A graceful figure with a magic pattern concealing her beautiful face, her blind bluish eyes, and her messy silver hair. She wears a grey cloak that drapes elegantly over her form as she walks calmly along the road. Clutched in her hands is a cloth bag, and occasionally, she stops to ask for directions from the villagers. This graceful figure is none other than Aurora. Finally, she arrives at the village square after leaving the village head's home.
In her cloth bag, she carries two crystals. But these are no ordinary crystals. One is an advanced beast core from an unknown creature, and the other is a crystal that can refine sunlight to aid in her healing. The beast core has the remarkable ability to double her mana capacity, while the sun crystal enhances her healing efficiency.
She was told to meet the village chief to receive a royal order. However, she also had the two crystals received from the second prince. According to the village chief, the second prince highly appreciated Aurora's service to the village. If she needed further assistance, he assured her that he would be able to provide it.
As the sun slowly set, Aurora waited for Alex beneath a tree in the village square. A man from a nearby shop approached her, urging, "Why'd you stay? It's getting late; you should leave." Aurora replied, "No, I'll stay a little longer." The man persisted, warning, "Soon all the shops will close, and there'll be no one to protect you." Aurora finally relented, saying, "Then I will go," and left the spot.
Aurora followed her usual path to the hut, but her mind racing with thoughts of Alex. Had he arrived before her? But as she neared the hut, panic set in—Alex was nowhere to be found. This unfamiliar situation left Aurora at a loss. She had never encountered such uncertainty before.
Evan and Jarek returned to the village after catching rabbits.
Jarek turned to Evan and asked, "Have you finished teaching Alex our language?"
Evan nodded. "Yes, I taught him just the basic letters, and within two or three days, Alex was already conversing with us." Jarek's surprise was evident. "How is that even possible? Learning our language isn't easy."
Evan speculated, "Perhaps Alex hails from a powerful kingdom and lost his memory."
Jarek raised an eyebrow. "So Alex could be someone important?" Evan shrugged. "Who knows? It's wise for us to stay on his good side." After a while Jarek and Evan discovered a man lying on the ground in the distance. As they approached, they saw the body turned over.
"Jarek, he seems familiar, doesn't he?" Evan speculated.
"Wait, I'll turn the other way," Jarek said,
"Careful, there's no any blood stains in the body" Ivan said.. . Jarek carefully flipped the body, and both were taken aback by what they found. "This is Alex," Evan confirmed.
Jarek examined the body. "His neck was cut, and his chest was stabbed too." When Jarek placed his hand on Alex's chest, he felt a faint heartbeat. "Still alive," Jarek announced, glancing at Evan.
"Hurry up, let's take him to Aurora." Setting aside the rabbits they had caught, the two boys lifted Alex and headed toward Aurora's hut.
Aurora's heart raced as She knelt beside him, her fingers trembling as she assessed the wounds. Evan and Jarek hovered nearby, their expressions a mix of concern and curiosity.
"His neck," Aurora whispered, her voice barely audible. "It's a deep cut. the chest and abdomen was stabbed too..."
Evan fetched water from the nearby stream while Jarek tore strips of cloth from his own shirt. Aurora's hands moved with practiced precision, She drew upon her healing abilities, channeling energy through her fingertips. The sun crystal around her neck pulsed in response, amplifying her power.
As Aurora worked, she wondered about Alex—his past, his lost memories. Who was he, and why had he ended up like this? She pushed those questions aside, focusing on the task at hand. Alex's heartbeat grew stronger, a sign that her efforts were paying off.
She felt the energy flow through her, connecting her to Alex in a way she couldn't explain.
Suddenly, Alex's regenerative healing factors started to acting. His wounds, once life-threatening, now stitched themselves together with astonishing speed. Aurora watched in awe as the skin knit, the edges fusing seamlessly. It was as if nature itself conspired to keep him alive.
Evan and Jarek exchanged glances, their disbelief mirrored in their eyes. "Is this...normal?" Evan whispered.
Aurora shook her head.
They tended to Alex, ensuring he remained warm and hydrated. His breathing steadied,pale color disappeared and color returned to his cheeks. Aurora wondered about the source of his abilities— something deeper, hidden within his forgotten memories?
"He'll make it," Evan said.
The sunlight refined by Aurora's sun crystal was quickly absorbed into Alex's body. It took less than a minute for Alex to assimilate the energy stored in one day's worth of refinement. Day by day, he felt his strength gradually increasing, making walking and even hard work much easier.
At the far end of the village, within the forest, lay an underground cave. Unlike natural formations, this cave bore signs of human or perhaps animal creation. Its walls were adorned with carvings and paintings, most depicting a group of people reverently worshiping a massive spider. At the cave's deepest point, a robed figure sat upon a stone chair fashioned like a throne.His face appears to be covered by magic.
A small white spider crawled across one of the figure's shoulders, its movements seemingly guided by magic. In front of the throne, two persons were kneeling in black cloths, with their heads bowed and their hands pressed to the ground. One wearing a red mask, and the other was wearing a blue one.
The person on the throne addressed them: "Do you both realize that the outsider wasn't dead?"
The red-masked individual replied, "Master, we received the news, but we can't fathom how he survived. We executed our task flawlessly."
The throne occupant persisted, "Yet he lives! I suspect the healer played a role, utilizing the two gifts bestowed by the prince." The other asked, "Is she truly capable of such feats?" The cloaked man chuckled, "Regardless of her abilities, she's now entangled in our web."
Alex looked at the Crystal on Aurora's hand and asked: "What is that in your hand? I feel something strange"
The healer smiled, her silver hair catching the light. "This," she said, "is the core of a beast—This is the gift that the prince gave. Why do you want this?." Alex hesitated, then shook his head. "No, I don't want it. It holds great importance for you."
Undeterred, Aurora focused her energy on the beast core. A sudden flash of dim light burst forth, and the crystal vanished. Alex blinked, feeling an odd sensation. Neither of them could fathom what had just occurred. Yet, in Aurora's palm, the beast core remained unchanged, its secrets intact. "I'll use it when the time is right," she murmured, her eyes reflecting determination and mystery.