The grass rustled gently in the breeze, as a bluebird fluttered away toward the blue cloudless sky, surprised by a soft snapping of twigs and crunching of gravel. A girl stood face to face with a seven-foot-tall beast. Its dense muscles contracted along with a sneer that showed off its sharp fangs. The girl moved ever so slowly without breaking eye contact with her opponent. Sweat trickled down from her pale skin and her blonde fringe matted on her temple. She didn't dare to make any noise, even her breathing sounded too loud to her. her pair Katar felt so feeble in her hands compared to the claw of the beast. The beast snickered, sensing the silent dread of his prey. It shook its mane and flicked its long tail as it crouched; ready to jump at the light-haired girl at any moment.

"Dang it, I shouldn't have jumped in this dungeon alone," she whispered under her breath. Fear slowly crept down her back, one more wrong move and she knew it would be her downfall. She tightened her grip on her weapon while trying to find an opening to launch an attack or anything that might give her a chance to flee. ANYTHING to save her sorry life.

"I can't believe my luck to actually meet a Sheebal on my first-time run," she sourly thought to herself, "Will I die here? Is this how I am going to end my life?"

Her fuchsia eyes fidgety roamed her surroundings, the dungeon was an outdoor realm. It was a meadow with a glorious expanse of grass and flowers. A narrow brook flowed through hidden between the grass and golden bellflowers. It was the actual form of the phrase 'Beauty is Dangerous' that she had once heard.

I don't want to die here., the girl winced at the thought, Not here, not now!

"Hey there, do you need some help?" a sudden telepathic voice entered her subconscious, startling her enough to make her drop the last healing potion in her possession.

"SHOOT!" the young girl yelped and lost her concentration. The beast saw an opening and it jumped to launch its fatal blow, ready to munch her down to her skinny bone. All the girl could do was wait for the dreadful pain of having her soul detached from her body. She fell to the ground and raised her arms to cover her face as the last stand. Seconds passed with nothing happening.

Then she heard shrieks coming from the beast. Its low warning growl was blended with the sound of metal clashing against something hard. Wearily she opened her eyes, peeking on the familiar scene of a battle before her eyes.

A towering man with hair like flames stood before her. He had jumped in front of her and begun to fight off the beast. No hint of fear painted on his face as he continued to engage the beast. The sword he wielded was a great sword that was as tall as his height. He swung his sword as if it was made from feather, leaving the young girl to just sit and watch him in awe. It didn't take long for the stranger to overpower the beast and eventually kill it.

"Are you okay, miss?" The swordsman turned toward her while sheathing his sword.

The girl leaped upon hearing the same voice she'd heard telepathically only a few moments ago. The same voice that made her lose her concentration and almost her life as a result. Her expression changed from admiration and gratitude to anger. She glared at the man from top to bottom. The man was a head higher than most people she knew. His face was mostly obscured by red stubble. His build was quite bulky; muscles beneath the dark arming coat, and tiger fur cape. With his hands resting on his hip, he met with her sharp gaze nonchalantly.

"YOU!!" she exclaimed, and the man looked at her in confusion. "You almost got me killed!!"

"Oh, did I?" he just stared at her with an aloof expression, "but if I didn't come to the rescue, you would have died anyway."

"NO! I-I had it covered! You are the one who ruined my concentration with that telepathy!"

The man laughed. "I see now. However, I saved your life too in the end. So, can I be forgiven now, sweet little pleb?" A silly grin decorated his face as he winked at her.

"I guess...," she blushed, not expecting the flirty wink he gave. She awkwardly brushed off the dust on her back but then stopped upon realizing what the man had called her. "What did you just call me?" The tone in her voice reflected surprise and irritation.

"A pleb?" He titled his head innocently with the same grin that, for some reason, made the blonde girl more irritated than ever.

Blood suddenly rushed to the girl's face and she gasped furiously, "A PLEB?!!"

His garnet eyes stared at her without any hint of guilt, "Is there something wrong with that?"

