(Part 3)

...

Noah eventually gained conciousness in a hidden glade1, surrounded by the embrace of old, towering trees. Dim light cut through the leaves, casting patterns of half-light and shadow on the ground. The soft rustle of leaves and distant hoot of owls created an eerie atmosphere, in the dark.

In this secluded place, Noah found himself laid on a bed of moss and leaves. Suprisingly, to him, it felt rather comfortable. The air grew heavy, and an ominous aura settled over the glade.

As his senses gradually returned, he felt the presence of a sudden ominous shadow cast upon him. Raising his head, Noah's eyes locked onto a figure's piercing right eye gleaming deep marroon red. Standing erect directly before him, cloaked by the veil of shadows, the figure's inscrutably sharp features, left Noah in a state of trepidition, his gaze conveying nothing but shivers down his spine--

The very essence of the forest seemed to quiver in submission. 

Noah's eyes shot open wide, his lips parting in a gasp,

"Who is this!?"

"...Where am I?..."

"...It's too dark...But. Why do I encounter a scary person clad in black?"

"And what is happening?"

Uncertainty and bewilderment engulfed Noah's thoughts, and his mind clouded with a maelstrom of hazy questions.

...

Raven's heart fluttered as she tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, 

"I...? How should I...?" she stuttered, her gaze grifting downwards.

Enya sighed, her shoulders slumping. "It's taking so long~ Atleast speak up..." she pouted, her patience waning.

Raven, with her cheeks tinged with a delicate shade of red, averted her eyes. "He left..." she finally admitted.

Enya blinked, sitting upright. "Who? What? Hold on—what happened?" Her confusion was palpable.

"Brother Draven..." Raven whispered, clasping her hands together.

Enya's realization dawned slowly. "Ah, I see. And then?" she questioned. Raven's tears welled up as she wiped them away with her fingertips, her voice trembling.

"I feel like such a failure. I am so dissapointed with myself. He respects our childhood relationship so much and I- I ended up liking him the other way? It's so innappropriate and wrong." 

Enya gazed at her in a gape, "..."

"I should have considered our relationship before thinking in such a way. I... I can't change anything now. It feels unfair. Why am I always bound by expectations? Why can't I be true to myself? Why can't I express my feelings to him? I lack the courage, and that's what makes it futile," Raven sobbed in frustration.

Enya, suprisingly concerned, clasped her hand, "Oh. S-So, you like him. Is this it? No worries. You are dissapointed so soon? You have to trust yourself. A person always makes mistakes, you know." she consoled.

Raven appeared disheartened, her gaze lowered as she continued, "It's pointless. We have quite a big age gap. He is an adult while I am still a child and that is just impossible. How could he possibly be interested in someone like me? Moreover, he may have his eyes on other noble ladies, so I don't stand a chance." 

Enya shook her head, rejecting Raven's doubts, "No way. That can't be. I assure you, Lord Draven isn't someone like that. I'm sure he would understand your feelings if you talk to him calmly and with love...?" she clarified, nodding in assurance.

As Enya tucked her hair behind her ear, she offered a comforting gaze to Raven, who was in tears. Anxious but determined, Enya's brows furrowed as she awkwardly smiled. "...Though misery- he's gone. Anyways! Um... You should leave it to me. I'll help. I will. B-But please don't be sad. Don't cry. Please..." she requested.

Raven gazed at her, whispering, "How nice you are, Enya...Always working things out for others...even when you're not familiar with such matters and already have so much weight to bear." 

Enya glanced at her with a grin, "So what? You are my friend. But, hey, don't try to divert my mind, okay? I mean I like you and Lord Draven together. Let me tell you, we have to think practically in this scenario." 

Frowning slightly, Raven questioned, "Think practically? How so?" 

Holding onto a glimmer of hope, she asked, "But what will you do? Will you really help me?" Enya nodded smiling.

Raven confirmed, once more, "Are you sure...?" 

Enya softly chuckled, giving Raven's shoulder a reassuring pat. "Your feelings are strong. I'll do anything to get you both together, I swear. Besides, I have to become the Grand Cheif Commander. This is a small issue." she grinned with a snap of her fingers.

"But remember, this is our secret from now on, alright? In your world, you have a friend named Enya who's going to make Lord Draven yours," Enya declared as she wiped away Raven's tears.

Touched by her words, Raven wept tears of joy. "Little Enya, thank you," she whispered, embracing Enya lovingly. Enya grinned and hugged her back. "Thank you. How can I ever repay your favor? It's like my burden is shared. You are so sweet." Raven continued.

Enya, beaming, nodded, "Yeah, I know."

Raven blinked, loosening her grip,

"What...do you know?"

"That I'm sweet." 

Raven chuckled heartily.

Enya patting her shoulder, advised, "Just remember one thing. Learn to think wisely and work out possiblities in every aspect of life. Don't let anyone toy with your feelings, got it?" 

Raven nodded, with a bright smile.

Suddenly, Enya smacked her own forehead and pouted, "Oh no, I have training to attend. I am super late! It's almost night! I also need to prepare for the duel tomorrow, and I forgot to inform Ameren that I'll be late due to night duty. What a big mess! She must be busy too and Noah? He would be alone. What should I do now?" she fretted, recalling her responsibilities.

Raven patted her shoulder, reassuringly, "Haiz. So much work? Don't worry, leave it to me. I will tell Raphael to go and inform your schedule to her, how's that? This way, you don't have to bother. And after all, Raphael is very nice; he always listens to me." 

"True?" Enya asked in relief as Raven offered her a nod. Taking a relieved sigh, Enya stood up, "Thank you, you truly are an angel..." she expressed before leaving for her training.

