AnnouncementI'm finally back. I stayed at my job a bit longer than I expected.

  'As I went back to the carriage. My heart races with anticipation of the worst outcome. Even knowing how strong they were, my mind immediately thought of their demise. I hadn't been prepared myself in case we were attacked on the way to the capital. I was way too focused on training or desiring my freedom that I dared to underestimate a world like this one, It is at those moments I'd rather have them with me.'

  'What am I going to do if they are defeated? Run away? I know very well, if they lose, my fate is certain.'

  After running for a bit I sight the wooden horseless carriage, my first reaction is to get inside it as fast as possible, and shut the door behind me. I sat down and avoided looking at the window too much, I never felt so much adrenaline, not even fighting the smile. The feeling of a possible upcoming advent does not leave my mind for a single second.'

  "There is no way they are going to lose right." *I try to calm myself, taking a deep breath, but it doesn't help. I slowly turn my gaze to the window, feeling like my heart was going to explode.*

  'I move myself closer to the window, wondering if I would see anything at all, my body trembling with anticipation and sweat dripping from my face to the fabric of the cabriolet's seat. I peek through the window Just to stare at a silent forest. I don't know if I would prefer to see something outside or not. My eyes attentively searched for any movement, from the breeze blowing the bushes to rustle, and the leaves being gently being carried away by a small gust of wind.'

  But the thing that worried me those most is that I had to sight of the trio, the silence was equally frightening. Deep inside, I felt that something was wrong. Like something was preying on me, and slowly getting closer by each second that passed. Maybe trying to increase my awareness with my MANA, although that could attract unwanted attention.

  I have the to try!

  Closing my eyes and taking a deep breath while focusing on the MANA flowing through my body.

  'I felt a small blissful sensation rushing through my body. I could feel something flowing from my brain to my face, then to my neck, eventually reaching my heart, but before I could flow it to my limbs. My whole being is engulfed by MANA, like it was trying to invade my body, my breath became heavy and my mind dizzy. This isn't my MANA. I was sweating just thinking about what could it be. I had my eyes closed this entire time...'

  *Knock knock knock*

  Kael's heart was racing once he heard the door being knocked 3 times, after an overwhelming silence came to the carriage. The door of the carriage also didn't possess any type of mirror, not being able to make anything out of the situation, Kael couldn't stop trembling.

  -"Hello, is there anyone home?" 'Who is this voice from? It's not from Miria, Vyra nor Elin. It felt somewhat familiar, but fear consumed my body, I can't even bring myself to even answer.

  "Are you really willing to ignore me for this long?" 'Hearing a voice once again, I stare at the wooden door with small carvings intensely, replying.'

  -"I don't know who you are, the owner of this carriage isn't here." 'I replied, knowing that whoever was on the other side was likely the person that blocked my MANA.'

  -"Oh, really, that's too bad. I will come back when they are here." 'After her st words, everything was once again engulfed in silence. Within every sound that forest produced, I couldn't hear a single footstep being taken.'

  'But there is something wrong. The more I stare at the door, the more I feel this unsettling feeling of danger, like something is gazing at me.'

  *Knock....knock.....knock.*

  'I've heard a sharp object knocking against the gss beside me thrice. Each time creating a small pause before the other, the urge to run away from this carriage only grows as my body simply wouldn't answer my commands, but my curiosity was stronger.'

  *Kael turned his face to the window, to see a feminine face with two yellow sharp eyes and red marks staring at him, with her lips forming a smile.*

  *Knock knock knock.*

  'I hear the same 3 knockings coming from the door of the carriage, with the same feminine voice as before.'

  -"Sorry to make you wait. But we checked around and didn't find anyone that could possibly be the owner of this thing."

  'What is she talking about? I turn to the woman at the window, doesn't break eye contact for even a second.'

  -"The carriage is covered by magic. We are going to open it, don't move."

  -"I don't think you should do it." 'I reply as I try to use my MANA but to no avail, like something was suppressing me.'

  'I kept trying to find alternatives to leave the pce, until a hand pierced through the carriage from the window side and shattered a small magic barrier protecting it, beige and yet delicate, accompanied by rge nails.'

  'Yeah, I can't do much in this situation, I just need to survive and hope for the others to be okay.'

  'As I was thinking of a strategy on how to talk to them, the front side chariot was sent flying by at least 10 meters with a single motion of that woman's arm. Like it was made out of paper. I couldn't breathe with my heart ramming against my rib cage.'

  -"Hi, were you feeling lonely inside this junk?"

  'My eyes turn to the belly of the tall beige-skinned woman besides me, the same who destroyed the carriage with a simple move of her arm. If I had to take a guess, probably as tall as Elin. But she was a bit thicker, with soft visible abs, a chest accompanied by a generous pair of breasts. The then woman bent herself over to look at my eyes.'

  -"This is it, right?" 'She asks something, but I have no idea if it is to me or not. Besides now, I could clearly see her face. Her eyes were closed, and she had marks on her face simir to a tribal tattoo, but I couldn't be sure if they were carved into her or ink. It felt very natural to the skin.'

  -"Yes, it is the one we were looking for." 'I hear another voice nearby, it is from the same direction of where the carriage's door was. I turn to see who it was, and to no surprise, it is the Slime-woman I had fought not so long ago.'

  -"It seems my methods stand correct once again." 'She said while the liquid that formed her rather attractive body expelled something on the grassy ground. That something...'

  -"VYRA! Are you okay?!" 'I asked, without paying much attention to the other monster-women around me, she was unconscious but didn't seem to have any type of fatal wound. Besides the body being wet, everything seemed fine.'

  -"Do you know this woman, boy?" 'The tall wild looking woman asked me with a direct and sharp tone, a red tail came out of her back and gently turned her face to me.'

  -"Yes." 'I reply gazing fixedly at Vyra to see if she was okay, to me relief her closed and her soft breathing movements were enough to guarantee me of that.'

  -"Do not worry about her. She is fine, all we did is block her MANA and put the girl to sleep, we made sure nothing bad happened to her." 'The Slime woman replied as she extended her hand to me.' "Come on, let's get you out of this junk."

  'I'm not sure if I should trust them. But I don't have much of a choice either. I jump from the carriage to the ground ahead of me, just a few inches away from Vyra.'

  "Heh, Loser." 'The Wild looking girl mocked the slime looking girl as I kept my head down.'

  "Not more than you stupid brute." 'The slime girl replied with the same tone. I thought they were supposed to be allies.'

  "Hey, you two. Why did you attack us?" 'It is worth to ask at least.'

  "Huh, why? Because your boss has been attacking us for way longer, we wanted to give her a very warm and welcoming hello for doing so." 'The Beige Monster Woman replied as her face were filled with veins due to her anger.'

  'Miria? I thought she was just rewarded for doing something great? Maybe attacking them was the great thing she did. Our situation is far from good.'

  "And what happened to them, Elin and Miria?" 'I asked, turning myself to her.'

  'She put her face close to mine and said the word like she was mocking me with a smile on her face.' -"Dead."

  "The brute is lying, we don't know either." 'The slime woman interrupted.'