TELL ME EVERYTHING

That really wasn't the plan despite what I told them. I had zero experience in combat. I carried daggers, yeah, but they were for cutting ropes, aiding in climbing, or hunting. I'd never fought another person. Why did I even leave my hiding place? Because – I let them get to me. A thief getting sentimental – oh, how strange that is.

[Enemies Detected: Start an analysis?]

"Sure…"

[Enemy Analysis: (Readings might be inaccurate)

Thug 1: Armed with a long sword, average combat skills.

Thug 2: Brawler, but wields a bow as well.

Thug 3: Armed with a long sword, low combat skills.

Thug 4: Uses a two handed mace, very slow.

James: Armed with a sword and a bow, average combat skills.]

I took a step forward, and they sprang into action. One charged at me from the side, another from the front. Their movements were aggressive but uncoordinated. The swordsman to my left swung first. I sidestepped the clumsy strike, easily avoiding the blade.

The one in front of me followed up with a thrust aimed at my chest. I twisted my body, barely dodging the attack. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw an archer nocking an arrow. Instinctively, I brought my dagger up just in time to deflect it.

"Get him!" one of the thugs yelled. "Don't let him near the boss!"

"I'm trying!" another said. "Fucking thief!"

"Got you now!" The idiot right to me swung his sword.

I blocked his attack with my dagger, but the impact jarred my arm. I was in a bad spot, outnumbered and outmatched. My lack of combat experience was glaringly obvious. I had to think of something fast, or this would be the end for both Sura and me.

A swordsman lunged at me with his blade aimed high. Reacting on pure instinct, I ran along the wall, using the momentum to launch myself forward and land behind him. I slashed with my dagger, but he was quicker than I anticipated. He turned around, grabbed my arms, and squeezed hard enough to make me drop both daggers.

"Shit..." I struggled against his iron grip. "Let me go!"

He tightened his hold, sneering down at me. "Not so fast, Shadow Dancer. You think you can just waltz in here and take us down?"

"So, Axel was the Shadow Dancer, huh?" James said, letting my sister go and slowly walking toward me. "I'll be damned. You stole all kinds of shit, yet can't pay me my protection gold?"

"To hell with your protection gold and shitty ego." I spat on the ground. "Let my sister go!"

"I think not." James smiled. "I like her."

"You…" The man holding me by the arms punched me, forcing me to my knees. "Fuck!"

A small box appeared near my face, invisible to everyone else but me.

[Reminder: Shadow Bind: Summon shadowy tendrils from the ground to immobilize and restrain targets.]

A small portal opened where I focused my gaze on the ground, and shadowy tentacles emerged from within it. A black, dark substance dripped from them, and their texture swirled around constantly, giving them a disgusting appearance.

The tentacles moved uncontrollably, swaying left and right. Two of the guards, caught in the tentacles' attack, were flung through the window, crashing into one of the trees outside. James, thinking quickly, created a basic fire spell in his palm and shot it forward, burning the nearby table. The flames rose, and as the light glowed, the tentacles faded.

With the confusion, I managed to wiggle my way out of the man's grip, headbutting him and then kicking him in the groin. I grabbed my daggers and slashed them in opposite directions. One hit him in the shoulder and the other in the stomach. He wasn't dead since the wounds weren't deep. Thank God he wasn't dead – I didn't know if my conscience could take that.

"Come, Sura!" I ran toward my sister and helped her to her feet. "Are you okay? Did they touch you?"

"No… Watch out, brother!"

Sura pushed me, making me dodge James' attack. I stumbled but regained my balance.

"Wait…" I whispered to myself. "I basically have endless mana…"

"What are you talking about with yourself, you fucking dog?" James said, launching toward me. "Shut up and fight!"

Suddenly, at least fifty portals opened everywhere – in the ground, in the air, on the chair, on the half-scraped paintings. From the portals, tentacles emerged. The thugs ducked, took cover, and tried to run away, but their efforts were in vain. They fell one by one, some with serious injuries, others with minor ones.

I picked Sura up in my arms, pulled up my neck gaiter, and ran through the front door. But our victory was short-lived as the guards, paid by James, caught up to us.

"Halt!" the short guard said. "Drop the girl and raise your hands!"

"Brother, what are we going to do!" Sura asked, panicking. "Shit, shit, shit…"

The ground beneath my feet shifted, and a small rift opened. From within that rift, skeletal arms with the same black, dark substance dripping from them rose up, grabbed me by the legs, and dragged us down.

I held tightly to my sister, trying to absorb most of the fall damage.

But close to plummeting headfirst, our fall slowed, and we safely put our feet on the ground.

'So, that wasn't a dream, it was the place I saw before I woke up in my home.'

"Holy shit, brother," Sura said. "What was that? Did you do that? Where are we?"

"I – I don't know. It's hard to explain…"

[Quest Completed.

Rewards: 50g, 2AP.]

"Rewards? What does AP mean?" I whispered to myself.

"Are you listening? What is this 'AP' are you talking about, you weirdo!"

"Nevermind… just calm down, okay. Things are happening so fast and –"

"Calm?" She tried to calm herself by taking deep breaths. "Tell me everything, brother. From the start. What were those shadowy tentacles, this place – the whole thing. Tell me everything."

"Okay." I nodded. "I'll tell you… listen to me good, okay?"