As she continued with her usual routine, her fate was once again affected by teleportation. How much more would she have to endure it? It wasn't the fifth or eighth time; she had already gone through this fourteen times, always falling into the same trap. She felt like she was on the verge of madness having to repeat the process of memorizing hallways, rooms, and blending in with the guards. After this last experience, she realized that teleportation always brought her close to the guards, making her capture easier.
She noticed that the auto-teleportation activated every two minutes to move the affected individual to another location. In one of her hiding spots, she could discern that low-level guards were not affected by the auto-teleportation shift due to a self-mastery amulet that rendered them neutral in their same locations. The manipulation affected everyone equally, regardless of their rank within the prison. Even those who had the ability to avoid being manipulated by the auto-teleportation pattern ended up being teleported elsewhere in the prison in various ways. It was evident that the guards must have had some artifact that nullified that manipulation, but what could it be?
She found herself in a wide and chaotic hallway, littered with debris from the inmates' escape, and approached what seemed to be a battle in progress. She tried to veer off and avoid the confrontation, but unfortunately ran into a group of guards heading towards the chaos reigning in the halls. Without even realizing it, three of them pounced on her, cornering her against the wall. One of them began to hold her head, pressing their weapon against her neck, while another tried to immobilize her hands to prevent any resistance. Eventually, they brought her down to the ground with overwhelming force, as if she were being crushed by an impossible weight, while they started to chain her hands.
The rest of the guards rushed as reinforcements to intervene in the ongoing battle on the other side, leaving only two of them to forcefully take her back to a cell. As they dragged her away, Ally couldn't help but overhear them speaking disdainfully of her, mentioning her inferiority and weakness, criticizing their superior's vain decision to allow a human to be part of the system instead of simply eliminating her for being a nuisance to all.
However, that no longer mattered; she was only concerned with finding the right way to get out of this situation. As they approached the cells, she noticed that several of them had been torn apart or destroyed, indicating that it must have been the work of whoever initiated this catastrophe supernaturally, as the cells burned those who tried to destroy them. It seemed that the responsible party had planned everything in advance, breaking all the prison cells to prevent the guards from having a place to take the captured inmates, which would still be difficult to control. But the remaining question was how and why? Suddenly, her thoughts were interrupted by noises coming from the depths, shrouded in darkness; they sounded like the growls of a monstrous beast.
A silhouette emerged, a monstrous beast with no fur, no eyes, with menacing sharp teeth, and tentacles protruding from its back. Without hesitation, it lunged into the attack. The first guard advanced, preparing his plasma weapon and firing at the grotesque beast relentlessly approaching him. Despite the hits, the beast continued its advance, determined to reach its prey. At a distance of about three meters, the guard threw his plasma weapon, followed by an electric ball that, combined with a strike, managed to pierce the beast's torso, although not defeating it completely.
The beast briefly recoiled, but suddenly another beast appeared, attacking the guard desperately while simultaneously striking with its tentacles. However, the guard managed to tear off the tentacles when facing this aberration seriously. Suddenly, the first beast headed towards where Ally and the guard holding her were, but it was surprisingly chained until it was distant and cornered, being slammed against the wall by the second guard until having the option to take Ally away.
In an instant, Ally counterattacked the guard, pushing him towards the beast that had been attacked moments before. Thus began a battle of resistance. Ally, with her heart racing, sprang into action, but the beast charged at her again. Time seemed to slow down as Ally, with sharp reflexes, extended her arms forward, covering the main chains of her handcuffs. The beast, as if it had smelled its opportunity, fiercely bit into the chains. Without wasting time, Ally swiftly moved away from the creature. She grabbed one of the metal bars from the cell and prepared for the next assault.
The beast didn't relent. With fury, it attempted to counterattack Ally for a second time. But she was ready. With perfect positioning, she drove the metal bar into the creature's face. However, it wasn't enough. The creature kept moving, resisting. Ally didn't give up. Again and again, she pierced the beast's chest until finally, it barely moved. The fight had been intense, but Ally had prevailed.
