As twilight settled over the expansive landscape, Felix and Emma walked side by side, the orange and pink hues of the sunset casting long shadows behind them. The air was still and heavy, with an eerie silence surrounding them; not a single sound pierced the calm. They trudged on, each step taken with a sense of urgency as they both searched for a safe place to rest for the night.
Glancing over at Emma, Felix noted her tired expression, her brow furrowed in deep contemplation. She seemed miles away, lost in her own troubling thoughts.
"How am I supposed to find Anton now?" she muttered quietly, her voice barely breaking the silence. "Frieda was kidnapped, and I am stuck in this world. These people use magic to survive. And I don't know magic. What will I do if I encounter something beyond my understanding? What made me think I would be happy here?"
"Emma?" Felix called softly.
"Oh, yes, Felix?" She turned to him, forcing a faint smile as if to mask her inner turmoil.
"Are you okay? You didn't ask any questions about Frieda or where we are; you've just been following me."
"It's just… everything is overwhelming. It feels like I'm trapped in some kind of surreal dream," she admitted, her eyes clouded with confusion.
A sudden, chilling breeze swept through the open area, making them shiver involuntarily.
"I can only imagine how you must feel," Felix said, compassion in his tone. "Waking up in a different world is hard to accept. I don't know how to comfort you when I'm also feeling lost after facing defeat myself. But remember, if you have any questions or if you feel scared, you can always count on me."
Emma thought about the boy she had encountered earlier—a stark contrast to the one walking beside her now. Felix, who was trying to reassure her, seemed much gentler and more approachable. Yet reflecting on her desperate situation only deepened her unease.
"Right after entering this world, I guess you met the wrong person. Frieda likely doesn't have much knowledge about this place either," Felix continued, trying to lighten the mood.
A smile crept onto Emma's face at the memory of her first interaction with Frieda. "You're right. But why do you say she's so uninformed?"
Felix chuckled softly, a hint of nostalgia in his voice. "Her parents have always kept a tight grip on her. They never allowed her to roam freely. Her father would take her to school, and her mother would pick her up, ensuring she was never left alone in unfamiliar surroundings. She had very few friends, which must've made her feel isolated. That's probably why she approaches anyone with such eagerness and calls them 'friend.'"
Emma laughed, warmth spreading through her chest at the thought.
Seeing her smile, Felix felt a wave of relief wash over him. "By the way, you met her at that old abandoned house, right?"
"Yes," Emma confirmed.
"That's her secret hideaway. She goes there to play," Felix explained.
"Really? Who lived there before?"
"I wouldn't know. My family moved to this area when I was eleven, around the same time the original occupants left. The place has always felt a bit haunted, to be honest."
"Where did you live before?" Emma asked, curiosity flickering in her tired eyes.
By this time, darkness had enveloped the landscape, the stars beginning to twinkle in the night sky. Ignoring her question, Felix scanned the surroundings for a suitable place to rest.
"I don't think we'll be able to find a safe spot tonight. This place is too vast and open. How about you take a rest here, Emma? I'll keep watch, and we can set off again at dawn." The ground beneath them was flat and sparse, only a few tufts of grass peeking through the otherwise barren earth, making the vast emptiness even more pronounced.
"What about you? Aren't you going to sleep?" she asked, concern etching her features.
"No. I have no idea what kind of creatures might come out to roam when my guard is down. Wild animals in this world can possess unpredictable magical abilities; one misstep could be fatal," he warned, a serious expression crossing his face.
"But… how will you rest your body? You need to recharge too," she challenged gently.
"Oh, you don't need to worry about me. I'm fully energized. I'm a Tier 5 magic user, which essentially means I'm a mage—at least, that's what they call us in the capital city," he replied, the pride evident in his voice.
Emma was too exhausted to fully grasp the intricacies of his explanation. Her mind swirled with questions: Why wasn't he using his magical powers to fly above the dangers? How does this magic even work? But she decided to put those thoughts aside for now.
"I do have a lot of questions. Really, a ton of them. But I'll ask them when we start walking again," she murmured, allowing her eyelids to droop heavily.
Felix watched her drift off to sleep, a flicker of realization hitting him. "So she does have questions. I was beginning to wonder if maybe she was a bit slow." With that thought, he settled into his vigil, scanning the shadows, ready to protect her from whatever threats the night might hold.
As the first light of dawn illuminated the horizon, Emma stirred awake. Her eyes adjusted to the soft glow, landing on Felix, who sat with his back to her, gazing intently at the vast landscape spread out before him—a seemingly endless stretch of green grass that met the bright blue sky.
"Felix?" she called softly, uncertainty lacing her voice.
"You're awake," he replied, his tone flat yet serious.
"Did you sleep at all?" Emma asked, propping herself up on one elbow.
"No. I had to keep watch," he answered, his eyes still fixed on the horizon, as if searching for something just out of sight.
Emma sighed deeply, frustration bubbling beneath her surface. Eager to move on, she stretched her arms overhead and then declared, "I've rested enough. If you're ready, we can set off at any time."
Felix turned slightly, his expression troubled.
