At the end of the tunnel, Lennox and Theo swiftly ascended the ladder, the echoes of something crashing heavily behind them. Deciding to ignore the crashing sound, they emerged through a hatch into a dark sky surrounded by dense trees, the sounds of birds and insects filling the forest.
"Hey, do you reckon Kira's gonna be alright?" Lennox inquired, concern etched on his face.
"Hmph, of course. You doubt her abilities?" Theo retorted with a confident smirk.
Nodding in belief that Kira would come back out, Lennox questioned Theo, knowing that he had been in the mysterious forest longer and might have some insight.
"Do you have any idea where we are?" Lennox asked.
"No clue... But it's better than standing still. Let's keep moving until we stumble upon something useful," Theo replied, his eyes scanning the surroundings, searching for any familiar landmarks.
"Alright, might as well," Lennox conceded, stepping forward. He approached a nearby tree, conjuring a flame at his fingertips, and burned a mark on the bark. "I'll leave a mark for Kira when she comes out."
"Smart move," acknowledged Theo, nodding in approval.
As they navigated the deep, dark forest, Suddenly, a loud burst of lightning illuminated the air, creating a bright purple flash ahead. Their curiosity piqued, Lennox and Theo decided to investigate. While Lennox remained unfamiliar with the phenomenon, Theo recognized it as originating from the Electro bloodline.
As they ran through the forest, Theo, leading the way, abruptly halted Lennox. As the both of them witnessed a confrontation between two distinct figures. One was a girl, humanoid in appearance but bearing doll-like features with blue veins. The other was a strikingly beautiful girl with feline characteristics standing at a height of 5'4". Her captivating features include incredibly long, braided strands of striking silver hair cascading down. Her eyes, a mesmerizing shade of purple with a subtle hint of silver, boast vertical slit pupils reminiscent of a cat. Delicate light freckles grace her face, adding a touch of charm to her visage. She boasts an alluring figure with F-cup breasts, a beautifully curved behind, and a sleek, cat-like tail, captivating their attention as they observe.
"A Luminari," Theo whispered to Lennox, his voice barely audible.
Having read about the Luminari, humanoid beings with a harmonious blend of human and animal traits, Lennox recognized the unique characteristics of the Felinthra engaged in the fight. The Felinthra wielded a razor-sharp steel blade katana, adorned with accents of black steel reminiscent of thunderclouds and crackling lightning bolts. The guard featured swirling patterns akin to storm clouds, and two lightning bolts extended from the guard towards the blade. The handle was wrapped in black leather, complemented by two thin strips of purple cloth and small silver orbs resembling balls of lightning as menuki.
With her nexus veins glowing purple, the Felinthra assumed a low stance, her katana poised at the ready. Suddenly, the blade crackled with purple light as she burst forward at incredible speed, catching the doll-like girl off guard. The Felinthra sprung upward with another burst of speed, deftly slashing up straight through her body. As their body split apart, there was no blood but rather the sight of burning plastic.
Witnessing the astonishing movement and control demonstrated by the Felinthra, Lennox and Theo, both shocked, exchanged glances and decided to approach the girl.
"Hi there," Theo greeted, attempting to sound as friendly as possible. However, the girl instantly turned around, swiftly aiming her katana at him.
Lennox and Theo both raised their hands defensively. "Woah, we mean no harm! We're just passing through and saw you here fighting. We came to ask some questions," Lennox explained hurriedly.
"..." The girl remained silent, her eye half-opened, while they also saw a scar that ran from the top to the bottom of her right-sided mouth. Tension hung in the air as they awaited her response.
"Can you at least answer us?" Theo pressed, hoping to break the ice and ease the palpable tension that surrounded them. The girl observed them cautiously.
The girl sheathed her katana and retrieved a notebook and pen, beginning to write. Lennox and Theo exchanged questioning glances as they awaited an explanation. When the girl showed them the notebook, it read, "I'm Muette. I'm mute; I can answer."