"URGHH I wish I can just slap a big rock on his smug face. But what he said is the truth, I am a pleb, a newbie in this entire dangerous adventurer occupation", thought the girl bitterly, "At least for now."

She shook her head trying to get rid of the boiling anger. Putting up her best smile as she gritted her teeth all the way, "Oh nothing, I am a pleb and I am really grateful because of your help, MASTER." Despite her faux smile through gritted teeth, there was little sincerity in her words.

He nodded, pleased to hear the exaggerated respect she poured on. "So, what are you doing here all alone?" He asked while brushing off the blood and dirt that covered the loot. "Either you are too stupid to notice that this is not a dungeon that you can solo within the ability of yours or...," he gazed up and gawked at her with scrutiny, "don't tell me, you have a death wish?"

"None of that!" she tried her best to lower her volume before he noticed the exasperation, "let's just say I made a mistake.”

A stunned look appeared on his tanned face, his eyes widened in surprise due to what he had just heard. He then leaned back and held his belly as his entire body shook with uproarious laughter. The man laughed so hard that she was sure it would raise the beast from the grips of death.

"A mistake?!" he said while trying to catch his breath, tears brimming on the corner of his eyes, "Oh, my dear Goddess! You almost got yourself killed and you call that a simple mistake?!"

The young girl couldn't hide her annoyance anymore. Her face color had turned to that of an over-ripe tomato. Contorted with the desire to outburst, her eyes squinting meanly at the towering man, she had to stop herself from shouting curses at the one who just saved her life.

"Fine, just call me stupid or whatever. Thanks for your help. I am going now!" She made a quick bow and stomped off toward the dungeon exit portal.

"Wait!" the man called out between his chuckles and caught her hand to stop her.

"What!!?" She couldn't hide her irritation any longer. She pulled her hand free roughly

"Your share," he dangled a pouch full of crystals and gold fur in front of her nose, "unless you don't need it?" Another teasing smirk rose up on his smug face.

A battle between her need for the loot -loot that would totally help her friends in the orphanage- and pride showed all over her face. But, in the end, the former won as her right hand quickly tried to grab the pouch, only to have the man pull it away at the very last second, leaving her grasping at thin air.

"Is he taunting me?!" her thoughts were filled with frustration as she gave him a death glare.

His laughter exploded once more, filling the serenity of the meadow. "Not so fast, my little pleb. Not so fast." He playfully threw and caught the pouch as his garnet eyes watched the young girl’s expression in amusement.

She had to clench her hands really hard to keep herself from launching a blow at the man's jaw; a blow that would probably break her hand instead. The girl then inhaled a long breath and exhaled as harshly as she could before she forced a thin smile that didn't reach her eyes. She had to control herself as she couldn't win a fight against the swordsman if she ended up offending him. Being in that dungeon was already a big mistake that she quietly regretted and didn't want to add another to her list of regrets.

"Give me your True Name and I will give you all of the loot, including mine," he dangled the pouch once more.

The girl gasped at what she just heard. No one in their right mind would just give out their True Name that easily. It was important and unique to every individual and should only be given to the people you trust the most. It was different compared to common names. Not only was there no limit of distance for sending telepathic messages, but True Names also gave the person power over the individual. It was like a free pass into the other person's mind and, if the other was strong enough, they could even take over the weaker person's body and mind and bend them to their will. Or just simply ruin the person's sanity should they choose to do so. And even though he had saved her life, it was not something she would ever give out so easily.

"I may be a stupid pleb, but I am not idiotic enough to give my True Name to some random weird guy, not even for the sake of that magnificent loot!" she barked

The man chuckled gleefully, "Oh really? Not even to this weird guy who happened to be your savior?'

She couldn't stand it anymore; the conversation was going nowhere. She didn't want to waste any more time. With a scowl on her face, she stomped out with large steps toward the portal.

"The name is Zeke. Zeke Valdez. I was just trying to help you, little pleb. Call me anytime if you need my help." a sudden telepathic voice popped into her mind once more.

