Doubt

Ray takes a firm stand on the sands.

Ray: (Shallow attack won't work on this creature…)

He focus on the creature being toss in midair.

Ray: (I need to concentrate.)

Ray energy flickers. A speck of lights circulates his body. He closed his eyes and let the energy flow in every corner of his body. He sensed that the creature is closing it gaps.

Ray: "It's now or never…DIVIDE!!!"

The four large swords split into eight swords.

Ray: "So eight is my limit…Now is the time to finish this!"

A strong wind blows away all the sands beneath his feet. The swords brighten and sparkle.

Ray: "DICE!!!"

The massive body of the Hydra was torn into shred and pieces. The creature's blood caused rain and dyed the sands. Ray's swords cracked and shuttered.

Ray: *pant* *pant* *pant* "I did it."

Ray's body reached its limit.

Nympha: "Ray!!! Are you alright?!!" She shouted from a distance.

He slowly turned his head.

Ray: "Sis---"

Ray's body suddenly collapsed.

Nympha: *sigh* "I guess he run out of energy."

The Hydra's dead body turned into a dark mist and disappeared. The harsh winds returned to its calmness.

"Mingas! A Hydra living in the Ghost Dessert of Sahara was slayed! Congratulations in your achievement!" The Tune of the Winds was heard by all the living creatures in the realm. This announcement shook everyone.

A small transparent screen popped out.

Nympha: "That's odd. Why Ray's name wasn't mentioned?" She starts to read every detail. "Eh?!!! Why is my name written here? I'm not the one who killed it!" This shocked her. (Did the Tune of the Winds make a mistake?…That can't be.)

She went to where Ray's body lies. She grabbed his arm and put it on her shoulder. She was surprised the moment she saw Ray's face.

Nympha: "What are these?!!"

===========================================================

=Guild of the Shield Faction==

*BLAAAG!*

The door was forcefully opened.

Ms. Kara: "GUILD MASTER!!!"

The guild master is standing in the corner of his office holding one document.

Ms. Kara: "Guild Mast---"

GM Esley: "Kara…would you mind to close the door?"

Ms. Kara: "My apology." She followed what was order.

GM Esley: "Now do sit down and we'll discuss."

She took a sit beside the guild master's desk.

Ms. Kara: "I already said it once. This mission is risky." The guild master looked at the head receptionist direction. "It's---" She ceased to speak.

GM Esley: "It is. But that's not the main concern here. You must have heard it. The announcement of the Tune of the Winds."

She recalled the announcement made.

Ms. Kara: "A tank…killed a Hydra."

The guild master's face is grim.

GM Esley: "This is my first time hearing a result like this. We tanks are indeed capable individuals. We serve to support a party because of our innate defense ability. But we're not fighters, we can't kill a creature as powerful as a Hydra…This may disrupt the balance of the realm."

Ms. Kara: "That concerns me as well."

GM Esley: "What's her name again?"

Ms. Kara: "Nympha."

GM Esley: "I see." (We will a have a talk, once you three get back.)

==========================================================

=Above the Plains=

Nympha: "Hey, Celsius do you happen to know what this is?"

Celsius: "Wait…I'm a nomad. Why me?"

Nympha: "Aren't you the type of person who knew it all?"

Celsius: "I beg to differ. I'm not interested in studying human specifies. I mean, I should be the one doing the questioning here."

Nympha: "What?"

Celsius: "Do human specifies grow dark horns?"

Ray's unconscious body was taken back to a small camp Nympha and Celsius built hidden somewhere in the forest.

Nympha stared at the dark horns on Ray's forehead.

Nympha: (Just what are these? And what are you?)

Celsius is busy finding any records about Ray's abnormal condition. In a moment time passed, he gave up.

Celsius: "No luck…There aren't any reports regarding his condition. Should we at least treat him first?"

Ray was badly injured. He was laid on a piece of a large leaf.

Nympha: "All I can do was sustain his vitality. We need to go back to the city and let him be treated."

Celsius can't help but to admit that their first mission is a failure.

Celsius: *sigh* "Yes, let's do that. I'll just have to wait for another year then."

Nympha suddenly felt an invisible force surrounding them.

Nympha: (Quick! Celsius, cover Ray's body. We are not alone.)

Celsius immediately followed.

Nympha released an amount of energy.

Nympha: "RESTRAIN!"

She stopped the movements of the unknown individuals watching them.

*Chick!*

Nympha: (They broke it!…Celsius, come near.)

Celsius moved quietly as he can.

Celsius: (What are they? Could it be rogues?)

Nympha: (I'm not sure. But one thing I know is, they are strong.)

They heard the footsteps approaching.

