*Knock*

*Knock*

*Creak...*

The door to my room opened and I immediately woke up. Oh, it's just Jonathan. I then sat up on the edge of the bed as I looked at him.

— "Is there something that you need?"

— "Ma said you should come down to join us all for dinner."

— "Well... How long have I been asleep for?"

— "'round fifty minutes."

I sighed and stood up to stretch my body before following Jonathan downstairs.

I saw Leo sitting down next to Minnie and Jonathan's mother. Now that I've set my thoughts on it, I never knew her name. Geez... I really should introduce myself to people first so I can coerce them to say their name.

I sat down in the empty chair next to Leo's and in front of Jonathan's mother. Now's a 'good chance to talk and introduce myself.

— "I forgot to introduce myself but my name is–"

— "Owens. I already know it. Missy told me all 'bout it. And if you're going to ask for my name: my name is Cal."

Damn. Minnie beat me to it. Well, that's what I get for not introducing myself to people.

We all started eating our dinner. It was tomato soup with white-bread. The soup itself had beef and was quite delicious. It tasted like nothing I'd expect from an inn. I'd even go as far as tasting even better than restaurant food.

I looked around and Minnie's and Leo's reaction was the same as mine. It was delicious.

I looked at Cal who was quietly eating.

— "This is delicious!"

— "Oh really? Good that you three liked it."

A thought crossed my mind: where's her husband? I looked out and saw that it's the dead of the night and there's no traces of him anywhere.

— "Can I ask where your husband is? It's late at night and there's no one here."

Her smile faltered a bit before turning around to look at the sword mounted atop the fireplace.

And as if on cue, Leo and Minnie stomped on my foot as if to tell me to keep quiet...

— "Ouch..."

I muttered whilst they both looked at me angrily. Jonathan on the other hand was eating peacefully as if he didn't hear what I said.

Cal was still looking back on the sword before looking back at us.

— "My husband was a Hero. He fought in Aevum to protect it from harm. It's the same time when I was raisin' Jonathan all by myself. It's also the reason why I never asked travelers for payment when staying by."

I was utterly shaken. I shouldn't have asked. Now I guess I deserved what Leo and Minnie did.

— "What an idiot."

They both muttered in unison.

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— "I-I'm so sorry I asked. I never knew that this was the case."

— "Ya shouldn't worry 'bout it."

Before we knew it, we all finished our dinner. We said our thank you before going back upstairs where Minnie went to her room alone and me and Leo were left alone in our room.

— "You're sleeping on the floor, Owens."

— "What?! Why?!"

— "Why else? Cuteness is superior and therefore I'm superior and so you're going to have to sleep on the floor. I'll be nice and give you a blanket."

He clearly said that sarcastically. And even if I did sleep on the floor, I'd doubt he'd give me a blanket to keep myself warm.

Since when was being cute a way of being superior?! I'm not letting Leo sleep on the bed!

I had the perfect idea. I quickly summoned my Mana Crystal.

— "Dibilito!"

*Clink*

*Clink*

*Clack!*

The chains were quick and didn't give Leo a chance to dodge. Perfect!

— "Hey! Let me go!"

He tried wriggling out of the chains. I quickly picked up the now chained up Leo was still squirming and quietly scooted Leo to Minnie's room before going back to mine and locking it.

I could hear the two of them arguing for a spot on the bed. They're going to be mad at me in the morning but at least I'm sleeping soundly tonight!...

...But instead of waking up to the annoyed yelling of my friends, I was awoken by a guard on the front door yelling.

— "Aevum is under attack! Please evacuate as far as you can! The attackers are pillaging the nearby structures as well!"

The night yelled, waking all of us up before leaving again. What's going on? I feel like my heart is going to burst out of my chest. Seriously! What is happening?!

The three of us left our room in a hurry.

— "You two heard that, didn't you?"

I asked them hurriedly. There's no time to be flustered on my words.

— "I did. And as a Hero and the princess of Aevum, I must do something about it!"

— "Min-Min, since when were you a princess?"

Leo couldn't care less and was only here because he was startled by the yell of the knight and not by the message of the knight.

— "No time to explain, we need to get going!"

— "You three shouldn't go! It's too dangerous!"

Cal was definitely worried about us. But I'm going with Minnie for a different reason... I feel a strange attachment to whatever is happening in Aevum. This familiar feeling...

— "But we need to!"

We ran past her and got on the carriage, waking up Silven. I immediately grabbed the reins on Silven and started the path back to Aevum.

— "Please, you two! At least stay safe!"

— "Come on, come on!"

We started to go back to the path to Aevum but got lost... Come on! At a time like this?!– Wait!

— "You're so stupid, Owens! Where are we even going?!"

Minnie was mad and fuming. I understand where she's coming from but I have to make a turn back!

I pulled hard on Silven's reins and directed him to the path to the marsh

— "Have you lost your mind, Owens?!"

— "Not yet, Leo! I know someone who could get us there!"

Not long after, we got to the marsh and I got off before the wheels of the carriage hit the muddy waters. Leo and Minnie ran after me.

— "Just where are you going?! Aevum is far from here!"

— "I know what I'm doing!"

— "Just trust Min-Min for once, Owens!"

We ran and ran and found the witch's "hut" again! Their eyes widened as they realized what I was trying to do. I immediately knocked on the door. This has to work.

— "Please open up! This is an emergency!"

Without even thinking about it, I opened the door which led us back to Aevum. I immediately stepped in with Leo and Minnie following shortly after..

— "For once, Owens, you aren't an idiot!"

They both said in unison.

— "Now's not the time, you two!

She wasn't there but at least we got back to Aevum a lot earlier than it would take me. The three of us started running to the capital where there many people tied up and bunched up together as hostages and the air was filled with muffled screaming and...

...In the midst of it was the same young man me and Leo had encountered before but there's something wrong with him, there were veins on his face that were pulsating a pinkish red color. His eyes weren't lifeless anymore, o. They were full of desires and were in fact a shade of pinkish red.

He then looked at us and we were all surrounded by his men holding sharp blades.

— "Give me that blindfold in your pocket, Owens! I want it–No! I need it! I desperately need it!"

The sun's heat was burning on the back of my neck and slowly creeping up and heading to the west as it should but I felt as if time was moving quickly and as soon as it was above me and I was stepping at my own shadow, I sunk into my own silhouette like it was water. The only thing that was left of me was a ripple on the disappearing shadow.

It was all darkness except for when I look up I can see that the time has stopped. I could see Minnie having her neck held with a sword and Leo on the ground restrained. I couldn't do anything about it,

But as soon as I looked straight, I could see a woman clad in black–Lida?! No... Her skin was fair but not exactly pristine white and she had a mole under her left-eye, it was Cassandra.

She had her index finger over my lips as if to tell me to be quiet.

What even is happening. I don't know anymore. I need to save my friends.