She spun around -shocked- and thought to herself, "Is that his True Name? Is he that confident over his strength?" The surprise added on when she realized that the guy already stood right behind her. He dropped the pouch on top of her head, giving her side grin before dashing through the exit.

"I'll see you around, pleb!"

A girl stood on the hill beneath the setting sun, her platinum blonde hair waving slightly in the breeze. Her pink-tinted fuchsia gaze stared off into the distance at nothing in particular, as she let her mind drift like the clouds that dotted the horizon.

“Yuuu!!!”

Her languid reverie was interrupted by the sound of the familiar voice calling out to her. She turned around - just in time to catch sight of the purple blur that barreled into her, arms outstretched.

"Oof- hey there, Wenona!" Yurika grinned down at the petite girl, returning her hug. Good thing she was used to her friend's enthusiastic greetings, else she would have probably fallen to the ground from the impact.

The purple-haired girl - Wenona - leaned back and grinned. The girl released Yurika from her hug, her sapphire eyes sparkling.

“Wen, didn’t expect you to return this fast. I thought you are going to Azurlite dungeon with  Taft and the others?”

Wenona didn't reply immediately, seemingly preoccupied with the grass near her feet. But Yurika knew her friend well enough to know that she was trying to avoid the question. Yurika looked at her friend in concern. "Wen, what's wrong? Did something happen?"

Wenona continued looking down for a moment before she looked back up again. Though, the girl's formerly cheerful expression had turned into a pout. "Well, let's just say there was a change of plans. I'd... rather not talk about it."

Only one thing - or rather, person - could bring down Wenona's spirits that quickly. Yurika smiled sympathetically, "Oh, Moira strikes again?"

"Yeah, nothing but the usual," the other girl huffed. "Throwing our plans into disarray just so she could do more 'charity work' - at the expense of the rest of us!" The small girl threw her hands up in exasperation, her eyes suddenly blazing with fury. "It's nice helping people and all, but not when it inconveniences everyone else! And she always claims all the credit in the end, while the rest of us end up being reduced to her little helpers!"

Yurika looked at her friend, who was now stomping back and forth among the grassy hill, still ranting. It wasn't often the petite girl got worked up, but when she did, she didn't hold back. Moira was one of the older members that made up their group. They were a part of a family of sorts. Most of them had been war orphans originating from the northern coast who'd banded together - there was safety in numbers, after all. They had started taking in other people who had no prior relations, in an effort to build up their numbers. Yurika was one of them.

The purple-haired girl cut off her rant when she realized her companion wasn't actually listening. She folded her arms and glared at Yurika. "Yuuuu! Are you even listening to me? I'm being serious here!"

Yurika held up her hands in a placating gesture. "I know you are, Wen! Have you forgotten? I've had my own share of problems with her, too."

It was true - Moira was anything but cordial towards her. She seemed to hold some kind of grudge against her, snubbing her at times - and on one occasion, outright berating her before the others. When it was Moira's turn to organize the dungeon teams, she would seem to forget to add Yurika into the mix til someone - usually Wenona - prompted her.

It went without saying that she and Moira didn't get along.

"Ah, that's true..." A thoughtful look crossed Wenona's face. She plopped onto the grass, pulling Yurika down to sit alongside her. "It's kind of strange how aggressively she's acted towards you from the get-go. I mean, she usually tries her best to charm the new arrivals, you know?"

"If I had to guess, it's because she doesn't like how Taft seems to pay attention to me sometimes." Taft was another fellow member. He was the friendly, older brother figure of their group, always willing to lend a helping hand whenever it was needed. He was also dating Moira.

"Yeesh, talk about being over-possessive," Wenona muttered crossly. "And Taft was the one who found you, so isn't it normal that he pays attention to how you're doing at times?"

Yurika sighed. "...I suppose so."

She didn't like to think about Moira's dislike towards her. Most of the time, she ignored Moira's hostility. It wasn't like Yurika interacted with Moira more than necessary, anyway. It stung a bit, to be disliked over something so petty. Even so, she didn't want to cause any trouble for the group, so if she had to bear with Moira's attitude towards her, then so be it.

