I woke up to a strange noise outside the inn—Is it 3 a.m.? Is it breakfast time? Who knows? All I know is I woke up still in the outfit I hadn't paid for yet (classic me), but at least I wasn't in the middle of a magical training session. Progress, right?Anyway, I dragged myself out of bed, done with the whole crying and self-pity routine—definitely not my usual style. I acted like I had it all figured out, even though my brain was still running on half a cup of sleep. But hey, at least I was upright and moving, so that's a win, right? I tiptoed over to the window, trying to shake off the melodrama and see what all the noise was about.I activated my Dragon Eyes, because why not add a little drama to this weird night? The instant they kicked in, everything outside became crystal clear, even though it was the dead of night. Seriously, is it always this bright when you can see things at a distance like that? Just the magic being all show-offy again.Outside, I saw four cloaked men just... hanging around, which is exactly how I don't want to start my morning. And because one guy wasn't creepy enough, there was another sitting on a tree branch like a bad guy in a low-budget movie, just watching me. The real question is, who wakes up and immediately decides to lurk in a tree? What was he expecting, an award?I thought about the front desk lady who had told me the inn was full earlier. But now, I had to wonder: was she secretly in on this whole thing? Was I the target of a very poorly executed business tactic, or had I just been handed a plot twist that even Netflix would call "too much"?Just as I was working myself up, a needle came flying through the air. Great. More drama. I caught it because apparently, I'm turning into some kind of action hero overnight. The Dragon had taught me a little spell to keep my magic on track, and guess what? It works on needles too! Who knew?I threw it back at the guy on the tree like it was a game of "How Badly Can I Freak People Out," and boom, he was out cold. I quickly opened a portal and caught him before he could even scream, which was definitely the most dramatic thing I've ever done in my life.So then I start snooping through his stuff like any self-respecting adventurer would do. Found a weird earpiece in his ear, and sure enough, it was a communication device. Naturally, I popped it into my own ear to eavesdrop. Because, let's be real, this entire scenario just screams "spy movie.""She's not in her room!" someone said."Check the bathroom!" another voice called. Look, I get it, I'm hiding in the bathroom sometimes too, but really? What's the plan here?And then, of course, someone had the nerve to say, "If I see her naked, can I have a taste?" To which I couldn't help but snap, "What kind of weird fantasy are you living out, dude? Absolutely not. Get a grip."That's when everything went to hell. People started shouting, running around in circles, and suddenly, I found myself throwing enchanted needles like I was auditioning for a new Olympic sport. Seriously, the green needles? Absolute game-changers. If snake venom was a weapon, I just made it my new hobby. I was practically racking up points every time one of them hit the mark. A guy with a sword? He was on the floor convulsing in seconds. A lady with a big, shiny axe? Same deal—she was down faster than I could say "sudden nap."Meanwhile, the others were freaking out, yelling for "Lundel," the guy I had knocked out earlier with the enchanted needle, who had apparently fallen asleep on the job. Real professional, right?I couldn't even focus on the chaos properly because, guess what? I had no idea what time it was. Was it morning? Was it still the middle of the night? Who knows? Who cares? All I knew was that I was stuck in the middle of what felt like a weird action movie, and I was clearly the only one who had no clue what was going on. Seriously, these people were WAY too into the chaos.But it got even better. In a moment of sheer theatricality (because, why not, right?), I decided to levitate. Casually floated into the air, my hair whipping around like I was some action movie heroine. Honestly, I was starting to feel a little ridiculous, but hey, if you're going to do something, might as well make it dramatic, right?Below me, everyone stared up like I was some ethereal goddess. It was way too much.And then it hit me—surprise, the whole town was in on it. It felt like I'd walked into a town of thieves. Even the lady I hadn't paid for my clothes earlier? Yeah, she was part of it too. Guess she wasn't just admiring my outfit—she was probably making sure I didn't skip out without "paying" for my stay.But hey, at least I wasn't alone. I was just surrounded by a