Amy, now Ruby, kept walking along with the help of her… friend? She didn’t know for sure what the relationship between the two of them was, but they clearly knew each other. As both of them kept a steady pace and she remained quiet, the puzzle in her mind slowly started to solve on its own, no matter how against it she was.

So far, there were at least three things she knew were facts. First, she wasn’t dreaming. Her whole body felt raw and tired. Everything hurt way too much for it not being real. Second, apparently she wasn’t Amy anymore. Her calloused hands from sewing and overworking were replaced by much younger-looking hands and skinnier fingers. Her skin tone was also slightly off too, now closer to a Latino olive-skin tan. She had seen her reflection on the puddle and knew her face was different and much younger as well, but couldn’t make out the details. She would have to examine herself later. Finally, she also knew she wasn’t on Earth anymore. Not by a long shot. Not the version she knew of at least.

Even though Ruby and her companion were going in the opposite direction of the market, she was shown straight to her face that she was no longer in the universe she recognized. The buildings and houses were either made of some red dark wood or a white stone she didn’t know of. Also, the most ordinary-looking people who walked by were wearing old and used tunics made of very simple cloth, probably wool.

Everyone wore goddam awful outfits and fashion taken from what it seemed to be the sixteen hundreds. Her trained eye, though, allowed her to recognize most of the fabrics at simple glance and was impressed there were no synthetics mixed in the textile. Mostly because it was odd to see such clean material in recent times and she wasn’t used to seeing so much of the same material.

As they went further and further from the market, the number of people in the streets started to go down and, with it, the quality of the material of many of their clothing items. Back there, where everyone was carrying a weapon, she noticed how many people wore different kinds of leather and armor, though none in the manner she was used to. Not that she was an expert on armor, but she was certainly used to the many uses of leather. Not many of which seemed to be applying here.

Though of course, at the end of the day, the most shocking thing was the non-humans. Or so she thought as her eyes posed on a clearly not-human staring back at both of them.

“Oy! Theo!” He called in their direction.

The man was even taller than her companion, though on the lean side of body builds. Ruby wasn’t sure if the word ‘lanky’ would describe him, however, as he was wearing armor and she couldn’t really tell. He had a rough stubble and short very dark hair, though what gave him away as something other than a human was the gray-ish skin and the big pair of horns stuck to his forehead, both very much like a goat. “Is that a tail moving on his back?” She thought as the both of them finally reached the armored man. Her figure leaning a bit to the side trying to catch another glimpse at the appendage.

“Hey Xanis, been a while. How’s patrol?”

“Eh, you know how it is. Nothing out of the ordinary. You, however, have some explaining to do. Miss Thing here is the talk of the town. Again.” He said with a matter-of-fact tone.

“I have absolutely no idea what you are talking about.” Theo, the teen, answered with absolute confidence, almost taken aback at who knows what kind of implications the ‘patroller?’ was referring to.

“Oh really? What about you, Ruby? Have anything to say?” His black eyes, sclera and all, looked straight at her. It made her whole back shiver all the way to her spine. “Scary.” She thought while looking up.

Ruby, like her companion, could only answer with another “I have absolutely no idea what you’re talking about either.”

“See? That’s how you lie, love,” The demon said to Theo, clearly amused. “She sounds a hundred times more convincing than you. Even my skill says so.”

“I wasn’t really lying though…” She thought for a second, relieved she didn’t say it aloud.

“Look, whatever you may have heard, it’s solved and in the past. Let’s just drop it,”

“I don’t mind dropping it, mostly because I trust you, but don’t stray too far from the path kid, or you’ll know what happens. Especially near this one.” He pointed with a finger above her head right towards Ruby.

Theo winced for a second. “I know, I know. You don’t have to tell me twice. Look, I promise to join you in your patrol next week to compensate.”

“Why not tomorrow?”

“Promised Ruby I would help her find a mentorship to prepare her.”

“Is that how all of this happened?” He asked, gesturing at Ruby’s whole face, dirt and injuries.

“I won’t deny the possibility it may be related.” Theo’s eyes were not making contact with Xanis’ own.

