Precognition

Gracie was running.

She ran through the gardens, through the alleys, and through the streets. But no matter how much she ran, she could not escape her pursuers.

Gracie did not know who her pursuers were, but she knew she could not let herself be caught.

Unfortunately, no matter how much she ran, her pursuers were always behind her.

Every time she looked back, she could see the shadows behind her, approaching little by little, meter by meter. Each second, they were a bit closer to her.

'Save me! Q_Q '

Gracie tried to scream, but her words were caught in her throat. She tried to speak, but she could not open her mouth.

Looking around, she realized that the streets were desolate. The merchants that normally were selling their wages were not around, the adventurers and hunters going to hunt monsters had disappeared, and the people chatting with their neighbors were gone.

There was nobody there to help her.

"Sister, where are you? Q_Q " She yelled with tears in her eyes.

In a panic, Gracie could only keep running.

Gracie did not know how much or how long she just ran. She only knew that her body was incredibly tired, and her legs hurt. Even taking one step more was hard for her.

It was normal, though. Gracie's body had always been weak. The fact that she managed to run all this while was a mystery.

However, now that she was tired, she could not run anymore.

Gracie did not want to give up. She tried to continue, but her little legs gave up and she collapsed in the ground.

"No!"

Gracie's face was dyed with despair. She looked back and saw the shadows approaching and laughing mockingly to her futile attempts to escape.

"Please..." She managed to blurter out, but her pleading was answered by cruel laughs and smirks.

Then, one of the shadows extended her hand.

But—

"Don't you dare to touch her!"

Salvation finally appeared.

"Gyah!!" With a cry of pain, the shadow grabbed its severed wrist. It cried and screamed in pain and rage while rivers of blood spurt out of its wrist.

She stood there, in front of her. Stella, her sister and protector. She confronted the shadows without fear, unafraid of the unknown enemies. Strangely, the blood of the shadows could not touch her, as though she was an ethereal existence untouched by mortal dust.

"Sister!" Gracie cried happily. Skyler looked back over her shoulder and smiled at her little sister, telling her that everything was going to be alright.

Then, she looked at the shadows with a look of anger.

And pounced forward.

Her daggers danced under the moonlight. Each slash of her daggers drew blood, and each stab pierced a heart. Bodies fell around her, corpses of the shadows that tried to devour Gracie.

But the shadows were unending. They advanced unstoppably, like a flood trying to sweep everything in its path.

Stella fought, and fought, and fought, and fought. Mountains of bodies formed around her, and rivers of blood formed below her feet, but eventually, she was injured.

"Sister!"

And injured again.

Gracie's face turned pale. She wanted to stand up, to fight beside her sister, to protect her, but she could only look while the shadows killed her sister slowly, leaving wound after wound in her sister's beautiful body.

Soon, Stella's arm was severed.

"Sister!"

And her leg was crushed.

"No!"

A sword pierced her belly.

"Please!"

And a dagger stabbed her back.

"No, stop it!!"

She closed her eyes. She did not want to see it, she wanted to wake up. She did not want to see any more of this nightmare.

But it was futile. Even when she closed her eyes, she could see. Even when she covered her ears, she could hear. Even when she tried to ignore everything, she could feel the pain her sister was feeling.

Finally, when Stella could not endure anymore, she collapsed on the ground.

"Sister..." She sobbed. Her body trembled in fear and her eyes cried blood.

She could feel the shadows extending their hands to grab her. To take her away. To bring her to the darkness.

She was the reason behind everything. Behind her sister's suffering, behind her sister's pain, behind her sister's death.

Because she was alive, her sister had to serve the people she hated the most. Because she was alive, her sister was trapped in a cage of constant suffering.

And now, because she was alive, her sister was going to die.

"Please... someone... someone... save us..."

At that instant, she recalled someone or them.

So, Gracie made a wish...

"Save me..."

...And the shadows were erased.

.

. .

. . .

. . . . .

. . . . . .

"Gah... cough...! Cough cough...! Cough cough cough...!"

