Naya's confusion deepened as she opened her mouth to question the stranger's words—only to find herself standing beneath a colossal full moon in an unfamiliar forest the very next instant. The towering trees loomed like silent sentinels, their gnarled branches cwing at the star-studded sky. The air was thick with the scent of damp earth and something metallic, primal. Her breath hitched as panic set in.
"Hello? Anyone?!" Her voice echoed unnaturally, swallowed by the forest's oppressive silence. Only the distant growls of unseen beasts and the mournful howl of the wind answered her. The underbrush rustled ominously, and Naya's pulse skyrocketed. She spun in pce, her boots crushing brittle leaves as she searched for any sign of her companions.
Then—movement. A fsh of crimson streaked across her vision.
Before she could react, a nightmarish creature nded before her with a thud that shook the ground. A flying mantis, its chitinous body gleaming like polished obsidian, stood a full head taller than her. Its scythe-like forelimbs twitched, their serrated edges glinting under the moonlight. Naya's blood turned to ice. The creature's multifaceted eyes locked onto her, and it exhaled a gust of rancid air that made her gag.
"O-oh gods—" She stumbled backward, her legs betraying her with violent tremors. The mantis crouched, its wings vibrating with a low, predatory hum.
This was it. She was going to die as prey.
The creature lunged.
Naya screamed, squeezing her eyes shut—
**CLANG!**
A metallic screech split the air. When Naya dared to peek, her vision blurred with tears, she saw Qin Hong standing protectively in front of her, his arm outstretched. The mantis writhed on the ground, its thorax impaled by a jagged spike of energy that dissolved into shimmering motes.
"'Power of the Titan's Heart,' huh?" Qin Hong smirked, gncing over his shoulder. "And here I thought you'd at least throw a punch before crying."
Naya's face burned. She swiped at her tears, lifting her chin defiantly. "I—I was just luring it closer so you'd have a clean shot! Obviously!"
Qin Hong burst out ughing. "Sure, sure. Well, there are about *twenty thousand* more of these on the isnd. Have fun!" He turned on his heel, whistling as he strolled away.
Naya's bravado shattered. "W-wait!" She sprinted after him, tching onto his arm with a death grip. "D-don't leave me! *Please!*" Her voice cracked, tears streaming anew. "I—I'll get eaten—!"
Qin Hong sighed dramatically but didn't shake her off. "Fine, fine. But you owe me."
As they walked, Naya hiccuped, "Wh-where *is* this pce? It was daytime just—just a second ago!"
Qin Hong's grin turned wolfish. "Welcome to my world. Literally."
"*Your* world?!"
"Yep. A pocket dimension, if you wanna get technical." He stretched zily. "Time flows differently here. A few hours inside might be a minute outside."
Naya's stomach dropped. "Then take us back *now*!"
"Ah, see, that's the problem." Qin Hong tapped his temple. "Crossing dimensions drains my energy. I need to recharge before we can leave."
Naya's knees buckled. "*You—you monster!*" she wailed, colpsing into dramatic sobs.
Qin Hong suddenly crouched, his voice dropping to a whisper. "*Shh.* You wanna know what else is here? **Frenzied Shadowlions.** They can smell tears from miles away."
Naya's cries cut off with a comedic *gulp*.
"Good." Qin Hong patted her head. "Now, here's the deal: You behave, treat people nicely when we get back, and *maybe* I'll recover faster. Understood?"
Naya nodded frantically.
---
**The Cabin**
The rustic wooden cabin, nestled between ancient oaks, was surprisingly cozy. Naya gaped at the tasteful furnishings—a stone firepce, shelves of leather-bound books, and even a hand-carved chess set.
"You live *here*?"
"Sometimes." Qin Hong shrugged. "Kitchen's stocked. Make me dinner while I shower."
Naya's eye twitched. "*Excuse me?*"
"No food, no energy. No energy, no going home." He yawned. "Your call."
Grinding her teeth, Naya stormed to the kitchen. Behind her, Qin Hong muffled a triumphant chuckle.
---
**The Bathroom Incident**
Steam curled around Qin Hong as he sank into the tub, sighing in relief. Just as his muscles rexed, the faucet's spout *melted*, reshaping into a familiar pair of rabbit-like ears.
"**You brought a stranger here?**"
Qin Hong yelped, slipping underwater. "Sutton! Warn a guy next time!"
The guardian spirit materialized fully, arms crossed. "Expin. *Now.*"
After a hurried recap, Qin Hong added, "We're leaving soon. Outside time's barely moved."
Sutton narrowed his eyes. "Don't overstep." With that, he vanished.
---
**Dinner and (Almost) Disaster**
Qin Hong descended the stairs ter, inhaling the rich aroma of stew. "Smells amazing—*oof!*"
Naya's fist connected with his chest.
The next second, Qin Hong was on his knees, coughing blood.
"*I didn't mean to!*" Naya panicked, dragging him to the couch. His skin was cmmy, his breaths shallow.
"R-red vial... cabinet..." he wheezed.
Naya fetched it, cradling his head on her p as she tipped the potion into his mouth. Color returned to his cheeks, but he groaned theatrically. "Welp. That punch bought me three more days here."
Naya's guilt warred with irritation. "*What do you want?*"
Qin Hong's eyes sparkled. "Feed me soup?"
---
**The Aftermath**
As Naya blew on a spoonful of stew, Qin Hong studied her hands—raw from scrubbing his clothes, a cut marring her index finger. Wordlessly, he retrieved the now-empty vial, pressing it to her wound. The skin knit itself instantly.
Then, to her horror, he *licked* the residual drops.
"*Why would you—?!*" Naya's face combusted.
"Waste not," he said, grinning.
---
**The Return**
When Qin Hong finally summoned a swirling rift, Naya surprised herself by hesitating. "We could... stay a bit longer?"
He pretended not to hear. "Hmm?"
"*Nothing!*" She grabbed his hand, bracing as they stepped through.
Back in the restaurant, all eyes snapped to their intertwined fingers.
Ilen gasped. "*Why are you holding hands?!*"
Naya jerked away, fleeing with her companions in tow—but not before stealing one st gnce at Qin Hong, her cheeks pink, her heart racing.
