Upon receiving the ominous revelation of yet another impending demonic invasion in this unfamiliar world, Gabriella's gaze hardened with a steely determination.

[... They followed me here. Why? Unfinished business, perhaps? Maybe the forces that moved us simply did not like that our previous fight ended with, effectively, a draw.] 

She sighed as the police and civilians all watched with panicked, cautious eyes. 

Anger flared up within Gabriella. 

[Fine.] She gritted her teeth. [If another war is what you want, I'll give it to you.]

Unfortunately, however, her chances of winning looked even worse now than they had in Gelmora. 

[Although my physical stats have remained the same, my lack of any real abilities to work with is staggering. If I'm going to stop them, no, if I'm going to survive this time, then I need to get stronger.] 

The echoes of her past battles with the forces of darkness resounded within her, awakening a latent warrior's instinct that transcended time and realms.

The news of the encroaching demonic threat galvanized Gabriella into immediate action.

[My skills. I can stall no longer. I might not have been able to learn much about this new world of mine, but I'll have to learn as I go along for now.] 

As she delved into her System interface, the flickering holographic display projected her current skills and abilities. Despite her formidable experience, the stark reality of her Level 1 "proficiency", if it could even be called that at this state, in this new world demanded a strategic approach.

Gabriella's first order of business was to meticulously analyze her skills, seeking any potential avenues for growth and enhancement.

[Knowledge, with regard to my abilities. That's what I need the most at the moment. That was part of why I was able to become as strong as I did in my previous life. I need to apply the same principles here. Even if my circumstances have changed, there is no reason why my work ethic should.] 

Gabriella had learned, at a very young age, that her mind functioned slightly differently from others. Most people had a sponge-like retention up until they became teenagers. Gabriella had always been able to soak in new information easily, though. 

Combining that natural talent with a work ethic that often saw her isolate herself for months on end while she perfected her crafts was how she rose to the top of Gelmora. 

[All I need is a starting point. Hopefully, Lillith can provide me with one.] 

Thus, Gabriella didn't even take a moment to wipe the blood off her body before she went looking for the girl. 

The neon lights of the city bathed G-Spot, the club where Lillith worked, in a kaleidoscope of colors. Gabriella, having returned to the familiar establishment after her encounter with the demonic hound and the revelation of an impending invasion, had a bit of a rough edge to her but that was probably only partly why so many were staring at her as she passed by. 

She found Lillith leaning against the bar. She was currently wearing a dazzling red dress that Gabriella wished she could have seen Clara wearing if it would hug her figure even half as well as it did Lillith's. 

As Gabriella approached, Lillith glanced at her with a curious expression, a faint trace of concern lining her features. Gabriella wasted no time, cutting straight to the chase.

"Lillith, I need information."

"Right." Lillith slowly let go of the cup full of dark liquid she'd been nursing. "I figured."

"See," Gabriella began to explain, "I have these skills, but I don't know the full extent of what I can do. Something tells me you heard about the attack, didn't you?" 

"I did." 

"I figured," Gabriella countered. "Well... Please, come with me. I'll explain." 

Lillith, looking back at her drink, paused and then glanced at Gabriella. Her eyes reflected a mix of empathy and uncertainty.

"Alright." 

"Thank you." 

Gabriella all but dragged her to her room. 

Once they were there, Gabriella put her hands up. 

"So, listen. I understand you likely will not believe me initially when I tell you this, but-" 

"Those monsters are from another world and so are you." 

"Precisely. Now, I-" 

Gabriella stopped. Her words caught in her throat and her eyes turned into white saucers as she stared down at Lillith. 

"How in the world- I don't- did you...?" Coherent sentences tried and failed to escape her lips multiple times. 

"To be honest, I'm still not too sure I believe it," Lillith sighed. "It sounds like something I'd read in a trashy novel. But, it... It all just lines up too well." 

She held up an index finger, beginning to count through each fact one by one. 

"You show up out of nowhere, wearing clothes no one would be caught dead in. We talked and I found out that you 'lost your memories' and you don't know anything about... anything. I asked around a little and no one knows anything about you either. I mean, at first, I thought you were an Executioner but that stopped being a possibility once we talked more." 

"Why?" 

"You're too... emotional." 

"I don't feel like I'm particularly emotional." 

"Executioners have no emotions," Lillith soon informed her. 

Gabriella's eyes widened. 

[What?] 

"They're basically humans who've been grown in labs with no other thought or purpose than to serve whatever corp they belong to." Lillith gave Gabriella a little smile. "When you stopped those thieves back at the restaurant, that was what really let me know. You looked so annoyed! An Executioner would never act like that." 

[Humans are grown in labs? Like alchemy stations?] Gabriella's mind lingered on that part. [This world is... I can't even describe it.] 

"So, yeah. Taking all of that and adding it to the fact that monsters just suddenly spawned in from out of nowhere, the more I think about it, the more it feels like the only real possibility is that... You're literally from another world." 

Gabriella smiled. 

"You're rather astute." 

"Gotta be good at something in life, I guess," Lillith shrugged. 

"Very well... Allow me to reintroduce myself. My name is Gabriella Deathwind, former archmage of Gelmora. And... I need your help." Gabriella took a step closer. "Those monsters that appeared today, they will not stop coming. They are powerful beasts, far stronger than most people I've seen in this world so far, and if left unchecked, they will burn Eden to the ground." 

Lillith's smile faded. 

"Now, I'm not asking for much. All I want is for you to point me in the right direction. I need to seek trainers," Gabriella stated. "Anyone who can use similar abilities to mine who might be able to help me learn and develop them quickly. Do you know anyone like that? Who is not an Executioner, I guess I should add." 

"Gabriella, I don't know much about this stuff. All I can say is, you might want to talk to someone with connections. Someone who's in the know about the darker sides of this city."

Gabriella nodded, acknowledging the limitations of Lillith's knowledge.

"Do you have anyone in mind?" 

Lillith thought about it.

Then, a wry smile curled on her lips.

"There's a gang leader who frequents this place. Goes by the name of Rahn. Rumor has it, he's got connections with the Executioners and learned a thing or two from them. He might be willing to teach you a thing or two... For a price." 

[Rahn... Very well.] 

"Where can I find him?"

"He usually hangs out at the Nexus, another bar a few blocks from here. It's a notorious spot, and Rahn likes to keep his finger on the city's pulse. Just be careful, Gabriella. The Nexus attracts all kinds of people, not all of them friendly."

Gabriella raised a brow. 

"How do you know of this person? Or, is information truly so easy to acquire?" 

"Well..." Lillith inhaled sharply, looking away. "This guy's come here a few times. So... Yeah." 

Gabriella blinked. 

[Ah. I see.]