“Astra! Where are you going??” I yelled, watching as the blue haired girl turned away from the city lord’s manor and, using her movement technique, ran out of the square. I gaped for a moment before I needed to return my attention to the oncoming demons. I wasn’t sure why Astra ran away, but I’d have to ask her after this was all over. I threw another flaming chakram right as my entire world went white. The next thing I knew, I was standing back in the familiar main room of the White Forest guild. I looked around for a few moments confused at the familiar surroundings when a familiar voice grabbed my attention.

  “Excuse me, young lady.” The receptionist called out for what must have been the third or fourth time based on her slightly annoyed expression.

  “Ah..yes, I’m sorry. What did you ask?” I asked. Confused as to what was happening.

  She smiled pityingly at me before she spoke.

  “I asked if you were here to sign up for the guild.” She said, her smile turning more gentle and kind.

  My heart thumped loudly at her words. Would I be able to see her again? Spend more time watching her? She knew what she wanted, her goal, and I would have given anything just minutes ago to extend my time with her, and now I might get to?

  I nodded absently, feeling slightly numb at the dawning idea of what was happening in this trial.

  She nodded.

  “Well then, you’re in luck. Lady Everwood is personally reviewing new applicants to the guild, you’re certainly in for a treat!” she said before standing from her desk and escorting me through the hallways into the depths of the guild. When we were nearly to the door I knew the guild leader was behind, an awful headache tore into my head. I clutched and clawed at my skull desperately trying to stop the white hot pain that tore through me.

  “Young lady!” the receptionist called out as she rushed to grab me, stopping me from falling to the ground. I could barely hear what she was saying, the pain was too strong. I vaguely heard a door opening before a soothing cold sensation washed over my head and I relaxed my tensing body. After nearly a half minute of the waxing and waning pain, it finally subsided and I heaved a few deep breaths before opening my eyes. Standing over me, looking down at me with those kind eyes was Alexis Everwood. She smiled before she spoke.

  “I’ve encountered all kinds of recruits in my time as guild leader here at White Forest, but you’ve certainly made an entrance for yourself.”

  I smiled sheepishly at her words.

  “I’m sorry ma’am, I’m not sure where that headache came from, but I feel much better now. And I’m ready to join the guild.” I told her. Eliciting a wider smile from the woman.

  ——

  I was 10 years old when Elder Yang scooped me up out of the ashes of an immolated building. I had taken shelter in the desolated ruins after my whole village was massacred by bandits. My mother, father, and even my baby brother had all perished. Only I, having thrown a tantrum and hid in the secret storage room had survived. The screams of that day still haunted my nightmares. Elder Yang had saved me, in a way. But the life I lived after being rescued by the severe woman left me wanting. I no longer had the opportunity to feel the warm embrace of loved ones. Instead, I felt the cool steel in my hands while learning sword forms. I felt the biting cold of the mountains as I trained my stamina by climbing. Day after day, ceaseless training. Any less wouldn’t have been good enough. Elder Yang always told me she understood what it took to be powerful and that only through constant training and improvement could you clamber your way up in the world we lived in. So I trained. I followed her instructions. I learned the techniques she recommended, listened to her tips and tricks for increasing my power. Despite my rapid advancement and talent in cultivation, all of the gains I achieved through training couldn’t fill the gaping hole in my heart. Each day was another day separated from my family, but, thanks to fateful encounter, I came to terms with the fact that they would want me to live on. So I trained.

  I worked every day to hone my skills, outshine my peers, and become Elder Yang’s personal disciple. But even then, I didn’t want to be a super strong cultivator. I didn’t want to be the subject of the adoration of others. They showered me with whisperings of ‘genius’ and ‘a once in a generation talent’ and through it all, I just felt more lost.

  Nothing I did resonated with me. Cultivating by myself was boring. Learning fighting techniques or practicing with my spiritual techniques didn’t make me excited. Even reaching the golden core realm, a level most cultivators reach only when they’re at least double my age, didn’t fill what I was missing. And I wasn’t sure that anything in the universe could anymore.

