The mansion

"So your saying that this ruby is like a cellphone?" 

CLANK!

"Yes, it's supposed to contact one of the Lespri that I met....and also almost killed me." Raphaela was explaining the ruby type phone to Jason and Ms. Summers while both Raphaela and him are sparing.

THRASH!

Even though they saw the video of the demons giving her the ruby it was still a strange object.

THUD!

"Do you know how to use it?" Jason asked, but Raphaela shook her head.

"No, they didn't tell me how to use it at all." 

Raphaela ran to his side to attack him but he was too quick, he swung his leg under her moving one and tripped her. 

"THOR!"

When Raphaela screamed their name Thor, who was playing with Brim, ran and thrusted into Jason's side, bringing him down.

"Ngh! what the hell, I thought this was a sparing match between me and you!" Jason sat up and Raphaela chuckled.

"Sorry Jason I didn't mean to hit you so hard." Thor licked his head as an apology.

"Ahhhh! Make him stop!" 

Raphaela sat on the ground looking in the distance. For a while now she hasn't had any dreams, she didn't know the reason for it but she had a feeling that it might be because of the last dream she had.

It's been a week since the other members made their choice, Jason and Raphaela have been to a few low level gates to increase their states.

"Raphaela your job is support yes? Also your looking at your skill you still have just one, why is that?" Ms. Summers walked up to them with some water and a bowl for Thor.

"Huh? Yeah when I get a new skill I doesn't show up to other people, and the only way i can keep them is by using it consecutively for three days." Raphaela replied. She got up and walked other to Thor explaining some more.

"And when I give it to others it's only temporary. When i run out of hp then that skill I lent them runs out as well. For Thor on the other hand since their my familiar I can give him a skill or attribute and they'll keep it." 

"Interesting, and since levels don't exist in the system, skills and attributes are the only thing that matters and it seems you can copy and keep as much as you like, that's kinda op Raphaela"

"Yeah, it is kind of op." Raphaela had alwaysed thought so too. The power she has is immense, was it right to give it to someone like her. 

"Ah I see. Well, I have news for the two of you." Ms. Summers brought out a tablet and shoved it into Raphaela's face.

"Your not the only one who went inside a low ranking gate only for it to a high ranking gate instead." Ms. Summers shouted at her. Taking the tablet out of her hands Raphaela looked at the video that was playing.

 People from around the world have experienced the same phenomenon as her, And It looks like it's increased over the past few years too. Different governments have tried to figure out why this was happening but couldn't find anything out about it. 

"Hm, that really is strange." Raphaela handed the tablet back Ms. Summers. Brim sat next to her and gave her some ominous words again.

"Your going to see a familiar face soon Ms. Raphaela." Brim said. He got up and went to go play with Thor some more.

'That kid always has something creepy to say to me, dose he hate me or something.' She thought. 

"Don't worry about his word for now Raphaela, maybe you'll see and old friend again or a family member you haven't seen in a while." Jason said trying to reassure her. 

"Thanks." She said. Looking down at the grass, she thought about her family. Her mom, dad, and sister, she wondered how they were doing without out her, if they think about her at all.

Deep in her mind she knows what they think of her, after all she's done there is no way any of their thoughts were good. She smiles and laughs at herself.

'They wouldn't care if I live or died right now. I wonder if-' Her thoughts were interrupted by everyone's phones ringing simultaneously.

Pulling out their phones they saw a live news feed from Ethiopia. The reporter seems to be standing Infront of a massive gate.

"This morning we received reports about a massive gate here in Dire Dawa Ethiopia...." 

The reporter continues to explain the situation and as the camera pans to the gate to show a message by the system that reads "The Abandoned Mansion".

"So. It seems that many guilds and solo seekers are gonna have a field day with this." said Ms. Summers.

"Yup! looks like we're gonna have to sign up to go there." Jason commented.

"There's going to be journalist and reporters there too." Ms. Summer look at Raphaela and continued. 

"This could be a good chance to put a little parasite in peoples head." 

 "That's a weird thing to say and I'm pretty sure that's not how you say that." Raphaela got up and stretched, walking towards the exit she called for Thor. She stopped walking and asked Jason a question. 

"Do you think we're gonna be ok when we get there?" 

Heaving a sigh he answerers.

"To be honest probably not." Jason gave her a nervous smile, Laughing a little.

Raphaela frowned, walking to her room in the guild she couldn't help but jump on her bed.

'We've only trained for a week, there's no way were comin out of this unharmed' Looking at the ceiling she thinks back to what brim said, a smile creeping up on her face.

'Maybe he means I'll see Judeline again.' Her smile became wider.

It had been a while since she had a dream about her, It had been tearing her up inside that she hadn't dreamt of her. Raphaela had thought she had done something wrong to cause her to have no dreams, she has not been able to dream anything at all and now that she thinks about it the only dreams she has since her reliving was about Judeline.

'Huh, that's strange isn't it?' She thought while falling asleep, she again had no dreams.

