In his dreams, Peter stood in a sunlit garden. Trees swayed gently in the warm breeze, their leaves rustling with a soft, rhythmic cadence. Before him rose a magnificent building wrought in silver and gold, gleaming in the light like something out of a fairytale. In a grand pool surrounded by cherry blossom petals, a beautiful woman bathed, her movements slow and serene as she hummed to herself in the crystal clear water.
Servants moved around her in practiced grace, attending to her every need. The longer Peter stood there, the more vivid the dream became, as though he were being drawn in, pulled forward, his body beginning to materialize in this strange, perfect scene.
The woman turned.
Her skin was the color of soft cream, and her expression shifted from surprise to fury the moment her eyes locked with his.
"No! You cannot be here!" she screamed, her voice rippling through the garden like a sudden storm wind.
She raised her arms, and energy crackled to life around her, forming a dark, obsidian-colored sphere. The light bent around it as if the very air were resisting its presence.
She hurled the dark energy at him.
The moment it struck, Peter was yanked out of the dream, only to find himself staring into the crimson eyes of a very real Dragonkin princess.
"Allein?" he gasped, disoriented. "Am I... awake?"
"You're in the dream world," Allein said, her tone urgent. "But you must wake. Quickly. Your life is in danger."
"What? What do you mean? Who—"
"WAKE UP!" she shouted, grabbing his shoulders and shaking him violently.
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"WAKE UP NOW!"
Peter jolted awake, Allein's voice still ringing in his ears. His heart pounded, and for a brief moment he couldn't tell if the danger had been real or just part of the dream. Then he saw Reia, alert and watchful by the edge of their makeshift camp, looking over at him with concern.
"Is something wrong, Fayde? It's not time for your watch yet."
The forest around them was cloaked in darkness, the moonlight barely piercing through the canopy above. Reia's senses, her hearing and smell, were sharper than his, and if she hadn't noticed anything, then whoever or whatever was out there had to be masking their presence well.
Peter stood, grabbing only what he could carry easily. "We need to move. Now."
Reia blinked. "What's going on? I don't—"
"No time," he cut her off. "Just trust me. We're in danger. Leave anything you can't carry and follow me."
Reia hesitated only a second before nodding and slinging her bag over her shoulder. Without another word, the two of them bolted toward the forest. Peter didn't know where the threat was coming from, only that they needed to lose it. The forest would be risky, but it might also be the only place they had a chance to escape unseen.
They'd camped close to the treeline, and it took only moments to vanish into the woods. As they ran, Peter glanced back, and finally saw them. Shadowy figures, low to the ground, now giving chase. Dozens of them. Maybe thirty, maybe forty.
"They were hiding," he muttered. "Staying low. That's how they got so close."
Reia noticed them too and cursed. "I didn't smell anything. Nothing."
"Magic," Peter said grimly.
Her eyes narrowed. Concealing sound was one thing, but to completely mask scent as well, it meant these enemies were dangerous and highly skilled.
Reia summoned a small orb of light that hovered near her palm. It glowed faintly, enough for Peter to keep track of her in the dark, but not enough to give away their position from afar.
Navigating the forest at night was a nightmare. Tree roots, tangled brush, and uneven terrain all threatened to trip him up. Peter pushed himself to keep pace with Reia, who moved with practiced ease. He had to trust that if he stumbled or lost sight of her, she would be able to find him.
He looked back again. Nothing. No sign of their pursuers.
But they were still out there. He could feel it.
"They're tracking us somehow," he said. "There must be something letting them follow us this easily."
He didn't say what they both knew: the two of them couldn't take on this many enemies alone. Their only real hope was to find a Foxkin patrol, or anything else that might tip the scales.
They'd been running for five minutes straight. Peter's legs burned, but he was grateful now for every hellish training session Orban and Reia had put him through. His stamina had improved, and right now, that might be the only reason he was still alive.
Reia stopped suddenly, raising her hand. "Someone's approaching. Not a monster."
Peter tensed. "Foxkin?"
She shook her head. "No. Not one of us."
"Just one?" he asked.
"Yes."
"Let's take the chance," he said, panting. "Whoever it is, they're better than thirty trained killers."
They changed course slightly, heading toward the approaching figure. Reia held out a hand and slowed to a stop.
"It's close. Straight ahead."
They both drew their weapons, preparing for the worst.
