A young girl wearing a cloak stood out from the shadows, her eyes glowing yellow, shining brightly under the night. She stared the at the men who committed the atrocious act of murder as easily as they could speak, and she felt no sense of disgust upon seeing the spectacle. Rather, she was disappointed more and more at how the race she once thought to be formidable, degraded and devolved into savages when presented the slight chance of toppling over others.

But she felt the need to step in, for the one who was taken victim by the devolved race was someone who saved her, even when she didn't need it.

To return a simple favor, she moved, her steps as silent as the wind that was blowing. Her presence became fleeting, as if her entire existence had been erased, and the only way to reach her was by sight.

He saw the young man's eyes look up to her once she came into view, and he slowly reached out for help, uttering the words from his mouth, but with no sound.

"How pitiful," she murmured. "They are like formless, feeble beings, taking every shape and form possible, and there is no limit to what they are able to achieve. Steal, pilfer, kill, lie, slander, betray, there are so much things recorded within the tomes of time that there might not be enough volumes to fill their terrifying feats."

She looked at the criminals with scorn, and the victim with pity.

"I don't have the right to judge you anymore, however, but I may still pass on to you a painful punishment. It depends on my mood whether it will be a permanent punishment, or a light one. But, this young man is already considered dead because of what you had done to him. It would be a sin upon the god who governs over this world if the rule of revival were to take place, but I am not its servant any longer. Prepare yourselves. I shall send you all into a journey of repentance."

"Huh, who the hell are you and what are you muttering on about? You must be pretty brave, being out here alone. Oh, and don't worry about this little scene right here. Just imagine that you didn't see any of it," The men looting Lear's body grinned and laughed amongst themselves as they licked their tongues, looking at the porcelain figure standing in front of them with lust. 

On her head appeared a golden halo. She pulled back the hood of her cloak and revealed the face of a pure, beautiful young lady of no equal. She shone brightly, stealing the beauty and the spotlight of the moon, making those that would stare, forget that the Luna of the night sky had existed. A gracious smile appeared on her face, one that looked down on those she faced like ants.

Her benevolent, yet cruel and admonishing eyes were like stars, and her mystic design consisting of a slike, white, flowing dress, was like a canvas to the heavens, adorned with a strange shine. 

The criminals felt a strange aura and turned their eyes towards it. There they saw the young girl looking at them. They were unable to move or speak, unable to escape her gaze.

She approached the men and stood before them. She then whirled a small gust of wind that fit the palm of her hand and allowed it to stir. She opened her hand out towards the criminals and released the small gust of wind from her palm, and it then blew them away as if they had been hit by a full blast explosion.

The criminals were launched from the ground they stood on and crashed on a nearby stone built structure, nearly crushing their bones. The impact was loud and echoed. The wall they crashed on cracked on impact, and the criminal's mouths bled; their eyes rolled up to the back of their heads. They all fell to the ground with a loud thud

Once the deed was done, the young girl approached Lear, who was on the last seconds of his life. She saw the puddle that had formed under him and sighed.

"I will repay what you have done for me so that I will no longer owe you. Come now, live. I will give you your second chance, so rejoice."

She held her hand out towards him, bathing Lear with a gentle glowing light that slowly enveloped him.

Lear reached out, but before the light blinded him, he saw the face of his savior, her face, her glowing yellow eyes, and the halo on her head. Then his consciousness faded over.

"So you brought him here, huh? Good on you! You're acting much more like a part of society now," an optimistic voice said. He tried to approach her and pat her on the back, but she intercepted his hand and held it away with her fingers as if in disgust.

"Refrain from touching me, please. I don't recall us being quite close for that. I only did that to repay a favor, nothing more, nothing less."

"Is that so? Well, if I recalled, you never really needed any help in the first place. So mind answering that question of why?"

"I think we have gone over this already. Think for yourself, you'll find it, but I doubt you'll remember it in full. Your memory isn't quite as good as a normal persons'."

Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.

"Hey now, no need to be harsh. I remember it, well, vaguely. Mind going over it again just to refresh me?" he asked, laughed in amusement of his own folly.

She heaved a sigh and shook her head back and forth. "Fine. It's not like I have much of a choice at this point. I can't believe you're the one who bested me. I don't think I can live with this shame for the rest of eternity."

"Come now, don't be like that. It's been fun for me so far."

"Not for me, really. I have to do all these menial things when I can simply rest and do nothing. I have been discharged after that blunder, so I have no role to play. Adhering to his "mighty" words, I am but a useless piece now."

"Well you don't have to worry about that. I took care of it, right? Besides, aren't we partners already? That's the promise, right?"

"Disappointingly, yes. It haunts me till this day. I never thought someone like you hid under a convincing mask."

"Well, everyone has their surprises. Just bear with me for a while longer. It'll be fun, I'm sure of it. You might even find it like that as well."

"Then may the heavens fall and the underworld freeze over. Do as you will with him. I have already done all I can in closing his wounds and applying the medicine. I will take my rest for tonight. The things you asked me to get are over by the table."