She was grateful that they had taken her in despite the unusual circumstances in which they'd found her. Taft who had come across her stumbling among the alleys of Marina Harbor, half-conscious and delirious, wearing nothing but a simple white slip that'd been stained red with her own blood. He'd brought her back to the orphans' shared lodgings, and they'd nursed her back to health.

She didn't know how she'd got into that alley, or why she'd been so badly hurt. Everything was a blur. There were certain vital details she remembered, like her common name and her True Name, but nothing else. Occasionally she would catch glimpses of a few blurry faces and figures in what seemed to be her memories, but those bits and pieces would slip away as quickly as they came

When she'd recovered enough, she had started training. It was something she'd insisted on, wanting to repay them the kindness they had shown her. After the disappearance of the Goddesses, the world became a dangerous place. Formerly docile animals mutated and became aggressive, attacking their former masters. Spirits and hostile creatures, powered by magic, roamed every corner of the world. Attacks on human settlements were not uncommon, and people lived in constant fear, praying that the next day would not be their last. That was— for those who did not choose to fight back, instead.

To become a "warrior" was not to be taken lightly - these were people who faced death on a daily basis. Not many would choose to take up such an occupation of their own free will. However, it was also a highly lucrative line of work. For those who were struggling to make ends meet, it was the only way to survive. For that matter, the orphans belonged in this category.

Naturally, it was far from easy. Most people had to train for months before they could even pick up the most basic of skills. With her memory loss, it made sense that she'd be even further behind. Yet, the moment she started training, all of that was blown away. She picked up on the skills and motion almost as if they were second nature. Sometimes, she'd find her body moving of its own accord, even before her mind caught up. It was as if her body remembered something that her mind had failed to recall. Within mere months, she'd reached the skill level of someone who had been training for years. Her extremely fast progress boggled her, and her fellow members as well. Occasionally, she'd catch them whispering to each other, wary gazes pointed in her direction. She tried not to think too much of it, trying to simply appreciate her quick progress for the blessing it was

"—rika...! YURIKAAA!!!"

She snapped back to attention at the sound of Wenona calling out her full name, She only did that when she really wanted to get her attention. Yurika had gotten distracted by her own internal musings yet again. She flashed Wenona an apologetic smile, "Sorry about that. I was thinking about some stuff."

Wenona raised an eyebrow in curiosity but didn't press. "...'kay. Now that you've come down from whatever cloud you've been floating on, maybe you could finally answer what I've been trying to ask," she muttered, rolling her eyes. "Just why do you put up with Moira's abhorrent attitude towards you? Like, seriously, you have more than enough reason to call her out. In fact, everyone's pretty much waiting for you to do it."

Yurika bit her lip lightly. "I just don't want to stir up any trouble, particularly not with one of the more established members. She already dislikes me enough without me adding more fuel to the fire. Besides, it's not like I'm going to put up with her behavior forever."

A curious glint lit up Wenona's eyes. "Oh?"

"One day, when I'm strong enough, I'll be sure to repay her oh-so-kind actions most graciously," she said, her voice dripping with sarcasm on the last part.

Wenona burst out laughing at that. "And here I thought you didn't have a vengeful bone in your body!"

Her laughter was contagious, soon Yurika found herself laughing as well. Their carefree laughter ringed out around them. Yurika's smile grew, glad that her friend seemed to have cheered up.

"So, how goes the training?" Wenona turned to look at the girl sat next to her. "Learnt any skills yet?"

Yurika nodded eagerly, eyes sparkling. "Yeah! I'm almost done with the intermediate skills for both the Brawler and Priest classes."

Wenona gazed at her in shock. "Geez, girl, that's fast! And for both your main and sub-classes? It took me at least a year to pick up all the basic Elementalist skills. And let's not talk about my sub-class." The shorter girl waved her hand dismissively, then pouted. "Are you sure you're just a beginner?" she jested lightly, but there seemed to be something more than idle curiosity in her tone.

