"I give up."
Fors slumped on the bench, mumbling in a self-defeating manner, "I can't escape anyway, and if I try to run again, I might be killed for resisting arrest."
At a lower sequence, relying on her abilities, she was confident that most people couldn't catch up with her.
Except for those in the same apprentice sequence.
And judging by the other party's ease, it was clear he was toying with her.
Otherwise, she wouldn't have even made it out of the house.
By now, having regained her composure, she recognized the man standing before her.
She had seen him just half an hour ago at a salon.
He had been sitting on the sofa, reading her "Stormwind Mountain Villa," but no one seemed willing to approach him.
The reason was simple: his attire was too shabby.
It was only because Miss Audrey frequently went over to him that he managed to attract some attention.
It was then that Fors noticed him.
But she never imagined that this poorly dressed man was also an Beyonder being!
"Who are you?"
Fors eyed the man suspiciously and asked, "NightHawk? Punisher? Or hivemind?"
"NightHawk."
Ashes glanced at the woman who appeared limp but was actually tense, and said indifferently, "Will you get up on your own, or should I take you?"
"NightHawk, huh?"
Fors sighed helplessly and then stood up, obediently positioning herself behind Ashes.
She would rather deal with a powerful wild Beyonder than face an official Beyonder of Sequence 9.
Wild beyonder typically wouldn't make enemies without reason, especially when they didn't know each other well.
Even if they had bad intentions.
If the other party was also a wild Beyonder, they would certainly be wary of official Beyonder and wouldn't dare cause too much trouble.
In that case, she would still have a chance to escape.
But if it was an official Beyonder, there was no way out.
Once they set their sights on her, they would never give up easily.
Ashes didn't focus on Fors but looked in both directions to determine the way.
Eventually, he turned his gaze back to Fors.
"Have I been discovered?"
Fors tensed up and lowered her head guiltily.
"By the way."
Ashes glanced at Fors and asked, "Which way to Saint Samuel's Cathedral?"
"Huh?"
Fors suddenly looked up, eyes wide with disbelief.
You're arresting me, and you want me to show you the way to the prison? Are you even human?!
Fors was overwhelmed with grief and anger. She wanted to resist.
But under Ashes' oppressive gaze, she let out a faint cry, lowered her head, and weakly pointed in a direction.
"That way..."
"Then let's go."
Ashes nodded slightly in the direction she pointed and started walking with Fors towards it.
He didn't look at Fors along the way, as if he wasn't worried about her escaping midway.
After touching her wrist, Fors gritted her teeth and decided to follow Ashes.
"Um..."
Fors followed behind Ashes, nervously asking, "Can you let me go? I'm just an ordinary girl who hasn't done anything wrong. I'm also a writer with a legitimate job. Haven't you read my book?"
"You're right."
Ashes walked unhurriedly, glancing calmly at the woman walking quickly beside him, "But I can't let you go. You're on the verge of losing control. If I let you go, you know what will happen."
"Losing control..."
Fors stopped, nervously asking, "Can you tell?"
She felt foolish even asking.
Of course he could tell.
Otherwise, how could he say she was about to lose control? Normally, she behaved no differently from an ordinary person.
Even her roommate of two years, Xio, couldn't detect anything unusual.
But Fors knew her body well. Every full moon, her pain intensified.
She couldn't hold on much longer.
Only someone who had experienced it could notice any abnormalities.
After all, she wasn't always on the brink of losing control.
But Ashes seemed to see through everything at a glance. This amazed Fors and, oddly, gave her a sense of 'salvation.'
Deep down, she yearned for someone to notice her problem, someone to pull her back during the full moon.
So, like a drowning person clutching at a final straw, Fors poured out her situation to Ashes without him asking.
However.
No matter how much she said, Ashes just looked at her calmly, without any response.
"Here it is."
Seeing Ashes unmoved, Fors bit her white teeth, took off a silver bracelet covered by her sleeve's ruffle.
The bracelet had three dark green, rough stones with scorched marks on their surfaces, uneven and jagged.
"These stones let me travel through the spirit world, doing something akin to teleportation."
"But after using them for the first time, I've been affected by whispers during every full moon."
"So, I usually avoid using them."
Ashes took the bracelet, slightly surprised at Fors.
If what she said was true.
Then her trump card was likely these stones, which could help her escape his control through teleportation.
And now, she handed them over so easily? [Traveler's Bracelet An extraordinary item twisted and mutated by the blood moon's whispers, owned by a member of the Abraham family.
Allows ordinary people to use spirit world teleportation.
Even those not of the Abraham bloodline will be cursed, hearing Mr. Door's whispers during the full moon. Is it a plea for help or a warning?]
"Abraham family?"
Ashes looked slightly surprised. He seemed to have heard the name before.
But the memory was vague and unclear.
However.
The bracelet's description confirmed Fors' words.
If not for the whispers, she, a Sequence 9, shouldn't lose control so easily—
Ultimately, it was like Old Neil, losing control due to whispers.
Except one was the Hidden Sage, and the other was Mr. Door.
Ashes suddenly had an intuitive feeling—
This woman named Fors likely hid a significant side quest.
In other words, she's an important NPC! "Can you help me?"
Fors looked at Ashes with hopeful eyes.
When he touched the bracelet, his expression showed he recognized it or at least knew its origin.
Though the bracelet had saved her life twice.
If it could free her from the whispers' torment, she would rather not have it!
"I can."
Ashes looked at the girl, thought for a moment, and nodded seriously.
"How can you help?"
A hopeful glow appeared in Fors' eyes.
"I'll take you to Saint Selina Cathedral. The Church of EverNight will cure you. Don't worry, they have extensive experience in this."
Ashes spoke calmly, but Fors's expression turned from hope to grief.
That's not what she wanted to hear. What reassurance! She was just a wild Beyonder. How could she possibly survive entering the Church of EverNight?
(End of Chapter)
50 Power stones = extra chapter
TL/N: Sorry got internet problems