The forest, outskirts of Redne.

With the sun creeping shyly behind eastern horizon, the beasts of the woods began their day. A woodpecker pecked onto the trunk of an elm tree. A squirrel came out of its nest inside a hole in the said elm tree, squeaking loudly.

A moment later, came a bursting sound of running feet, driving the woodpecker away and the squirrel back into its hole. And then the sound stopped. The squirrel took a peek from its nest, then came out nervously.

Right under the tree, a person in black suit passed by. It was Maven on the run. Her breath was still orderly, she looked right and left to make sure no one was following her.

Suddenly something fell right on Maven's head. Ignoring the slight pain, she quickly looked down, checking on the cause of whatever that has befallen her. It turned out to be a twig. She then looked up to find a squirrel, shivering in fear.

The pointy-eared girl immediately took off her black veil, showing her lovely face with perfectly shaped nose, small lips with the shape of pink daisy petal and reddish pair of cheeks that looked like a ripe peach.

Maven then spoke, “Ooh, did I scare you, little squirrel? Forgive me. I didn’t mean any harm.” She put on a sweet, comforting smile to show the squirrel her good intention.

The squirrel responded by climbing down the tree and jumping onto Maven’s palm. She patted the squirrel softly before she put it on the ground. The squirrel turned to her one more time before it squeaked farewell and scurried away.

Maven waved her hand and said, “Have a good day, little squirrel… not like mine.”

Her smile instantly changed into lethargy. Her waving hand was halted and moved to cover her own face. “Maven Istravel,” she told herself. “You’ve messed up your important job because you were reluctant to kill people and for not being careful. You don’t have a talent as a thief, but you have to do that. You must!”

Maven then undid her buttons one by one, revealing her clean, white skin and…. a white dress that covered all the way to her stomach. She then folded her black suit, putting it inside a leather pouch-bag neatly hanging by her belt.

She rubbed her thighs. Two blades were sheathed properly on the scabbard, tied with belts there. Then she checked on her brownish-black leather long boots. All was set.

The elf girl stretched her arms upwards and sideways, relaxing her muscles.

Suddenly there was another sound. She was baffled for a second, then she felt her belly squeezing. She was hungry.

She immediately climbed a tree like a monkey to search for food. She stood on one of the big branch, then quickly jumped from there. She didn’t simply jump recklessly, of course. She made a beautiful somersault in the air before reaching the branch of the next tree, then swung on it.

At her farthest swing, she jumped again. This time she flipped twice until her feet landed smoothly on the branch of the third tree. She did it all that with her body as if light and flexible as cotton, as if she was flying without wings.

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Not a drop of sweat rolled from Maven's forehead. She looked around left and right. Her pointy ears were moving to catch sounds that are not necessarily audible to common humans. She could hear a faint squeal.

Maven smiled contentedly. She drew her pair of daggers and immediately climbed down the vertical trunk. Right under that tree was a hare who could no longer afford to avoid her pounce. Yet suddenly, she stopped her attack. The hare immediately used that opportunity to escape.

Another sound was heard. It was the sound of bushes being beaten. Two grey beasts appeared from behind those bushes, streaked directly toward Maven. They had threatening long fangs beneath their big muzzles, long, slobbery tongues and wild, hungry eyes. They were wolves.

Maven instinctively dodged the two wolves. And then the predators landed on an empty space. Not too long after the girl advanced, her dagger digged into the neck of one of the beasts. She then dashed to the other way and pierced her other dagger on the underbelly of the second wolf. Maven then immediately fell back. The wolves could still breathe, but could no longer stand.

Seeing the dying beasts didn’t move the elf girl for the slightest, even just a sigh of relief. Instead it was because she could hear more savage voices incoming.

Sure enough, a moment later more wolves appear from every direction to surround her. Facing the whole pack alone, she quickly ran to climb the nearest tree. But two wolves immediately cut her short by pouncing towards her.

Maven bounced herself backwards, kicking one of the wolves and stabbing the other’s belly. Before she could finish pulling out her dagger the third wolf, and then the fourth, fifth and sixth came. The beasts ganged up upon the girl, scratching her here and there. One even managed to bite her backpack and tear it apart.

The situation turned grave. It became impossible for Maven to escape from the wolf pack.

Suddenly three arrows flew from nowhere and nested on two of the wolves.

Maven didn’t waste time. Reactively, she plunged her dagger into another wolf, tearing its flesh.

A moment later, a black figure bolted in front of Maven and instantly swung his sword towards three directions with his move, Three-Point Chain Slash. Two other wolves fell lifeless. Seeing their fate, the surviving beasts immediately fled for their lives.

Maven was simply stunned. She stared keenly towards her savior, a young man of about twenty years old. His figure was rather lean, yet somewhat quite sturdy, making him look considerably gallant.

“Are you okay, miss?” asked the young man in black as he swept his rather short, wavy black hair backwards.

His counterpart, however didn’t answer. She was still dumbfounded.

“Helloo? Miss?”

Maven still didn’t react.

The young man pouted and turned around to leave.

Losing the sight of the man in black's face was enough to wake Maven up from her daydreaming. She immediately chased the man. “Wait! Wai- Eek!”

Maven was tripped on a rock and fell face first on the grass. She clearly had lost control over her own body. She immediately stood up again. Her body and face were covered in dirt. She again yelled, “Wait! Are you going to just leave? Thank you for saving my life.”

The last sentence paused the young man immediately. He then turned around. When he made eye contact with his counterpart, his previously expressionless face began to curl a smile. A warm feeling caressed Maven like a spring breeze.

His smile quickly turned into a hard laugh. “Hahahaha!” The girl put her palm on her face and began frowning.

“Hahaha, I’m sorry. I’m just amused by how your pretty face got covered by dirt.” He then offered a hand shake. “My name is Reyl Adelant from Halethia, and I’m a merchant.”

The girl intended to return the courtesy. But since her right hand was dirty she immediately pulled it back and shook him with her left hand instead.

“I am Maven Istravel, from Redne.”

“Ah, a citizen! I thought you’re a traveler of some sort. But it’s weird… I feel like I have seen you somewhere before.”

“You’re not wrong…” she responded. “I am a traveler, and I do feel the same. I probably have seen you before… Well, as you can see, today’s not my lucky day. I’m a mess….”

She then felt dizzy and began faltering. She was very tired from the fight last night, and her wound had finally drawn her last strength. She collapsed immediately.

As her consciousness was fading, she could hear faint calls. “Maven… Maven! Are you okay? Hey! Ah, your wounds… Stay with me, Maven!”