Following a dirt path across the cornfield, the three girls head toward the tall wall hiding the horizon. Two colossal statues greet them at the door. Scarlet approaches a window; on the other side sits a guard.

  “Good afternoon, sir. We have a travel pass.” The redhead takes out a piece of paper from her jacket and shows it to the guard.

  “Seems legit. Make a line; I have to check out your techniques. Unless they’re already registered.”

  “Scarlet Cravenscar; should be on the list.”

  “Yeah, that’s right; {Blood Manipulation}. You two, show me what your technique can do.”

  Aira makes her way to stand beside Scarlet and stabs her with a knife. Then, she rests her hand on the wound and heals her. The redhead likes Aira’s enthusiasm. The guard writes down Airaiel’s name and her technique right beside it.

  “Why do we have to do this?” Rose asks.

  “It’s illegal to carry certain kinds of goods out of the country. We write down the name and technique of anyone that passes through these walls. There are some techniques that can store and carry objects, so we can prevent people using them by knowing their techniques beforehand,” the guard says.

  “Well… The problem is that my technique only activates when I’m hitting something I consider an enemy. I can’t use it at will.”

  “That is why we have this,” says the guard as he takes out a cage with an abyss beast locked inside it.

  It startles Aira. Scarlet seems unmoved. Rose sticks Valor into the ground.

  “Release it.”

  The guard opens the cage and the beast jumps toward Rose.

  One; two; three; four. The fifth hit destroys the beast in a huge fiery pink explosion. Aira smiles and Scarlet looks impressed.

  “Wow, I’d never seen it in person!”

  “That’s my technique.”

  “What’s its name?”

  “It does not seem to have been previously registered,” Aira intervenes.

  “All the better; she gets to name it.”

  “I can?”

  Rose thinks for a moment. There are so many options, but she can recall something she said during her fight against the Elemental. The ideal name for an ability so lethal, yet wielded by someone who doesn’t enjoy murder. A perfect denomination for the last thing every evil creature she faces will see.

  {Infernal Combo}.

  “That’s gonna be the name.”

  “Perfect, Rossett Imperor… Wait a minute… You’re related to Julien?”

  “I’m his daughter.”

  “Good luck on your journey, then, princess. Whatever you may need, we’re at your service.”

  “Thanks a lot, but it won’t be necessary. I prefer that my royal privileges remain at home.”

  “Is that why you did not say your full name back at the swamp?” Aira asks, finally connecting the dots.

  “Exactly. It’s not fun if everyone treats me like I’m a superior being. Besides, I don’t wanna start considering myself that important before I’ve even done anything.”

  “You’re weird, Rosy. I like that; we mesh well together.” Scarlet pats her on the back and Rose laughs.

  They bid the guard farewell and walk out through the gates. To their left, the wall continues, then turns north, surrounding the abyss.

  “Has either of you wondered… what’s behind those walls?” the redhead says.

  “I have always preferred to ignore it. The mere thought of what the abyss could contain… is frightening,” the priestess answers.

  The author's narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

  “I’d never seen it up close like this… Look, the sky above the abyss is darker than the rest of it.”

  In the sky, the clouds form what looks like a black tornado. A pitch black darkness that no light is able to penetrate. A malevolent sensation radiates from the other side of the wall.

  The three adventurers walk through the dunes under the blazing sun. The sand moves beneath their feet. Rose ends up resting her weight on a cactus after wandering without looking at her surroundings. The assassin doubles over with laughter at the princess’s clumsiness and ends up rolling down a steep dune.

  A blood parasol gives them shade from the sun. To keep the object intact, the redhead cuts herself, then regenerates. The pain doesn’t bother her, although she does feel it. She’s got used to it. The sands clashes against the forest’s fresh dirt. The trees hide the sun once again, and the birds sing anew. From amidst the branches, squirrels peek at the new visitors. The princess takes a deep breath of forest air; a nice ‘welcome home’. Carrying leaves on their backs, ants beeline to their house. The sunlight slowly disappears on the horizon, and night’s shadow takes over the forest.

  Four stakes dug into the dirt and a firmly tied up tent. Three sleeping bags await their owners, who are eating dinner and sharing stories around the glowing campfire. Sparks fly out of the lit wood, yet they go out against the rocks that surround the fire. Under the flame, the steak browns without burning.

  For the first time, sleep finds Rose before the rest of her team. Scarlet keeps a smile on her face, even as she closes her eyes. The priestess keeps watching the redhead, her gaze carrying a hint of suspicion and distrust.