bunch of people who couldn't figure out what time it was and thought blindly attacking me in the middle of the night was a solid plan. Sleep deprivation really does mess with your decision-making skills.I glanced down at the chaos below, my brain running through the options. I could bail—just zip away and let them stew in their confusion—but where's the fun in that? Might as well give them a show.One of the marksmen from across the street took aim. Was this supposed to intimidate me?With a flick of my wrist, I sent a gust of wind so strong it knocked the arrow off course, sending it careening into a nearby barrel. Nice try, buddy.Fireballs came next, sizzling through the air, missing by a hair. I dodged, twisting mid-air like I was starring in my own action movie. Then I countered with a couple of enchanted needles. Green ones? Yeah, those were my favorites. One of the guys fell, twitching uncontrollably, and I couldn't help but smile at the irony of their attack becoming their downfall."Why is she still up there?!" someone yelled below."Take her down!" another shouted.Great idea, genius. But how? Because I wasn't planning on just sitting still for them to figure that out.I summoned a gust of wind and descended in slow motion, making it as dramatic as humanly possible. I landed lightly on a barrel, instantly surrounded by a circle of thugs. They looked ready to pounce.A spin of my fingers and the ground shook beneath them, rocks and debris flying upward, sending a few stumbling backward. While they were off balance, I charged forward, throwing fireballs and needles. A couple missed, but the ones that landed brought them to their knees."Stay down!" I yelled, twirling in the chaos.But they didn't listen. The more I knocked down, the more seemed to come at me. They were relentless. And I realized something—this wasn't some random group of thugs. These guys were organized. There was a plan here. Someone was pulling the strings. This wasn't just a fight; it was a performance.I gritted my teeth, throwing another burst of wind to knock a few more back. That's when I saw him—Lundel, the guy I'd knocked out earlier. He was somehow awake and looking even more panicked than before."Lundel, you good?" I called out, feigning concern. Then I shot another needle in his direction—this time hitting the man next to him.Lundel jumped back, regret written all over his face.I wasn't done. Not by a long shot.As I surveyed the aftermath, a few of the remaining thugs scrambled to their feet, their eyes wide with fear. One of them hissed, "Someone secure the slaves before they get away, you fool!"I rolled my eyes, processing the words. Slaves? Really? They hadn't counted on me overhearing their little conversation, and suddenly, everything clicked into place. My blood boiled.The other thug, shaking, turned and stumbled toward the back of the inn, probably trying to find these "slaves.""Hold up," I called, stepping toward him. "Did you just say slaves?" My voice cut through the air, dripping with venom. Their faces turned ghostly pale."Uh... no, no, not slaves. Just... uh, people we were keeping for... personal use," the first thug stammered, his voice cracking.I narrowed my eyes, every muscle tensing. "Personal use? Really? So what—were you planning to sell them, or keep them as your personal punching bags? Because from where I'm standing, that doesn't sound like something I'm willing to let slide."The second thug, visibly sweating now, tried to backpedal harder. "No, no! Not punching bags! Just... you know, for labor... They were—""Shut up," I snapped, cutting him off.They exchanged uneasy glances, and I took a slow step forward, my eyes scanning the remaining thugs still standing. Some were still conscious, others barely hanging on. The air was thick with tension. A few exchanged hesitant looks, but they knew they were done.And then, I didn't give them the chance to hesitate any longer.Before they could think, I moved. Magic surged through me, and with a flick of my hand, I unleashed a barrage of enchanted needles. They fell one by one.The first thug who tried to run? He didn't make it. One needle to the neck, and down he went like a sack of potatoes.The next thug raised a hand in defense, but it was useless. A quick flick of my wrist, and he froze in place, paralyzed, before crumpling to the ground.Another thug, crawling away, never saw the dagger coming. It sank into his back before he could get more than a few feet.I glanced around at the carnage I'd left behind. Bodies. Broken debris. Blood. I didn't feel anything. No satisfaction, no remorse—just the eerie silence after a storm.As I turned to leave, I muttered, "And that's what happens when you mess with me."