07

The morning light slowly enters through the gaps in the curtains, illuminating the room with warmth. The air is fresh, gently filling the space. I take a deep breath, savoring the refreshing morning air that tickles my nose. The sound of trickling water outside adds to the freshness of the atmosphere, while the rustling of leaves, stirred by the gentle morning breeze, creates a soothing symphony.

As I stand near the window, the cheerful chirping of morning birds echoes in my ears. Their joyful and spirited voices provide a lively welcome to the new day.

Mei knocks on the door, "Come on, wake up! It's morning, time to start the day with enthusiasm!" she cheerfully calls out.

I smile, hearing Mei's enthusiastic voice. With spirited steps, I leave the window and open the door. Mei's cheerful face greets me with a warm smile.

"I'm ready to kickstart the day!" I say, moving my body toward the exit. The fresh morning air envelops me as I step outside. The sun is rising in the sky, casting warm rays that dispel the morning chill.

We stroll through a small garden in front of the inn, walking along the still quiet streets. The sound of our footsteps resonates clearly in the morning stillness. Occasionally, we pause to admire the beauty of blooming flowers on the roadside.

After a few minutes of walking, we arrive at Reather, situated in the heart of the city, emanating a cozy and warm ambiance. Upon entering the café, we are greeted by the enticing aroma of coffee and a friendly atmosphere. The café resembles an ordinary one, with neatly arranged wooden tables and chairs, creating a serene environment.

We spot Zhi Huan, dressed casually and holding a cup of coffee, sitting in a corner of the café. She smiles upon seeing us and nods, gesturing for us to sit close to her.

"Asha, Mei, great to see you both," Zhi Huan warmly greets us. "Did you bring Enial?"

We nod, and I place Enial on the table between us. Zhi Huan looks at Enial attentively and smiles. "Your Enial seems stronger now. Your hard work has yielded good results."

We feel delighted to hear that and express gratitude for the progress we've witnessed in Enial. Zhi Huan then explains that in Reather, there is a special energy that can help strengthen Enial and keep it free from Darkness contamination.

"Within this café, there is a powerful energy source that can help fortify your bond with Enial. I have arranged the environment in such a way that this energy can flow effectively," explains Zhi Huan.

She hands us special rings made of crystals emitting a soft glow. "These rings serve as VIP guest tokens in Reather. Whenever you visit here, wear these rings, and the café's energy will interact with Enial, helping to reinforce it."

We eagerly take the rings and put them on our ring fingers. As soon as the rings touch our skin, we feel a strange flow of energy coursing through our bodies, heading toward Enial.

At that moment, something unexpected happened. After putting on the rings, I felt a sudden dizziness engulfing my head. It was as if the world was spinning rapidly around me. I tried to maintain my balance, but eventually, I couldn't hold it any longer.

When I finally opened my eyes, I found both of us trapped in a dark underground dungeon. The warm morning light that had illuminated the cozy room was replaced by a frightening darkness. Only a faint glimmer of light seeped through the cracks in the prison walls, painting a grim picture of our situation.

I felt the bone-chilling cold as I sat on the hard, cold floor. My heart pounded loudly with uncertainty about our fate. The gentle aroma of the café and the morning enthusiasm that existed moments ago seemed to have vanished into the distance.

"What happened?" I whispered, my voice trembling. Mei looked around with a puzzled expression. We tried to remember what had occurred after putting on the rings, but our memories were blurred.

We attempted to find a way out of this prison. Carefully, we explored every corner of this dark room. Rarely was there any sound other than the echoing of our footsteps in this narrow hallway. We searched for any hole or crevice that might lead us to freedom.

However, as our journey in this oppressive prison continued, I began to hear faint footsteps behind me. The sound drew nearer, causing both of us to furrow our brows with concern. We exchanged glances, preparing ourselves to face whoever emerged from behind.

Suddenly, a mysterious woman appeared. Her black hair flowed wildly, and her eyes gleamed with an intimidating intensity. Her face adorned a terrifying smile, sending shivers down my spine.

I tried not to show my fear. "W-who are you?" I asked with a trembling voice.

The woman didn't answer directly. She took slow steps forward, stomping her feet with a thunderous sound in the quiet corridor. Her sharp gaze penetrated into my soul, making me feel trapped in uncontrollable darkness.

"Light and darkness, two inseparable sides," the woman said cryptically. "You played with dangerous fire and tampered with energies you don't comprehend. Are you ready to face the consequences?"

We exchanged bewildered glances. I didn't know what she meant, but I sensed that something was amiss with this situation.

"What do you want from us?" Mei asked, her voice quivering as she tried to control the fear that filled her heart.

The woman smiled with terrifying delight. "Don't be afraid... Hehhee, HAHAHAHAHA." Then she pointed in my direction, "I only want to play, specifically with you, the girl with white hair."

A fearful breath escaped my lips. I felt the cold seeping into my bones as the woman stared at me with her fiery eyes. However, I had to gather my courage and not show my fear.

"Listen," I said, my voice trembling. "We don't know who you are, but we won't back down so easily. Tell us what you want and release us!"

The woman laughed wickedly, her voice echoing throughout the dark room. "You dare to speak with such defiance, white-haired girl. But are you ready to face the consequences of your bravery?"

I didn't understand what she meant, but I had to remain brave. Both of us had to find a way out of this situation.

"I don't know what you're talking about," I said firmly. "But we won't give up easily. If you want to fight us, then bring it on!"

The woman winked, and suddenly the prison trembled. A dark and frightening wave of energy engulfed us. I felt its power gripping my body, causing me to fall to the floor.

Mei tried to reach for my hand, but she, too, was affected by the mysterious force. We both lay on the ground, trying to gather our strength.

The woman stepped forward, an evil grin on her face. "Both of you are meaningless. Darkness will devour you."

