Chapter-9

The Ball had ended, and everyone lay asleep. But someone among the members of the castle was having trouble sleeping. She got out of her bed and struggled in her nightdress. When she finally lit a candle, Auden stared at her reflection in the mirror.

She pulled the letter out from the drawer, the one Elias had given her. As she opened the letter, Auden wondered what could be inside it, but her curiosity prevailed. She didn't seem shocked at how the writing inside resembled hers.

Maybe, in the moment of life, she was in, nothing could shock her anymore, not even herself, or so she thought. She read the words written there.

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Erie accompanied me to the Nirvana Nexus today. Luckily I found great intel there. It's said Nirvana Nexus is the eye of the kingdoms. The late royal family also used to get intel from there sometimes. I have found a way to finally fight that thing. Perhaps I might succeed this time. Even right now, I feel it. It's here, but I am yet to find where it is. Shall the faith determine what might happen next? For I am not worried about how may rule, as the moon will shine eternally. The elves are trying to proclaim their power. Who knows if they succeed, the glamour of the boulders will be back again. I can't foresee the future but I can feel that something is bound to happen sooner or later. What I am yet to know is, what is going to happen.

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Auden grasped the letter with clenched fists, only to find the text dissolve into nothingness before her eyes. Without warning, an excruciatingly sharp pain sprang within her skull, squeezing out a cry from her throat as she collapsed to the floor in a fit of tremors. The throes intensified relentlessly, as if malignant sorcery sought to tear her mind apart from within.

Suddenly, a voice screamed inside her head, calling out her name with a sense of urgency. Auden struggled to comprehend the source of the voice, feeling helpless and disoriented as a jumble of thoughts and images flooded her mind. Amidst the chaos, another voice intervened, offering a sense of calm and stability.

In an instant, a vivid scene of a waterfall materialized in her mind's eye, providing a brief moment of respite from the pain.

But just as quickly as the scene had appeared, the pain abruptly ceased, and the voices fell silent. Auden lay on the ground, gasping for air, as the throbbing ache in her head gradually subsided. She pulled her knees to her chest, pressing her forehead against them as she let out a deep breath of frustration and agony. With her mind in turmoil and the letter now blank,

Auden felt a sense of foreboding wash over her. What had just happened? And what did it all mean? But Auden now felt a sense of urgency. She needed to know what was happening.

Finding answers was no trouble. The letter had given her the club's address before fading to nothing. Sneaking past the guards had been hard, but Auden had pushed through on grit alone.

However, the path leading to the club was not as straightforward as she had deduced from the letter. She had initially been apprehensive about encountering thieves given the late hour, but Auden found herself ultimately grateful for any company she might be offered along the way.

The journey had been desolate and unsettling, with dilapidated houses looming ominously along the deserted road. While Auden had hastened her pace, she eventually came across a signboard that read "Carpe Diem." Despite her expectations, the club did not resemble a typical establishment.

The establishment in question appeared to be a dilapidated inn, characterized by a deteriorating roof riddled with cracks. Despite the unsightly and eerie nature of the club, Auden had resolved to enter its premises.

Upon entering the premises, she noted the conspicuous absence of any sign of life apart from the presence of a solitary feline. Auden's gaze swept across the walls, which were adorned with conspicuous sags and cracks, indicative of the detrimental effects of water damage.

Observing the cat, Auden raised her eyebrows and proceeded to approach the creature with cautious steps.

Upon extending her palm towards the cat's black fur, Auden was met with no response except for a soft meow. She tentatively petted the feline's head but quickly halted her actions.

"Will you reveal yourself, or must I resort to coercion?" Auden's initially kind demeanour was now tinged with an ominous undertone.

"Of course, you won't disappoint me," the female voice of the cat replied.

In an instant, a blinding light emanated from the cat, causing Auden to shield her eyes. After the light dissipated, a girl with nine fox tails and ears, like the Kurama from Chinese mythology, stood before Auden. Her regal appearance was accentuated by her traditional Japanese kimono and elaborate hair braids cascading down her back.

The Kitsune girl bowed deeply, bending her head and body in utter humility. Though her surroundings were simple, she radiated an otherworldly nobility. Her eyes shone with a majesty beyond nature.

Auden was left awestruck by the Kitsune girl's appearance. "What are you?" Auden asked without a sense of fear in her tone.

The Kitsune girl responded with a calm voice, "I am a kitsune, your majesty."

As Auden gazed upon the Kitsune girl, a sense of mystique and intrigue engulfed her, evoking a feeling of wonder at the ethereal being before her. Auden didn't speak, expecting the kitsune to continue speaking.

"May I know your Highness's business here?" The kitsune asked.

"I am to visit the club 'Carpe Diem,' but it appears as if my vision of it has been misplaced," Auden admitted while surveying the dilapidated surroundings.

"Oh dear, no. You were very well in the right place, your majesty," the kitsune answered, and Auden could already see the kitsune's sly smile.

Auden, now inquisitive, questioned what was required for entry. "You are indeed quite astute, your majesty," the Kitsune girl commended, her smile widening as Auden raised an eyebrow in response.

"A jewel is what I seek," the Kitsune girl demanded.

"A jewel, it shall be," Auden responded without hesitation, removing her earrings and presenting them to the Kitsune girl. After thoroughly examining the earrings and finally speaking,

"Have a safe journey, your highness."

Before Auden could utter a word of gratitude, the Kitsune girl snapped her fingers, causing the ground beneath Auden to crumble, and she plummeted into an endless pit.

As she fell through the dark, Auden's mind filled with fear and confusion. How had this happened? Her heart beat wildly as she grabbed for anything to hold, but she couldn't find anything.

Despite her perilous situation, Auden managed to maintain her composure, her royal demeanour unwavering even in the face of danger. With a calm resolve, she surveyed her surroundings, searching for any sign of a way out of the abyss.

Neither did the pit end nor did Auden's screams. She screamed till her throat was no longer able to initiate a sound yet the pit didn't come to an end.

With each passing moment, Auden braced herself for the impact that seemed inevitable, and the inevitable happened. The surface was filled with water and had a mossy ground yet it felt like needles on Auden's skin.

Surprised how she still didn't succumb to her death, Auden could feel her forehead bleeding and she could barely feel her legs anymore. Frighted and lost, Auden gasped for help. Despite her efforts to rise, she collapsed back onto the ground, her body screaming with pain.

Auden gritted her teeth, almost aware that her left arm was likely injured or fractured. Exhausted and defeated, Auden gasped for air, her breathing ragged as she waited desperately for someone or anyone to arrive, although it would be a miracle if someone arrived.