I don't know what they're doing, but they say I need to join their journey.

I already know that because that's what the queen said, but I need to know what this journey is for. So I have a clue about what will happen to us, right? Tsk.

"Can you just tell me, what's going on here?" I asked Caspian, who is busy playing with his hair. He looks abnormal doing that. Abnormally handsome.

Oops! What am I saying in my mind?! Oh, Fia! Wake up!

"I don't know either! Engrid just told me we're going to the hometown of the woman who spread the curse!" he answered.

I just looked around. We're walking in a place I don't know. Engrid, Rhenouis, and Aideniel are all busy with their own activities, while I'm still mystified. Is this the quest the queen was talking about? Is it starting now? Like, really?

"Which woman?" I asked him in surprise, but he just shrugged. I scowled at the idiot.

"Guys, I found the entrance!" We all stopped when Rhenouis shouted.

We quickly turned our heads in Rhenouis's direction and rushed there.

We all stopped when we saw what entrance he was talking about.

It's enormous...

I literally gaped at the size of this tree. You can't see its top because it's so tall. I'm even smaller than its roots; I need to stand on a chair just to step on them... but there's no chair, so I can't climb. Tsk.

"Let's go in!" Rhenouis happily shouted and floated like an enchantment carried him.

The others did the same, stepping onto the large root, while I just stood there, watching them.

I saw Caspian extend his right hand, so I took it, and he lifted me up.

"You're welcome!" He boasted before I could even say thank you. This guy is really arrogant. Tsk.

I just move my eyes in a circular motion. Caspian obviously didn't like that, so he scowled.

"Here!" Rhenouis said, pointing to the large hole at the bottom of the root.

We jumped down, examining the large hole.

It's dark inside, and you really can't see anything, even with the faint light coming from above.

I walked towards it. I narrowed my eyes into slits while adjusting my sight, just to see what's inside.

I saw Rhenouis tilting his head in confusion in my peripheral vision, so I was somewhat puzzled by his actions.

I looked back at all of them, but before I could fully turn, Caspian unexpectedly pushed me into the large hole in the tree, resulting in my face meeting the ground. What's his problem?!

"Idiot!" I cursed him while standing carefully. I was about to give him a menacing look, but when I turned around, they were all gone. I covered my mouth in shock, realizing that I was in a different place...

What is this? Did they leave me in this place?

I scanned my surroundings, but they were nowhere to be found. I was still in the forest, but the difference was that the leaves were not green— they were blue, and it was a mesmerizing sight. There were colorful flowers and gentle animals hiding behind the trees, peeking at me.

"Oh, you're alive!" I quickly shifted my gaze to Caspian, who was smiling at me as if he didn't just push me into that portal!

He ran away and hid behind Aideniel just as I was about to grab him.

"You're so violent!" I muttered in frustration when I realized I was actually afraid to approach Aideniel.

He's so unfair, darn it!

"Later," I threatened him, but he just licked me. Ugh! I'm really annoyed now!

"Enough." I and Caspian both straightened up when Engrid said that.

She mouthed at me, 'it's your fault,' so I glared at her. Seriously? I'm the one being shoved. Tsk!

"Let's go!" Rhenouis said cheerfully, grabbing my arm. I immediately shook off his hand because I didn't like it. Are we close or something?

He seemed taken aback, but I just ignored it.

We started walking toward the wooden gate with a nameplate that read "Hollowvale Village." It was old, with worn-out lettering, but still readable.

We all entered, and I stood still, gazing at the expanse of this village.

The houses were made of wood, resembling cabins adorned with flowers on their roofs. Each house had its wooden gate and fence, complemented by a captivating lawn. Of course, there were shops and other things you'd find in a typical village.

"It's so quiet here," Caspian remarked, surveying the village ahead of us.

He was right; it was extremely quiet, almost as if no one lived here—because we couldn't even find a trace of people's shadows. The surroundings were still beautiful, clean, and refreshing. It was puzzling because without people, it seemed like this place had been abandoned, right?

"What is this?" Aideniel softly asked, raising his hand with an old piece of clothing. We all looked at it with furrowed brows.

I was shocked when mist started to appear.

"Be prepared," Engrid said seriously. My companions became alert upon her words.

I jolted when Caspian pulled me closer and positioned me by his side. They were all seriously sensing the surroundings, while I was irritated by what this guy did to me. He could pull me without force, right? Why did he have to drag me like I was an object? Tsk.

"What are you doing?" I hissed, furrowing my brows. I didn't like what he did.

I was about to free my shoulders when someone ironically screamed, and the mist began to circle around us.

I couldn't see their faces, but all I knew was that it seemed like they were going to kill all of us.

"Assemble, seekers!" Engrid shouted as her three companions formed a circle.

I just held onto whoever was holding me because I had no choice! If I let go, these people might turn me into a hostage, or I don't even know what they are capable of!

They were all wearing strange outfits, adorned with numerous tattoos, and had peculiar hair colors! They looked like cannibals from movies, but with a twist, as they surely possessed some kind of power!

"Now!"

I couldn't understand what they were saying, but what followed was the disappearance of the mist surrounding us, accompanied by the emergence of an enormous phoenix behind us. Caspian's pet, which he showed me earlier, also appeared at the back, along with a large bird and a stone person.

