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Thud. The heavy door slam shut behind Aurelia, forbidding outsiders any entry to the said room. Her minimal armor still managed to resonate a soft clank with her every movement as she made her way from the said entryway. “Before I be the one slain from this treacherous act, I shall behead you first reaper.” she mouthed to herself.

Before her, a long table was present, currently emptied with the lack of guests. The dining-room on the other hand wasn’t short of anything but exquisite. The walls were covered with a glistening shine of gold, proudly presenting the fact that they didn’t hold back on the effort and material it took to build such wondrous sight. A majestic chandelier hung from the ceiling in a pattern that made it seem as if it were stars that floated in midair. The huge mahogany table Aurelia stood before, took up most of the vast space the room offered, left without a tablecloth and daring guests to ruin the perfectly varnished shine with their unworthy fingerprints. The polished silver cutlery looked heavy to the hand yet how it shone brightly, reflecting a mellow light would have been worth the strain. At each place beside it stood a tall empty wine glass and there were beautifully folded napkins to match the runner. All that was missing was the food and the guests. It was a grand space, to say the least.

One that would be drenched in blood if Aurelia had not managed to dodge the spear that flew her way from an unknown attacker, shrouded by the veil of darkness to her left. She raised her sword, pulled it out from its hilt wrapped behind her armor and pointed to the general direction of the disembodied nuisance.

Cutting her hostility short, a woman stepped out before her to acknowledge her presence, all the while mirroring the blank expressionless face she tried to keep on. “Ah. I see your senses are fully present.” the woman said. Her tone was cold and to an unfamiliar listener, might have rather come off as emotionless. Aurelia knew better than to deem it the latter as this woman had both made her into what she was and more.

“I can personally assure that it is in full capacity to serve, your Highness.” Aurelia replied, acknowledging the royalty before her. Her dress was anything but simple, cascading in a short yet noticeable trail behind her, bathing her with elegance that had paired perfectly with her demeanor. She was no doubt an embodiment of royalty. Her dress was black, with golden pattern spiraling her bodice, completed in one sleeve that draped beautifully over her slender shoulder. Each of the jewels on the dress looked to be positioned with great precision in its embroidered beauty.

Although the woman’s lip curved up in a smile, Aurelia felt a small shiver run up her spine. She would’ve struggled to keep her cool if it not for the fact that she was used to her gaze every time she reported to the kingdom. “There have been reported sights of hellion infestation in an educational institution close to the first event reported by the reapers. As I saw it to be part of my duty that needs to be fulfilled in this, I took it upon myself to carry out an investigation.”

“Are you stating that the reapers’ situated and assigned in the mortal realm are incapable of fulfilling their duties?”

Aurelia flinched, recognizing her failure to choose the appropriate set of words in hopes of escaping the the predicament she placed herself in. It may just be so, and yet the pressure she felt would have to be similar to that if she was placed under trial for mutiny. “Absolutely not your Highness. Forgive me if I gave such impression by doing so. The reapers are working efficiently and can be relied on to keep the occurrence under control.”

“Then why did you feel there be a need for you to meddle within a realm that is not your own? Is there any other reason for doing so?” the woman asked. She need not glare for the icy tone in her voice to deliver her disagreement towards the girl’s actions.

Aurelia kept her silence. She knew if she made an excuse who’s validity is questionable --- well, needless to say she wouldn’t want that. It was too late when she realized her failure in holding her tongue. “I--”

The woman faced her fully this time with eager intents of listening.

“Although it be such, I felt that there was a need for the reapers’ to be further oriented in the current events, just as much as there is a need for them to relay known information. It would be of great efficiency for the information to be delivered directly to me.”

The woman nodded as if in agreement.

“Admittedly the other reason would be to satisfy my own curiosity.” As if moving on it’s own accord, the suit of armor beside the woman moved and threw a spear towards Aurelia.

Knowing the danger, Aurelia’s hand shot in to action and sheathed her sword to her side once more while the other moved up to catch the weapon. “Good. You are agile.” the woman states as Aurelia caught it in her grasp. “If what you say about your senses be the truth, then tell me...”

Without wasting another second, the woman who was once stood atop a podium for the lack of a better word, appeared beside her. The spear was no longer in Aurelia’s grip but still within close proximity. Its’ tip was now menacingly pointed at her chin. “Where is your sister?”

Aurelia knew this time she couldn’t feign innocence and yet she would be lying if she said she thought Zeelan would have brought her back at the instant she had ordered the reaper to.

With a sigh, the woman dropped the spear down and chucked it at the girl. “I cannot sense her presence within the realm.”

