Karen, the Luminard journalist, can barely stay still as series of unexpected events were recounted by her hero. Seeing the woman in front of her, she could hardly believe that YAP had to go through so many trials and sorrow before she had finally gained her powers.

'To have your best friend be murdered in front of you…' Karen thought. She could not even begin to think of the kind of guilt and sadness she could have felt if she were in her beloved hero's place. 'And at a mere 19 human years! Ah, barely even a babe.'

The creature's bulbous outer layer dimmed down until there was hardly any illumination at all. Then, thinking about the traitor in her hero's story, she began to glow in anger, her jelly-like skin a deep, murderous red.

"Ah hah! I am gravely affronted by that little boy's behavior!" The Luminard shouted, slightly surprising the blank-faced Yassi Anne. "That Tanner boy, oh, that Tanner human boy! Why must he do such horrible things? He has done nothing but help the evil policing humans when he stopped you from helping poor Jesta! Oh, and to think! To think he would threaten… oh, to threaten with a knife no other than the Great Superhero YAP herself!"

Karen let out an angry howl only her kind can make: high pitched and scratchy towards the human ears. This made our heroine, Yassi Anne P. Sorento, cover her ears in a hurry. Seeing how she had possibly affronted her hero with her own being affronted, Karen quickly amended with a series of apologies and tiny, little bows.

Yassi saw this and only laughed goodheartedly. She hadn't felt annoyed by her howl. She had only been shocked. After all, Yassi didn't think that the larger journalist would be so interested with her mundane, powerless life.

Then, scratching her head, the hero slowly told the creature, "Well, if Tanner… if he hadn't stopped me, I might have been killed as well. As for the threats… Well, you will understand as the story goes on."

Curiously, Karen observed the somewhat guarded expression from her hooded superhero's face. Although she was indeed an incredibly inquisitive creature, she knew which questions she should ask and when she could ask them. So, although she was greatly interested by her hero's attitude towards the human boy Tanner, she decided to hold both her tongues.

"Anyway, he didn't exactly threaten the 'Great Superhero YAP'," Yassi continued, laughing slightly at the title her fan had given her. "No, I was only a normal human girl back then. I doubt he could even touch me if I had faced him with my powers."

Karen suddenly felt a pressure emanating from the woman. Although the human was significantly smaller than herself, the creature felt tiny as she saw her hero's eyes, filled with fierce determination and pride. However, the pressure quickly went away, as Yassi suddenly froze, as though remembering something unpleasant.

Yassi noticed the cowering form of her journalist. An apology was on the hero's lips when suddenly a great number of loud banging sounds came from the cavern's only entrance. The knocking was so hard that the whole cavern shook with each strike.

Just as Karen was about to stand, Yassi was already up and about, arriving a certain corner of the cavern which was covered by piles of boxes.

"Move with haste, my friend." Yassi started removing the boxes with great speed and silence. "The door will only hold for so long."

Karen then made towards her hero, bumping into some wooden chairs on the way, making her cringe at the ruckus she had made. Yassi didn't seem to mind, and as she had just came side to side with her hero, there was already a gaping hole in front of them.

"A secret pathway!" the Luminard gasped. This wasn't just a normal secret pathway. Karen knew it would collapse right after the conjurers had passed through it. It was forged by meticulous array formations from the mysterious devices invented by the warlocks… Karen was visibly shocked for she knew, with her title of a journalist at stake, that the warlocks had been extinct for a long time now. Yet, here was definite proof of a warlock's device. Karen was entranced by the floating, glowing runic symbols surrounding the hole. She remembered how she had been allowed a glimpse of its pictures. Her grandada was a legendary journalist who had turned the Galaxy Inquirer from a no-name news provider to the best one there is. She remembered how her younger self would totter towards her grandada's study, stealing (for only a short time, of course) the carefully padded photographs, the precious proof of the warlocks' existence, probably taken eons ago…

You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.

"Don't stand in ceremony, Karen. You have to go first, or it will collapse after I have passed through it," Yassi said, while although still gentle in tone, hid a sense of urgency. Karen awoke from her dreaming and immediately stepped into the gaping hole. She couldn't help but look back as she stared at how the formless device collapsed into itself just as her hero had entered right after her. While she stood in awe, Yassi had already overtaken her and led the way through the dark, narrow path.

She looked at her hooded hero as she followed her. 'Indeed, indeed. I should have known there would be measures taken, and routes for escape prepared,' Karen thought. 'After all, YAP had only agreed to do the interview as long as she held the decision to choose the venue.'