"I think so..." Yurika trailed off unsurely. "At least, as far as I can remember. Then again, considering how little I can recall before meeting you all, that's not saying much, is it?" Her pink eyes flickered down to her hands, and she clenched and unclenched them nervously as the fast pace of her training was brought up. "Am I... really progressing that quickly?"

Wenona's features softened slightly upon seeing her friend's uneasiness. "Yeah, you are," she replied. "You managed to finish learning the basic skills of both your main and sub-classes within a mere three months, while most people take at least six months, if not more, to get all the basic skills of their main class down. Either you're a genius, or..." she trailed off, not finishing the sentence.

"Or...?" Yurika prompted.

"Or... you're a 'taboo'," Wenona uttered tonelessly, and so quietly that she could barely make out the words.

A chill ran down Yurika's spine, even though she didn't quite understand what Wenona meant. "A t-taboo? What tabb--" She was cut off when Wenona leaped up and slapped a hand over her mouth before she could say anything else. Her friend's eyes seemed to be trembling with something - fear?

"Don't say it out loud," she hissed, still keeping her voice low. "They are called 'taboos' for a reason. Don't you remember-" she cut herself off. "Right, amnesia..." Wenona sighed, settling back onto the grass. "I'll tell you about them, just this once. It's something everyone - particularly adventurers like you and me - should be aware of."

The purple-haired girl shifted nervously, whipping her gaze in every direction before she spoke again. "A 'taboo', also known as, a Fetuuina Fanaura."

"A fetu... fana.. what?" The blonde struggled to pronounce the strange words her friend had just uttered.

"A Fetuunia Fanaurra," Wenona repeated softly, "Translated into the common language, it means 'the cursed reborn'. They are people who have already died once - but, through some twist of fate, rather than passing on, they are 'reborn' back into the world of the living. Their reasons for being reborn can vary. It might be some unfinished business they had yet to attend to. Or perhaps they are still holding onto a grudge, so heavy and deep-seated, that the weight of their hate brings them back. But there are also those who wish to return simply so that they can see their loved ones again."

The girl paused to take a breath before she continued. "No one knows where they come from, or how they came about. From appearance alone, they look the same as any other normal human. What sets them apart is the unnatural strength they possess within their very genes, allowing them to surpass the limits of the common human. Of course, it's this same strength that makes them so feared." She let out a soft sigh. "...To be honest, it's more of an urban legend. To date, no one has managed to prove the existence of the Fetuunia Fanaura. Even so, pretty much everyone believes in it."

"...Do you?" Yurika asked, "Belief in it, I mean?"

Wenona blinked, then smiled wryly. "Well, legends have to come from somewhere, don't they?"

"I guess..." Yurika nodded hesitantly. "But still... I don't think I'm stronger than any of you. Sure, I learned fast, but in terms of strength... I'm still far behind you guys."

Wenona looked at her friend in contemplation before she spoke again. "Yeah. I don't think you're a taboo. My guess is that you might have already learned them before you lost your memories. So it was just a matter of remembering them again."

"Yeah! That might be it." Yurika clapped her hands in agreement. "I still don't remember anything, after all... Who knows what I'd been doing before then?"

"Mmm..." Wenona hummed in agreement. "...In any case, it's about time to head back. It's almost dinnertime, and I'm famished!" Wenona got up to her feet, dusting off the skirt of her dress armor, and grinned. "Riddelle is our chef for tonight, and you know how good her cooking i-- ...Yu?"

Yurika was sitting in the same spot, rosette eyes still focused on the horizon ahead. "Hey, Wen... Do you think they really exist? These... 'taboos'?"

"Still hung up on that, huh?" The purple-haired girl rolled her eyes. "Look, I really don't know about that, alright? It's a story that dates back as far as the Tale of Creation itself, and we all know how old that thing is. But I'll tell you one last thing, and then we'll never speak of this again - agreed?"

Yurika nodded in acquiesce, "Alright."