***

The next few days Raphaela, Thor, and Jason were getting ready to head to Ethiopia to enter the giant gate. As they arrived to their destination, many news reporter and journalist were at the scene wait to get an interview with a famous guild member or strong looking person.

Raphaela was sweating a little even though it was a cold November day, the cameras everywhere made her stomach churn. She kept looking every which way, her eyes landing on Jason's hand that was shaking moving to his face he was sweating too. This made her chuckle at herself.

'At least I'm not the only one nervous.' She thought. She put a hand on his shoulder and he jumped in surprise. 

"Lets get the most powerful item in there and get their attention." Raphaela said with a wink and an awkward smile.

Jason looked at her and laughed at her strange attempt to comfort him. 

"Yeah lets do that." He said.

"And don't worry, I got your back." She reassured him. 

"LOOK IT'S JOO OH-NAM FROM RESURGENCE KOREA!!!!" Said a reporter.

The camera's turned to look at a short man good looking middle aged man. and next to him were two other men as well, one tall with a with a white mask and the other also tall but angry looking man.

A crowed quickly formed around them and with the commotion came even more noise as two new groups came in. A high ranking seeker from red jade and steal tail came.

"This is our que to go in." Jason said. 

Raphaela nodded as they both went in the gate, A bright light pierced their eyes and when it cleared Raphaela was alone in a corridor. It was night time and through the many windows of the long corridor she could see the orange moon.

'Huh? Where the hell is Jason?' Raphaela walked down the hallway, there were no doors except for a large door at the end of the corridor.

When Raphaela reaches the door she pauses for a second. She felt as though if she opens the door then whatever was on the other side would do something, she wasn't sure what that "something" was but it almost made her turn back.

She stared at the handle then looks behind herself at the dark long corridor. There was nothing but darkness only the light of the orange moon lit up the hallway slightly. 

"Come in." Said a familiar voice.

Raphaela turned her head back to the door, looking at it in disbelief.

"It's time that you see the real me Ela." 

'There's no doubt about it, that person speaking must be-' She thought.

And without thinking she swung open the door. Inside the room was a giant greenhouse. Flowers everywhere and stone steps were leading to an alter in the fair end, dark oak like pews all around and a statues of lady in a top hat was behind the alter. It was mesmerizing. 

"JUDELINE!" Raphaela yelled out and as she did the the door slammed behind her. The orange moon lights shining brighter than before almost blinding her and that familiar voice rang out. 

"Oh Raphaela~ It's been a while huh?" The voice said but now a little distorted. 

Raphaela's stomach dropped. How could she have been so stupid, She went into enemy territory just because she heard Judeline's voice.

"She really is an idiot, what would Judeline think of her now? And how will she be able to escape this place by herself?" Said the voice.

"Who are you!" Raphaela yelled in a panic.

"Taking a stance she grabbed a sword out of her inventory and slowly walked around to see where the voice was coming from." 

'I-it's saying what I'm doing!' She thought. Her hands were shaking and her breath became unstable. 

"Why do you have her voice! Show yourself!" she screamed.

"Hehe." It chuckled. 

"And why would i show myself to someone like you?" It taunted.

"L-like me?" Raphaela asked.

"Yes little Ela. Oops! isn't that what your momma used to call you? HEHE!" Filled with anger now Raphaela yells back at the voice.

"WHY DO YOU HAVE HER VOICE!! DO YOU THINK YOU KNOW ANYTHING? NO YOU DONT SO STOP IT!"

"Ahhhh~ I'm so scared!" Sighing the voice continued to dig at her mocking her insecurities, spilling her most vile secrets.

"Your such a fat fucking loser aren't you? All you do is make other people feel like shit. My~ by just existing your already doing that without lifting a finger huh?"

Tears welded up in her eyes as she swung her sward around. She was getting tired and angrier by the minute. The moons light shining down on her.

"Haha! just look at you your pathetic. You mistreated your family and friends."

"STOP IT!"

the light from the moon became even brighter hurting Raphaela's eyes. She closed her eye as she kept swinging her sword around manically.

"You push everyone away and you think just because you've vowed to change that you would be better? And lets not get started on how you tried to kill someone."

The room was now somewhere else. It was night time in a parking lot, a women was walking to her apartment. As the women walked up the stairs and to her floor someone came running up behind her. 

"W-wait. T-this is-" Raphaela's legs gave in.

Holding her neck the women fell to the ground her attacker hovering over her.

"I-I-I d-d-didn't mean to. She wouldn't stop talking to him and she just kept on meeting with him even though i told her how i felt about him."

"Was that your excuse? That she wouldn't stop talking to the one you love? If so then I don't think that fifteen years in prison helped you at all?"

The scene kept playing over and over again, Torturing her. Raphaela was on her knees hyperventilating.

"You woke up from your coma you tried to hide your anger towards others but you and I both now that that wouldn't last long at all. You didn't deserve a second chance but out of all the good people some how that little witch chose you." 

"Don't you dare talk about Judeline like that! S-she d-different than me, she's kind and caring and even after hearing about me for thousands of years she chose me anyway. She's not a witch at all."