  Finally, Elder Yang came to me. A Joint mission with the mysterious new disciple of Elder Hazeon. Knowing Elder Yang, she’d want me to perform well and outshine Elder Hazeon’s disciple. All of this sect politics had worn out its welcome the first time I was roped into it, but I had no reason to refuse the mission. At least leaving the sect gave me something to do, let me see the world. Let me search for whatever it was I was missing.

  We were waiting in Elder Hazeon’s office when the doors opened. A younger girl, maybe 17? 18? Years old, maybe younger, walked in. Her hair was a bright blue and her eyes were ringed with bags. She had a cute face, though something about her expression sent a pang of empathy through me. Her skin had a dealthly pallor and she was slightly emaciated, giving her a younger looking appearance that what her true age probably was. She wore robes similar to mine that fit loosely on her frame. The last things I noticed was the six pointed elemental locus floating behind her head, and the absolutely huggably adorable white fox following by her side. I needed to hold myself back from rushing forward to pet the adorable white fluff.

  I found myself thinking that the girl and I were similar, though I wasn’t sure why. She and I were almost completely dissimilar outside of our general body types. I shook the feelings away even as the girl asked me a question. I answered, and she and I made our way out of the sect and toward our mission.

  —

  Even though I had experienced all of this once already, I happily followed lady Everwood back into the small sitting room. She moved through the room in the her languid way, no wasted movements, and all the grace of what I came to understand a noblewoman should have. She beckoned for me to sit across from her and an attendant moved to pour us some drinks but Alexis shooed them away.

  “For the last time, Arnold, I am perfectly capable of pouring tea for myself and our prospective recruit. I only allowed you to be my attendant because of your insistence that you needed to help protect me. Now you come sit down too, your opinion about this young lady is imperative in determining what role she shall fill in our grand forest.” She said beckoning for the stalwart man standing at her side to sit down. He didn’t move for a second, just like before, and she sighed before standing, placing a delicate hand on his shoulder, and, without any indication of difficulty, forcing him to sit down at the table. Finally, she placed a small teacup into his massive hands, the contrast between the comparatively minuscule cup and his hands almost causing me to giggle. Again.

  I was able to stifle my improper behavior, but not soon enough if the small smile on Alexis’ lips was anything to go by.

  “Now then. What is your name young lady, and why do you want to join the White Forest guild?” She asked, crossing her legs perfectly and laying her hands in her lap.

  “My name is Rin.” I told her. She nodded.

  “As for why I want to join the guild, I’m not really sure. I came to…this city in part to find something.” I said, truthfully. I’m not sure why, but something about Alexis, and the time we spent together before I seemingly returned to the past, made me want to be more truthful this time around.

  She seemed to grow curious at my answer and gestured to herself.

  “I am pleased to meet you, Rin. As for your reason to join our guild, are you looking for something in particular? I believe an explorer guild may be more suitable for helping you find what you’re looking for.” She said, no judgment or admonishment in her voice, just the gentle lightly twinkling tone she always had when she wasn’t angry.

  If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it.

  I shook my head.

  “No, I’m not looking for something…real. I’m looking for something in here.” I said, placing my hand over my heart. She seemed to read something in my words or in my face as she smiled.

  “Ah. I think I understand. Then in that case, I think our guild is just the place for you to thrive. And everyone here will be more than pleased to help you find what you’re looking for.” She said, and I felt something within me stir. My stomach tensed and tingled and I nodded.

  ***

  I didn’t have time to think about what was happening to me between the awful headache that was coming on and the now furious, weak cultivator who was picking me up by the collar of my robes and bringing me up to eye level.