Then, a silhouette stepped out from behind a tree. A woman's voice called out to them, low but urgent.
"Quickly, this way if you want to live."
Peter blinked. The voice was familiar, but the darkness masked her face.
Reia and Fayde hesitated, the same thought running through both their minds, could they trust this person?
Sensing their uncertainty, the cloaked figure stepped closer, her voice sharp with urgency. "Peter, hurry up!"
He blinked. The voice was familiar, but what truly caught him off guard was the use of his old name.
Reia raised her magical light, casting a pale glow toward the speaker. As the shadows fell away, Fayde's eyes widened. "Allein… is that you?"
"There's no time for introductions," she said briskly, already turning away. "Follow me."
Reia and Fayde exchanged a brief look. He gave a quick nod, and they both took off after her, Reia naturally taking the lead. Allein moved swiftly through the forest, guiding them to a small, moonlit meadow hidden among the trees.
"Here," she said, coming to a stop in the center of the clearing. "Rest, just for a moment. I've already placed a protection spell over this area, it'll take them some time to find us."
Fayde took a breath and glanced around. The moonlight filtered freely into the glade, and strange, softly glowing plants gave the whole place an ethereal atmosphere.
As he sat down across from Allein, Fayde studied her more closely. She looked different than in his dreams, not drastically, but the changes stood out. Her figure was still attractive, but not quite as emphasized as what he'd seen in the dreamworld. There, her curves had been overdone, almost idealized. There were certain areas a bit larger than they were in reality.
Her beauty was certainly not diminished, she was still striking, just... less like a fantasy and more like a person. She appeared to be in her late teens or early twenties, with a graceful posture and a confidence that hinted at nobility, though she didn't carry herself with arrogance. Grounded, focused, and very much present.
"You look… different," he said before he could stop himself.
"I don't know what you're talking about!" she snapped a little too quickly.
Fayde smirked inwardly. Definitely defensive.
Reia, sitting beside him, watched the girl warily. "Fayde, who is this?"
"Uh… it's kind of complicated," he said, scratching his cheek. "We've met before, but not in person. She visits me… in my dreams."
"What do you mean she visits you in your dreams?" Reia asked, just as Allein blurted, "Why is she calling you Fayde?"
"Okay, one at a time!" Fayde held up his hands. "Reia, yeah, I don't know exactly how, but Allein's been appearing in my dreams. I'm guessing it's some kind of magic. And Allein, I go by Fayde now."
Reia narrowed her eyes and studied the newcomer. "You're a Beastkin, but I've never seen your kind before. What clan are you from?"
"Hmph. Of course you haven't," Allein said proudly. "But that's a discussion for later. My brother should be here soon with reinforcements. We'll make our stand in this clearing. Are you two ready to fight?"
"You have a brother? What reinforcements?" Fayde asked. "And how did you even know where we were?"
"My brother and I were following you from above," Allein said nonchalantly. "We saw the men creeping up on your camp while you were sleeping. So I warned you, in your dream."
Fayde stared at her. "That's it? That's the whole explanation?"
Allein shrugged.
"You'd better give me the full version later. There's a lot you're leaving out."
"Alright, alright!" she said, throwing her hands up. "Let's just focus on not dying."
Reia had stayed quiet through most of the exchange, her attention fixed on the surrounding woods. She stood, keeping her hand near her blade.
Just as Fayde was about to rise, he heard a voice in his head: "Have you been enjoying your time with your little fox girl?"
He blinked. Are you in my head? You can do that when I'm awake too?
"Telepathy," Allein replied, her lips unmoving. "You should be more careful who you put your trust in. The Foxkin are cunning. Are you sure she hasn't deceived you?"
Tch. That's rich coming from you. What makes you so trustworthy?
She gave him a coy smile. "I saved your life, didn't I?"
"We'll see once we make it out of this," Fayde muttered aloud.
Reia glanced sideways at him. "What?"
"Nothing," he said quickly. "What's the situation?"
"My brother is close," Allein said. "We just need to hold them off until the reinforcements arrive. I also left some surprises for them on the way in."
They rose to their feet. Fayde and Reia drew their weapons and stepped away from the open clearing to avoid being easy targets.
Reia began chanting a spell while Fayde summoned his Void Flames, coiling the energy around his arm.
A sudden explosion shattered the silence, and the ground trembled beneath their feet. Fayde jumped.
"What the hell was that?" he shouted, looking over at Allein.