"Well... I said that they look like any normal human, yes? So it's near impossible to identify them. But, according to some, there is one way. All Fanaura carry an invisible tattoo somewhere on their body. When the Fanaura themselves realize their true identity, it will glow. Only then will they'll regain all their past memories, and their unnatural strength, originally locked away, will be unleashed. Also, that tattoo..." Wenona trailed off ominously, "is said to be set over the location of the very blow that took away their past life."

Yurika's eyes widened. "Wait, do you mean that the Fau- Fanu- Fanaurra-" she stumbled over the word, "themselves aren't aware of it in the first place?"

"...Yeah. That's what I heard. Well, that's it. Let's head back before it gets too late." The purple-haired girl turned away, looking back at Yurika over her shoulder. "C' mon, Yu."

"Alright, I'm coming." Yurika got up to her feet and walked over to join her friend. "Hm, I wonder what will Riddelle be cooking up today?"

Wenona chuckled lightly, "Well, we'll see."

When they arrived back at their shared lodgings, it was obvious that something was not right. Even from afar, they could hear crying and yelling from within. They both exchanged glances, before rushing towards the house and bursting through the door.

The people inside turned at their arrival. Moira, upon seeing Yurika, pointed at her accusingly. "It's all your fault!" she screamed through her tears, her hate-filled gaze directed at the blonde.

Yurika froze in place, lost and confused at the sudden turn of events. Wenona stepped in front of Yurika in defense of her friend, glaring at the distraught girl. "Hey, what are you pointing fingers at Yurika for? We just got back."

Ziggy, one of the older leaders of the group stepped in-between them all, a tired look on his face. "Everyone, calm down." Despite how exhausted he looked, his voice was still stern and commanded authority, cutting through the tension before it could escalate further. "This is neither the time nor the place to start blaming people. That includes you, Moira."

Moira's arm dropped back to her side, her face twisted in grief. Even so, she still continued to glare at the blonde.

Yurika finally found her voice. "What's going on...?"

A grim look crossed Zig's face. "Taft went missing during our last dungeon run."

"Wait, what?!" Wenona exclaimed. "But I thought you guys were just doing a run through the Azurlite Forest dungeon! And Taft knows the place like the back of his hand - how could he have gotten lost there?"

At this, Moira looked uncomfortable. "Umm... things happened..."

Wenona’s sapphire eyes narrowed suspiciously in Moira's direction. "What 'things'?"

"D-do we have to discuss this here and now?!" Moira finally barked out. "Shouldn't we be forming search parties for him, or something along those lines?"

"Everyone, please, calm down." A calm, gentle voice interjected. A girl stepped out from the crowd, her blue long ponytail swishing behind her. "Moira, don't you have Taft's *True Nam*e? Try locating him via telepathy."

"Riddelle..." Moira turned to the blue-haired girl, her face tinged with obvious despair. Upon hearing the other girl's suggestion, she blanched, her hands gripping the cloth of her skirt almost to the point of tearing.

"...Moira?" Ziggy touched the paling girl's shoulder in concern. "You do have his True Name, don't you?"

"I... I don't!" Moira confessed, tears streaming down her face. She shook her head, "I-I don't know his True Name. He never gave it to me... Even though I gave him mine, he never..." she trailed off, and silence fell over the assembled group.

"...Alright," Zig finally spoke. He clapped his hands, catching everyone's attention. "We'll be splitting up into several small parties so that we can cover more ground. Oh, and make sure there's someone who knows the area around Azurlite in your group! We don't want more people getting lost instead." Having said that, he moved around helping divide the people into groups, giving each of them a section of the woods to search.

It was around less than 30 minutes before he realized that he hadn't seen Yurika for awhile. An uneasy feeling settled in his gut. The verdant-haired man looked around, trying to spot Wenona. The girl was standing to the side, seemingly waiting for something - or someone. "Hey, Wenona, have you seen Yurika?"

The uneasy feeling doubled when the purple-haired girl frowned in response. "She said she was heading up to her room to grab something, but it's been a while since I've actually seen her..." Her sapphire eyes narrowed dangerously. "Hey, you don't think she..." she didn't finish the sentence, but the meaning was clear.