The air was thick with tension as Ally caught her breath. The beast lay lifeless at her feet. She had survived, but at what cost? Her hands trembled, stained with blood and sweat. The dark cell seemed smaller now, as if it had witnessed too much violence.
Ally knew she couldn't stay there. Freedom was within her grasp, but so was danger. She rose, holding the metal bar firmly. The fight was not over yet. With each step, she drew closer to the exit, to the uncertain light of the outside world. But one thing was certain: she would not be a prisoner again. Not after everything she had faced.
Ally ran, her breath ragged echoing in the darkness of the halls until she encountered the first guard. Both engaged in hand-to-hand combat, but the guard surpassed her in strength, revealing his supernatural abnormality that differentiated him from being a mere superhuman. His strength was overwhelming, and Ally knew she couldn't confront him head-on. She used the metal bar from earlier, striking his torso, although the impact wasn't deep enough to injure him. She repeated the process, employing the same method she used with the beast, relentlessly striking him again and again until a mysterious force pushed her backward, causing her to fall to the ground.
When the guard came close enough, Ally acted quickly to avoid his attack, her fists emanating the same electricity she had used against the beast. Dodging his punches and stepping back, she tried to get close enough to strike the guard, who in a careless moment received the blow combined with the electricity, feeling the double impact of the fist's force and the shock of the volts that pushed her until she hit the corner wall of the hallway, leaving her weakened but obtaining what she wanted.
The device that would allow her to thwart the auto-teleportation. She held it firmly, feeling its latent power. Only the right moment remained, time passed a minute ago, now only about ten seconds left. Ally sprung into action, dodging the electric attacks from the second guard who had recovered; now she was cornered by the two guards approaching her. How many seconds were left?
Three, two, one. The guards began to disappear in the blink of an eye, affected by the auto-teleportation's dominion. She survived a double attack from the guards, and most notably, she still remained in the same place. It was her chance to continue her path, leaving the cell behind.
She walked through the cell hallways, seeing how the environment was already in ruins, and she noticed a broken window that left a hole large enough to escape outside. She began to gather some fragments to elevate herself. With difficulty, she propelled herself onto the concrete fragments and managed to reach the exterior, crawling, she reached a narrow corridor.
All that effort left her exhausted, prompting her to take a brief break to process everything she had witnessed: the guards' powers, those aberrant creatures, and the double impact blow she had endured, which still left her injured and weakened.
After regaining her strength, she resumed her course, which still had one objective: finding Zach and getting out of this place.
She crossed the exterior corridors, observing the entire environment of the prison from the outside. The prison resembled more of an imposing three-story fortress, although the cells were located in the basement. The darkness of the night hindered her orientation, making it akin to navigating a maze compared to the prison corridors. She continued until she reached the limits, arriving at the edge of the area where the walls stood imposingly tall.
She opted to climb, taking advantage of the cracks caused by the lack of maintenance. Upon reaching the top, the sight left her breathless: outside, there was nothing but an abyss shrouded in clouds, the immense slope sloping downward and disappearing into darkness. She was on a floating island, hidden from the atmosphere itself.
Minutes passed, and Ally was already crossing a bridge connecting downward to where the other cells were located at the opposite end. She had a gut feeling that her friend might be there, but she needed to confirm it. As she descended, she began to witness more beasts, only these were winged creatures flying from the sky, starting to surround the entire prison. Their presence was strange; she could see them by their silhouette, each having four wings. Instinctively, she began to run to avoid being caught by them.
"(Where are they coming from ¿Is this part of the plan of the one who started it all? The impacts, the monstrous beasts, and now these things, ¿¡what does he want!?)" Her questions started to arise as she took accelerated steps. She was now halfway across the bridge, where below, there was a huge deep chasm separating both ends.
But suddenly, one of the creatures lunged towards her with the sole purpose of grabbing her. Ally, accustomed to having good reflexes, swiftly dodged it with an agile movement. Frustrated that it had missed its target, the creature began to soar higher into the sky, with others joining in the attack. The annoyance grew within her.