“At least you know how to dance around the skill. Don’t get too used to it though, you know that won’t be tolerated once you’re in.”

“I know that too. I just…”

“Need a break?”

“Yeah.” Finally answered Theo with a sigh after a pause, clearly he had been hesitant to give the answer.

The demon’s eyes stopped on Ruby once more. While she was completely disturbed at meeting her first non-human; the casual conversation, lack of meaning in her current life, and utter confusion led her to be completely desensitized of the situation. Actually, her mind was much more focused on simpler stuff, like the demon’s body.

She found him very attractive, but not because of a carnal desire, but because he had the right figure for a model. The man was way too tall for a normal model of course, but clearly had the right proportions. She couldn’t discern all of the details of the man’s body as it was being hidden by that piece of stupid solid tin-foil one would definitely call an armor, but could clearly imagine him wearing a leather jacket, ripped jeans, and a pair of black goth boots. Shirt optional for sure. “He could totally pull off the punk-rock look without effort.”

Rolling his eyes and with a clearly defeated sigh, Xanis just put his hand on top of Ruby’s head, waking her up from her daydream.

“[First Aid]”

He said aloud as his hand started to glow a brilliant yellow color, suddenly making Ruby feel a very weird tingling along all of her body. To her, it felt like the world started to move in slow motion. Her eyes widened in shock as she felt better and better by the second. Bruises started to go down and her skin returned to its normal color, little cuts closed, and her overall complexion just felt a lot healthier.

Ruby couldn’t help but look at her hands again, now with the pain in her bones mostly gone and the broken skin completely recovered. She still felt like she had been run over by a truck and was extremely tired, but the pain from her more shallow injuries was gone in a flash, just like the magic light that the man had emitted from his hand.

However, her attention quickly went back to the demon as she realized his face was right next to her ear. “Don’t look so surprised love, you know I did it for your brother and only your brother. Don’t expect me to do the same in the future though.” His voice had a charming and sympathetic tone, but the meaning made her feel a chill right to her very core.

“T-Thanks...” She replied meekly. Not sure if she should focus more on his last words, that Theo had been her brother all along, or on the fact he just used magic to heal her.

“Thank you Xanis! I know you could have used the mana on something else,”

“No worries kid. As I said, it’s been slow today. Now go, I want you out of these parts. You and the Future Breaker are not welcome on this side of the bridge,”

“Yeah, we know, sorry again for the alleged trouble we may have caused.” He winced at the nickname but said nothing about it, stirring a question mark in the eyes of the shortest of the trio.

“I don’t think ‘we’ is the right word, but do as you wish. Not my problem. Winter is coming after all.” He said with a smile.

Theo just nodded as there was nothing else for him to say and just grabbed her hand, pulling her to continue walking in their original direction, though now at a faster pace. Luckily, now that she was healed – although not completely – she felt much better and was quickly able to follow.

This still felt unreal. Ruby was so out of herself she was just riding the wave like everything was just weirdly fine.

Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website.

Once both of them were far enough from the demon, she couldn’t help but ask, mostly out of ignorance.

“He doesn’t like me very much now, does he?”

Theo couldn’t hold it and chuckled. “No, he doesn’t. You’re lucky he healed you, I didn’t want to ask.” He answered with a smile on his face.

After both kept walking, she started to think on the million questions she had. What had happened to the former Ruby? Why was she so hurt? What was that about ‘Future Breaker’? Clearly Theo didn’t like it when… how was the Demon called again? She forgot. She thought about telling him she wasn’t his sister anymore, that she was someone else, but couldn’t find the way to say it. Amy never had a brother or sister before, and now she had an older brother who clearly cared for her. Was she supposed to be the one responsible for telling him her sister was gone? Was she completely gone? Did she do this?

Questions kept piling up and none of them were getting answers. “Maybe I should just play dumb and ask anyway. Just have to focus on the important things.”

“Hey Theo?”

“Hm?”

Her… brother? Kept on walking, the streets looking even more like a maze than before.

“How old are you?”

That question made him look, green eyes staring right back at hers for a second before looking at the road again.

“I’m turning sixteen this winter, you know that. Why you ask?”

“He’s a damn kid!”