  “Hey! Don’t ignore me you little-“ Before he could finish I began retching, doing my best to turn away from the man, but being unable to stop the initial salvo of bile from hitting the man’s clothes. He looked down at the offending stain and I actually saw a vein on his temple pulse and grow about twice its initial size. His grip tightened on my collar with his left hand and he pulled his right hand back into a fist. I tried to pull my arms up to forestall the punch that would probably send me back to the guard house for the next four days, but I couldn’t put up enough resistance and his punch flew right at my face and I instinctively closed my eyes. I felt a little pressure in my head, but more than anything in my body, I felt the bones in the man’s hand crumple before I was dropped and fell into a sprawling mess on the ground. The man screamed and after a few seconds I heard the stampede of metal, armored, boots approach our group.

  “Halt! In the name of the Shironia city guards, I command you all to halt. What seems to be the problem here, citizens” The man said

  I was still recovering from the backlash of my…reincarnation? And was unable to even speak and defend myself, giving the injured man the opportunity to spin another tale of lies.

  “This crazy, drunk, cultivator just attacked me out of nowhere after she bumped into me! She’s totally psycho!” The irritating burly man espoused. The guardsman looked down to me, inspecting me for a few moments and taking note of my awful state. I tried to speak, say anything in my defense. I couldn’t spend the next four days in the guard house, I needed to warn everyone about the impending invasion, and the weird explosion. Despite my best efforts, I couldn’t say anything, and I was dragged off the street by a pair of guards and unceremoniously thrown into the same cell I had been in not that long ago.

  Ironically, only a few minutes after being thrown into the cell, I was well enough to finally plead with the guardsmen.

  “Please, you guys have to believe me. In three-no four days, demons are going to invade the city, kill everyone, and then the city is going to blow up!” I belted out. One of the guardsmen looked interested in what I was saying and walked over.

  “Girl, whatever you had sounds awesome. Tell me where you bought it! I have to get a taste of something that makes you say stuff like that!” He said, smirking at me.

  “I’m not drunk! I’m being serious about this. We need to warn the city lord! We need to warn everyone! If we prepare, then we might be able to save the city!” I tried.

  I was ignored, and though I tried for the rest of the day, I was unable to convince any of them I needed to do something. I waited until the guards were shifted late into the night and as they were making small talk, I cut through the cage and used Soft Steps on the Halcyonic Sea to step out of the guard house, to the surprised exclamations of the guards. Shouts of “Catch Her!”, “She’s heading for the city lord’s manor!”, and “Halt!” rang out behind me.

  The guards were all weaker than I was so they were unable to catch up to me. I finally reached the city lord’s manor but when I tried to jump over the fence, a field of energy coalesced in front of me and I slammed into it. Immediately a loud clarion rang out around the manor and, despite my best efforts to run, I was hemmed in by a seemingly unending stream of guards that got stronger as I incapacitated them. I finally found an opening between the myriad bodies attempting to capture me when a powerful forced landed on my back.

  My arms were forcefully wrenched behind me and I felt cold iron encase my wrists. I immediately felt as weak as a mortal, my power drained. I kept struggling even as I was hoisted up.

  A gruff man in full shining platemail I vaguely recognized from the fight at the steps not far from where I was currently being detained stepped forward.

  “A female assassin? I suppose that’s not so rare nowadays, but it was brazen of you to think you could simply waltz into the city lord’s manor, even under the cover of night. Now speak, tell us who hired you and we’ll consider throwing you into prison instead of killing you.” He said seriousness in his tone.

  I blanched at his words.

  “I-I’m not an assassin! I need to speak with the city lord! Demons are about to invade the city in three-ish days. After they attack, the city is going to explode!” I said, desperation in my voice. The man standing in front of me drew his blade.

  “That’s a shame. Had you told the truth, you would have lived long enough to see your lie be proven as just that, a lie. Goodbye, young female assassin.” He said, and before I could protest further he swung out and everything went black.

  Moments later, I came to my senses in the middle of the same busy crowded street as this morning. It all happened so fast that I didn’t have time to get out of the street in time before the mysterious screen came and went and the backlash began again. Just like before, my pleas and explanations fell on deaf ears until I felt well enough to escape again. I ran to the front of the city lord’s manor and did my best to request an audience with the city lord. Despite my pleading, I was turned away at the gate, but by that time it was too late. I was again captured by the gruff man in full platemail armor who again didn’t even listen to my story before executing me in the street.

