"Who is she?" he thought as he looked at the woman from a distance.
Just as he continued observing her, lost in thought, she suddenly turned to face him.
"Are you done watching?" she asked, her voice calm yet carrying a hint of something he couldn't quite place.
Caught off guard, he hesitated, then took a step forward. "I didn't mean to intrude."
As he stepped out from behind the tree, he noticed her eyes flicker for a moment, as if she recognized him. But she quickly returned to her calm expression.
"Who are you, and why were you spying on me?" she asked, her voice cold and direct.
"Me spying? I was just observing," he said, trying to defend himself, though his words felt weaker with each passing second.
She gave him an incredulous look. "Observing, huh? Fine. But what are you doing wandering in this forest?"
"Are you a Forsaken mage or something?" she asked, her tone shifting as she slowly drew her sword. A chill seemed to fill the air.
He instinctively took a step back, his caution growing. "What do you mean by 'Forsaken Mage'?"
The woman paused for a moment, a flicker of surprise crossing her face. Then she sheathed her sword, her expression returning to its usual calm. "It seems I was mistaken. You are not one."
"If there had been a real Forsaken mage here," she added with a small, almost mocking smile, "they would have attacked me the moment they heard those words."
"They don't like their identity to be leaked, even a little," she continued, her gaze sweeping around as if checking for any unseen threats. "I've received word that a carriage passed this route, and in that carriage, there was a Forsaken mage."
he fell silent, trying to piece everything together. A carriage, a Forsaken mage?.
"Was that Forsaken Mage wearing a silk mask?" he asked.
She turned her head sharply toward him. "Yes. Did you come across him?" she asked, her tone suddenly more focused.
He nodded slowly. "I was in the carriage you're talking about."
"Oh..." She looked at him with more suspicion. "But where is the carriage?"
He fell silent, realizing explaining everything now would be difficult.
"Follow me," he said, turning and walking toward the place where the cart and carriage were.
She followed without a word, her gaze fixed on his back as they moved through the quiet forest.
After some time, they arrived at the scene. The wreckage was as he remembered: the twisted remains of the cart, the bodies of the dead strewn about, their lifeless eyes staring into nothingness.
She surveyed the area with a frown before turning to him. "How do you explain this? If everyone died, how did you manage to survive? Or are you the one who did all this?"
He hesitated.
He couldn't explain the true reason—there was no way to make sense of it without revealing too much. He settled on the simplest answer.
"It's instinct," he said quietly, his eyes scanning the scene. "A kind of sixth sense that kicks in when I'm in real danger. When I was in the carriage, I felt something was wrong. I knew it wasn't safe, so I jumped off before..." He trailed off, unable to finish the sentence.
She studied him for a long moment, then nodded slowly. "So, you're saying you sensed the danger before it happened?" she asked, her voice now less accusatory, but still filled with doubt.
He nodded. "Exactly. If I hadn't acted when I did, I wouldn't be standing here."
She glanced back at the bodies, her expression unreadable. "I see," she said after a pause.
Suddenly, a sharp rustle in the trees behind him sent a cold shiver down his spine. Before he could react, he felt something—an attack, almost undetectable, moving swiftly toward him from the shadows.
Instinct kicked in immediately. Without thinking, he spun to his left, just as something grazed the edge of his cloak. His body moved of its own accord, sidestepping the strike with a precision that would be impossible for a normal person to achieve.
The attacker, cloaked in shadows, was barely visible, but the blur of movement gave them away. The woman stood a few paces behind, her eyes narrowed as she watched him closely.
He didn't need to look at her to know what she was thinking.
She was testing him.
A normal person would have never had the chance to dodge such an attack. The woman knew that, and yet he had reacted like someone who had been trained to survive.
"Impressive," she muttered, her voice betraying no surprise. "I didn't think you'd be able to avoid that."
He took a slow breath, his heart still racing. "I told you. It's instinct."
"I didn't know you were telling the truth," she said, her tone softening just slightly.
With a swift motion, the woman raised her hand, signaling for the attacker to stop. From the shadows, a figure hesitated for a moment, before retreating, disappearing into the trees.
She turned to him, her gaze unwavering. "I wanted to see if you were lying about your 'instinct'," she said, her voice cool and calculated. "And it seems you weren't.
Dodging an attack from a fine assassin isn't something most people can do—especially when it comes out of nowhere."
He stood still, his posture relaxed but ready for anything. "Like I said, it's instinct. I'm not sure why it works, but it does."
The woman studied him for a long moment, her expression unreadable. Then, after a brief pause, she lowered her hand and gave a slight nod. "Well, it's clear you're not just a random survivor. You're something else."
After a quiet moment, he finally asked, "Can I ask you some questions? I don't know much about Forsaken Mages or any of this... I'm from a secluded village. Would it be okay if you explained it to me?"
"Forsaken Mages are those who seek power beyond what normal magic can provide. They don't rely on traditional spells or incantations. Instead, they use forbidden techniques—things that were abandoned for good reason."
He furrowed his brow. "So, in simple terms, they're just mages willing to do anything for power and knowledge?"
"Yes"
He took a moment to process what she had said. "I see... thank you for explaining that."
After a brief silence, he asked, "Do you happen to know where the nearest village is?"
The woman looked at him. "There's a village to the north," she said, pointing in the direction. "It's a few hours' walk from here. Not far, but not exactly close either."
He nodded, grateful for the direction. "Thanks."
She didn't immediately turn to leave, though. Instead, her eyes flickered toward him again. "I'm headed there as well," she said, her voice calm. "You can follow me. It'll be safer than going alone, especially after what just happened."
He glanced at her, surprised. "You're going there too?"
"Yes," she replied, her voice steady. "I have to investigate a strange occurrence."
"A strange occurrence?" he echoed, confused.
"Yes," she continued. "Last night, many people in the city died at the same time. Before they died, each of them experienced a pain so intense that it drove them to take their own lives."
He blinked, trying to process the information. "That sounds... horrific. Do you have any idea what caused it?"
She shook her head. "Not yet. But it's not natural. I've seen enough to know that much. Something or someone triggered it. I need to find out what, before it happens again."
He fell silent, his mind racing. 'System, tell me it wasn't the prize of my rebirth?' he asked inwardly.
[It was the price of your rebirth. 1,000 people died randomly around the world.]