24 Hours After

Zero's eyes fluttered open, his senses slowly returning as the gentle sound of running water filled his ears. He blinked, disoriented, his vision blurry as he tried to make sense of his surroundings. "Wha—what happened?" he mumbled, gripping his head as a sharp pain throbbed in his temples. The memory of what had just transpired came rushing back—Ozai, Aquila, the rift. Panic surged through him.

"Ozai!" Zero shouted, bolting upright as the urgency of the situation hit him. His eyes darted around, taking in the scene before him. Sunlight filtered through the dense canopy of a forest, casting warm rays that danced on the ground. The sound of birds chirping filled the air, a stark contrast to the chaos he had just left behind. A gentle breeze rustled the leaves, bringing with it the fresh scent of nature. For a moment, it was as if the nightmare had never happened.

Zero turned, and his gaze fell on a large waterfall behind him, the water cascading down in shimmering arcs, catching the sunlight as it fell into a clear stream below. The stream was alive with the movement of fish, and the water's surface was dotted with patches of floating weeds, adding to the serene beauty of the scene.

"Is this the other side of the rift?" Zero wondered aloud, his thoughts racing. The peaceful surroundings seemed almost surreal after the battle he had just witnessed. But the memory of Ozai's last words echoed in his mind, grounding him back to the reality of his mission. "Find Mesa," Zero repeated to himself, his voice firming with resolve.

He turned to face east, the direction Ozai had mentioned. His legs wobbled as he stood, his body still reeling from the sudden transition through the rift. But he forced himself to move, each step bringing him closer to regaining his balance. Zero took a deep breath, gathering his strength, and began walking eastward, his thoughts focused on finding whoever Mesa was.

Zero's pace quickened as he stumbled upon a well-trodden path leading east, the same direction he had been heading. His heart raced with anticipation, adrenaline surging through his veins. "This must be the way to the village Ozai mentioned," he thought, the hope of reaching his destination propelling him forward.

As he continued down the path, the forest began to reveal creatures unlike anything he had ever seen. A deer-like animal, far larger than any normal deer, caught his attention. Its antlers were enormous, curling gracefully above its head and extending well beyond its body. A thick, rugged coat of white fur draped over its neck, giving it an almost majestic appearance. The creature stood tall, towering over the surrounding bushes and vegetation, its piercing blue eyes fixed on Zero as he passed by. Despite its size and formidable appearance, it seemed calm, merely observing him with a quiet curiosity.

Zero couldn't help but feel a sense of awe as he encountered more of these strange creatures. The forest felt ancient, almost mystical, as if it were a place where the boundaries between the natural world and something otherworldly had blurred. The sights and sounds of the forest filled him with wonder, but also a lingering unease—he was in a place he didn't understand, on a mission that felt increasingly daunting.

After nearly twenty minutes of walking, his legs began to ache, fatigue setting in from the relentless trek. Just as he considered stopping to rest, he came upon a fork in the road. He paused, uncertainty gripping him as he stared down the two diverging paths. Both looked equally worn, with no clear indication of which one led to the village. He frowned, trying to recall if Ozai had mentioned anything about this.

Before he could make a decision, a sudden rustling in the nearby bushes broke the silence. The sound was sharp, distinct—too deliberate to be just the wind or a small animal. Zero's heart skipped a beat, and he instinctively took a step back, his eyes darting toward the source of the noise. The bushes swayed, and the rustling grew louder, something—or someone—was moving toward him.

Zero stumbled back as a boy leaped from the bushes with a wild yell, his sudden appearance catching Zero off guard. The boy's outstretched arms missed their target, and he tumbled to the ground, landing face-first with a muffled thud. Zero barely had time to process what had happened before a second figure emerged from the undergrowth—a girl, her face mostly hidden beneath a large blanket that only revealed her eyes and nose.

"Kai…" the girl said softly, concern evident in her voice as she knelt beside the boy, reaching out to help him up.

But before she could, the boy sprang to his feet, brushing off the dirt with exaggerated bravado. "Impressive," he declared, his voice full of self-importance as he pointed a paper sword at Zero. "You managed to evade my sneak attack."

Zero blinked, taking in the sight before him. "The heck?" he said aloud, to which the little girl gasped.

"P-profanity…" she muttered, her voice small and shocked.

"Stay back, Rin," Kai said, standing protectively in front of her. His paper sword pointed directly at Zero, unwavering. "I've never seen you around here. Who are you?" Kai asked, his stance firm and defiant.

Zero stood there, dumbfounded, trying to rearrange his thoughts into something coherent. Before he could respond, Rin tapped Kai's shoulder gently. "Kai," she said, her tone soft, "he's not a bad guy…"

Kai turned to face Rin, a skeptical look on his face. "Huh, you sure?" he asked, to which she nodded quickly.

"Look, I'm just trying to find the nearest village," Zero said calmly. "I'm looking for a woman named Mesa."

At the mention of her name, both kids' eyes widened. "Lady Mesa?" Kai asked, folding his arms. "What business does a random like you have with our village's healer?"