  The same thing happened the next time I began the trial, but when I escaped, I tried to run out of the city. Strangely, I was caught even more quickly this time, though this time they threw me into a cell with the power draining handcuffs on.

  I withered in the cell until a demon once again destroyed the wall of the guard house, though this time I was powerless to defend myself.

  The next time I finally remembered to get out of the street before the backlash set in. I was able to slowly recover in the relative safety of a damp, dark, alley until I was well enough to get up. I couldn’t let myself be captured again. I wouldn’t be able to solve this trial if I kept getting captured.

  Everybody was going to think I’m crazy, but if I could just find Rin, I could explain to her what was happening and she might be able to help me convince everyone what was happening, especially if she kept returning like I was.

  I scoured the city for the next two-ish days, checking everywhere I thought she might be until I finally found her. I was walking near one of the three noble quarters of the city when I decided to go into a building that had a lot of people coming and going from it.

  I walked inside and looked around the room. Rough and rowdy looking men and women sat at myriad tables all throughout the main section of the room. None of them paid me any mind, and I kept searching the room. Finally, I caught a shot of red hair walking through a doorway and I hastily yelled out over the din of the eating and drinking people.

  “Rin!”

  The red haired figure jolted and spun around, searching for the source of her name. She spotted me and ran over, ignoring the various weird looks we were being given from what seemed like the entire room.

  “Astra! There you are! I’ve been looking all over for you. Come over here, right now!” She said before dragging me to a desk near the back of the room, speaking to the receptionist at the desk for a moment and then dragging me into a room only a few doors into the hallway behind the woman.

  She sat me down in a chair in the room, opposite the door, and then sat down across from me.

  “Alright, now something weird is going on. One second we were fighting at the bottom of the stairs in front of the city lord’s manor, then you just freaked out and ran off. Next thing I know, I’ve appeared in this building again, just like I did when we first got sent to this place, except this time I got a raging headache. Then, everything just happens all over again, just like the first time, except when I went to sleep, I suddenly woke up and it all happened all over again, but this time, no headache. And its happened again, but this time we were fighting off the demons in front of the city lord’s manor when I suddenly woke up back here a couple days ago! What in the worlds is going on??” She asked, a somewhat frenzied look on her face.

  I took a few moments to gather my thoughts before starting an explanation of what I thought was going on.

  “I know this is going to sound crazy, but we’re currently inside of some kind of trial. Until I complete the trial, or give up, we’re going to keep reliving the same four days here in the city.” I explained. Rin looked on curiously before slowly nodding.

  “I think I remember something about a trial when you ran into the ruins. But everything seems so real! Everything I’ve heard about trials made them seem like you could tell you were in one. Everyone here feels so real! So vibrant! It’s just sad that everyone keeps dying.” She said, ending it with a somber tone. Then her face brightened as she seemed to have thought of something.

  “Wait, why did you get chosen for the trial to begin with? If the ruins started this trial, then did it just need enough people to start the trial?” She put her hand on her chin and looked pensive. I debated how much I should tell her. It wasn’t a hard decision. I couldn’t just trust her, even if she seemed nice.

  “I’m not sure why the trial chose me, but if we don’t figure out what’s going on and how to stop the demons, everyone is going to die!” I said, emotion creeping into my voice. Rin was about to say something when the door to the room suddenly opened.

  The platinum blonde woman I had seen fighting alongside Rin strolled into the room, much to Rin and I’s astonishment. She wore light armor embossed with white filigree and white and blue cloth covering the places the armor didn’t, a green cape flowing in her wake. A blue outlined silhouette of a white tree emblazoned on her chest armor.

  “That’s quite the interesting conversation you two have been having. Care to elaborate on why everyone is going to die because of demons?” She asked, arching an eyebrow even as she sat down between Rin and I at the side of the table to my right.