Ruby felt weird. She was supposed to be the older sister then. Sure, maybe her body was the one that was younger apparently, but mentally she was over thirty. She was the one who should be leading and making sure her brother behaved. Now, being in a completely new environment that kept throwing her for a loop at every turn was not helping her feel less belittled. She knew it wasn’t Theo’s fault or anything, but it only meant she would have to step it up once she had her feet on the ground.

If there was something that the competition had helped her develop, it was her adaptability. Every week she had something new to do, and the environment with all the competitors wasn’t always the best. A room full of divas? Please. She knew that adaptability was a life skill and now she was flexing it with all her might just to avoid drowning.

“And how old am I?” She ignored her brother’s question.

“You turn fifteen this upcoming winter.” He raised an eyebrow.

“I’M a damn kid. I hate this.” She thought, feeling even more insecure about her situation.

“What did… your friend meant by ‘Future Breaker’?”

He stopped, bewilderment on his face. Both eyebrows raised now.

“You sure you want to talk about that? You beat anyone who calls you that. At least I don’t see any chairs within arm’s reach…”

“J-just humor me.”

Eyes narrowed for a second looking at her face, clearly thinking something was wrong. After looking at her eyes for a second, he seemed to make up his mind and started to walk again.

“He shouldn’t have called you that.” He looked down.

“It was something I did, wasn’t it?”

“Still my fault.”

“How?”

“I’m the older brother and the one aiming for Guard. Should have known better,” The capital letter on the name of the job clearly emphasized somehow. It felt like a different thing altogether.

“I still don’t think it’s your fault. Now, can you answer the question?” She pushed, even though she didn’t know what he was talking about yet.

He didn’t reply immediately, but he did.

“A Future Breaker is someone who ruins someone else’s Class. During the winter solstice we get one, always depending on our life choices and many other things. Someone who meddles and takes people off their path is a Future Breaker. It is because of them that people don’t get the class they were aiming for and end up having their future ruined. Forever if things go really bad, though that hardly happens.”

Ruby gulped, grasping just a little of what he had just said.

“And I’ve done this?”

He gave her a questioning look again, getting another push to go-ahead from her in response.

“Like five times… that I’m aware at least. Don’t tell me it’s higher than that? Is it? Oh god, Ruby! You did-”

“I didn’t- No! It’s not higher.” She interrupted him. She didn’t exactly know for sure if the count was higher, but she decided to give her brother a break. The demon had said it and small clues kept telling her this Ruby girl had been a complete red flag walking before.

The brunette kept quiet for a couple of minutes, letting everything sink in. Apparently this ‘Class’ thing was a big deal, though she didn’t really understand what it meant. Then, before she had the chance to think more on it, both of them took a turn and she finally saw ‘the bridge’ in the distance.

Since she was in a world where you could actually pull off magic, she thought she was going to find something a little more grandiose when she thought of ‘the bridge’, but all she had in return was a simple short bridge made of white stone. At least the width seemed pretty remarkable for the lame and anti-climactic design it had, as it could easily hold six or seven lanes of the ones she had back home. There were no cars however, just people walking by and the occasional wooden cart.

“What’s beyond the bridge?”

“Home.”

“What else?”

“Ruby, would you just tell me why you are asking the most random and weirdest questions? You know the answer to all of them, why are you acting like a child who hasn’t seen her fifth winter yet?”

Ruby could tell there was a lot Theo didn’t say, but his tone said it all. He was getting angry and knew she had done something before he found him that clearly had him on edge. Her questioning was not helping at all with her case. She could at least give him a lot of props for keeping his cool. He was giving her strong big brother vibes and she didn’t really know what to do with it.

“I’m sorry I just... wasn’t feeling really well with my head and just needed to check information.”

“Really? Even after Xanis’ help?”

“Right, that was his name.”

“N-no. Before that I was kind of in a dizzy spell. Just needed to make sure I wasn’t going crazy.”

“Why?” He asked with a frown on his face.

“Why what?”

“Why would you think you were going crazy?”

An alarm went off in Ruby’s head and knew she had to dodge the question. She didn’t know if he knew his sister way too much or what, but he wasn’t letting up with the questioning.