'Ah hah! But to think I would be greeted with a warlock's device!' Karen continued in her thoughts. Then, she suddenly realized something. '… But how had their intruders known where they would be? So many precautions have been made during our brief time of communication. Only YAP and I know of this meeting… I have even hidden my identity during the long journey to Earth-36, choosing to travel in less-than-desirable modes of universal transportation than my usual first-class pods…'

As they continued walking in a brisk manner, Karen was growing dark as the inky, black night as thoughts continued to assault her mind.

'What if… What if my hero YAP thinks that I… that I was the one who had disclosed our location?! Oh no… That does seem to be the only possible reason why this has happened…' Karen thought in despair. 'What if she grows so angry she would kill me? Or poke my poor eye out? Cut both my tongues? Oh, hoh! What if… gods forbid it must happen, but what if… she would grow to despise me??'

The creature was now devoid of any light that even Yassi would find it hard to see and sense her. Alas, our heroine Yassi Anne had no idea why her friend was feeling so depressed. She then promptly ascribed it to her feeling scared about their status being compromised.

Although Yassi appeared to be calm, she was actually quite nervous deep inside. She really had believed that no one could've seen through their location. Yes, not even them…

She did think of the possibility that the journalist could have betrayed her, but her intuition told her that this was not the case. And she trusted her intuition, as it had always been her strength during the times she was driven to a corner. So, her trust in the Luminard journalist was still intact, and she did not hesitate to bring her along. Even if it meant she would reveal a device she had long been keeping secret…

"Karen, I must apologize," Yassi started, and then heard a high-pitched yelp from behind her. She continued when there was no reply, although the air around them did seem to have gone down a few degrees. "I have to admit that I am not as prepared as I seem to be. I have chosen this venue in belief that we would not be discovered by enemies and friends alike…"

Suddenly, the creature behind her cried out, "Oh, my hero! I swear by my life… by my title as a journalist, that I am not a traitor! Oh hoh! I would never betray the Great Superhero-"

Realizing the actual reason for Karen's depressed mood, Yassi Anne quickly said, "Oh, I do not doubt your honesty, dear Karen. Not at all!"

Feeling greatly relieved, Karen glowed a dim orange. "Ah hah… Thank you, my hero, for not doubting me. Oh, thank you so very much!"

Although Yassi did doubt her at one point, and truthfully she still did, her intuition told her not to, and that was the only reason she had done what she did.

Regardless, Yassi continued, "What I mean, dear Karen, is that after we leave this path, I actually do not have a clue as to where we can seek refuge."

Yassi felt disappointed in herself. Months of running and hiding and having never been found had led her to believing that she was safe. Yet, now, here she was, dragging an innocent into her own battles…

Karen didn't feel any disappointment in her hero. In fact, she understood how hard it was for anyone to find their locations from the layers and layers of precautions they have laid. She quickly started to think about the planet they were in...

"Earth-36 is in peaceful territory," Karen muttered. "Yet the effects of the universal wars have reached all corners of the universe… Ah hah! Yes, I have found the solution!"

Yassi believed that if she was born a Luminard, she would've glowed bright with joy. "What is it? Pray tell, dear creature."

"We shall look for the various refugee clans from around the universe!" Karen shouted, herself glowing a bright yellow light. "I would think there are a few people you have saved from destruction during any of the wars you have won! They would only be obliged to help us!"

Albeit the joyful mood of her companion, Yassi herself was doubtful. Although she had indeed saved countless lives during the numerous wars she had fought in, she doubted any one would feel the need to receive them if it meant them endangering their lives and their kind once again. Yassi could still remember the battlefield and the bloodshed, and the cries for help, surrender, or simple mercy… No, even if they were willing to help them, she wouldn't wish them any harm. And she knew that wherever she went, danger always followed.

She shook her head. "No, I do not think that would be an option. I would only be endangering them as well. We know that our enemy is above excellent at looking for information. It would only be a matter of time when we would be discovered…"

Karen was visibly disappointed at that, for she knew only too many people who would willingly risk their lives to help their hero for even just a little bit, and she was one of those people as well.

'Ah, but this is one of the reasons why YAP is such a great hero,' Karen thought. 'She always thought first of the people than her own well-being.'

They travelled in silence after that: one in self-deprecation, the other in quiet admiration. Both not knowing what awaits them once they have left the secret pathway.