"Gracie?"Stella rubbed her eyes sleepily. But when she looked at her sister, her expression changed.

"Gracie! What is wrong!?" She grabbed her younger sister's shoulders in panic.

"Cough cough... Cough... Sob... Sob..."

"Gracie, what happened!?"

"Thank the gods..."

"Gracie?"

"Thank the gods, sister... Thank the gods you are alive... Wahhhhhhh!!! 😭 "

"Shhh... Calm down, calm down... Everything is alright." Stella sighed and hugged the fragile body of her sister. "Don't worry, It was only a dream."

"Waaaaahhhhhh...! 😭 "

That night, Gracie hugged her sister as tightly as she could, and she cried as bitterly as she could.

———

"Are you sure about it, Delirious?" Brock asked with a questioning look.

Delirious nodded at a fast pace, "Yes. I heard the news when I was in the market. I was not sure if it was just a rumor, so I asked around and in fact, it's the truth."

Meanwhile, Marcel fell silent. He was thinking about the news Delirious brought just now.

Several hunter parties and adventurer parties were attacked in the last two days. The attacks happened mainly in the north and east of the city.

The ones behind the attacks were monsters. The survivors spoke about several species of monsters working together to kill the parties.

A powerful Rank-8 hunter went to investigate the situation and returned gravely injured. He said that the number of monsters is incredibly high, and they are approaching the city slowly.

According to him, Kalren city will be hit by an unprecedented beast wave. It's estimated that the beast wave will have at least 100,000 monsters, and he confirmed the existence of three A-rank monsters, but perhaps there are more.

Count Liam Arcavdol has asked for the assistance of all the Adventurers and people known to combat in the city in order to defend against the beast wave, he also includes more support from other nearby cities.

The Count already asked for assistance from the palace. Apparently, a Demigod is already rushing to the city at this moment.

The three sighed. This was the worst.

"Do guys think it has something to do with us?" Delirious questions.

"I don't think so, probably tha—... wait a moment, I will confirm the situation." Marcel pulls out a tablet that connects to the surveillance drones all over the city.

Like playing a game, he made the nearest drone close to the forest focus in the zone deep within there.

Instantly, his expression crumpled, and his fear started to bring up.

"Fuck fuck fuck... this is bad. This is totally bad."

"Umm, Basically?"

"Marcel?"

"Hundred thousand monsters my ass. There are at least... two million of them, perhaps more. And more monsters are still coming... Holy shit!" Marcel was pale, he had never seen anything like this before. It is even far worse than the pillage raid back in minecraft they were once played.

This was definitely not a piece of good news.

Brock sighed. "I bet it's all about the Tempest Fennec Delirious killed. Now, its child came for revenge, and they brought an army with them."

The three of them fell silent.

"How did you know it was all my fault exactly o_0 "

"Think about it, when you kill that Jolteon looking pokemon, some serpent made of wood suddenly shows up alongside a horde of monsters, did you think it's only a coincidence? I THINK NOT!"

"I guess you are right." Delirious made a bitter smile.

"Now, some baby animal wants your ass on Obscure Princess' Bride style because of your little decisio—!"

Marcel cutts off, "Guys, there is no time for blaming stuff! Save that for later! And also, I don't think it is that Jolteon's little cub, there is no way one baby could command a giant forest snake and 2 million monsters. There might be something else."

"Alright 😐 "

"Yeah, what are we planning to do now?"

Marcel did not know how to respond. To be honest, he wanted to simply wear his elytra, ready his fireworks and leave this city. Anyway, he doesn't care if this kingdom is overturned for monsters or not.

However, it's different if he and his is the cause behind the monsters' attack.

Another problem is that he could not live with the guilt of causing the death of thousands or perhaps tens of thousands of people. At the very least, he had to do something.

"Welp, we have no choice, let's help."

Brock and Delirious look at each other for a moment before nodding, he guesses they understand his reason.

"Thanks guys." Basically smiled.

Seeing that, Moo could not help but smile too. 