Nympha: "REVEAL YOURSELVES!"

Two figure suddenly appears in front of them. They are wearing robes with hoods. They slowly took off their hood and revealed their faces. The other one was the same beautiful lady who fought Berdo during the Founding Festival.

Nympha: (This woman…If I'm not mistake her name was---)

Companion: "Lire…let's leave these kids alone." The one with a deep purple hair spoke.

Nympha: (Right. Lire, the S Rank Scout. So that's why they easily broke my skill.)

Lire: "Hold on, Mira."

Mira: "Look, we don't have anything to do here anymore. Killing that Hydra is our mission but we failed. So might as well go back."

Lire just ignored her.

Lire: "Children, what are you doing here?" Her voice is indifferent and distant.

Nympha: "We are also on our mission, ma'am."

Lire: "Is this nomad child your client?"

Celsius: "Yes, I---I am." He's somewhat flustered.

Nympha: (Celsius, remain calm. They are not rogues.)

Celsius: (I'm just worried if they found out about Ray.)

Lire scanned the surrounding and noticed something. She looked at the direction where the two kids are focused. Their eyes are set on the leaf that was covered with dark blanket.

Celsius: (Please don't notice it!)

Nympha: "Hmm. You see, I think your companion was right. You don't need to bother us. We're going after taking a break."

She tried to change the topic but Lire ,with her quick steps, approached the leaf.

Nympha: (She's quick! I didn't see her movement.) "Wait---"

Lire opened the blanket. Nympha and Celsius were shocked but they managed to compose themselves.

Lire: "Is this also your companion?"

Ray's dark horn suddenly disappeared and his body returned to normal. Not even a single trace of wounds were found on his body. He is sleeping soundly.

Nympha: (Celsius, did you do something?)

Celsius: (Huh?…No.)

Lire: "Ehem…Children, is this kid one of your companions?" She repeated.

"Yes ma'am." Both of them answered.

Mira: "Lire, what are you still doing? You're starting to act weird. Let's go."

Lire: "Okay."

She slowly walks towards her.

Mira: *sigh*

Nympha and Celsius felt relief.

Nympha: (I don't know what happen…but thank goodness, they didn't saw that.)

Celsius: *deep breath* (I agree.)

Mira: "Lire, come quic---"

Lire instantly summoned her bow and fired two rapid shots directly at Ray.

*Whoosh!* Whoosh!*

Both parties were shocked.

Nympha: "Ray!!!" She was too late to react.

Suddenly, a golden aura engulfs Nympha's body. And as if time became slow, she saw the two wind arrows gaining close to Ray.

*CLANG!* *CLANG!*

The attacks were blocked by Nympha.

Nympha: (This might be the Goddess' Blessing.) She is now emitting a golden aura.

Mira: "Lire, just what did you do?!"

Lire ignored those words and looked at Celsius and Nympha.

Mira: "Did you go nuts?!"

Lire: "It's nothing."

Mira: "What do you mean nothing? You tried to kill their companion!"

Lire: "I said it's nothing. Let's go." She suddenly vanished.

Mira was left behind. She looked at the two kids.

Mira: "I'm really sorry. I didn't know why she did that. I will punish her once we get back on the guild."

Celsius: (Tch! She intended to do that.)

Nympha: (Celsius, calm down.) "It's okay. No harm done." She managed to smile.

Mira turned her back and vanished. Nympha and Celsius quickly checked on Ray.

Celsius: "Whoa! This is amazing. Look at him. Not even a scratch."

Nympha: "This kid needs to wake up soon. He needs a lot of explaining to do."

============================================================

Back when Lire opened the dark blanket, she recognized the same boy who defeated Berdo.

Lire: (Why did they look so nervous upon me discovering the body? Could it be that that kid is hiding something?)

=============================================================

Ray body begins to move. His eyes slowly open. He saw the beautiful dark sky with the glimmering stars.

Ray: "Where are we?"

Celsius: "Still here above…Miss Nympha, he's awake."

Ray rolled out the blanket and stood up.

Nympha: "Let's eat first."

The party is eating a heartily meal under the clear night sky.

Nympha: "The night is beautiful here, isn't it?"

Ray: "It is."

Celsius: "Well, we don't experience night and day underground."

Nympha looked at Celsius with blank face.

Celsius: "Right. Go on."

Nympha put her bowl of soup and looked at Ray.

Nympha: "Ray…you're not like us, are you?"

Ray got choked.

Ray: *cough* *cough* "What do you mean?" He couldn't look at her.

Nympha stayed silent. Celsius looks at him as well.

Celsius: "Ray, we need to know. What are you?"

=0=