The girl's legs burned. Her chest heaved with every ragged breath as the pack of snarling beasts behind her closed the distance. Their claws scraped against stone and dirt, guttural howls echoing through the twisted ruins around her.
"W-Wait! Stop following me!" she cried, tears brimming in her wide eyes as her staff clattered against her leg while she ran.
The beasts didn't stop. Four-legged, with matted fur and glowing red eyes, they tore through the underbrush with murderous intent. The girl's hat—far too large for her head—wobbled with every stride. She clutched it down with one hand, desperately trying not to trip.
And then her foot caught a jagged stone.
"Kyaaa!" she screamed as she tumbled over a crumbled edge of the ruin, falling into a shallow drop. The ground rushed up to meet her, dirt and gravel scraping her skin. Pain shot through her knees and elbows.
Groaning, she pushed herself up on trembling arms. "Ow ow ow ow… th-that really hurt…"
For a moment, she sat still, whimpering softly as her tears smeared the dust on her cheeks. But then a guttural snarl made her freeze. The beasts were leaping down after her.
Her eyes widened.
"No no no no no!"
She raised her staff with both hands, squeezing her eyes shut. Purple light shimmered in the air, and suddenly dozens of illusory images of herself scattered in all directions, laughing in childlike voices.
The beasts froze, confused. One lunged at an image that dissolved into mist. Another whipped around to chase another false image darting left. Within moments, the entire pack was in chaos, clawing and snapping at phantoms.
The girl, trembling but alive, limped away through the ruins while her illusions bought her time.
The girl's Status Plate appeared
Name: Bethany Evermist
Title: None
Bloodline: Witchkin (Lesser)
Class: Witch (Novice of Potions, Illusions, and Curses)
Tier: 1
Skills:
Phantom Trickery, Brewcraft (Basic), Hex of Misfortune, Child of the Cauldron
Bethany leaned against a broken wall once she was far enough, panting heavily.
"I… I think I lost them…" she whispered, forcing herself to smile through her exhaustion. "See, Bethany, you're not useless. You're smart… y-you tricked them…"
Her stomach growled loudly.
"Ugh… but I'm soooo hungry," she whined, patting her flat stomach. "I'd even eat burnt bread right now… or-or that one mushroom soup I ruined last winter…"
She wandered through the ruins, searching desperately for food, for water, for anything. But most beasts had been cleared from the area already—she didn't know that Kairo had been responsible. To her, it felt like a curse: she couldn't even find prey to scavenge from.
Hours dragged on. Her feet ached. Her childish face drooped with despair.
And then, through the haze of fatigue, she saw it.
Towering walls of stone. A great gate standing, somewhat magestic.
Her eyes sparkled. "A… a settlement? I-I found one!"
With renewed energy, she ran forward, tears of joy streaking her dirty cheeks. "I'm saved! I'm finally saved!"
She reached the gate and slammed her little fists against it. "H-Hello?! Anyone?! Please, open! I'm starving, I-I need help!"
For a moment, silence.
Then, with a deep rumbling, the gate cracked open. Two massive figures stepped out, their scaled green bodies towering over her. Spears clutched in their claws, eyes glowing with reptilian sharpness.
Kabolts.
Bethany froze. Her heart plummeted into her stomach.
The one on the left tilted its head, its voice a guttural rumble. "...A human?"
The other leaned closer, nostrils flaring. "Smells weak. Frail. But alive."
Bethany's face went pale. Her hands shook as she pointed her staff at them, though it wavered like a twig in the wind.
"M-m-monsters…" she whispered. "I-I… I walked right into a den of monsters…"
Her body trembled violently. Her hat slipped off her head as tears welled up again. "N-no… nooo! I don't wanna be eaten! I-I just wanted food! I'm sorry, I'm sorry, don't eat me!"
Before the kabolts could speak further, Bethany's eyes rolled back and she collapsed onto the ground with a soft thud.
The kabolts exchanged startled glances.
"She fainted."
"She think we're....going to eat her?"
The first one scratched his scaled chin awkwardly. "Should we...?"
"No, fool! Master would be displeased. She looks...tired, and hungry."
Together, they carried the unconscious girl back into the walls, cradling her fragile body with massive arms.
The kabolts carried the girl straight towards kairo, who was sitting and observing the ghouls and kabolts taking care of the now growing crops, when kairo saw the unconscious girl, he was surprised.
The kabolts bowed infront of him, placing Bethany on the ground. "Master, she came to the gate, weak, starved. She collapsed before us."
Kairo gazed at bethany's small, dirt-stained frame. "That hat.. is she a witch or something?"
Kairo looked at her pitifully, seeing her tired face, and Injuries.
"Take her inside, looks like she had been running for quiet some time, looking at her face she must be very tired, and hungry. Give her a place to rest, and ask Shiri to give her some first-aid."
The kabotls bowed again. "As you command."
As the kabolts carried her inside, kario wanted to brush of the dirt from her face, but he held himself back.
"Looks like fate brought in another interesting figure to my life."
kiro looked at the sun, about to rise, his lips curved into the faintest of smiles. "Lets see why?"