In her spacious room putting on the rough leather armour which was as sturdy as steel and a sharp steel sword that could cut men down easily was Zadia a crimson haired girl. She had just woken up, but when she had awoken from her dream, in which she had talked to Earth. She had ask Elda to bring her some armour and a sword, for she was planning to head out of the capital for a couple days at most. Elda had ask why, but she receive no real answer.

“Madam, you should at least tell the mistress.” Elda compromised hoping she would get through.

“Don’t tell her Elda. I’m sneaking out.” Zadia whispers into her ear as she attaches her sword to her belt. Elda was surprised she had said such a thing. Julianne had always been soft on Zadia, she would train her till she collapsed, but she had never gave her any serious damage. In the past when she trained people, most of them would end up crippled or had serious injuries. Which is why many have stopped coming to ask her to make them stronger, just before Zadia was born despite how strong she is. This is why Elda couldn't understand why Zadia didn’t just tell Julianne, but Zadia never noticed this. She has never seen how Julianne was before, or noticed how much Julianne cared for her. She just assumed that this is how Julianne has always trained others.

“B-but, the mistress…” Elda spoke with worry, not only for Zadia but Julianne. Seeing how Elda behaved Zadia let out a sigh, and finally change her mind as she turns towards her. She was usually more stubborn, but Elda gave such a saddened and worried expression it was worst then any of her previous ones. So sad that even Zadia couldn’t resist it.

“Fine, I’ll tell her.” Zadia mutters with the feeling of defeat, as she drags her feet out of her room with a smiling Elda close behind. Slowly they walked through the hall, the curious Zadia had asked Elda where Julianne was as she was making her way down the steps. Elda had told her that Julianne was still training Prina, and that Julianne would much prefer Zadia not see Prina while she was still uneducated. So Zadia waited at the entrance of the mansion patiently as Elda went to inform Julianne with hurried steps. After five minutes Julianne appeared, emerging from the door just to the right for Zadia, who stood in front of the entrance facing the stairs.

“Zadia, is something wrong?” Julianne asks as she quickly walks up to Zadia placing a hand on each of her shoulders. Julianne looked at her as she demanded to know why she was dress like this, and asked her where she was going that it would take her two days to return.  Zadia on the other hand wanted to keep it a secret, the reason being she wanted to surprise Julianne with the new found power Earth had promised her. She didn’t get why she wanted to impress Julianne or why she wanted Julianne to praise her more, like how she always did in training. In her past life she had never gotten praise, which made her feel pathetic for keeping it a secret for this reason. She knew this was pathetic and her mission would be easier if she took Julianne, but she wanted to do it, to impress Julianne.

“I’m heading out of the capital to get stronger! I’ll be back in a couple days.” Zadia states sternly, Julianne sighs as she wraps her arms around Zadia enveloping her with a warm hug. The sudden hug attack shocks Zadia, as she thinks back through all of her memories. She had never knew about it before, but at that very moment she had realize, this is what love feels like.

She had never experience this before in her past life, which is why she never realize how much she was loved in this one. All those painful experiences from the orphanage to her death seemed to have made her forgotten, that this was her life now. As Zadia remained unresponsive from the shock, Julianne had started thinking she was making Zadia feel uncomfortable, so she removed her arms in a hurry.

“S-sorry, it’s weird to start hugging you now… You always seemed distant, that I never got a chance to cuddle you as much as I wanted…but now… I guess it’s a little too late to start now.” Julianne responded with a sad smile. Zadia had begun to recall her previous interactions with Julianne, she realize she only asked her to teach her swordsmanship. Other than training she had never really bothered to try to get close to Julianne, but they still had a strong bond. Thanks to Julianne constantly worrying, protecting, and teaching her.

“It’s fine… I was just surprised, I actually like your hugs.” Zadia says with a shy smile as she gives out the very first hug she has ever given to anyone. It felt weird at first but that feeling quickly disappeared, as Julianne returns her feelings with a hug tighter than before. Elda who watched it all unfold felt a little out of place, but nevertheless she smiled at the scene. As Zadia and Julianne finally separated after a couple minutes, Julianne was left with a happy but sad expression.  As Zadia, having said her goodbyes, left in a blight mood.