“And yet we are fairly knowledgeable of her curious nature which leads to an innate tendency to ensue games, even at our expense.” Aurelia stated, slowly reeling the woman to believe her bluff. It wouldn’t be a fool proof plan to cover for the girl’s disappearance for the time being and yet it would be enough to buy them an excuse perhaps?

“She just might have thought it humorous to be playing with you at the moment.”

“And go as far as to mask her own aura? I highly doubt that. Do not lie to me child.”

Nonetheless the woman turned her back on the girl who breathed out a sigh. “Her aura dissipated by the time you utilized one of the kingdom’s portals and crossed to the mortal realm. I refuse to believe you failed to sense your own sister who trailed behind you.”

Aurelia bit her lip. The woman was far too thorough for a measly lie. “Truthfully I did sense her your highness, but it was far too late when I realized the additional presence as we had already crossed over. I admit my fault at allowing my curiosity to best my governance of will, knowing full well of the thinning within realms. Although at that moment it would be a great waste of mana to simply return her that instant. It would have further aggravated the thinning of the divisions that separate our world from theirs.”

The woman nodded and seemingly out of character, she scuffed the huntress’s hair. “Yes indeed. I am fully aware of the repercussions. The balance has been shifting at a gradual pace to a side unbeknownst us, but shifting nonetheless. I only fail to see why you have not returned with the girl if that be the case.”

“She has fled me at the moment I confronted her.”

‘Please believe it…’ she internally mused.

Seeing as there was nothing more to be done nor discussed, the Spirit Queen stared at her momentarily before dismissing her.

“I trust she will return out of her own volition. That girl has known not of the outside of these walls, nor does she have the capacity to survive on her own. She is but a mere child, bearing patched memories and a tenacity too strong for her own good.

“I believe so as well your highness.” Aurelia smiled before leaving the room and letting the guards shut the door behind her. Her smile faded as soon as she had walked out of sight. Her breathing hitched and hyperventilated, sucking in the slight smell of sulfur in the air, and she struggled to steady herself with the anxiety she had felt. It wasn’t that fear had struck her at the last few moments they had conversed but rather, the queen’s relaxed demeanor scared her. Just what did the woman plan or know for her to be such?

Meanwhile, a scowl was the expression that met Phoenix. With arms crossed over his shoulder Zeelan fought the urge for his hand to collide with the girl’s forehead to give her a well deserved smack at that instant.

Moments prior she found herself reminiscing at a very important memory indeed. One majorly important fact to remember if she wished to ever step foot back at the reaper’s house.

A few weeks earlier to her conundrum, she had just been at the said location, sweeping the broken remnants her foot had manufactured with the aid of the coffee table’s fragile composition. Her eyes darted to the small bag Zeelan had beside him as his back lay comfortably on the sofa. The small object which he had hooked upon his fingers earlier was just sitting there, forgotten to a corner. “What’s that?”

“This actually is for you.” Zeelan says as he let her open the bag he had hooked unto his finger earlier. “Birthday present and a “welcome to the mortal realm” starter pack.” Zeelan joked. Phoenix gently placed the broom unto the side of the sofa and unraveled the string that held it shut. Its contents were simple, filled with smaller boxes that varied in sizes.

Zeelan let her take the contents out and spread it unto the couch. The reaper instructed her to do so as he explained each item it held inside. First was a darkly colored card that she would use for when a need to purchase anything arises. “People here use a different kind of currency, one much easier and straightforward.” he added. The rest were quite easy to grasp, save for one rectangular object with a black reflective surface.

“A phone. Use this to contact me at any given time. It seems quite fitting considering your situation.”

“The damage, as you so willfully termed it, of my capabilities does not hinder me from competently reaching your mind. That I am fully capable of whether---”

“There is no need to overuse your abilities when there are alternatives presented that would ensue a lesser consequence. We are not knowledgeable of the cause nor extent of your… issues. So as of now, limit its usage and attempt with your utmost effort to survive using mortal technology. There are countless possibilities with this device and it is only a matter of learning.” Zeelan paused and walked over to the desk a few steps away. “One more thing.” He pointed down on the stack of books that was stacked in a neat manner before him.

“Once you’re done cleaning, take those magazines along with these books and start reading. I suggest this be something you cast an enchantment for, as I doubt you’d want to spend an eternity skimming over tattooed pages of lifeless trees even with your fondness of perusing written knowledge. The manual on how to operate the device is in the box. Read it and browse pages such as YouTube and Reddit so you can comprehend the latter of my statement. The sooner you do so, the sooner I can speak to you normally and not like a stuck up medieval bard.”