"Ohh," Theo and Lennox exclaimed simultaneously, a shared realization dawning upon them.
They slowly lowered their hands. "I'm Lennox, and this is Theo," Lennox introduced, a tentative smile on his face.
"Before you were fighting, did anyone pass through here? With a shadow bloodline," Theo inquired, Muette studied them for a moment, her gaze revealing a hint of curiosity and wariness.
After a pause, Muette continued writing, revealing that she saw Voragor and two other passing by but she also knew about Vorago.
"Yeah, but how do you know Voragor?" Lennox asked with curiosity, a hint of concern underlying his words. He wondered if she might be one of Voragor's subordinates.
But then she explained further, that she claimed to have seen Voragor in the past, predating the destruction of the city. The shock on Lennox and Theo's faces was evident, as Lennox felt like Muette possessed knowledge beyond what she initially conveyed.
'If she's seen him twice, she might have witnessed him in his human form,' Lennox thought, a hint of relief creeping into his thoughts. "Muette, can you come back to the academy for some more questions?" he asked, hoping to gather more information from her.
As Muette nodded in agreement, it became clear that she might have important information but was cautious about revealing everything. Sensing her intention to be on their good side. Their conversation was interrupted when Kira, out of breath from running, emerged from the forest.
"Kira, it's incredible that you made it out alive!" Lennox exclaimed in excitement. "But we have to hurry back to the academy."
Kira nodded her expression a mix of relief and determination. "I encountered the Shadow Golem, but I managed to find a way around it. We can't waste any time."
Muette followed slowly, maintaining a distance that suggested either fear or concern, They headed back to the academy, and as morning approached, Lennox and Theo explained the encounter to Nadia, Kage, and Vayuna.
...
Kage folded his hands, a serious expression on his face. "So you're saying Muette here might have some info on Voragor?" he asked.
"Yeah, she's mute, but we can understand her from her notebook," Theo explained.
Kage observed Muette, who simply looked back at him. "People are born with many disabilities, some worse than others. We still use what we have and make it through, but we still all have to be thankful," he said with a thoughtful tone.
"Okay, but before that, we have something else to talk about," Nadia interjected.
"What's that?"
"There has been something happening to the students haunting experiences, vivid nightmares, all centered around Voragor's presence. Some begin to doubt their own sanity," Vayuan added.
Kira fists clenched. "Voragor again. We really have to stop him quickly," she declared, As someone who values thoughtful and strategic approaches like her mentor Kage, Kira dislikes mindless violence and destructive behavior similar to Vayuna.
Vayuna wore a bitter smile. "It seems it's been happening for a while to the students, taking a toll on their mental and emotional well-being. Some are having to undergo treatment because of it," she continued.
"Okay, Muette, can you explain to us what you know? As you heard, we have to deal with Voragor quickly," Nadia requested.
Muette found herself caught in a tough situation. On one hand, she desired to maintain a certain piece of information as leverage, but on the other, she wanted to do some good by helping others that may help her so she made the decision to share it, withholding some details. The two other individuals that were with Voragor, so she spent the next ten minutes fervently jotting down notes in her notebook.
When she finally revealed her creation to the group, it displayed an impressively drawn image of a teenage figure. At the bottom, there are words written: "He believes that by acquiring enough power, Voragor can find a way to heal his sister. However, Voragor harbors a sinister plan, being consumed by the obsession of harnessing the Nexus energy. He firmly believes that it holds the key to unlocking a realm of knowledge. During the night, he will conduct rituals to recover his power from an unknown source."
As everyone's eyes focused on the detailed drawing and its accompanying the writing, Lennox, while examining Muette's notebook, stumbled back in shock. The recognition of the teenage face within the drawing caused an instant wave of concern and shock to sweep over him.
"Twinkle, what's wrong?" Kira asked, holding up Lennox's body.