"Goodnight, then. Oh, and thanks for helping me out."

She waved her hand at his words and left the room.

The man slumped over his chair and heaved a sigh. "Well, timidity and shyness has its perks and charms, I guess. Well, now let's see how you're doing."

He stood up and looked over the young man sleeping on his bed. The wound on his lower left gut had been bandaged and treated, yet the young man was still sleeping. He noticed, however, that the young man was sweating profusely.

"Seems like you're having a bit of a nightmare. Hmm, let's see what I can do for you."

He held out both of his hands and hovered them over the young man's head. He spoke softly, enveloping the young man with a veil of light that seemed to ease his pain. Soon, the young man's expression relaxed.

The young man's eyes twitched, then opened. Seeing and realizing that he was in an unfamiliar place, he sprang from the bed and looked around, seeing another red-eyed person in the room looking back at him with his arms on his waist.

"Feeling any better?" he asked him.

"Where... am I?" he asked, not realizing the man's question.

"You're in my place, the Eveningtide. Make yourself at home. Sure feels like you'll need to get a bit of strength back before you try to move a muscle. I heard you lost a lot of blood, so don't overexert yourself."

The name Eveningtide stuck to Lear as a recurring word. He suddenly remembered what he had come to Furahm for, even though he should have had been worrying about his own health.

"Wait, this is the Eveningtide?! But how?" he asked in confirmation.

"The one and only. Say, haven't we met before? You look vaguely familiar." The man narrowed his sights, trying his best to remember the young man.

"We've met! I've been trying to find you. I know you don't remember me that much since it's been long, but you saved me in the Yew forest from the massive wolf. My name is Lear, and you're Riga, right?"

"Oh, now that you say it, I do remember! So you're the same guy? You look a bit different. Your slouch is gone, plus I think your face looks a bit more mature since the last time I saw you. What are you doing here anyway?"

"You told me to come to Furahm. I'll say it flatly. I want to join your guild, so give me any test, and trial, and I'll succeed, no matter what!"

"You want to join the guild? Isn't that a surprise. Hmm let me think..." Riga said closing his eyes and holding his chin in deep thought. Lear became tense and awaited the verdict, his last chance to pursue the dream in a way that he wanted. And after a long, five minute reconciliation, Riga's eyes opened.

"Alright, you're in."

"I... I see. Well, there's nothing that can be done with that," he laughed with a crooked expression, trying to hide his disappointment. "... Wait, what? What do you mean I'm in?!"

"That's what it means."

"There's no test, no trial or anything?"

"Nope, nothing. There no need to do any of that. No matter how much of a beginner you are, we're all going to start at the same place. I don't need to gauge anyone's strength or test them. As far as I'm concerned, adventuring was never that strict to begin with. You'll learn to grow with it the longer you do it, and soon enough, I'm sure you'll get the hang of it. So, welcome aboard the Eveningtide."

The man named Riga approached Lear who had an expression of bewilderment, and extended his hand out to him.

"Let's make the best of it!"

Lear shook his hand and simply nodded.

"So, what happens now?" He asked. "I never really got this far with joining a guild."

"For your case, you rest. I'll explain everything tomorrow. It's already late anyway, so go and get some sleep while you're at it. I'll just sort some things out. Call if you need anything."

Riga disappeared from the room and left Lear to himself. He took in the surroundings and the fact that he had been accepted in a guild. Thought it didn't feel too real, he was happy, so much more than he expected.

Looking around, he examined the room. It was properly furnished with no clutter. The room was brightly lit up by a strange array of crystals fashioned into a small, crafty chandelier. The walls and the floors were made with wood, but with one that didn't creak when stepped on.

Lear pushed the blanket away from him and saw the bandages wrapped around his body. He moved and felt a slight jolt of pain from the area where he had been stabbed. He calmed down and made sure not to move strenuously as to not agitate it.

He remembered that time. It felt as if he had already died with the way things went, it was a miracle that he was still here. But in his mind stayed a memory of his savior. Someone with glowing yellow eyes and a near heavenly image. Well, it wasn't an exaggeration on his part for most of it had become vague and hazy, but he was sure he saw his savior at the time. How he ended up on his destination was something that he wanted to ask Riga, thinking he might have a definite answer.

He slowly stood up, trying his best to ignore the pain wracking his side at the moment. He looked out the open window and saw himself in an unfamiliar forest surrounded by a silent noise. It was dark as far as the eyes could see, and the rustling of the trees were the only company Lear had.

"Where is this place exactly?" he asked himself.

"No use worrying about it now, I guess," Lear said. He went back to bed and slept peacefully, anxious to know what kinds of things await him the next day.

But still, there was one thing left on his mind.

He noticed his belongings to the side of his bed, and in it were rather heavy objects that he himself found challenged with carrying. "Did she carry me and my stuff?" he asked himself, shaking his head almost immediately after, thinking that it was a funny, but idiotic thought.