Phone. She had a phone to call Zeelan! A recipient who adamantly insisted on blocking her off when she made an attempt to contact him through his mind rather than the said device. If she could just remember where the reaper lived… Unfortunately, she was driven to the institute in a “majestic rolling metal box” as she termed it, during her first day.

Oh thank the realms for the wonders of human technology.

She reached down her pocket and pulled out the device she slowly had grown to adore. Only to find it’s screen shattered and lifeless. Looking at the similarly disappointed peer, she smiled nervously. Just as she was finally going to comply with his instructions, it was as if the universe wanted her to do otherwise.

Seeing as she couldn’t contact Zeelan due to the aforementioned block, she had no choice but to ask Tyler if he had an alternative means of communication. To their dismay, he turned back to the direction of the cursed diner. “I left my bag there when we were running for our lives.” he deadpanned. “Frankly, I’d rather walk a mile aimlessly than to go back there and face whatever that was.”

“Oh don’t be such a baby. That was just a spirit.”

“Well little miss brave heart, why don’t you do it?”

“I would if you hadn’t decided to swing around that metal pole like a deranged five year old determined to burst the candy out of the piñata of his best friend’s birthday party.”

After a few moments of silence, Tyler found himself chuckling at the inconsistency of her use of slang. It wasn’t as if the shock from earlier had been completely washed out of his system but the girl’s antics didn’t fail at lightening the mood.

“Well, as I’ve said before, I don’t want to be part of this voodoo magicky thing you’re doing so I’m going home.” Tyler said, as he started to trudge away from the bleeding girl. He paused. Guilt flooded his system as admittedly, he was to blame for the girl’s state. ‘Not the time to be a good Samaritan Ty…’ he thought.

“HEY WAIT!” Phoenix said. “You can’t just leave!”

His subconscious deadpanned. ‘Nope. Not again. Better run now Ty.”

Phoenix ran over and blocked Tyler by spreading her arms apart. “I burned your arm. I still have to heal that. It won’t be right to leave you in such state.” she said. ‘And besides, Zeelan has yet to meet this guy. If only I know how to contact him.’

"You know whatever this whole thing is I don't want a part of it. I may be suicidal but I still care about where my soul goes to when I die."

"If you base that according to your beliefs then that's kind of counter intuitive. I don’t want to be indebted. I just want to heal you."

Tyler stared at her and pointed at her arm. “Might wanna heal yourself first?”

Phoenix ignored the comment and raised a brow.

“Grr... It hasn’t even been a week yet since I transferred at that institution and yet something like this that had already happened. Zeelan’s going to bite my head off!” Phoenix commented to herself.

Okay, in her defense it was not her to be found at fault for the said events occurring, so Zeelan couldn’t blame her for any of it. This was evidently the first time Tyler had heard of her arrival. Now it made sense for her face to be unfamiliar to the male.

Seeing a the girl wouldn’t be paying him attention any time soon, Tyler spoke once more. "Let's get you to a hospital. That looks quite deep."

"I'm fine I just need to remember where this person who can help us lives--" she was stopped midway when her head was suddenly hit by someone.

"--why you little! Those were one of the things you were supposed to remember gremlin!"

Speaking of the devil, Zeelan was now loomed beside her and she looked at him as if nothing had happened. "You suck at timing you know that?"

“I’ve been trying to find you for the last hour! Where in realms were you?!” Zeelan said. Tyler just stood there, feeling his presence slip away that even he himself questioned if he was still visible in the realm the two strange people before him currently bantered in. Not to mention that this man had suddenly appeared out of no where. Should he be concerned of such ideals o would he rather find it better to be questioning his sanity?

Phoenix turned back to Tyler and spoke. "I made a friend."

Tyler, finally realizing that he was visible in the sight of the two, couldn’t help but make a snarky remark at her statement. “I’m not your friend.”

Phoenix looks back at him then to Zeelan as she gave him a cheeky smile. "A salty friend."

"Stop making me your damn babysitter." Zee complains. Zeelan eyes the boy and at both of their states.

'This is a human, you dimwit! What did you do this time?' Zeelan scolds mentally, further taking in their disheveled state.

“Oh so now you decide to unblock me? That would have been helpful a few minutes ago!”

Tyler’s brow furrowed as he heard Zeelan speak. His voice was warped and held more echo than when he had spoken a few minutes ago. Was this Zeelan person not human as well? More importantly, why was he hearing voices?