Near the other side, she was interrupted by another confrontation between the guards fighting against the creatures and someone else who was involved in this conflict, attacking them all. She couldn't distinguish the individual clearly, filled with fear of being detected again; she began to distance herself, hiding to avoid getting involved in this conflict. With no time to observe the scene, she only waited for the right moment to escape. When the environment felt somewhat calm, Ally decided to peek out to see if it was time to flee. Seeing that the individual from earlier was now busy tearing the wings off one of the flying creatures, she took the opportunity to escape silently while the individual did his thing, until she reached one of the main doors leading to the cells.
Upon crossing it, she found herself in a desolate interior, filled with debris and half-empty. The search for her friend continued in this inhospitable maze. Meanwhile, she noticed a motionless body of a guard lying in a corner. She seized the moment to search his belongings until she extracted a weapon of minimal caliber, enough for her to defend herself.
With determined steps, Ally tried calling out her friend's name as she advanced. However, right in her path, she stumbled upon a pack of those beasts tearing apart someone's body. They began to fixate on her, ready to attack. She started shooting at the one closest to her, despite not having proper firearm usage, only managing to hit non-critical parts, retreating until she found herself completely cornered. Nervous and fearful, she couldn't muster the courage to shoot again, now standing still and waiting for the worst, regretting leaving the guard who had hit her despite knowing it would mean surrendering to the prison once again.
But suddenly, the beasts were torn to pieces by a tremendous power of an attack she couldn't decipher. When all the creatures were dead, Ally perceived the responsible person approaching her. It was the same individual she had seen during the confrontation between the creatures and the guards. What should she do now? From what she had observed, this person attacked everyone indiscriminately, whether guards or perhaps prisoners. Was he going to attack her? Uncertainty engulfed her as she prepared for what would come next.
The man was now standing in front of her. Ally could clearly see that his clothing was different from the others, resembling urban streetwear similar to that of an ordinary person, but he wore the helmet that the guards wore, concealing his entire face. He was close enough that Ally, with a reactionary impulse, began to fire a shot directly at him, but the projectile was dispersed with a single movement, as the stranger began to speak.
"So this is how you thank me," he said, halting his steps and standing in front of Ally, who began to feel intimidated by his towering stature. She had angered him by shooting at him, which was not a gesture of gratitude.
But suddenly, the stranger chose to go his own way, leaving her behind without giving her the slightest bit of attention or concern.
"¡Hey!, I'm sorry for what I did. I was in the middle of a battle and... and I thought you were one of them. Please forgive me." She said with low self-esteem but feeling ashamed inside.
But the stranger said nothing, only taking his own path and advancing into the darkness of the corridors without looking back. Disappointed, Ally tried to process in her thoughts what she should do. Apart from apologizing and thanking him, she needed to ask for his help. Forming an alliance was necessary to escape a place already infested with danger. She realized she wouldn't easily get out of there just by facing whatever came her way. The difficult part was figuring out whom to trust, especially in a prison where people were inherently distrustful. And she sensed that he was different just by his actions.
If it was possible to have him as an ally, it would be advantageous. But if he didn't accept the collaboration, at least she would try to get some help or information from him for her escape. However, how would she start forming an alliance, considering she had already started off on the wrong foot? But she had to try.
"Hey, what's your name?"
No response came.
"I need your help. I'm looking for my friend who's in this damn prison. The beasts are lurking, and time is running out, and it gets worse when the two minutes pass," she mentioned with pure desperation.
"Why should I help you?" the guy said in a cold and disinterested tone.
"Because you seem to belong in this place, and you seem to know how this works. Notice that we are both prisoners looking for a way out. If we work together, we'll get through this," Ally replied.
"I'm not interested."
Ally began to follow him, determined not to let him escape. She should find ways to convince him. Perhaps, in situations like this, she realized that nothing in the world was free. Maybe that would serve to get the stranger to accept her help and then set a price for what she should give him in return. But what? And how would she start?
"I want you to know that I don't belong here. I don't fit in this place, and neither does my friend. Neither of us has those abilities like what you guys have because we're ordinary humans. All I want is to go back home with him."