"Well, it looks like we will have to fight soon. Mm, Marcel, do you think our weapons will be ready for then?"

"They will."

"Perfect. Nothing better than some blood and screams of agony from the monsters for our first epic and real battle!" Delirious smiled savagely.

The other two could not help but return his smile.

At that moment, someone burst through the door.

"Mister!"

"Gracie, stop!"

"Sister, let go! I need to talk to the heroes!"

"Gracie, stop this nonsense! I told you that was just a dream!"

'How is she still always talking about that after she was abducted for 2 weeks?"

"Why don't you believe me!?" Gracie bellowed in anger and sadness. "I told you it's real!"

Watching the commotion, the three looked at each other in confusion. In the end, the three of them went to see what was happening.

"Gracie, miss Stella?" Moo asked.

"My hero!" Gracie instantly freed herself of Stella's grasp and charged towards Moo, hugging him. 

"Please, help me!"

"Help you? Gracie, what is happening?"

Basically, Moo, and Delirious were confused. Moo looked at Stella to ask what was happening, but she just shook her head and sighed tiredly.

Fortunately, Gracie calmed quickly and explained the situation.

"So, you are telling us that you have prophetic dreams and that in your dream Moo saves you, and then WE even save the world?" Delirious could not hide his skepticism after hearing Gracie's story.

"Mr. Jonatan, I'm telling the truth!"

Delirious frowned. "Stop calling me that."

"I told you, Gracie. That was just a dream. Stop bothering other people."

"Sister, you have to believe me! Mr... you believe me, right? Q_Q "

Stella sighed. She wanted to tell her sister that nobody would believe such nonsense, but when she saw Basically and Moo's thoughtful faces, her words got caught in her mouth.

A few seconds later, Marcel asked. "Gracie, are you not joking just now?" 

Gracie shook her head. "Of course not, Mr. Cumingham. You have to believe me."

"Pffft! Cumingham!" Delirious laughs.

Looking at him coldly, Basically decided to ignore it and said, "I see... Then, you have seen the three of us, including.. the 'other four' in your dreams? How long have you been having these dreams?"

"Since I was 5... but my dreams of you and your friends only started to appear around 8 days ago."

Marcel, Brock, and Delirious immediately looked at each other. Both could see the astonishment in their eyes because of those three words.

Eight Days Ago.

The same day where they all transported in this world.

But that's not the only thing that makes them surprised.

According to Moo, he didn't tell Gracie more about his friends yet, so to think she knew about the other four was surprising.

"Mr.... do... Do you believe me?"

Brock did not answer immediately. Instead, he asked another question. 

"Gracie, when you told me a few days ago that you knew about the Count's purpose... You saw it in your dreams too?"

Gracie was startled, but she nodded one second later.

Brock exhaled.

After a few seconds, he patted Gracie's head. "Yes, we believe you."

Gracie's eyes opened wide. One second later, her eyes were filled with tears and she started to sob.

"You... Y-You all are the first people that believe me... I knew it, you are the great heroes..."

She then hugged Moo tightly.

Marcel and Delirious smiled wryly; but in the end, none of them stopped her.

Stella looked at the scene with a stupefied look. Finally, Stella could not help but open her mouth.

"Hey, what the hell is happening?"

Marcel first replied. "Ah we should explain it to you later, we should—"

Delirious cuts off, "Fuck that. Miss Stellroids, your little sister can see the future."

"See what?"

"Precognition, that's what it's called. Stella, let me ask you a question, is there some magic that could see the glimpse of the future?"

"Actually, according to my knowledge, seeing the future through their dreams wasn't a thing in Fordalt, and trying to see the future will cost a lot of mana, I mean a large amount that even an Archmaster mage call it a very hard task. It's not possible for Gracie to have such mana, her mana is so small that is nearly nonexistent. But there are some that could see the future unless—..."

"Unless what?"

"Unless received from a deity... I guess."

"..."

For a brief silence, one of the three spoke, "I'm an atheist, so it's kinda triggering."