Zadia had swiftly avoided crowds while making her way to the Eastern Gate. Which is where she needed to go to get to the tomb. At first she had doubted Earth when he said she would know where the tomb will be located when she woke up, but her doubts were quelled when she somehow knew the tomb was located in the forest of the dead.

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As she left the east gates, she noticed the territory to the east had a lot less greenery. She walked for five hours before coming across the forest of the dead. It had numerous dead and dying trees, with thick fog covering the area. She had also heard groans coming out of the forest, which she concluded to be the dead. Zadia had quite a few run-ins with several skeletons along the way, but it wasn’t anything she couldn’t handle. She took confident steps as she walked in.

After entering the forest, she had been looking walking around for three hours, getting closer with each step while she had decimated the countless undead along the way.

“Hmm… it should be around here.” Zadia talks to herself as she observes her surroundings, around her were the crushed bones of 40 skeletons. The armour of the skeletons varied from leather, iron, and steel. As she takes a closer look she notices a small entrance, covered with mold and dirt. She sent her blade hurling towards the entrance with a slash that was so quick, it created a gust of wind tearing through all the debris. She walked in slowly with her blade readied. She assumed it would be empty since she didn’t hear any mention about the tomb having a guardian, but something was off oddly enough.  As she walked around for five minutes she came across a massive stone door. The height of it was three times her size. She lets out a deep sigh, relaxing herself for a moment.

“This must be it.” Zadia says anxiously as her foot is sent blasting through the door causing them to fly open. She rushes the door quickly, leaping forward with immense speed. She pauses for a moment and looks around. Then she saw it, the ring, it was in front of a massive carving of a dragon which had a menacing glaze. The ring was a golden one with carvings of swords shown on it.

As Zadia moved closer to retrieve the ring, she felt the ground start to quake. Dust and debris came crashing down around her. Zadias eyes scoured the room quickly to find the source of the quake, when her eyes laid upon the stone dragon that started to move. It made slow but powerful movements as it awoken.

Immediately Zadia swoosh in and her sword rain downwards towards the dragons head, leaving a cut on its right eye. The dragon roared a terrifying roar that sent a powerful gust of wind smashing against Zadia. The roar created intense violent winds as it sent her hurling backwards.

“Argh… how strong is that thing?” Zadia manages to barely land on her feet. She steadies herself as she charges again with increased speed and focus. The dragon glares her down as his majestic wings swung open creating a massive gust of wind that violently destroys the entrance of the tomb, it had also caused Zadia to be thrown back clashing against the wall, right of the demolished doors. Zadia removes herself from the wall which the dragon had imprinted her on.

“How can I beat that thing?” Zadia groans holding her sword with slightly trembling hands. The Dragon had then turned his cold glaze on her, and sent a powerful roar along with the flapping of his mighty wings. Sending the most devastating wind, demolishing the building and hurling debris towards her. The stone ceiling crashed down onto her, as debris came flying towards her.

She tried her best to dodge most of it, but there was too much as she tried. She was hit repeatedly from all sides her arms and legs becoming bruised and cut. Blood gushed out of her as she tried to remained standing, she was hit by a massive stone block before she was knocked down. Her vision became blurry, as she laid there in pain. That’s when she saw a small glow, when she focused her eyes more. She saw it was the ring, it was also sent flying towards her in the dragons’ last attack. As her vision starts to fade she reaches for the ring and puts it on, she than passes out from the pain.

The ring glows as it envelopes Zadia who was now unconscienced, making her entire body glow. Blood like red flows out of the ring, forming a massive suit of full plated red armor. Her body had turned into a massive set of crimson armor. The armor started to move standing up.

“Ahh… I wanted to surprise you.” A voice emerge from the armor.

“You, lost to this?” The voice says in a relaxed tone as the dragon roars at it. The Crimson armor creates a red sword out of thin air.

“Let’s make this quick.” The armor casually slashes the air, which creates its own gust of wind that was razor sharp, which decimates the stone dragon along with what was left of the building.

“Well, we still have 24 hours.” The voice says in a cheerful tone as the armor creates an exit out of the tomb.

“Lets’ have some fun… partner.” The armor disappears into the exit.