really sorry for your loss."

The father's face grew solemn, and the mother broke into tears. They turned towards each other and hugged, sharing a quiet word in hushed tones before they turned back to me.

"We're glad that you managed to retrieve him, at the very least. Please accept our deepest condolences for your own losses and... and our gratitude." The father said this with a smile, though the corners of his eyes still glistened with sadness.

"Thank you," I replied as calmly and softly as possible. "What was his name, if I may ask?"

"His name was Setanta. Our youngest child, and the apple of our eyes." The man smiled sadly. "He was a kindhearted young lad, with a strong sense of justice like his sister. Setanta was a good friend to many, and a loyal companion." His gaze shifted to the empty space between me and the wall. "This will be a difficult day for us, but we'll see it through— together. Thank you for paying your respects."

With that, the man bowed his head deeply. I followed suit. Then, I took out the flowers from my bag and set them on the table in front of Setanta's portrait.

"Thank you your ear. Once again, I'm sorry for your loss," I whispered to the parents. Then, I quickly met Lori's curious gaze before we stepped outside.

After thanking the staff for allowing us to visit, Lori and I spent some time outside the Adventurer's Guild. She brought out some steaming hot chocolate in mugs and sat on a bench under one of the trees in the street with her. As I was sipping the warm beverage, Lori chattered like a magpie.

"I can't believe it. I've never been to a funeral for...this many people at once. I mean, I knew a few people who died over the years — but not this many at once..."

She was rambling, and I didn't want to interrupt her, so instead, I listened intently as she continued speaking.

"I don't think the guild has ever held a funeral for so many people at once since I'd started. This is something that would happen after a major war, or maybe an epidemic, but I haven't heard of anything like this happening to the guild before. I guess it's a sign of how much the world is changing these days. Maybe the monsters are getting stronger, too."

As she spoke, I noticed a couple of people walking away from the guild, whispering to each other and pointing at me. I just stared back at them blankly, sipping at my coco. Lori noticed and glared at them in return.

She gave a sigh and looked at me with concern. "I'm guessing this is going to be a problem for you, isn't it, Alice?"

"Of course it is," I nodded and sipped my drink again, "I just have to take it in stride for now."

"So, what do we do now?" Lori asked, her expression serious and concerned.

I thought it over — then, I sighed and leaned forward. "Let's get ready— like usual. There's nothing else to be done, so let's go home, Lori. I think it's all we can do for now until we get more information. There must be a reason why the Knave attacked us and our parents disappeared. If we can figure that out, I might be able to find a way to help. I have to keep searching, and so should you. That's the only thing we can do right now."

Lori's face softened, and she placed her hand gently atop mine. "All right, Alice. I understand. Let's be careful, okay?" she asked, smiling. "If you need any help, come to me, or call me, no matter what."

"Thanks, Lori. You're always there for me. I couldn't ask for better friends—or sisters. Now, how about we head back home? I could use a nap."

We returned the mugs to the guild, and Lori and I began to head home. She kept talking to me the entire way about this and that like she did every time she had a chance. The two of us walked up an empty street, which was strangely silent and empty. The silence made the atmosphere seem heavier.

Without warning, Lori stopped.

"This presence again..." she hissed.

"Lori?" I whispered, but she wasn't listening to me.

Instead, she swiftly turned around, drawing her sword in one smooth motion.

Before I could react, Lori leaped into action.

Her blade flashed with silver light as she blurred faster than I could follow at a cloaked stranger behind us. I watched in horror as Lori's eyes glowed a bright lavender color when she swung downwards, creating a spark of white lights as it clove through the stranger.

A flash of light erupted from her sword — but the shadow blurred and glitched into pixels. Then, it just reformed ten yards back instantaneously.

My blood ran cold as I looked it over. It looked like a Nazgul from Lord of the Rings, carrying a lantern that glowed with a yellow flame. It wore a long, brown cloak that covered most of its body. A pair of eyes made of blue fire gleamed from within the depths of the hood, watching Lori with a silent, neutral expression.

I was frozen in fear, and looking over at her, Lori seemed equally terrified. She was breathing heavily, her sword still pointed toward the shadow.

"Who the hell are you?! What the fuck do you want with us!?" Lori screamed, her voice shaking.

The creature remained silent, and the dark, ominous air surrounding the being felt like death itself. The air was thick and heavy, and I could feel a chill running down my spine.

I slowly raised a trembling finger, and the shadow turned to face me—but I didn't know what to say. Instead, I opened my mouth wide, and the words came pouring out; "I-it's fine! Just don't hurt anyone!"

The shadow stood there without reacting, and for a moment, I thought I saw a flicker of emotion cross its dark, unreadable face.

Then, the mysterious figure blurred and vanished into golden light.

Lori gasped loudly as she lowered her weapon, staring at where the shadow was standing. "What the fuck was that?!" she yelled, but no answer came to mind.

All I could hear were her ragged breaths and the sound of her boots against the ground. "Lori, are you okay?" I asked, stepping closer to her. I reached out to her shoulder, but she pulled away from my touch.

"I'm— I'm fine. Just— just give me some space to breathe." Lori said, her voice quivering.

I backed off and waited quietly. After a while, Lori's breathing slowed, and she shook her head.

"I'm sorry, Alice. I shouldn't have shouted like that," she apologized with tears in the corner of her eyes. "I've sensed that...that thing's presence since we'd built the pit and it's been eating at me."

I smiled at her and wiped her cheeks with my hands. "Don't worry. Everything's going to be alright. I'll make sure of it."

She sniffled and looked up at me, wiping her nose with the back of her sleeve. "Do you really think so, Alice-chan?"

I gave her my best reassuring smile. "Of course. We'll solve this mystery, find out what's going on, and then everything will be just fine. I promise."

Lori smiled, but the smile didn't reach her eyes. "I hope so..."

I tried not to show it on my face, but that was a sentiment I echoed significantly.

What was that thing?!