"If you're coming to get treated, I hope you know that Lady Mesa charges a hefty price for outsiders, considering she's the best healing mage in all of Starfell," Kai bragged, extending his hand expectantly. "In which case, that'll be 100 gold coins."

Rin shook her head and muttered under her breath, "N-no, she doesn't… Lady Mesa's services are free of charge to all in need…"

Kai's expression darkened, and he angrily grabbed her blanket, shaking her back and forth with surprising speed. "What is happening…" Zero mumbled, bewildered as he watched Kai continue to shake the poor girl.

"Obviously, Lady Mesa is too grateful and kind to charge for her services," Kai huffed, finally letting go of Rin, who stumbled slightly, dazed for a moment before regaining her balance. "But that makes it easier for people like him to take advantage of her. We need to start charging outsiders if they want to be healed by her."

Kai's tone softened slightly as he looked down. "Besides, Lady Mesa has been struggling a lot recently… She needs the money more than anything."

Zero clenched his fists, letting out a sigh. "Sorry to tell you, but I don't have any money," he admitted, his voice calm but urgent. "I just need to speak with Mesa—and fast. It's urgent," he added, his eyes pleading as he looked at Kai.

Kai stared back, his expression unreadable for a moment. Then, with a huff, he muttered, "Ugh," before suddenly launching himself down the middle path in a blur. The sonic boom he left behind caused Zero to stumble, the trees around them shaking violently before settling once more.

"He's going to let Lady Mesa know about you," Rin explained softly, stepping onto the path Kai had taken. "We'll meet up with him in a bit. F-follow me," she added, her voice gentle.

As the two walked in silence, the only sounds were the rustling leaves and distant birdsong. Zero eventually decided to break the silence. "So, what was that?" he asked, still taken aback by Kai's sudden burst of speed.

"That was acceleration magic," Rin replied, her voice barely above a whisper. "It's a combination of lightning and kinetic magic. He's able to move really fast, but…" She paused, her eyes downcast. "He has a hard time controlling it sometimes, due to his anxiety."

"Anxiety?" Zero repeated, confused at the idea that such an energetic kid could have anxiety.

Rin nodded. "Kai only acts the way he does to intimidate or impress people. But if you really got to know him, you'd learn that he's a really kind-hearted person—and shy."

Zero's brow furrowed as he took that in. "That's why he's friends with me," Rin continued, her voice soft. "I think he finds it easier to talk to someone who's more like the real him, instead of people who act like the person he pretends to be…"

"I see," Zero murmured, the conversation falling back into silence as they walked. The peaceful sounds of the forest surrounded them once more. After a moment, Rin hesitated before speaking again.

"C-can I ask you a question?" she asked nervously.

"Yeah, sure," Zero replied.

"H-how did you get here?" Rin asked, her gaze shyly avoiding his.

"Oh," Zero began, "I just kept walking east, and I eventually found a path that led—"

"N-not that," Rin interrupted, her voice wavering. "I mean, how did you get to this world?"

Zero's eyes widened in surprise. "H-how did you know—?"

"Unlike Kai, I use p-psychic magic," Rin explained, her voice trembling slightly. "I can kind of read your mind… I know you're from a world completely different from ours, where magic doesn't exist. I-I also know that you're here because a man with red hair pushed you through a portal that led here. That man was friends with Lady Mesa, and that's why you're headed to our village."

Zero looked at her, stunned. Rin's face flushed with embarrassment. "I-I'm sorry I read your mind without permission. I-I promise that's all I read!" she stammered.

"Hey, it's okay!" Zero said quickly, offering a warm smile. "That's a neat power you have, really."

Rin looked away, blushing slightly. "But yeah, I was pushed through this thing called a rift by Ozai. He was trying to save me from this woman named Aquila. It's true that I'm from a place different from this one—way different," Zero continued, his tone somber. "Rifts are being opened all across my world, connecting your world to mine, merging the two. And with that, monsters from your world are entering mine, killing a lot of people…" Zero's voice faltered as he thought of Maeve.

Rin's eyes widened as she absorbed the information. "M-my girlfriend Maeve… I haven't been able to find her since the invasion started, but…" Zero hesitated, remembering what Ozai had said about someone possibly kidnapping her. "I'm holding on to every bit of hope I have that she's alive and okay…"

Rin went quiet, processing everything she had just heard. "And you're here because you believe Lady Mesa might be able to help you?" Rin concluded softly, to which Zero nodded.

Just then, Kai's voice broke the silence. "Hey!" he called out, jogging back to them. "We're close to the village. Lady Mesa is waiting for you by the gate. Let's go."

The three of them continued down the path until they approached a small village nestled in the heart of the forest, surrounded by a sturdy brick wall with a gate in the middle. A woman stood by the entrance, her arms folded. She wore a large white sun hat that matched her long white dress, which had sleeves and gloves that covered most of her body. Her long, dark hair flowed down to her hips, the brim of her hat casting a shadow over her eyes.

"Lady Mesa," Kai called out as he ran up to her.

The woman lifted her head slightly, her voice calm and composed. "Welcome to Hawthorn, outsider," she said.