"Why should I help you?" He stopped his steps, then looked at her intently, maintaining composure and silence for three seconds while observing her. "I don't meddle in your affairs."
As she tried to take the first step forward, Ally suddenly attempted to stop him, becoming an obstacle to prevent him from leaving, pleading with him several times using various methods to convince him, but her words didn't seem to convince him enough.
Becoming a nuisance to the stranger with the helmet covering his face, he began to hold her shoulder and then push her to the other side using force to avoid causing harm. Suddenly, two minutes had passed, and other individuals appeared, along with more of those creatures, making the situation even more frustrating for the guy, having to deal with both them and getting away from her.
He began his attack; his hands started to emit an energy that wasn't clear but could be felt. The first beast that approached was hit until it was shredded, and the next met the same fate, as did the following one, destroyed with the same technique. However, there was a difference: he only attacked in one direction, regardless of who was behind him. Ally then took action to defend his back, even though her weapon didn't cause enough damage with its minimal value, but it served as an alert for the stranger to keep more distance.
After the confrontation, Ally began to devise other plans.
"If there's anything you need, I'll offer to help you. I've realized that you're not one of the prisoners, so you must know who caused the disturbances that threw the prison into chaos," Ally said.
"It wasn't me", he replied.
"But can you at least tell me why you're here?" Ally persisted.
"I'm looking for someone," he answered.
"Tell me who," Ally urged.
"A girl," he responded.
A girl. The first name that came to Ally's mind was Dina, especially since she had mentioned that someone would come for her. This created a connection with the boy who was looking for her. Maybe this could be a way for him to help her.
"Just in case, is the girl you're looking for named Dina?".
Upon hearing that, the boy began to slow down, indicating that Ally had hit the mark.
"How do you know? Did you see her?" he asked, somewhat surprised.
"I and she, along with someone else, chose to escape, but suddenly we were separated by the autoteleportation shift," Ally explained.
For a moment, the stranger began to distance himself from her, adopting a stooped posture as he directed his attention to the ground with impressive intensity. The atmosphere became saturated with the power emanating from him, evoking sensations similar to those she had experienced when the eidolon was pursuing him, connecting with the surrounding elements of the environment. However, in this case, the connection was different, as his ability was limited to manipulating the earth to locate his target. Once the task was completed, he let out a sigh of annoyance.
"I see you didn't feel it," Ally remarked.
"Do you know what I was doing?" the boy asked.
"Of course, it's not the first time I sense it. Even though I don't know how to use a domain or whatever they call it, I can analyze and sense it," Ally explained.
At that moment, the stranger began to signal for her to follow, picking up his pace, and Ally started to follow him.
"You know, let me introduce myself. My name is Park Adeline, but you can call me Ally if you'd like. Also, Dina mentioned your name once, but I forgot what it was. Could you tell me to get to know each other a little better?" Ally asked politely.
"I don't care. You can call me whatever," he responded indifferently.
As they progressed through the prison corridors, every two minutes brought about the sudden appearance of new inmates and monstrous creatures, creating a constant and growing obstacle in their path. The stranger, sensing the situation, decided to continue their way towards the exterior. Soon, he realized that the autoteleportation domain only worked from within the prison, making it impossible to function from outside, while sometimes using detection to locate it. But as they advanced, Ally noticed they were heading towards a place that clearly wasn't one of the prison cells.
"Where are we going? This place doesn't seem like the right destination to find the ones we're looking for. Do you know where we're headed?" she asked, starting to get annoyed by the direction they were taking.
"It will be useless to continue with this domain," he declared, standing in front of an imposing tower. According to his perceptions, the one responsible for the manipulation they were facing resided there. "To search for them properly, we have to eliminate it."
Upon hearing that, she realized that they both had to kill the perpetrator of the manipulation. It was clear that they had to work together to achieve it. Earlier, she had mentioned needing help to find her friend and then collaborate in the search for the girl. But when had everything changed? It was logical that they couldn't wander around the entire prison, searching room by room or chamber by chamber, while the two minutes passed and they were transported to another place, keeping them even more lost. Moreover, the beasts roaming the halls caused panic, even though they weren't involved in the prison but in the chaos someone had unleashed.