Ziggy's fist clenched around the map in his hand. "Oh, she damn well did." He tossed it to the ground in dismay. "DANGIT, YURIKA!"

---***---

Dimly, the moonlight shone down from above, filtering through the dense trees and illuminating the area with an ethereal blue sheen. It was a beautiful sight, yet it felt eerie at the same time. There was the saying that the more beautiful, the more dangerous something was - and she felt that this was no more appropriate than right now.

Yurika had ventured into Azurlite multiple times during the course of her training but never had she come to the area after the sun had set. It had always been dim, huge trees shading most of the area, blocking much light from shining through. But at night, it was a different story. The darkness seemed to have overtaken the whole area. There were areas, so devoid of light, that looking at them felt akin to staring into an abyss. She could barely see the way ahead. It was only thanks to the light of the moon and the various luminescent plant life that she could see where she was going.

She knew it had been reckless of her, coming to the woods all on her own. It might just be the worst decision she had ever made in her short, remembered life. But after hearing Moira's confession that she didn't have Taft's True Name, she just couldn't wait anymore. She owed Taft too much to leave him lost within this woods. With each minute that passed, the chances of finding him safe and sound went down.

She shivered again, wrapping her arms around herself to ward off the chill. The night air was colder than she'd thought, and briefly, she wondered if she should have put on more layers before leaving the house. But time was ticking. Her own discomfort took a backseat to Taft's situation.

She continued on determined steps, towards the place he usually trained in. It was close to Azurlite Grotto, the dungeon area, where the strongest monsters within the woods resided. He'd brought her there before, not long after she had started her own training. Chances were that the group had been there before they'd lost him. Perhaps she could pick up his trail from there.

She could see the entrance of the Grotto looming ahead of her. In the low light, it looked grim and ominous. She felt her steps start to falter as she drew closer. Sucking in her breath and slapping her trembling hands onto her pale cheeks, "No, Yurika, focus!" She reprimanded herself. She tried to ignore how her trembling voice echoed throughout the woods around her. "You can do this. You know the way around. You've been in this area many times before. Just keep your guard up, and your eyes open."

The more she spoke, the more her voice grew calmer and steadier. She let her now-still hands fall back to her side and stepped forward into the familiar clearing.

It was then that she realized that she had no idea how to start looking for him. Once again, she regretted her impulsiveness. She had only brought her normal equipment and a few potions - nothing that could help her find Taft.

"Wait," she thought, as an idea occurred to her. "Telepathy. I could try calling out to him via telepathy. If he was anywhere nearby, he would be able to hear me and reply."

"Taft! Can you hear me? If you can, please respond!"

She repeated that message as she walked around the clearing. But the only response she got was the chirping of nocturnal creatures and the rustling wind. She started moving outwards, circling around the area, calling out to him all the while.

"Taft, where are you? Everyone is worried about you!"

She had no idea how long she continued to walk for - it could have been for minutes, or for hours. The darkness of the woods combined with her own anxiety made her lose track of time. She focused on looking around, searching for anything, anyone that could help her in her quest to find him. At the same time, she stayed alert, in case anything tried to ambush her.

In fact, it was strange that she hadn't met any monsters so far. The night usually made them more hostile, and stronger than their daytime counterparts. Perhaps she'd just gotten lucky so far, but it only seemed to add to the overall wrongness of the whole situation.

"Taft, please, answer m-!"

Her next telepathic message was cut off when she rounded a tree and spotted a familiar figure in the distance. His back was facing her, blocking her view of his face, but she recognized that silhouette. A gasp escaped her lips. "Taft!" she called out as she jogged towards him. "Taft... I'm so glad, I've found you!"

Yet, the man didn't reply, or even react, as she moved closer towards him. "Taft...?" she called out, doubt entering her voice. Something was wrong. She reached out to grab his shoulder to turn him around, but before she made contact, the person turned towards her instead.