Sadie informed Runebelle in her mind."Runebelle, Mrs. Magenta is Roselle's mother, and she holds visionary powers that could hold significant importance in Shadowcroft's sinister plans. Roselle, you possess powers too, but you might not even be aware of them. You do know about your mother's abilities, though."

  Runebelle absorbed the weight of Sadie's revelations. The faced Roselle and said, "Shadowcroft has information about your mother's powers. They intend to capture both you and Risebelle to gain control over your mother, Mrs. Magenta."

  Roselle's face morphed into one shock. "My mom's powers and Shadowcroft... I had no idea."

  Runebelle briefly closed her eyes. "You have powers too, Roselle. They might not have manifested yet, but they're there."

  Roselle's brow furrowed with confusion. "Powers? I've never experienced anything like that."

  Runebelle nodded. "Maybe not now, but you could. Shadowcroft knows about them, even if they haven't emerged yet. People with powers like yours and your mother's have been disappearing because of Shadowcroft. They're being collected. And if we want to stop this, we need to start by finding and defeating these doppelgangers they're sending out to replace everyone. Once we start taking them down, we might be able to locate Shadowcroft's base through interrogation."

  Roselle’s eyes widened. “I… I just thought my mom’s powers were...special. I had no idea they could be dangerous, or that I might have powers too. It feels like everything’s changing so fast… I… I’m not sure if I can handle this...”

  Roselle shook her head. “I’m scared, I won’t lie about that, but if this is real, if what you’re saying is true, then I want to help. I want to protect my mom and Risebelle and...everyone else.”

  In her mind, Runebelle's mother chimed in. "I've never seen such a pure-hearted girl, Runebelle. She's like a child I wish was mine."

  Runebelle chuckled in response and replied in her thoughts, "I have a strange feeling about her…I don’t know what it is, but it feels like she’s going to be very important. With that in mind..."

  Going back to Roselle, Runebelle said, “I will need you to trust me. I have a unique power that can help us in this. If I touch someone, I can learn about their past, their thoughts, and their secrets. I want to work together with you to stop Shadowcroft. Will you join me?"

  Runebelle extended her hand

  Roselle looked at her hand momentarily then looked away. "If I agree to this, will you see everything about me?"

  Runebelle Nodded. “I get your hesitation, I really do. I promise to respect your privacy. I won't look at anything unless it’s absolutely necessary. I’ll only focus on what can help us against Shadowcroft.”

  Roselle’s eyes looked towards Runebelle. “So you’ll only see what you need to know?”

  Runebelle nodded again. “This power is meant to help us find the truth and protect each other. By joining forces, we can uncover Shadowcroft's plans and stop them before they hurt anyone else.”

  Roselle took a deep breath. She met Runebelle’s eyes once more and slowly extended her hand to grasp Runebelle’s. “Alright… I’ll trust you. Let’s catch Shadowcroft together.”

  When their hands met, Runebelle's unique ability was activated. A powerful surge of information flowed into her mind. She witnessed multiple aspects of Roselle's existence simultaneously.

  Runebelle's mind became a whirlwind of visions and emotions. She saw a mysterious figure referred to as ‘Kintovar,’ with a younger version of Roselle. This person was sending her out on dangerous missions.

  However, what struck Runebelle the hardest was a grim and haunting glimpse of Roselle's future. She saw the shadowy presence of Shadowcroft, and a scene of Roselle's life ending at their hands.

  Runebelle’s heart clenched with fear. Inwardly, she murmured to herself, ‘That was a future vision... Could it be possible that Roselle has a power similar to her mother's, one she doesn’t even know about yet?’

  The flood of images overwhelmed Runebelle, leaving her gasping for air. She was forced down to her knees.

  Roselle crouched beside her. “Sadie! What’s wrong? What did you see?”

  “I saw… so much,” Runebelle said between gulps of air. “Roselle, I... my power, when I touch someone, I see things. And I just saw different versions of you, almost like you were here and somewhere else at the same time," Runebelle began, trying to make sense of her own visions. There's this figure, 'Kintovar,' who's somehow involved with your creation and missions. But the visions were jumbled; it's like there's a whole other reality or something."

  Roselle was utterly bewildered. "That doesn't make sense. Who is this Kintovar?" she asked, searching for answers, but Runebelle could only shake her head.

  Runebelle struggled to her feet. "I have no idea. It's strange; I saw you doing these... missions, and at the same time, I saw a dark future with Shadowcroft involved. I saw an ending, and I heard myself say it's my fault, but I have no clue how or why.”

  This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.

  Roselle slapped her own cheeks and then opened her mouth to speak with a confident look, but before she could utter a word, her legs buckled beneath her. Her eyes fluttered, and she collapsed into Runebelle's arms.

  “Roselle!” Runebelle gasped. Panic momentarily gripped her before she regained her composure. She gently laid Roselle on the ground and checked for any signs of injuries.

  In her mind, Runebelle quickly reached out to Sadie and her mother. “This is bad. It could be a reaction… her untapped power might have connected with mine, and it was too much for her.”

  Her mother echoed in her thoughts with concern. “Her power is awakening. This might be the trigger she needed, but we must act quickly to stabilize her.”

  Sadie spoke next. “You need to get her to safety for now, Runebelle.”

  With a sense of urgency, Runebelle said, "I'll take you to the hospital, Roselle. Don't worry, I'll get you there…”

  Runebelle cradled Roselle in her arms, carefully carrying her out of the arcade and to the hospital.