“I-I don’t know. I just did for a second…”

Theo stared at her for a little bit, eyes clearly calculating. Sooner rather than later, she noticed he kept on pushing her for information, so she kept on avoiding the things she didn’t know and improvising.

“Ruby, I know you don’t tell me many things, but you know you can tell me stuff, right? Maybe don’t tell me if you punched some other guy, but at least do if you’re not feeling okay. I promise I won’t tell anyone. If a Mind Wizard used a dizziness spell on you…” He looked away, mulling things over.

Something inside Ruby stirred. Maybe it was because this total stranger for her was being way too wholesome, but she couldn’t say why her chest felt tighter. Not yet at least.

“Y-you would do a good good-cop, you know?” She changed the subject, hoping to get her brother out of her trail.

“What’s a ‘gud-kop’?” Frown back on his face, now clearly giving her a look.

“Eh.. ah… like a technique? That law enforcement use… I guess?” She wasn’t sure how to answer that question. She didn’t know much about this place, but knew for a fact there were no Crime-Drama TV around these parts for someone like him to just know about it. Maybe she couldn’t talk about what had happened, but Law & Order would be okay, right?

“You mean a skill?”

“Yeah, sure,” It was her turn to frown now, though more in confusion than anything else.

Theo stopped, looked around, and pushed her to the entrance of an alley.

“You’re telling me you know of a Guard skill besides Detect Lie and First Aid?” He whispered, eyes in shock.

Wait, if she answered that with a ‘yes’, she knew she was going to be lying and her brother would probably find out. Did he already have some magic to detect lies? No, right, he needed to be a Guard first and that’s a class, a Class actually, with capital G. But Xanis could tell him if she was lying or not… “So handy for law enforcement, yet…”

She wasn’t sure what to do now. The only reason she said that was because Ruby noticed how Theo was the total opposite of the demon when it comes to their questions. Xanis was scary and demeaning, while her brother had been really nice to her. So far at least.

The short girl did her best to search for a good answer or a way to avoid the question, but Theo’s gaze was showing no signs of backing down now. The boy was clearly expectant of her answer.

“Do you want to know or not?” She blabbered, giving up.

“YES! Just spill it already!”

“How do I even explain this?” Ruby racketed her mind, trying to think of the best possible way to describe what it was. After a few seconds and gathering her thoughts, she answered.

“O-okay, so… a ‘good cop’ is a persona… or personality that you take while interrogating people or something. Like what you were doing just now! You were sensitive and cared for my emotions, though still pushy. You give the easy way out and let people know everything is good with a confession. Like, it will make you feel good to be honest or to simply answer the questions. Xanis, on the other hand, would be the ‘bad cop’. He makes you feel guilty and pushes all of your buttons and weak spots for you to feel bad about what you did and your miserable life. It doesn’t matter if you actually did something wrong or not, he makes people angry and emotional. All with the point of getting information out of someone.” That was how the people from the Law & Order did at least.

“That’s Xanis alright.” He said with a smile, clearly excited about this new information. Then, he seemed thoughtful and quiet, hand on his chin and not pushing her anymore to say anything else, though the joy in his eyes was not gone.

A moment later, he woke up from his stupor, eyes energized. Then, another frown to his face. “Wait, how did you know about that? Who told you? You can tell me, I won’t tell anyone.”

Ruby stared.

Theo stared, expectant.

Then, it clicked.

“Ah, right, sorry. Damn, I didn’t know I was already practicing a skill.”

Then, his smile came back to his face and grabbed her hand once more. “Come on! I gotta get you home fast! This has so many implications. I need to get prepared for this.” He said as he started jogging towards the bridge and then paused. After giving Ruby a short hug, the taller boy took her hand again and started to jog once more towards home.

On the one hand, Ruby couldn’t help but sigh. Theo had stopped asking about her situation, which was great because she barely even understood herself and her mind was going completely haywire. On the other hand, after seeing Theo’s reaction, she couldn’t help but feel she had done something. Was it bad? She had no clue, it was just another question added to the pool of chaos inside her head at the moment.

“What the hell am I even doing?”