"What's the matter?" Emma inquired, catching the hint of worry etched on his face.
"I was just wondering if we're on the right track," he replied, his brow furrowing in concern.
"I think we are," Emma said reassuringly. "It might sound childish, but I had a dream last night."
Intrigued, Felix raised an eyebrow. "Did you?"
"Yes," she confirmed, her heart racing as she recalled the dream vividly. She had envisioned herself walking straight ahead and somehow arriving in a bustling place full of people—so unlike their current desolation.
Felix stared at her, his expression a mix of surprise and curiosity. "Have you ever had dreams like that before?"
"No—" she faltered, her thoughts wandering to a dream of Mrs. Clara, but she dismissed it. "Why do you ask?"
"Oh, it's nothing," he replied, though Emma noted the way his eyes lingered, as if he had stumbled upon a secret he wasn't ready to share.
Emma felt a nagging unease; Felix seemed distant, just as he had the previous day when she had asked him questions that remained unanswered.
As they began walking, the vast expanse enveloped them. The sky was a brilliant canvas of azure, unmarred by even a single cloud. It might have been morning, but the sun blazed as if the day had already reached its peak.
A sudden grumble from her stomach broke through the silence.
"Are you hungry?" Felix asked, glancing over at her.
Heat rushed to Emma's cheeks; she hadn't realized he could hear her stomach protest. "A little," she admitted, feeling embarrassed.
"We won't find anything to eat until we get to a settlement," he reminded her, his tone practical.
"It's fine. I have enough energy to continue," she reassured him, trying to mask her growing fatigue. Inwardly, she thought he was just being nice.
As the sun climbed higher, hours slipped away unnoticed, and the weight of their journey began to settle in. Emma felt anxiety squeezing her chest; they had been walking for what felt like an eternity, and the unbroken horizon only heightened her apprehension. She looked at Felix, noting how his resolve remained steadfast, while her own strength waned. Despite his vigilant night, he seemed invigorated—more focused and determined than she felt. She blinked, realizing her vision was starting to blur.
The cooler air of night had long faded, replaced by the oppressive heat of midday. Emma was drenched in sweat, her skin tacky and slick. Her legs felt heavy, and her feet began to drag as exhaustion crept in. Felix, ever observant, noticed her slowing pace and asked if they should take a break.
She shook her head vigorously. "No, I'm fine," she insisted, even as her body begged for rest.
Felix's concern was palpable, though he held his tongue. All he could think was that they needed to reach shelter before darkness fell. Survival depended on it.
"Why is this place just endless grass and sky?" Emma exclaimed in frustration, wiping the sweat from her brow.
"Honestly, this is the first time I've encountered something like this," Felix replied, shaking his head in disbelief. "I never imagined a place devoid of landmarks could exist. But if we give up now… we might die out here, and no one would know what happened to our bodies."
"I can't let that happen to me. I need to find Anton!" she declared fiercely, determination surging through her as she spoke his name.
Felix chuckled softly, "Yeah, that's the spirit."
Yet, even as Emma rallied her courage, she could sense that Felix was also nearing his limit. Neither of them had sipped a single drop of water since they set off, and the relentless heat of the sun threatened to drain them completely.
"We should talk to keep my mind off all the anxious thoughts," she suggested, desperation creeping into her voice.
"Yes, that sounds good," Felix agreed, his tone brightening slightly.
"Let's take turns asking questions," Emma proposed, trying to inject some lightness into their dire situation.
"What's up with that?" Felix snickered, his mood lifting for a brief moment.
"Just trying to maintain my sanity," Emma laughed, despite how her heart raced with worry.
"Alright then—so as far as I know, you were searching for your brother and ended up in this world?" Felix asked, genuinely curious.
"Yeah," Emma confirmed, her mind wandering back to her journey and the lost connections.
"What made you think to search the abandoned house?" he inquired, his interest peaked.
Emma hesitated, recalling moments from her time at school—the various classmates, Emilia, Jackob, and Emil. "It probably wasn't the best idea to start asking questions," she muttered under her breath, unsure of how much to share.
"What?" Felix prompted, leaning closer.
"Oh, nothing," she replied hastily, brushing off the topic.
Just as Emma was about to speak again, her legs buckled beneath her, and she collapsed to the ground with a dull thud. Felix's eyes widened in horror as he rushed to her side, shaking her gently to awaken her, but she lay unresponsive. Panic gripped him; it seemed she had succumbed to dehydration.
"Emma! Emma! Wake up!" he shouted, fear lacing his voice.
Glancing around frantically, he noticed a cluster of bushes in the distance. Realizing they might conceal some trees, he hurried to lift Emma, calling out to her again when, suddenly, a massive white sphere plummeted from above, landing with a soft thud just in front of him. The sphere was enormous, covered in fluffy white fur that shimmered brilliantly in the sunlight.
Felix stood frozen in shock as the ball began to move. To his astonishment, it unfurled into a colossal creature—a stunning beast that looked like a combination of a wolf and a dog. It stood before him, its fierce eyes locked onto Felix, its mouth forming a menacing snarl, ready to pounce on the two vulnerable figures before it.