"According to her, There was a spirit of illusion to that attacked us." Tyler said, relaying the information to the reaper who wasn’t as welcoming to the male as he was with the strange girl.

"And you believe her? That's a cute story to tell kid." Zeelan said, trying to play it off and not let the human learn more information that he would have to clean up later on. He didn’t even know the extent of Tyler’s Experience but one thing was for sure. He didn’t want to further broaden it.

As if in attempt to counter all his previous perceptions of the boy, Phoenix spoke up. "Zee, he sees those…things." Zeelan stops and turns back to Tyler, quite doubtful, but realized that it wouldn’t have brought any benefit to the girl nor the human if she had done so.

"Is that a bad thing?" Tyler asks albeit still wary at the two strangers and how elated the girl was. He then repeated, "Is that a bad thing? Look whatever this is I want out."

"Even better! He spoke to it." Phoenix stated, further solidifying Zeelan’s new found emotion. Whether that be curiosity or otherwise, it was yet for him to find out and decipher.

As the three tried to converse, albeit having the two males filled with wariness set to different recipients, a presence crept up upon the group to take an attempt at its one goal. They hadn’t even felt its presence, more wary of each other than the imminent danger that lurked. A small curse left Zeelan’s mouth, as he couldn’t believe how the situation managed to result in him letting his guard down.

A scream left Tyler on the other hand as he was was unceremoniously picked up and lifted in mid air. There, another creature took hold of him, blessed and flapping it's wings that served as a curse to their situation.

There too, left to look up from the ground, Phoenix dropped to her knees and touched the grass. “Please in realms, let this work?” she asked as if talking to the spread of green before her and willing it to reach an immense height.

As if feeling pressure, Tyler felt his lungs void of oxygen and his breathing was forcefully blocked by an unseen force shoving an invisible cork down his esophagus. He planned to hit the creature and force it to drop him but his jaw was left lack as his eyes roll to the back of his head. Left with a blank expression, the creatures hand flattened in front of Tyler’s face. The grass below had started to grow but stopped at a certain point, refusing to lengthen more than the few inches it had extended. Phoenix couldn’t help but feel sorry at her laughable attempt as well as for the gardener that will have to trim the lawn a few weeks earlier than usual.

The creature was sucking Tyler’s soul out of him. Lucky for him it seemed to be having a hard time, evident from the confusion and efforts in its movements, visibly having second thoughts at its choice of victim. Seeing this, Zeelan didn't hesitate to summon his chains and let it surround the creature’s back, slithering a hold as it wrapped around the base of where the creature's wings originated

"Stay put." He told Phoenix as he pulled down. Although she internally wished she could do more, she herself knew that she wasn't in the position to complain.

The creature let out a grunt of discomfort as it tried to get the chains off its back. Zeelan dragged it down and made grabbed it's head, twisting it to silence. With the sound of bones cracking it silenced, and it's body dissipated into smoke. Tyler caught his breath once more, now even more shaken than before while the life ironically returned to his face.

As the noise settled, Tyler didn't dare utter a word and just stayed still on the ground. "Hey kid. Get up." Zeelan said offering a hand. Tyler grabbed it without hesitation as the man had just saved his life. "Zee what's going on?" Phoenix rushes over to the two and nudged Zeelan who looked at Tyler once more.

"Whether you like it or not, it’s probably bet you come with us."

Before Tyler could even protest, which would have just fallen unto deaf ears if he had done so, the sight of the park had already became a mirage as if swimming in water and warped to a familiar sight.

The modernly painted walls and interior design greeted Phoenix’s eyes once more, only this time, the sofa that was before them no longer had a coffee table before it. “Take a seat.” Zeelan said.

Phoenix realized that Zeelan hadn’t bothered to take a cab or provide more human ways of transportation when he brought them over. She found herself smiling, knowing that deep down the man was just as intrigued as she could have been at her initial discovery. Tyler did as told, confirming his thoughts of Zeelan’s mortality, or rather the opposite when he was transported along with them. In all honesty, he himself didn’t know if he wanted to run from these people. On one hand, he knew nothing of them nor the fact that they were people who possessed abilities he couldn’t comprehend. On the other, they too were the only people who could provide the answers to the billions of questions that raced in his mind.

“Can someone please explain to me why some otherworldly entities want to come at me left and right?! I’m just a human!

“Maybe it would be best to clean those wounds before we talk?” Phoenix quipped at Zeelan who seemed buy as he scoured the mountainous stack of papers on his desk. Looking over to the desk, it was as if the stacks of paper multiplied overnight rather than being diminished as it should’ve, considering the man’s hard work.