Raven smiled ever so lightly, "Oh Dear God, I really love her for some reason." she mumbled in sheer joy and hope.

__

Noah gazed wide-eyed, panic coursing through his veins as he hastily sat up. Squinting in fear, he stammered, "Excuse me. Who are you?"

However, there came no response. Noah's heart raced wildly in his chest as the grim truth dawned on him — he was encircled by a dangerous group of men appearing. There was no mistaking their intentions; in the midst of the dense woods, they exuded an unmistakable aura of danger, some of them brandishing knives.

There, of course, was no chance that they were mere passerby.

Maybe having sensed this shady air, the woods seemed frozen with a cold silence, no one attempting to step outside.

Yet amid, there stood a figure, a shadow veiled in obscurity of the night, just before Noah's eyes.

"You... You forced us into offense!" one of the men growled, while cracking his knuckles. "Yeah, the kid is our prey, Back off!" another one added.

"Do you really think you can stand up to bandits like us? You're so scrawny! Hmph. Let's kill him," more of them sneered menacingly.

Bandits- known for slavery and abuse, weren't rare. Even within the most prominent clan, criminals roamed freely, blending seamlessly into the woods or hidden alleys, just as they were accustomed to doing in ordinary realms.

Noah's apprehension deepened, and he instinctively clutched his own arms, shuddering not only from the biting cold in the air but also from the oppressive silence that surrounded him. "B-bandits? What in the world is happening? So many people. I'm scared. Where am I?"

Noah's attention momentarily diverted to a tiny bird perched nearby. His eyes widened in surprise as he gently reached out to touch it. The same injured bird seemingly drawn towards him, flew stumbling closer as Noah cradled it in his tiny hands, "You are here? I am glad you are fine." he whispered with a faintly wide smile.

Suddenly, a shrill, bone-chilling screech tore through the air, and Noah's eyes widened as he witnessed the men charging forward. Their knives glinted with deadly intent, all aimed at a lone figure standing in their midst. Noah furrowed his brows, trying to understand why they were targeting this person.

In the fading gloom, the least Noah could make out was the figure's silhouette, which remained ominously still. The rustling leaves and chirping birds fell into a silence so profound that the wilderness held its breath.

The men unleashed energy blasts, their desperate attempts escalating in intensity. 

As the men closed in with lethal intent, a purplish-black mist surged outward in a wave, cleaving through them like ravenous beasts. At once, the gang toppled and hurled through the air, fading swiftly into oblivion.

Noah, bewildered, dove for cover behind a nearby tree as his heart raced. He couldn't help but wonder,

"...W-what just happened?"

With his gaze fixed at the figure, Noah gasped clueless, "...He isn't even moving..." 

But the relentless bandits regrouped, launching a brutal onslaught of energy blasts toward the figure, "Tch, you miserable wretch! Dare to provoke us, just Die!" A warning pervaded the expanse.

Noah fell into a trance as the ground beneath them ruptured into a violent, whirling vortex of energy, with the darkest depths surging to life. All who had been drifting within were voraciously swallowed up, sinking into the unfathomable abyss.

Under the influence of the aura it left, Noah's frail body grew weaker, "Everything is happening so fast and it's strange...I can't understand."

Instantaneously, a menacing presence appeared behind him, casting a deathly glare his way,

"Don't even dream of escaping from us, boy," a man hissed, his obsessive voice echoing as he brandished a knife.

Paralyzed with fear, Noah sweated profusely, "...Why? Why are these men after me?" his thoughts raced.

Noah clenched his eyes shut, desperately hoping it was a false alarm. But when he dared to reopen them, he bore witness to the figure seizing the ominous man, by the neck. His fingers coiled tightly around the throat, and with a swift, merciless motion, flung it aside. "He? He's so heartless!?" Noah whispered with a gulp, a deep frown etching across his face.

Accompanied by ear-piercing wails, within seconds, the entire horde of bandits vanquished to mere- nothingness. 

Noah felt torn between his instincts and remorse for his earlier actions. However, the sight was so unbelievably shocking that he couldn't help but gulp, 

"...What was that? Where did they all even...go...?"

Overwhelmed by the unexpected turn of events, he stumbled to the ground, wordless. 

The woods, once more, regained its calm.

As he emerged into the faint moonlight filtering through the trees, Noah's gaze followed the shadowy figure. Even the wind, which had once whispered through the trees, seemed to wither away as Noah eyed him with cautious scrutiny, furrowing his brows in fear and hesitation, "I'll ask again: Who are you, who were those men? Where am I?" he questioned.

For a brief moment, Noah summoned the courage to rise and step forward, his fear momentarily pushed aside. "Please tell me," he spoke up with naive assumptions, "Did they kidnap me? I have read that bandits really do so."

Noah strained to discern the figure before him, who gradually turned away, revealing a long braid hanging down his back, brushing against the ground.

"That's true." Was the response, devoid of emotion—

Looking up at him, Noah began to grasp the situation. "So it's true, huh?" he mused, "I see...which means that if it wasn't for him, God knows where I would have been taken!!" he gulped awkwardly in his thoughts, with a bead of sweat.

Looking below, Noah realised, "I don't even know the way home... How will I find the herbalist shop near the cobblestone street? How will I return home? It's so dark..." he muttered aloud biting his lip in confusion and worry.

Noah cautiously peeked at him with an uncertain smile. His innocent curiosity overtaking his reservations, he clasped his hands behind his back and stepped forward.

"Well... that's some dark aura you have around you...Um, my name is Noah. You seemed to help me from those bad people?... Mind sharing your name?"