If I'm not mistaken, these are their powers. I may not fully comprehend, but it seems like their extraordinary abilities don't manifest directly from their hands, unlike what I've seen in movies; instead, their powers emanate from the beings they summon.

"Stay here, miss!" Caspian yelled at me. His neck strained from the force of his shout.

I remained behind Caspian throughout their battle. I could see different colors, but I couldn't make out the details due to the speed of their movements. It was like the lights of a fast-moving vehicle passing in front of you.

They also wielded weapons. Caspian held a chain whip, Engrid possessed an array of small yet numerous starknives, Rhenouis brandished a flail of moderate length, and finally, Aideniel wielded two bladed darts. Each weapon seemed to carry its own enchantment, telling tales of battles fought and victories earned in realms beyond the ordinary.

I stood gaping, watching them. They fought as if there were no tomorrow. They were all serious about what they were doing, wielding their weapons and utilizing their powers beautifully—maybe I'm exaggerating, but that's what I see right now.

"Caspian, look at Fiamiolle!" Caspian immediately held my head down when Rhenouis shouted, causing me to bow just as a massive morning star was swung towards my head.

Caspian skillfully whirled his chain whip, delivering powerful strikes to the enemy. He effortlessly maneuvered the weapon through the air, causing it to gracefully cascade and send foes tumbling to the opposite side of the battlefield. I witnessed the fall of five enigmatic figures, their humanoid semblances shrouded in an otherworldly aura.

To my surprise, Centra, in the end, devoured some of these fallen beings. I couldn't help but wince at the unexpected revelation of Centra's role in this battle.

It felt like my soul momentarily escaped my body in the swift unfolding of events. Overwhelming anxiety now courses through me, a result of the profound occurrences that have befallen me.

"Are you okay?" Caspian shouted, breathless. His face also revealed surprise at what just happened.

I just nodded in response to his question, though I wasn't really okay.

"I know it's not, but don't worry, Fia. Everything will be okay once we finish this. For now, please don't stray too far from me, okay?" He spat out those words, but I didn't pay much attention to his drooling.

"Rhenouis!" we heard Aideniel shout, so we both looked towards their direction.

Rhenouis was lying on the ground, overwhelmed by the numerous creatures attacking him. I didn't understand, but a powerful wind suddenly blew in his direction. I also saw how Engrid's eyes changed color simultaneously with a strong impact that knocked down all the enemies surrounding us.

They all gasped as they rushed towards Rhenouis, while I remained staring at them in a daze.

"What the hell happened to you?!" Engrid shouted in concern as she helped him lie down at her feet.

Rhenouis gave her a bitter smile. "I'm okay," he weakly responded to Engrid, smiling. Those are lies.

I lowered my head as suddenly all the houses around us caught fire. I glanced at Aideniel, who was standing beside me, the phoenix behind him screaming in fury.

His anger was directed at everyone here, and as his phoenix soared, the fire intensified. I knew everything around me was burning, yet why did it feel like I wasn't being engulfed in heat?

I strode toward the nearest flame, my eyes sparkling, fixated on the blazing structure. It’s as if it’s enticing me to touch it, urging me to experience the warmth it offers.

Just as I’m about to reach out, a sudden cascade of water pours from above, extinguishing the fire before me, leaving me in startled awe.

"You just disappeared from my sight, and you're already thinking of something crazy!" I was surprised when Caspian grabbed me and pulled me away from the fire.

"Huh?" I mumbled absentmindedly to him. I was as clueless as he was about why I did that, as if there was a whisper compelling me to touch that fire.

I could see Caspian angrily glancing at me, making me gulp nervously. It was an unusual sight because, for the first time, Caspian wasn't smiling.

He gestured for me to sit and watch over the unconscious Rhenouis while they continued their interrupted battle.

Devastation surrounded us. Everything was burned, and there was nothing left standing. Some creatures were engulfed in flames, while others remained unscathed.

I sat there, helplessly watching them. I had no ability to join the fight. If I did, I knew it wouldn't end well for me, and I'd only become a burden.

"Stop, all of you!" a deafening shout echoed, causing them to cease their actions. However, the one who yelled had another remark that earned a glare from Engrid, stopping her as well.

"And who are you to stop us?" It wasn't Engrid, but the fatigue in her voice was evident. They had been fighting for a while, and the creatures seemed endless.

I was about to glance at the woman who shouted earlier, but someone covered my eyes.

"Don't look at her," Aideniel said, and I froze as he uttered those words. He was serious, maintaining his gaze on me.

I just nodded in response, still fearful of his mysterious aura. He was the quiet one, only speaking when necessary.

"The foreteller of death..."

Aideniel suddenly weakened, prompting me to gaze into his bloodshot eyes. He collapsed, and simultaneously, a beautiful woman appeared before me.

"You're beautiful," I said while staring at her. The beautiful woman before me simply smiled—an enchanting sight, captivating and alluring.

"A beautiful destruction..." it uttered, its visage transforming from serenity to malevolence, embodying a shift from angelic grace to demonic allure.

Suddenly, it leaped towards me, and due to its speed, I couldn't react in time.

I'm gradually being entranced by the intricate dance of her hands before me, and the subsequent events that unfolded left me utterly bewildered.

"Fiamiolle!"