At that precise moment, the stranger propelled himself in a leap, his hands transforming into a dark hue that combined with sharp claws, perfect for climbing. Ally, upon witnessing this small metamorphosis, didn't know whether to feel intimidated or fearful. The stranger gestured for her to hold onto his back, intending to take her with him and, as a group, to confront him.
The air vibrated with palpable tension as Ally weighed her options. ¿Should she trust this stranger, whose abilities seemed beyond human? ¿Or should she flee, risking facing an even more uncertain fate?.
The stranger glanced at her, as if reading her thoughts.
"There's no time to hesitate," he whispered.
Ally swallowed hard, feeling the weight of the decision. What secrets did this enigmatic individual hide? And what role did she play in all of this? Ally made a decision. Clinging to the stranger's back, they began their ascent.
Scaling the Summit, they reached the top floor where they were supposed to find the mastermind behind it all. With a single blow, the stranger began to shatter the metal and glass barriers, forcing their way in. However, to everyone's surprise, his movement seemed reflexive: he dodged the manipulator's first attack and pushed Ally aside. The stranger moved to another location, and now everyone could see him clearly.
Ally recognized him, it was the same individual she had seen for the first time when they were taken to the Superior's office. The one with pale skin and inhuman eyes. In the center of the room, atop a pedestal, was a holographic cube emitting a blue glow. They surmised that if the cube moved, the environment would change abruptly. It was the source of his power: the manipulation and auto-teleportation of environments.
The unknown individual attempted to do the same thing he had done with others, trying to move them elsewhere. But unfortunately for him, Ally possessed an artifact that made her immune to that power. Unlike the boy, they didn't know if he was also immune. Auto-teleportation didn't affect him.
At that moment, the boy unleashed his first attack. Summoning a sword that emerged from his arm with rolled-up sleeves. The tension in the room escalated as everyone prepared for the confrontation. Alert with her only weapon in hand and confident in her devastating power "the Tyrant's Strike" that was capable of laying waste to everything in its path, leaving a trail of pure carnage, and now she had her opponent, the inhuman being, in her sights.
"Take note, Zephyr, I won't be playing your games. Attack me," he said with a serious and relaxed tone.
Upon hearing such a challenge, Ally began to marvel that this inhuman being was called Zephyr, having the intuition that in this world many carried unique and rare names at the same time. But before the battle began, the anonymous boy handed her a dagger, and with a few short gestures expressing by moving his head forward, she realized she would have the mission of destroying the holographic artifact of the Power Source of the Domain of Manipulation Change.
"One question, what do I have to do?" Ally asked, confused.
"Destroy it, stab it, cut it, or whatever! And be careful."
The fight erupted on two fronts as Ally went straight for the cube, while the unknown boy prevented Zephyr from interfering to keep the girl from approaching the cube. They engaged in a deadly dance, with every blow resonating.
The sword was thwarted by an invisible force that was unleashed when it was closest to its target, although the same happened when he used a free hand that acted as claw-like weapons. With enough blows evaded, Zephyr managed to display his true attack, the "Blades of the Four Winds." With a single movement, the four winds followed a geometric pattern that surrounded his opponent, trapping her. She was hit one by one, each blow very different from the last, even though those blows were reduced with a defensive stance, using her sword as her main shield, which gradually began to wear down.
While on the other side, Ally focused on destroying the cube. Despite appearing as a hologram, she could see that inside there was another cube, only much smaller. Despite her attempts to destroy the core, she couldn't inflict enough damage, as each strike was met with a direct shock that weakened her and burned her slightly. Suddenly, she was nearly hit by a fireball. Though only a short time had passed, Zephyr had left the boy weakened and now turned his attention to her for interfering with his purpose. He began creating a javelin out of a strange material that seemed to appear out of thin air. With determined steps, he attempted to stab or strike her, but she managed to evade each attack, unable to counterattack up close due to her fear, leaving her no choice but to keep her distance.
