=== A moment earlier, Inside Desmond’s house, POV Siana ===

 

I removed some wooden planks that were used as wall cladding.

"Look at that!"

There was a small black box in a small cavity. I reached out for it and took it out.

"Here."

I tossed the box to Desmond and covered the hiding place again.

 

=== POV Desmond ===

 

"And what should I do with it?"

Siana gave me the box.

Isn't the box just another present for Siana from her mother?

"The letter said I should give it to someone I trust, so I trust the grandson of the man my mother trusted."

She answered without turning around.

"So, not because we're friends?"

I asked, a little concerned about that part... grandson of the man my mother trusted.

"What are you talking about?"

She turned her head and gave me a blank look.

“That is one of the reasons. Another reason is that you know who and what I am."

She put a lot of emphasis on the what, but I couldn't help but feel honored.

"Then can I open it?"

"Yes."

A prompt yes came as an answer, and I didn't let her say it a second time. I carefully lifted the lid of the box.

Huh?

In the box were glasses with a simple design. I took them in one hand and took a closer look at the glasses. I couldn't find anything special about the glasses. When I looked closely at the glass temples, I could see very fine superficial notches. These notches were something like letters, even if I couldn't read them.

"Don't you want to put it on?"

Siana had put the wooden planks back in and looked at me and the glasses. I nodded and put them on. A transparent window immediately opened.

[...magic-user will be checked...]

That reminded me of the display glasses¹Google glass that some companies were working on years ago, but which weren't nearly as advanced.

[...new operator found. A registered user must confirm the new operator...]

"Siana, the glasses say they need user registration."

"Let's see."

Siana touched the side of the glasses, and without doing anything, the display changed.

[New operator registered. User and security scan is performed.]

The current windows closed and only a small window remained in one corner of my viewing angle.

[Warning! Four individuals with malicious intent are approaching, should the protection protocol be used?]

Protection protocol?

[The protection protocol can be started by the user or automatically if the user has allowed it in the configurations beforehand. The protection protocol is a defense mechanism based on the operator's magic power, which initiates appropriate steps after detecting threats.]

Ah, ok, start!

[Protection protocol is starting in… 5… 4… 3… 2… 1… Start!]

A circular white-bluish wave streamed away from me and got bigger and bigger. A new window opened and looked like a radar. I could see how the wave was spreading and whether it was defeating the enemy individuals. The wave left the edge of the radar, which was around ~ 250 to 400 meters. But just as I was about to close the radar, three new points were shown to me.

Another time the protection protocol?

[The protection protocol has a charging time of 5 minutes.]

 

=== POV Siana ===

 

"Four targets were killed. Another three are at a greater distance."

Desmond looked at me with a worried expression. I wasn't sure how Desmond had found the enemies, but that blast of magic emanating from him must have something to do with it.

"In which direction?"

"There, about 300 meters, in the shade of the first trees of the forest."

I nodded and ran out. I spread my wings on the porch and dashed toward the trees Desmond mentioned. I reduced the distance in seconds, and I could see three figures.

"Come on, you idiots!"

The normal-looking person commanded two shadows. They jumped towards me and tried to attack me with their arms, but I was just too fast, and before they could move, I split their unresisting body in two.

There was no resistance, and it was as if I was cutting through paper...

I grabbed the man by the neck and pressed him against a nearby tree.

"Who are you!?"

I hissed at the man and took a dagger out of my pocket.

"I won't say anything!"

The man gasped out and tried to turn his face away. I prevented it and stared into his frightened face. It seemed to me that he didn't know when or what he was attacking.

"Well then, take this!"

I was a little surprised about myself when I rammed the dagger into the man's stomach.

Huh? No resistance either.

Before my eyes, the man started to laugh before the body turned into a lifeless black mass.

"A copy!?"

Damn it!? Who or what are these creatures?

 

=== Unknown, POV third-person ===

 

"I have failed! All shadows have been destroyed."

The man knelt in front of another person and pressed his face to the floor.

"Again! You keep failing! Or maybe you do it on purpose?"

“No, mistress! I would never betray you!"

He pleaded with her. But his mistress didn't even make a face. Her gray eyes, which were visible under a hood, looked down at him emotionless.

“Nobody who helps you is allowed to survive. I'll put someone else on her allies. You'll spy on Avila's movements and report every single move. Now get out of here!"

The man disappeared, and she was left alone in the darkroom.

"Damn it!"

She pulled down her hood and covered her eyes with her hand. She had crimson-colored hair.

She wiped the corners of her eyes dry and sat in a nearby chair. She took a letter in her hand and opened it. The letter was written with unique glyphs that allowed only her to see what was written in there.

She read the letter.

Savia,

I know I await a lot of you, but I need your help, no, your sister needs your help. Your half-sister is in danger! I don't know what you know about her and what you think of her, but you have to know that she has inherited the ability to change everything and so only she has the claim...

I know it's a big burden, but I rely on you!

"Dad, you idiot!?"

She had read her father's letter countless times and was one of the few things that reminded her of him. He wasn't dead, but something unpredictable had happened that sealed his body in a crystal.