Zeelan turned to the two and grabbed them by the arm with haste. Luckily, it had been the arms that were clear injuries as he gave the two an unceremonious shove to his bedroom. “Zee--”

“Hide in the closet and don’t come out until I get you. I sense someone else here.”

Without another word, Zeelan closes the door behind him.

Finally finding voice that had been taken from him by the peculiar series of events, he spoke up. “Please tell me there aren’t any more creatures trying to kill us out there? I can only take so much murderous intent for one day.” He said. By getting a small taste of death itself, his suicidal thoughts were replaced by this unnerving will to live. “Well, if it is who I think it is, then she wouldn’t be after you. I’d probably be dragged though.”

Doing as told, Phoenix walks over and ushers the boy with her towards the same closet he had raided before. It was quite surprising how cooperative he was, considering the strange circumstances they had just been put in.

“Alright. Fair enough. If its you it wants then why am I supposed to be hiding then? Wait.. she?”

Just as her habits have put her in the path of harm, she too carried a set that was unfitting in situations. She found humor in the slight cracks in his voice before speaking once more herself. “Yeah. My sister. If she finds me, she’ll take me back.”

Tyler noticed that although she was smiling, from the looks of it the girl seemed more nervous of the said sibling than when they were faced by deformed crimes against humanity earlier. "Take you back where?"

She thought of her next words carefully. The boy had probably faced the most traumatizing set of events in his life and it was simply just that he was given even bits of explanations. “Our realm. If you haven't noticed yet I'm not from here.”

“No shit.” Tyler deadpans as he found himself trying to find comfort in being at a strangers house, with barely any knowledge of why these set of events had been put in his path. “If they want you back then why don't you just go back? By the looks of it your some kind of sheltered big shot aren’t you?.”

The girl’s demeanor changed when he voiced out his opinion. She grew silent looking quite disheartened for a while before making an effort to change the subject. Had he insulted her or rather, dug up unpleasant memories?

She began moving once more. "Right... First aid.” she said. Looking up, she saw the familiar drawer behind the male and if her suspicions were correct, its contents would’ve been the brittle pages of a notebook who’s writings she couldn’t decipher. It contained random symbols that for the life of her couldn’t be read. It might have been a spell book that Zeelan had stowed away. This would’ve served her no good as she would rather keep the mortal before her alive, than to take a risk at healing him with those. She had not opened the second drawer below it before as Zeelan had nearly caught her, sparing only a few moments to make up her excuse when he opened the door.

She tried her luck again and opened the other drawer under it only to find vials of unknown liquids. That wouldn’t help either. “Where in realms does he keep a damn first aid kit?” she asks, and of course got no answer in return, as the boy was just as unfamiliar to the area as she was.

Realizing her wound was worse than his, Tyler tore off the dangling price of cloth from his shirt caused by the multitude of careless attempts of escaping creatures he had never encountered in all his years of living.

He tapped her shoulder and faced her toward him. Before she could ask, he placed a small amount of weight on it, not enough to hurt, but enough to sit her down before him as he did what he had to. Taking the cloth, he wrapped it around the bleeding area, making sure that there was pressure on it before she could lose even more of her bodily fluids. "You should worry about yourself more than me. You're the one bleeding out here."

“But, I still have to--”

“Look, I may have just met you today, almost gotten killed because of some other worldly creature like you, and I barely know what’s going on…” he trailed, skillfully wrapping the cloth around her shoulder and tucking in its end. “But I do know that you’re bleeding out just like any mortal. And I do know that you’re in a worse state than I am. So sit still.” he commanded. His guilt had taken over him completely at that point. His conscience was screaming at him for the past couple of minutes as the girl bled out further, refusing to acknowledge her worsening state for the sake of finding a kit which she would have undoubtedly used on him the moment she does so. “I can’t do any accelerated healing shortcut cause, I’m just a human but I can at least do this.”

Phoenix stared at the boy and couldn’t help but smile. He portrayed one of the reasons she had been fascinated with the species in the first place. Humans would care for another in need even when they barely know the said person in need. That and the fact that some would be able to form a bond from a shared experience. Talk about bonding over trauma…

"I'm not trying to be nice. I just don't want to be indebted to you as much as you to me. Besides, I was the one who caused that." Tyler said. “For what it's worth... I'm sorry."

Phoenix smiled through her fascination and relaxed her previously tensed shoulder, letting him finish his work entirely. "You know, at first I thought all you can be is rude, but maybe you're not so bad after all."