In an act of frustration, Zephyr launched his javelin once again, which missed once more and became embedded in the wall. Seizing the opportunity, Ally closed the distance and stabbed him in the ribs, but she was suddenly struck and sent crashing into the center of the room. Confused and in pain, she tried to gather herself, but she was too weakened to move properly, barely managing to escape. She repeated to herself several times that it was all a bad idea, but at that moment, she watched attentively as Zephyr approached.
As Zephyr approached Ally, preparing his next attack to eliminate her, he also took the opportunity to communicate through telepathy.
"Caneth, this is Zephyr. I just had a confrontation with one of the rebels, and furthermore, I inform you that I have just detained the anomaly, I repeat, the anomaly was here and detained. I need you to send the special ranks." He concluded his report, intending to deliver his final message.
"And as for you, I'm going to do what the superior didn't do with you when we first met huma... aa..AAAA!!..." His words were cut short as he was choked by chains wrapped around his neck, followed by being stabbed with a worn-out sword from behind, and finally being subdued by the control of the chains that pulled him away.
Ally watched as he was held by dark hands that clawed at his skin, overpowered by the force as he struggled to twist his neck, accompanied by distorted growls.
"Grrrr... grrr... grrr. Do... you think... you can... defeat me so..o easily?"
It was at that moment that the struggle was about to begin again, as he gradually lost consciousness until he passed out.
.
.
.
Ally remained silent, her gaze fixed on the boy as he approached. The room around them bore the scars of their recent battle, a testament to the danger they had faced together. She couldn't help but feel a mix of annoyance and nervousness at the situation. When had things become so risky and unpredictable?
"I see you're awake," said that boy, getting up as he approached. "Stop, I don't have to get you into my business. Now do you know why?"
Ally still didn't speak, her mind racing with questions and frustrations. She wasn't sure if she should trust him or if she should demand answers. But one thing was certain: they were in this together, whether they liked it or not.
"You want to know something? You'll handle your own problems." That meant things and his decision had suddenly changed.
Despite his patience, he also maintained a firm posture with a calm voice, but Ally could tell that behind that helmet, there was a gaze filled with resentment.
"You go for what you used to do. And I'll go for mine."
Before he began his way, Ally tried to ask him some questions about what happened while she was unconscious, but a dagger was thrown along with a scroll of paper, it was the same dagger he gave her at the beginning of the Zephyr confrontation, and the scroll was something she was curious about.
"Use the scroll when you find your friend, and when you break it, both of you will be teleported back to your world," he said, a gesture of honoring their deal. "Anyway, you gave it your all. Just so you know, I'm not a bad person."
With that, he began to walk away without saying goodbye. Ally picked up the dagger and tucked the scroll away, ready to continue her journey.
Navigating through the prison corridors she had become familiar with, and avoiding the looming dangers, she noticed that there were no guards present. She could deduce that the entire prison was now under the control of the prisoners.
As his voice resonated among the inmates, cutting through the dense crowd, she managed to spot her friend's silhouette in the distance. With her heart pounding hard, she quickened her pace, skillfully dodging the prisoners filling the corridors. Finally, they met, each displaying the ravages of their imprisonment. Zach was in a state of clothing stained with grime and hair disheveled. Aware of the danger lurking in the corners, they knew they had to find a secluded spot to use the teleportation scroll without being discovered. In that moment of chaos and desperation, possessing such an artifact was like carrying a treasure coveted by all to escape this place. They were willing to face any obstacle to flee from that distorted world.
As they hurried through the mass of prisoners, avoiding any unnecessary contact, Zach felt a familiar sensation that sent shivers down his spine—the same ominous presence he had sensed in the forest. When he turned around, he caught a glimpse of a hooded figure following them stealthily, concealed behind layers of cloth that hid their identity.
Without wasting a moment, Zach alerted Ally, and both made the instant decision to flee. Their hearts pounding wildly, they dashed away, dodging obstacles and zigzagging through the crowded corridors in search of a safe refuge, while the mysterious figure pursued them relentlessly.
"Why is he following us? Did he somehow find out about the scroll?" Zach wondered aloud.
"I don't know, but it must be obvious," Ally replied, her voice tense with urgency.
