The night became dark as ink by the moment they were ready to leave the house. Lila made a point of going over the plan one more time. "We'll leave through the back entrance. A few streets away, there's an old tunnel that leads out of the settlement. Only Elders know why we have it and why it was never filled in. We haven't been attacked in decades, and there isn't much smuggling happening here."

She made a pause and added thoughtfully. "Anyway, there were always easier ways to bring undocumented goods in. But don't overthink that. We need to get past two main patrol points. The first patrol comes by my home. So, we just sit it out. And I'll create a distraction at the second one. Once they're drawn away, we'll move quickly to the tunnel entrance."

"What sort of distraction?" wrote Aira.

"I've been on that patrol, remember?" Lila answered. "I'll toss a pebble in their pond, don't you worry. Few tricks up my sleeve for a good old ranger distraction," she grinned mischievously.

Aira scribbled a final note: "Ready. I believe in you."

Lila squeezed her hand. "We'll make it. Just stay close to me and keep quiet."

Aira could feel her nerves tingling with anticipation, the strange energy from earlier experiments still humming faintly within her. She was now entirely in control of her body, thanks to the System buffs boosting her base stats like they should. It wasn't as good as before the transition, but there was also that additional power she sifted from the trees. It affected her in ways she still needed to explore.

Finally, it was patrol time. Lila peeked out the small window, watching the rangers move through her street. The night was cloudy, with stars and moons hidden completely, not letting any light come through. And it was almost impossible to see anything in this alley. The settlement was silent; townsfolk probably still processing the happenings of this day. There definitely were many changes awaiting them in the weeks to come. And changes meant nothing good.

As soon as the steps of the patrol faded out in the distance, Lila turned to Aira and whispered, "It's time. Let's go."

They slipped out of the back entrance, moving silently through the shadows. Aira marveled at Lila's grace and stealth, admiring her ability to navigate the dark streets without loud noises or missteps. The woman knew these streets perfectly. And even if she wasn't as gracious and agile as Aira was as a battlemage, it was still quite impressive. Especially considering that the human didn't have any magic in her.

As soon as they reached the patrol checkpoint, Lila signaled for Aira to stay hidden. Mischief time. Lila crept forward, her movements fluid and precise, and disappeared into the darkness. Just a few moments later, Aira heard a faint noise and a muffled shout. The patrol guards hurried towards the disturbance, leaving their post momentarily unguarded.

This time, it was Lila's turn to surprise Aira as she returned from the opposite direction, jumping off the roof of a low building. They didn't waste any time and moved quickly, with all that sweet agility Aira regained recently. With the additional boosts, she could easily compete with Lila. Well, almost. But she could dream, right? After the annoyance of always making Lila wait during their past walks, Aira thoroughly enjoyed their clandestine mission.

Darting past the abandoned patrol point, they moved further, following a dark street, as Lila pointed at the building they needed to reach to enter the hidden tunnel.

"Stop right there!" they heard from behind. "Name your business!"

Panic flared in Lila's eyes as her gaze darted between Aira and the approaching person. Did they change the schedule?

Now, either they had to engage in a fight, clashing with Lila's old friends and colleagues, or they would have to give up and face certain doom. No one would believe that Lila just took the undead for a walk in the middle of the night. The undead that was supposedly on the run.

The ranger came closer, directing his light at the two women. "Ah, Lila! Didn't think I'd meet you here in the middle of the night. Is everything alright? Why didn't you report for duty earlier today? And who is that there with you? It's so dark today, I don't recognize the face." He took one step closer.

"Ah, Korin!" said Lila. "There you are. Still mopping up from this morning's mess, you know? Had a bit of a rough go, but you know me—duty calls, right?"

"Who is it there with you?" asked Korin, now with a note of suspicion in his voice. "It's not one of the rangers." He stepped even closer, raising the lantern a bit higher. However, he didn't need a lantern to see Aira's eyes, slightly glowing with that ethereal green-blue light.

"It's the undead thing!" he shouted. "Rangers! Over here! We are under attack! Lila, step back!"

"Hold up, Korin!" Lila pleaded. "Stars above, just listen a second! This isn't what it looks like!"

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"Step away from it," demanded Korin. "Or are you now helping that beast?"

Aira knew it was time for her to act. That was her moment. Desperately searching for any source of energy powerful enough for this situation, she scanned the area. She could sense the guards' small gadgets, but that wasn't enough. She needed more. During her morning experience, she had the might of the raging flames from under her feet. And later in the day, she used plants and trees to boost her powers. But now they were in the middle of an empty street. Only cold stone and dead timber surrounded her.

There were humans there, of course. But tapping into their inner energy seemed to be wrong. Blasphemous. Unnatural. She may be an undead by her race, but her mind haven’t changed since she was a human battlemage. This was something she had always fought against. Not something she even considered using.

