"Just where the heck am I; and what sort of fricking test is this supposed to be?!"
The trappers stopped on their tracks and looked at one another, somewhat puzzled.
The leader sighed.
"We are sorry, stranger. We mistook you for the kidnapped princess!"
"Kidnapped princess?" now it was my turn to be puzzled.
"Yes. The princess has been kidnapped! We need to find her before the king does... or we'll be dead meat," one of the four trappers said.
"What princess?" I asked, still not getting the gist.
"The only princess I know of is the princess of Vinia!"
The leader was starting to get irritated.
I quickly remembered that the attendant had explained that everything I'd be seeing in here would only be illusions, therefore, none of these are real!
I looked down at my body and saw that I was wearing a black dress that brought out my curves. I was far too shaped than I remembered. I then shut my eyes to examine my appearance with my spiritual sense.
Just as expected! My body had taken another form entirely! In truth, I was in an avatar. It was just like picking an avatar in a video game — my whole body was an avatar. A cute one with flowing white hair. My height was somewhat taller, giving one the impression of a girl in her early twenties. Only that, my right hand was still gloves in a long hand stocking, covering my arerat symbol.
I looked up at the trappers. They were all staring at me, open-mouthed.
I quickly asked, "Do you recognise me?"
They all shook their heads.
"Never seen you before in our lives!"
I looked at the leader, then he stared back and shook his head slightly.
"Look, the girl has been through a lot. I get that. She doesn't deserve this. I don't know the rules to this game you speak of, but I'm just trying to do my job and survive. We're sorry for startling you."
I nodded innocently.
"What are you guys?"
"We are the Vinia Royal Guard." There was a sort of unexplainable air of pride that came in as they said those words.
I stared at them in disbelief.
"What does that mean?"
"We are the soldiers of the crown and will do whatever is necessary to ensure the safety of the princess. If she is in danger, then we will save her and her honour."
"Danger?"
Before anyone could make a reply, the beast made a roar, once again, and this time I could feel unsteadiness from my feet.
"Run! We're unable to hold on any longer!"
The other trappers that had encircled the beast seemed to have been thrown apart by it, pushing them into the air in all directions.
The leader and four trappers with me gritted their teeth and charged against the beast.
The leader swung his sword, but the tiger leapt over it and slammed into the man.
"What in tarnation! Everyone, retreat!" he ordered from where he'd been struck to, even puking a mouthful of blood.
The trappers ran off while the Royal Guard drew out their daggers and prepared to duel the tiger.
I had no idea what to do.
Should I do something?
I then decided to lease my toxic beast aura into the surrounding air. The tiger's roar thundered across the plains. It went from a roar to a heavy cough and then stopped.
It looked at me with its one good eye and began to hiss.
'Wait... what?!'
The Guardian stared at me in disbelief and could not quite understand what had just happened... and besides, I wouldn't explain even if I could.
The tiger coughed again and then turned away from me in a huff to attack the others instead.
I watched the three men run off into the distance.
This time, the aura was even more pressurising, causing the tiger to slump to the ground.
I let out a yawn, too used to this scenario. I looked at the sky. It was very late in this world. When I'd walked in, it was only afternoon back there.
Bringing out my savage beasts from the recluse storage ring, Roy the mighty, mutated bird and Little Wolfy the copper-fur wolf appeared by my sides. They stared into the tiger eyes in a surprisingly ferocious manner.
'Had they also undergone some changes?"
"You're not from here, are you?" The tiger's roar had returned. "This is MY world! Don't make me have to teach you a lesson, beasts!"
"Audacious!" I roared at it. "You dare threaten my beasts before me? You seek death, tiger!"
The beast gave a great — tinged with surprise — roar and sprang towards me.
A dagger gleamed in the hands of the Guardian, through my peripheral vision.
This was a good omen.
Then...
"FIRE!"
The dagger came out of the Guardian's hands. A bolt of lightning shot out of the tip of the blade and struck the tiger.
The animal howled and its body burst into flame, blood splashing here and there.
I suddenly felt my arerat symbol burning intensely underneath by glove.
"Yes!" he exclaimed. His expression very much elated. "The blade burns! It burns! Oh look! It's starting to smoke! I never thought it would do that! It's a new pet peeve of mine! It's starting to smoke!"
I shook my head at how childish the all-serious leader could be all of a sudden. "We're going to rock this mission, we are going to get rewarded by the..."
His words suddenly stopped mid-way as he stared at everyone staring at me as though I was some kind of ghost-like being. Then he turned around to look at the crimson-eyed tiger... but it wasn't anywhere to be found.
"Wha-what just happened?" he asked with widened eyes.
I looked down on my arerat symbol where two more claws were shining brilliantly.
"I... umm... absorbed the beast," I replied sheepishly, looking down on my feet.