Near the desolate walls of the prison, where silence still reigned and no beings seemed to lurk, Ally held onto Zach tightly as she unrolled the scroll with trembling hands. As she opened it, the symbols inscribed on it began to glow intensely, illuminating the dark surroundings with a supernatural light. However, its radiance soon gave way to a voracious fire that consumed the parchment, vanishing it into ashes.
As the scroll disintegrated, the environment around them seemed to slowly fade away, as if reality itself were unraveling before their eyes. In one final flash of clarity, they spotted the stranger who had been pursuing them, closing in rapidly. The last thing they saw was the glint of the stranger's eyes, shining with a malevolent light in the darkness of that endless night. And then, everything plunged into the abyss of the unknown.
.
.
.
They were back in Woodlan Haven, near an isolated gas station. At that moment, they noticed the clear temporal disparity between the world they had just left behind and the place they had returned to. While the sun was now sinking on the horizon, unlike the other world where it was already midnight.
As they nervously made their way home, Zach and Ally couldn't help but share their experiences and reflections on what they had lived through in that dystopian world. They talked incessantly, trying to process the existence of the monstrous creatures and unknown beings that defied all logic.
Although neither of them had broached the subject of their experiences while they were separated, they knew it was a topic they would have to address sooner or later. For now, their minds were overwhelmed by the distress of bearing the symbol that marked them as targets of the system, a revelation they had not yet fully comprehended. The weight of that unknown truth clung to them, filling them with palpable unease as they ventured into the darkness of the night. Tomorrow, they would have to face the reality of what it meant to bear that mark and what it implied for their lives in Woodlan Haven.
Both vowed to keep a pact of silence, not telling anyone about what they had been through, even though no one would truly believe them. ¿Was this the beginning of something that would unfold in the future?
After passing by Zach's house and saying goodbye, Ally found herself alone, her mind filled with confusion and fear. Although her journey through the town had been revelatory, she now faced the difficult task of hiding everything she had experienced.
Aware that she needed to maintain a neutral façade and pretend that nothing had happened, she felt overwhelmed by the task ahead of her. The bruises covering her body and the tattoo she now bore on her skin were difficult evidence to conceal, especially from her family, who might try to control her by force if they discovered the truth. Moreover, the threat of those who would seek to eliminate her for bearing the symbol of the system hung over her head, adding an additional layer of fear to her situation. With her heart pounding, Ally summoned courage and determination, knowing that the road ahead would be difficult and dangerous. Now more than ever, she needed to keep her secret safe and protect herself from those who lurked in the shadows.
Back at home, Ally felt a knot in her stomach as she entered her house, hearing her parents' voices echoing from the kitchen. Despite her nerves, she understood that this was the perfect moment to blend in and conceal her disheveled state. With cautious steps, she slipped into her room, trying to avoid drawing her parents' attention.
Once inside her room, she hurried to change and clean herself up, looking at herself in the mirror, trying to hide the bruises under her clothes and get rid of any visible evidence of her journey. Although her mind was still reeling from what she had experienced, she knew she had to keep her composure and act normally in front of her family.
Ready and changed, she descended the stairs to join her family, who were still in the kitchen, and she was curious about what they were doing. Now present, she noticed that her parents were already tidying up the kitchen. Her mother was surprised to see her suddenly appear without realizing that she had entered without knocking, a little annoyed she approached her to ask her some questions.
"¿Where have you been?"
"Out for a walk, I told you earlier."
"So, ¿and with whom?"
"... with a friend?"
"Do you know how long you've been gone? It's been a while since you've made a habit of being out for such a long time. Do you know how worried I've been? And besides, look at you, you look terrible. Did someone bother you?"
"I've always looked like this."
The argument would continue for a while longer, but it was momentarily interrupted by the sound of the doorbell.
"We'll continue this later. Go see who it is. If it's a neighbor, be kind and polite."
As she headed to open the door, she found no one present except for a basket of bread, prepared snacks, and a note. As she read it, she was stunned.
'Welcome to your new home, Park Adeline Hye, because this will be the last time you immerse yourself enough in this false world.'
:W.