Korin's torch was another source she could use, but that was also not enough. Or was it too much? She needed to make a precise strike. To incapacitate the ranger but not to kill him. For Lila's sake. Now, with her access to the System restored, she was able to analyze and trace energy paths. But she still didn't know the depth of her power. Or how to control it.

Aira started with the torch, sucking all power out of it. Momentarily, her body filled with energy bringing back that familiar feeling. Once again, she wanted to jump and run as if in her world there were no problems. As if they weren't confronting a deadly enemy in this side alley.

"What the?..." exclaimed Korin as almost complete darkness covered them. With only Aira's eyes shining brightly. "Lila, it's not too late to make the right choice," he continued, still slowly moving towards them. "Return to the barracks and we won't punish you too hard. You were always the one to question the decisions of your commanding officers. But you are a good ranger. No matter what. We need people like you right now."

Aira directed a fraction of the energy she gathered toward Korin. The man stumbled but continued his slow approach.

"So, that's what Garrick felt?" he asked. "You electrified him. He was right in the end, your kind... These are the symptoms he was talking about. That's when you become truly dangerous!"

Aira needed to do something and do something fast. Why was Korin so sure of himself, even after he realized who stood behind Garrick's demise? She tapped into her Energy Manipulation skill and then she sensed it. There were more people around them. Not just the townsfolk in their homes. No, there were rangers on the roofs and in the surrounding alleys! Korin wasn't alone; he was a part of the patrol, after all!

Why didn’t she follow up on her own decision? She had to learn to check her surroundings constantly. That should be the first thing she makes a habit when they get out of this town to freedom.

Singling out the ones on the roofs, she made the unthinkable and tapped into their core. She took away part of their vital energy. Moments later, she heard sounds of bodies falling down from above on the ground and grunts.

"Good, still alive," Aira thought. Whatever the circumstance, she didn't want to kill them.

"What's happening?" exclaimed Lila.

"Your new... friend is killing your old friends," shouted Korin. "That's what's happening!"

Aira had to make this ranger stop talking! Her relationship with Lila was already tense. She couldn’t allow her to switch sides right there in that alley. Aira tapped more into that energy she had stored within, mentally forming an arrow with it, and sent it in Korin's direction. Then, to tread on the safe side, she did the same with two other rangers she sensed lurking in the dark. The man before her grunted and fell to the ground without a word. Miniature lightnings running all over his body illuminating the night.

"Aira, what did you do to him?!?" screamed Lila.

But there was no time to explain. They needed to run. Aira grabbed Lila's hand and dragged her toward the building her friend had indicated earlier. She felt that if needed, she could grab Lila and just carry her in her arms, so much energy was running within her at that moment. The feeling was even better than when she was a battlemage with mana reserves filled to the brink.

It was hard to guess whether Lila understood the intention or was just in shock. Still, she joined Aira and followed towards the building with the entrance to the tunnel. There was no one left to stop them. Together, they plunged into the opening, darkness enveloping them. The sounds of confusion and shouts from the guards faded behind them as they ran, their footsteps echoing off the walls.

The tunnel was dark and damp, water dripped from the ceiling and onto the walls. In places gathering in puddles. This underground passage didn't seem to be used often, with rubble, discarded tools, and clothes littering the way. Lila followed Aira mindlessly as if in a trance. She stumbled upon a heap of debris, barely keeping her balance, but continued to run after the undead woman no matter what.

***

She didn't say a single word after the clash had ended. However, she went down this tunnel anyway. Lila didn't have other options now, right? After she saw Aira killing even more of her fellow rangers with her strange powers. If Lila stayed in the town, no one would believe that she acted in the best interests of the human community. Was she even safe herself?

And did she really act in the best interests of humanity?

She wasn't sure what her reasoning was anymore. Curiosity? Defiance? Not even Elder Jorin's experiments were worth so many deaths.

Lila wouldn't shed tears over Garrick's dead body. After all, he was the first one to draw blood and kill most of the Elders. She didn't care much about some of Garrick's cronies either. They were an angry bunch who didn't really listen to anyone besides their leader. But Korin? And other people from that patrol? These people were just fulfilling their duty. She knew them and their families. They spent their days off together, grilling meat and exchanging cheesy jokes.

And now all of them were electrified by this... beast.

In her mindless state, she didn't notice when they reached the tunnel's end. Before that hatch that opened far outside the town walls, right at the edge of the nearest forest. Could she still turn back and make things right?

Lila hesitated. "Why did you kill them all?" she asked, her voice trembling. "Is it just what you do casually?"

Her anger was expanding, filling her whole soul. "These were good people out there! They didn't do anything wrong! Is it your undead nature finally coming out? What are the symptoms Korin mentioned before you killed him? Did you kill him because he knew too much?"