  The hospital corridors echoed with a haunting silence. Runebelle sat in the waiting room where she had been for a while after bringing Roselle in. She gazed down at the sterile floor with a heart full of concern. "If I didn't use my powers, maybe Roselle wouldn't be here," she murmured quietly.

  Runebelle's mother responded in her mind. "You couldn't have known what would happen when your two powers met. This isn't your fault, Runebelle."

  The doctor approached Runebelle in the hospital waiting room with a wide smile. "Good news! Roselle will be fine. She just fainted due to stress and exhaustion. There doesn't appear to be any underlying health issues."

  Runebelle took a breath of relif. “Thanks Doctor.”

  The doctor glanced at his clipboard before looking back at Runebelle. “Will you be staying until she wakes up? It shouldn’t be long now.”

  Runebelle hesitated, glancing at the clock on the wall. It was already 11 Pm. “I’d love to stay, but if Roselle is okay, I think I should head home. I am pretty tired.”

  The doctor nodded understandingly. “Of course. I’ll let Roselle know you were here when she wakes up.”

  “Thank you, Doctor,” Runebelle said.

  While leaving, Runebelle cast one last glance down the hallway leading to Roselle’s room. When walking through the familiar streets, Runebelle walked sluggishly. Her eyes lowered and she began panting while moving.

  Runebelle’s Mother sent her worries, “Runebelle, Honey, are you okay?”

  Runebelle responded."I'm fine. Roselle's memories were just more intense than I expected. I need to rest."

  With her own concerns and worries still gnawing at her, Runebelle headed home. Upon arriving, Runebelle entered her room. She flopped onto her bed, not even bothering to change out of her clothes and into her pajamas.

  Just when she was about to close her eyes and let the day's events fade away, her computer buzzed, drawing her attention. Weary and curious, she approached the screen, noticing a new message from an unexpected sender, "Dr.K99."

  Runebelle clicked on the message to read its contents.

  "Dear Sleuth of Shadows,

  I am aware of your diligent investigation into the organization known as Shadowcroft. I have vital information that could shed light on the truth you seek. However, the contents of this information requires a face-to-face meeting.

  I cordially invite you to meet me at the park tomorrow, Saturday, at 10 AM. Look for the person wearing a green scarf and holding a book. This is crucial. There is much to discuss and clarify, and I believe our conversation will provide you with the insights you seek.

  Yours sincerely,

  Dr.K99"

  Runebelle sat back, digesting the words. “This seems like a well-composed email. People try to be constructive, but this gives me the impression this person might mean business.”

  Sadie hummed in with caution. “It is somewhat suspicious. They seem to expect you to agree to this meeting without question.”

  Runebelle nodded, still staring at the screen. “And they know about Shadowcroft… I can’t ignore this. But it could be a trap... I won’t share much with Dr.K99 until I know what's really going on.”

  Runebelle carefully composed her response to Dr.K99, being cautious with her choice of words:

  "Dr.K99,

  I appreciate your offer to share information about Shadowcroft; however, I'm won’t be revealingmuch at this stage to just anyone. If you're sincere in your intentions, we can meet at the park as you suggested, but I'd like to learn more about you and your motives before I share any sensitive information.

  Let's take this one step at a time.

  Sincerely,

  Sleuth of Shadows"

  With her response sent, Runebelle hoped that Dr.K99 would understand her need for caution. To her surprise, she received a message in just 1 minute after sending her own.

  "I understand your concerns and I assure you, I'm in no position to pose a threat to you. In fact, I'm seeking your help. Your pursuit aligns with a shared interest of discovering the truth behind Shadowcroft. Your insights could prove invaluable in this endeavor.

  Dr.K99"

  Runebelle stared at the message in deep thought. "I can't shake this feeling that this meeting could change everything…”

  Her mother responded in her mind. "Follow your instincts, dear. But remember, tread carefully. Trust is earned with time, not words."

  Sadie echoed her concerns. "Always remember, we don't reveal everything at once. Be watchful and patient."

  Runebelle drifted into a restless sleep.

  Runebelle slowly blinked her eyes open in the morning. She looked down at herself and realized she hadn't changed into her pajamas last night. Her body ached a bit from a bad sleep. With a stretch and a yawn, she rose up and glanced over at the computer. The screen was lit up with the ominous unread messages from "Shadowcroft."

  Reading through the ten unsettling messages, Runebelle's unease amplified. The letters were laden with an unsettling tone and cryptic messages that seemed almost menacing. As she pondered the words, it became clear:

  “This isn’t Harty…”

  In the early morning hours within Runebelle's mind, her Mother and Sadie awakened.

  “Good Morning, Honey!”

  “Hey sis, Good Morning.”

  "It's odd, isn't it?" Runebelle mused. "To think that even in my mind, you both have to sleep, like me."

  Her Mother's soothingly replied, "Even here, dear, we need moments to recharge. It's a part of how your mind works now."

  Sadie chimed. "Yeah, great minds need their downtime."

  Runebelle's attention shifted to the screen, where the jumbled and strange messages were displayed. She felt an unsettling tension brewing in her gut. "See what I woke up to? Ten of these. Something's off, and it's not Harty. I know his style of writing, and this isn't it."

  Sadie's analyzed the content through Runebelle’s eyes. "Oh, you’re right! This seems intentionally misleading. What’s up with that? I don’t think Harty would joke around with you after your confrontation with him..."

  Runebelle's mother added, “Shadowcroft was Harty’s username on the forums… Something is wrong here."