We struggled to rise, refusing to succumb to the darkness that threatened us. My heart was filled with strong determination to fight back.

"Whatever you do, we won't back down," I said with unwavering resolve. "We'll fight you until our last breath!"

The woman snorted, and the darkness around her grew stronger. I could feel its suffocating power, but I wouldn't give in so easily. I looked at Mei with determination in my eyes, and we nodded to each other.

We would fight, even if it meant facing the terrifying darkness. With our remaining strength, we stood tall and ready to confront whatever challenges lay ahead.

The woman smiled with satisfaction, staring at us challengingly. "Fascinating! The gifts from Zhi Huan never disappoint, hehehhe, HAHAHAHAHA!!"

In an instant, the battle began. The mysterious woman unleashed dark energy attacks that filled the entire prison. We both tried to evade the assaults with agile movements, but the darkness kept pursuing us.

I attempted to gather my remaining energy and directed it toward Enial. Bright light radiated from Enial, attempting to fend off the encroaching darkness. However, the woman's attacks were so potent that Enial's light couldn't match them.

Mei also fought back with her own powers. She unleashed magical attacks that chased after the woman, but the assaults were easily countered by the darkness surrounding her.

We continued to move, avoiding each attack launched by the woman. We communicated through glances, searching for an opening to strike back. Though our strength was waning, we wouldn't give up.

I mustered all the courage and energy left in me. With one motion of my hand, I released my final attack. A brilliant light radiated from my body, trying to defeat her darkness.

However, the attack was effortlessly deflected by the mysterious woman. The darkness intensified and closed in on us. We tried to fight back, but my drained strength couldn't withstand it.

Eventually, the darkness rapidly absorbed my energy. I felt weakness overwhelming my body, and finally, I collapsed unconscious on the cold prison floor.

*

*

*

When I finally opened my eyes, I felt dizzy and weak. I realized we were back in the same cell, but this time it was secured with iron chains. Mei was lying beside me, also unconscious.

I tried to gather my strength and stood up cautiously. The prison remained dark, but small cracks in the walls allowed a faint glimmer of light to seep in. I approached Mei and gently tried to wake her.

"Mei, wake up," I whispered while softly shaking her body. After a few moments, Mei finally opened her eyes and looked around with confusion.

"What happened?" she asked in a weak voice.

"I don't know either. After the battle with that mysterious woman, we lost consciousness and suddenly woke up here," I replied, filled with concern.

Mei rose from the floor and tried to recollect what had happened. Our memories were still blurry, but we had to find a way out of this prison.

Suddenly, we heard faint footsteps. The sound drew nearer, causing both of us to furrow our brows with worry. We exchanged glances, preparing ourselves to face whoever emerged from behind.

However, it wasn't the mysterious woman who appeared before us. Instead, it was a man dressed in all black, his eyes sharp and piercing.

"We finally found you," the man said hoarsely. "Both of you have caused significant trouble for us. Now, you must pay the consequences," he said, raising his finger, which instantly made my head feel very dizzy again.

My head started spinning as the man raised his finger. I tried to remain steadfast and protect Mei, despite feeling incredibly weak. I attempted to gather what little energy remained.

"Please, tell us what's going on. We don't know what we did to make you angry," I pleaded weakly.

The man smiled sardonically, seemingly relishing our helplessness. "Both of you are a threat to our objectives. We have been monitoring your movements, and you possess information that could ruin our grand plans," he answered coldly.

The man's words only confused me further. What information was he talking about? Mei and I were just ordinary individuals accidentally caught in this chaos.

"This guy is crazy," Mei muttered under her breath.

I felt uncertainty and fear creeping within me. We had to find a way to escape this prison and uncover the truth behind all of this. But in our current state, it seemed nearly impossible.

The man approached us slowly, his face filled with cruelty that made me even more nervous. I looked at Mei, trying to give her one last ounce of encouragement.

"We have to stay strong, Mei. We will find a way out of here and unravel their plans. We must not give up," I said with determination.

Mei nodded firmly, reflecting the unwavering resolve in her eyes. Though our bodies felt fragile, our spirits were still burning.

As the man drew nearer, the ceiling of the room suddenly shook with thunderous explosions. Iron fragments and small stones rained down in the prison, causing chaos. For a moment, the darkness was replaced by brightness.

Amid the confusion and turmoil, I saw a group of people dressed in all black leaping into the prison. I didn't know who these forces were, but I would seize this moment to escape.

There was no time to ponder. The forces immediately confronted the mysterious man, engaging in a fierce battle. Mei and I tried to take advantage of this situation to escape, sneaking through their fight.

We ran with all our might, chasing after the light that grew closer. We leaped over debris and dark corridors until finally, we saw a wide-open exit in front of us.

Without hesitation, we sprinted outside and returned to the outside world. We paused for a moment, trying to catch our breath.

"Now, what do we do?" Mei asked, panting.

"I think we need to find a safe place first," I answered, trying to regain my focus. "We must gather information and find out why we became targets and who wants to stop us."

I looked around for any clues. We were in an abandoned complex of buildings. There were no signs of life around, but we had to be cautious.

"Let's find a safer place to hide and plan our next steps," I said, tightly holding Mei's hand. We walked slowly, searching for a peaceful and sheltered spot away from those who were after us.

After some time, we stumbled upon a small building that seemed unused. The entrance was locked, but I managed to open it with some tools I found in my pocket.

We entered the building and carefully closed the door behind us. Inside, we found a small room that appeared to be used for storage. I felt somewhat relieved because at least we had a place to take shelter temporarily.

We sat on the cold floor of the room, trying to contemplate our next moves. Despite our weakened state, we couldn't give up. We had to uncover the truth behind all this chaos and protect ourselves.