  “Y’know, it’s hard to sleep when you’re staring daggers at me like that.” Her words startle Aira; she didn’t expect Scarlet to notice.

  “I… I apologize.”

  “I guess you don’t trust me much, do you?”

  “You are not wrong…”

  “I get it… I’ll tell you a story. Many years ago, over fifteen years, actually, my parents were murdered.” The priestess covers her mouth, surprised and concerned. “I thought I’d never be able to trust anyone again after that, but luckily for me, Miss Cruz appeared in my life. She saved me from a situation I was stuck in back then. That’s why I worked for her. You seem to have gone through a lot. I don’t know exactly what happened… but the way Rose looks at you, it says more than what you might want to tell me…”

  “You really… are too perceptive,” Aira says, curled up in her sleeping bag. Her eyes brim with tears, which slowly start rolling down her cheeks.

  “It’s the one thing I’m good at; it’s easy for me to read people. But I’m not particularly empathetic like your friend.”

  The two girls look at the sleeping princess. A small smile tugs at the priestess’s lips. It’s true; if it wasn’t for Rose, she would be lying next to her father.

  A noise comes from outside the tent. Some bushes move with a whisper. Scarlet and Aira take notice of the sound. The assassin turns to Aira and winks at her.

  “Don’t worry, I’ll go check it out. I’m sure it’s just some animal, but better safe than sorry.”

  “Thank you, Scarlet.”

  Soon enough, Aira cries herself to sleep. Her father caresses her cheek while his body is engulfed in flames. The priestess won’t stop screaming, sobbing violently. Her hands are consumed by the fire as she struggles to save him. When something, a presence, a strange being, tries to attack her, a pink shield stands between her and her aggressor. Someone embraces her. Her eyes flutter open, narrowed at the sudden sunlight. A gorgeous figure stands before her, looking her in the eye. Aira feels a something familiar, a comfortable and safe sensation.

  The princess shakes the priestess, who is half-awake.

  “Aira... Aira!”

  “AH! What… What’s wrong, Rose?”

  “You were screaming in your sleep. Are you alright?”

  “…Yes, don’t… do not worry. It was just a nightmare… Where is Scarlet?”

  Both their gazes are drawn to the empty sleeping bag. They go out of the tent and search their surroundings. A terrifying scene awaits them.

  About a dozen abyss beasts lie on the ground, chopped-up, destroyed, completely brutalized. Around the area, blood paints the trees scarlet red. The assassin is lying among the beasts, her eyes closed.

  The princess is at her side in an instant. A snore reaches her ears.

  “She’s… asleep.”

  “Last night, we heard a noise and she came out to investigate… You think she…”

  “Stayed up all night fighting?”

  Their eyes meet, and they smile. Rose carries the sleepyhead on her back as they continue their journey toward Bellum.

  In the forest, an armor makes its way through branches and bushes, swaying and running into a tree trunk with each step. The girl’s eyes grow half-lidded, blood on her tongue and her head yearning for sleep. A scarlet trail marks her path; the slash in the shape of three claw marks on her side only worsens with each second it goes untreated. The last thing she sees before passing out are the legs of three strangers.

  She remembers Arthur, how he looked after her until the end. Her life falling apart like the ceiling of a brittle building. A golden light blinds her. The pounding pain on her side subsides a little. The priestess looks at her with eyes tinged with concern.

  “Is she awake?” asks Scarlet, who is chopping wood for the campfire. A soft nocturnal light filters through between the treetops.

  “That seems to be the case. Are you alright?” Aira asks, cleaning the girl’s face with a bloody rag.

  “Finally. I was starting to get worried.” Rose crouches down beside the frail girl.

  Within the confines of the broken armor, which has an inlaid crystal on the chest, is a brown-skinned brunette. Her emerald eyes look around in confusion at the girls surrounding her. Some strands of her hair tickle her face. Her greatsword, which lacks half of its blade, is dug into the dirt, right beside her. The pained stranger holds her head in her hands as she sits up.

  “Looks like… you were the ones who found me, after all…”

  The three seem confused. Does this stranger know them?

  “I’m sorry that we have to meet again under these of all circumstances.” Her voice is easily recognizable. Rose remembers her perfectly.

  “You’re the armored girl from the Citadel, right?”

  “Precisely, princess. I’ll introduce myself: I’m Erthilind Dragonheart, ex-captain of the Citadel’s guard. And… I must ask you a favor.”