She was grinning. "The first surprise."
Fayde's heart pounded as adrenaline kicked in. Training was one thing. Fighting monsters was another. But now, they were up against people, real enemies. Kill or be killed.
He clenched his fists, Void Flame dancing in his palms. Reia stood beside him, her spell nearly complete.
Whatever happened next, they'd face it together.
A sudden stillness fell over the clearing. In the hush that followed, shadows surged from the treeline, silent and fast. In the gloom, they no longer appeared human, only vague, soulless constructs. They moved with a vicious grace, and the malice in their approach was unmistakable.
They had come for blood.
Fayde froze, paralyzed by a wave of fear so intense it stole the breath from his lungs. He couldn't move, couldn't think, until a warm hand touched his shoulder.
Reia.
She gave him a firm nod, then stepped forward. With one word, "Fireball," the world exploded in flame.
The heat hit Fayde instantly, but more than that, it was Reia's conviction that burned through the fear clouding his mind. Her fire lit up the meadow, tearing into the advancing enemy and hurling blackened corpses into the trees.
The ambushers had been scattered by Allein's traps, and now they flooded into the clearing in small, disoriented groups. It gave Reia and Fayde the chance they needed. Moving in unison, they charged forward, watching each other's backs as they fought for their lives.
There was no sign of Allein, and for a moment Fayde wondered if she had abandoned them, but then fiery arrows whistled from above, slamming into the enemies from behind. A flash of light followed as magic rained down from the treetops.
She was still fighting.
The enemy's blades sliced through the air as they closed in. Fayde responded with Void Flames, black fire arcing across his arm as he swung and parried, deflecting steel with burning precision. One blade came too close, he caught it on his forearm, then retaliated with a burst of flames straight to the attacker's chest.
Reia had already cut down two opponents, her movement fluid and controlled. But more were still coming. It was only a matter of time before they were overrun. Fayde was burning through Void Power faster than he could regenerate it. If it ran out, they wouldn't stand a chance.
"Fall back now!" Allein's voice rang out from somewhere above.
They had just cleared a path through the attackers. Without hesitation, Reia and Fayde turned and sprinted in the direction opposite the enemy.
A blade flew through the air, Fayde ducked just in time. It embedded in a nearby tree. No way that was just steel. Enchanted, definitely.
They reached the edge of the trees, and then suddenly the woods erupted with color.
Dozens of magical blasts surged from the canopy above, pelting the enemy with a display of elemental fury. Fire, lightning, wind, they rained down like divine wrath. Then, more shadowy figures dropped from the trees.
But these were no assassins.
Foxkin warriors.
"They're here!" Reia cried out.
"The cavalry!" he beamed. "It's a saying. It means we're saved!"
Before she could respond, he charged forward again, aiming to strike down a group of three closing in on the edge of the clearing.
But someone else beat him to it.
A Foxkin male landed in front of him, spear in hand. "Get out of my way, Human. These three are mine."
Before Fayde could answer, the warrior spun through them with deadly elegance, dropping all three in a heartbeat.
The tide had turned. The Foxkin reinforcements swarmed the battlefield, cutting down the remaining enemies. The shadowy assailants scattered, some attempting to flee. The ones too injured to escape were swiftly executed.
The battle was over.
The meadow fell quiet except for the crackle of scorched grass and the occasional groan from the dying. The scent of burnt flesh hit Fayde like a punch to the gut. He nearly gagged. Somehow, Reia showed no reaction.
How did the Foxkin handle it with their enhanced senses? He couldn't imagine.
He moved to inspect one of the fallen enemies. No black mist rose from the body. Nothing to absorb. That confirmed it, these were humans.
Only monsters gave off dark matter.
Somehow, Fayde was relieved. The idea of absorbing power from a person felt... wrong. Monsters were one thing. People were another.
Reia was already tending to the wounded. A few Foxkin warriors were still finishing off the dying, while the rest pursued any assassins who had managed to escape.
Fayde dropped to his knees, the adrenaline fading. His limbs trembled with exhaustion, and a weight settled in his chest.
His first life or death battle, and he had killed a person.
Not a creature. Not a beast.
A man.
And now that he had a moment to breathe, to think, the truth of that sank in.
He had taken a life. And no matter the reason, no matter how justified, it would stay with him.
Forever.
Reia glanced over at him, her expression unreadable. But she didn't say anything.