Shadow

As I observed her, I felt that something was off about her demeanor, but I couldn't quite put my finger on what it was.

Suddenly, she reached into her pocket and produced a crumpled, cream-colored paper. I was taken aback and asked her why I should accept an offer from her, especially considering the fact that she was an annoying entity.

She seemed to understand my skepticism and said, "Oh, I think I see what's going on here." I was confused and asked her what she meant. She then began to circle around me with her hands behind her back and said, "You also think it's safe, don't you?"

I was shocked that she had read my thoughts so accurately. She continued, "So you actually think the back walls are a safe place to escape through, don't you?"

I was speechless, wondering how she knew that I was planning to escape through the back walls. She then dropped a bombshell by revealing that a five elemental illusion array was placed in the sect to prevent any escape attempts.

I was completely bewildered and couldn't believe that the sect would go to such lengths to prevent their members from fleeing.

She then added that the array spanned a kilometer from the back walls, making it impossible to even get close to them.

It dawned on me that I was about to walk straight into a trap. As I processed this shocking information, she held out the map and asked, "So now, what do you say about my map?"

As I asked her about the map, she revealed that it contained various locations within and outside of the sect. However, when I enquired about its source, she refused to disclose any information, citing it as a trade secret.

Sensing my reluctance, she proposed a deal - she would provide me with the map if I agreed to take her along with me on my journey. I reminded her of the consequences of leaving the sect without proper permission, but she was undeterred and resolute in her decision.

I tried to reason with her, cautioning her about the potential dangers of our expedition, but her response was indifferent.

As I weighed my options, she urged me to make a decision quickly, emphasizing the urgency of our quest.

Frustrated with her stubbornness, I contemplated agreeing to her terms and then abandoning her later.

However, she read my mind and warned me against such an act, making it clear that she wouldn't let me off easily if I betrayed her trust. Despite my reservations,

I eventually agreed to her proposal and took the map from her.

As we arrived at the location marked in red on our map, it felt like déjà vu, but I couldn't quite put my finger on where I had seen it before. Despite the familiar feeling, my companion wasted no time in urging me to move forward. We leaped and ran across numerous rooftops, our adrenaline pumping as we made our way closer to our destination. Eventually, we arrived at the main gate, and I couldn't help but question why we had chosen such a dangerous entry point.

As soon as the words left my lips, my companion jabbed me in the chest, reminding me to be quiet and cautious. It was clear that the guards in this area were particularly perceptive, and we needed to stay hidden.

As we waited for the guards to move away, it was strange to feel that our personalities had suddenly switched.

Finally, the guards moved away, and we made a dash for it, running down the roofs and through the huge gate.

As we escaped, I couldn't help but feel bewildered by what had just happened. My companion finally explained that it had been seven years since she had discovered the illusion array.

Stella had been trying to find a way to escape the array ever since she discovered it, but her efforts had been in vain. She had scoured the area for loopholes and weaknesses, but had come up empty-handed.

However, one day she noticed a peculiar pattern in the behavior of the guards stationed at the main gate. Every morning at precisely one o'clock, they would leave their posts to inspect the array at the back walls. They would be gone for about ten minutes before returning to their positions.

Stella realized that this was our chance to escape, We ran for what seemed like an eternity, until we finally arrived at Kai Bridge.

Stella suggested that we hide there until the guards passed by. As we waited in the bushes, we saw four mysterious figures approaching. They were wearing masks that barely covered their noses and mouths.

The moonlight illuminated our path, and as they passed by, something caught my eyes.

As I regained consciousness, I noticed the word "shadow" written on the attackers' attire. I blinked to confirm what I was seeing, but it was unmistakable

. The realization sent me spiraling into a state of confusion and paranoia. I reached for my katana, ready to defend myself, but before I could even stand up, I felt a sharp blow to my neck and everything went black.

When I finally woke up, I found myself surrounded by towering trees in the heart of a dense forest. The sunlight filtering through the leaves above was blinding, and it took me a moment to adjust my eyes.

As I sat up, I noticed the rustling of leaves and the sound of twigs snapping underfoot, indicating that someone was nearby.

It didn't take long for me to spot Stella perched on a tree branch, her form silhouetted against the bright sky. I shielded my eyes with my hand and called out to her, relieved to see a familiar face.

As she descended from the tree, I couldn't help but feel a sense of unease. The memory of her knocking me out came flooding back, and I couldn't help but feel a twinge of resentment. But as she explained her reasoning, I realized that she had acted out of necessity. We were in a dangerous situation, and any misstep could have jeopardized our objective.

The forest around us was alive with the sounds of nature - the chirping of birds, the rustling of leaves, and the occasional creaking of branches. It was a stark contrast to the chaos and violence we were used to.

As we sat in silence, I couldn't shake the feeling of foreboding that lingered in the air. We were in the heart of the sect territory, and there was no telling what dangers lay ahead.

As I asked her how I got to our current location, she vehemently denied carrying me on her back. Her response caught me off guard, and I couldn't help but feel a bit flustered.

She then went on to explain that she had dragged me all the way there. I couldn't believe it. Looking down at my clothes, I realized they were in a state of disarray.

I was angry and frustrated, but she seemed unfazed. With her arms folded, she explained that just because she was cute and kind-hearted, didn't mean she would readily distort her awesome figure by carrying someone as dense as me on her back.

I was taken aback by her bluntness and couldn't help but ask her what she meant by "dense." She refused to answer, telling me to get dressed and that we had to leave immediately.

We both knew that the sect would be looking for us by now. I couldn't help but wonder where we were headed next.

She told me we were headed to a town further west, called... The dark lands