Raising her head to where the voice came from Raphaela saw a person with no eye's or nose but with ears and many mouths. It's skin was sickly pale with a wide smiles all over itself."

"OH! I don't want to spoil that witches plan! It would cause you more pain of I keep my mouths shut but you look so torn up right now!" 

'Plan what plan is it talking about?' Raphaela thought.

"Would Judeline do something to hurt me? There's no way right? She said I was different then the rest, that I was important to her." Raphaela whispered to herself. 

"Oh look at you slowly figuring it out! Well it's better to figure it out in the beginning than in the end right so I'll go on and tell you then!" 

"No." She whispered. Tears falling from her face she started balling her eyes out.

"YES! She using you to get closer to someone else she loves and that person is the one you killed! when she saw that you, the killer of her real lover died she took that chance to use your soul as a leverage to bring her back from limbo!"

"N-n-no."

"Aw~ Come on let me finish. The little ritual worked and her lover was able to come back to life, however the witch made one mistake and not only did that mistake bring you back to life but it also awakened your abilities."

Raphaela laid on the floor in the fetal position, crying and reputedly saying "no" over and over again.

"A-and what's more is that the witch only showed herself to you in her dreams to try and take your power away but she couldn't do that thanks to the all seeing system, so when she failed she left you!" 

'What's the point of me now? It was all a lie?'

"Yes it was all a lie little killer. You said you wanted to save both my world and yours but look at you. Weak, useless, and hopeless." The omnipotent being laughed at Raphaela pain almost crying.

Hearing those words Raphaela cried harder than before, trying to drowning out the sound of the laughter.

"Your right! your right about everything!" She yelled though sobs.

"Oh?"

"I push everyone away, I hurt people, I should have stayed in jail!"

"Yes, yes, go ooooon!"

"I lie and cheat. I'm a MURDERER!" 

"YES! YES YOU ARE!" 

Raphaela broke out of her fetal position and looked at the being Infront of her who's smiles were so wide it filled it's body, It terrified her.

"You. Do you really want to save the world or is are you just saying that you'd do it to make yourself better?" For the first time since they've met the beings smile faded and was replace with frown.

Raphaela stopped crying, she thought about it. Did she really want to save both of their worlds? Looking back at her time on her own planet it hadn't been pleasant at all and not to mention the world she was in now has been deadly and cruel.

Thinking more about it though, all she's been doing is make false promises to people when deep down she knew that she couldn't keep them. All Raphaela wanted was to show the world she's changed but she hasn't really made any changes yet at all.

Thor, Ms. Summers, Jason, Mambo, the king. They all trusted her and she failed them.

"But." Raphaela started to cry again.

"But I don't want to fail them. I want to show them that they can rely on me, that I'll become stronger to save all of us."

"Hmm that wasn't an answer."

Raphaela wiped her tears away and got up. The scenery finally changed back to the greenhouse. 

"I want to save both of our world for me and everyone I promised."

The being once again smiled, raising their hands in the air the ground started to shake.

"Well done! Well done! No one has entered this greenhouse since that wedding ten thousand years ago! I'm glad I finally got to meet someone and not to mention someone from another world no less. Well i guess your not the first but still"

The floor stops shaking and the statue moves to reveal a hidden door.

"Go in there if you want, there might be something in there that might help you, but you might need to hurry. Your friends are there trying to fight my master."

"What! Thor and Jason?" Raphaela said in surprise.

"Yes those two." 

Raphaela wanted to leave and join them but with how weak she is now she goes to the hidden door and opens it. Behind the door were three mannequin with three different clothes.

A beautiful whit wedding dress, across from it was an equally beautiful white dress like suit Behind both of them was a black long robe that almost looked like a uniform and around the mannequin's neck was a small tear dropped shaped jewel in the middle. The robe were the most beautiful to her and with no time she touched the robe and the text box popped up.

[ Items have been put in your inventory ]

[Room has been cleared]

[Your stamina has increased 50]

[Intelligence has increased by 70]

[Your strength has increased by 20]

[Conditions have been meet. You have filled the intelligence meter, you are now able to keep skills without using them for three days. You have filled the stamina meter, you are now able to permanently give others more stamina.]

Now that the room is cleared Raphaela was about to leave but asked the being a question.

"There is a boy I know, he can see the future or something like that, he said that I would see someone familiar today, was that someone you?"

The being took a moment to answer the question. When it found the right words to say the answer mad Raphaela confused.

"Probably."

This thing that has the ability to go into her mind and control spaces and maybe time didn't know the answer to her question at all? Now this really made her feel uneasy.

"You should probably go now. Just go out the door and you'll see a door on your left."

Raphaela did what the being said, She went out the door and just like it said there was a door on the left that wasn't there before. She cautiously opens the door and enters it.

It was a large circular room, she was on the third floor. Sounds at people fighting could be heard and as she walked towards the balcony and looked down she saw those people from Resurgence and Jason fight a familiar Lespri.

'Uh! That's Mambo!'