Dion's eyes sprang open, and his gaze darted around the unfamiliar surroundings. Disoriented for a fleeting moment, he swiftly pieced together what had occurred, causing him to leap out of bed with a sense of urgency.
Lost eyes reflected his disbelief as he muttered, "No, no, no, no, no... What just happened? This can't be real. My body is on the other side..."
Restlessly, he paced back and forth within the expanse of his spacious room, his lips uttering curses under his breath. Halting mid-stride, he raked his fingers through his hair in frustration and turned his attention to the view beyond the window — a serene pool shimmering under the sunlight.
He mumbled while watching the pristine pool, "I need to stop my anxiety and paranoia. What I need to do is to think of how to salvage the situation from this realm."
He squeezed his eyes shut, shutting out all distractions, and began to concentrate, his soft murmurs filling the room. "Salvaging the situation... salvaging the situation... how can I do it? There must be something here. I still have a few hours before nightfall."
Suddenly, his eyes snapped open. "Karen. It's time to utilize my realm wanderer's cheat."
Dion reached for his phone, only to realize that he didn't have Karen's contact information.
Without hesitation, he swiftly showered, dressed in his hoodie, and arranged for a ride from the hotel.
The driver navigated the streets with speed, delivering Dion to Karen's house in record time. Eagerly, Dion rushed out of the vehicle and pressed the doorbell repeatedly, his impatience overriding his desire to remain composed. He didn't like it as he was losing his cool but he had no choice.
Before long, Karen emerged, surprising Dion as she appeared instead of her usual house security guards. It seemed as though she knew he was standing at her doorstep. Clad in a flowing, long blue gown, her blonde hair cascading down her back, she studied Dion with her piercing blue eyes.
Dion pulled down his hood, revealing his face. "I need a favor from you," he stated, his voice filled with urgency.
Karen nodded in agreement, but then swiftly shook her head, leaving Dion puzzled.
She explained seriously, "I will help you on one condition — I need you to tell me why you left without a word the other day. And I will use my eyes of truth."
Dion stared at her for a moment. "Since you're making it look like an interrogation, I wouldn't owe you any favor."
She hurriedly nodded and activated her eye intent, making her eyes glow green. Dion felt a bit naked under her gaze.
'Has it been bothering her?' Dion thought as he observed her body movement. 'I just need to tell her one of the truths. I can't say I felt threatened sleeping in her house that day.'
He took a deep breath and his eyes flared with rage. "Because your roles were undefined in the team. Do you know what happens when performing risky missions with team members who have undefined roles? Chaotic execution which will result in unintended death. Who gives the order between you and that idiot, A1? If it's A1, then I don't want to get involved because he doesn't take advice. Choking me because I did not listen to his order? He's just an idiot playing an anonymous dude on speaker at one moment, and then exposing his face the next moment."
Karen tilted her head in confusion. "Are you angry at the team, Connor, or me?"
"Angry? I just don't want to get involved in a place that will lead me to a foolish death," Dion retorted.
"I guess you're right. We never had a leader. After all, we are merely a band of friends that came together and we know our roles, so there wasn't any reason for hierarchy. But Connor is also right. If you get exposed, the whole team might end up getting exposed," Karen spoke up sternly. Then she stared at Dion with strange but serious eyes. "But is that why you never came to my house? People always say I can't make new friends because of my lifestyle apart from my childhood friends. I thought I finally made one after going through a life-or-death ordeal with you but… you avoided me like a plague."
Dion's lips twitched, finally realizing where all this was heading. "I never came back because I have my house and I love it. As for friends and all that, you're asking the wrong person; you can ask Vera for advice."
"They are my friends from childhood, so they would be biased," she replied.
"Then make a new friend in school. You are very popular in the score," Dion added.
"They wouldn't understand my struggle. The book I read said that friends need to understand each other's struggles. The ones in school would know nothing about… the other side, while the ones I have are biased. I'm happy to inform you that you perfectly fit the position of a friend." Her face remained stoic as she spoke.
Dion's cheek spasms as he watches her straight face. 'Position? Is it an employment?'
"Maybe Professor Ivy can also help." Dion scratched his head before recalling what he came here for. "Right. Can you tell Arwen that I need her help?"
"Arwen?" Karen arched an eyebrow. "She traveled and will be back in five days."
Dion choked and murmured with dejected eyes, "No wonder that large explosion didn't attract her attention. I'm on my own now."
"What's wrong with you?" Karen drew closer.
"Thanks," He whispered weakly, ignoring her question, before walking to the car waiting for him.
Everything that Karen said, he merely brushed with a 'yes' without hearing the content.
"I've always been on my own and I survived," Dion mumbled to himself with staunch determination as he stared at his reflection in the car's window. "I just need to do the same."
***
Meanwhile, in Aeon, Valka's eyes darted around with a tinge of anxiety. She secured Dion's blade to her back before cradling him in a bridal style, a gesture that would have surely embarrassed him had he been conscious.
Taking a deep breath, she leaped into the air, descending freely from the towering tree and landing with a resounding thud. Without a moment's hesitation, she sprinted swiftly and silently towards the fox's mountain, her every step carrying Dion closer to the place he wouldn't dare go.
After several minutes of relentless running, Valka gradually slowed her pace, her keen eyes scanning the surroundings with unwavering vigilance. She was sure she heard the snap of a twig.
Silence engulfed the area, yet Valka remained motionless, her gaze scrutinizing every inch of her surroundings.
A slow and deliberate clap echoed through the air, originating from behind a towering tree. Gradually, a figure emerged from the concealment of the tree.
"I must commend your acuteness," the person spoke while stroking her fingers over her lips.
Valka regarded the woman with cautious eyes, her muscles coiled with tension. Before her, stood a petite figure with short, vibrant blue hair that mirrored the glowing blue irises adorning her face. Like Valka, she possessed furry ears and claw-like nails, resembling a beast.
Draped in a voluminous, black fur cloak that concealed her entire body, the woman exuded an air of mystery.
Valka prepared to pounce, her instincts urging her to take action, but the woman swiftly interjected, her voice laced with a deceptively calm tone. "There's no need for us to fight since we are the same breed. Simply hand over the slumbering boy in your arms, and I will allow you to escape. The next village isn't far. This may be your only chance."
"What if I refuse?" Valka responded, her voice steady.
"Darling, it isn't a difficult question; we will just fight," the woman replied, a wicked smile gracing her lips.
But she noticed Valka examining her with skeptical eyes.
"Indeed, I may not be able to beat a wild wolf such as yourself," she continued, waving her hand dismissively. "But you seem to forget something." Leaning forward, she whispered, her words slipping like venom. "Speed is my forte. All I need to do is track you from a distance and give the trail to my team."
"What would you have done in my shoes?" Valka asked.
She replied calmly, "Give up the boy and save my life, of course. Remember, your life is the most important thing, and only the most ruthless ones survive. The world is never kind; all the showered kindness is a bloody facade."
Valka fell silent, retreating into the recesses of her thoughts.
The woman giggled sweetly, her delicate fingers caressing her brightly painted red lips as she observed Valka's contemplation.
Finally, Valka made her decision. "Fine. I will give him to you."
Approaching the woman, Valka gently handed over Dion, his peaceful slumber undisturbed.
The woman remained watchful, alert for any trickery, but finding none, she accepted Dion into her embrace