ELLEN POV
After packing all my belongings into two large suitcases, I decided it was time to leave and let my feet take me wherever they would.
As I walked down the long, dark road, the only light came from the moon, illuminating my path.
I had no idea where I was headed or what would happen to me.
That was when I saw two ladies outside a small café, laughing and seemingly carefree, as if they had no worries in the world.
I wished I could be like them, but when would I ever laugh without hesitation again?
They noticed me and approached. "Hey, are you okay?" asked one of the women with purple hair. "What happened to you?"
I felt tears welling up in my eyes, so I wiped them away with my palms.
I didn't know what to say, but I couldn't keep everything inside anymore. It felt like I was about to burst from carrying all my burdens.
I told them everything that had happened to me.
After sharing my drama, I saw pity in their eyes before they enveloped me in a hug. "Don't worry, we'll take care of you. We know you've been doubted, and we can't blame you given what you've been through, but you can stay with us as long as you need," said the blonde-haired woman. "I'm Samantha, and this is Chloe. We'll be your housemates."
I wasn't sure how to feel.
Maybe I wasn't really that pitiful. It's just that they were incredibly kind to help me, even though they barely knew me. My life with Samantha and Chloe became normal, and I felt at ease with them.
During the months I stayed with them, I got to know them better.
I worked as a staff member at the same café where they worked, while we all studied together.
The café has a spacious and comfortable interior with wooden tables and comfy armchairs in the various corners. There's also an eclectic artworks and small vintage lanterns that gives such unique and cozy vibe by its place. Its ambiance makes you relaxed and welcoming with such soft music background that perfectly fit into this small but unique café here in this small community.
Samantha and Chloe came from wealthy families but had run away because they hated their parents for arranging marriages for them at a young age.
Imagine, at an early age you are already tied up to a person whom you never met nor dated in your life.
It sucks.
My sibling and I would still meet at school, and as usual, there would be whispers about my issue with that mysterious guy – someone I hadn't even met – and even Mildred started distancing herself from me.
But it was fine.
"So many customers and I am exhausted!" Chloe complained, holding her shoulder.
"This is better over back then when we had no customers and our boss would still scold us!" Samantha chimed in.
I was a cashier there, while they served orders.
The day ended with Ma'am Kyla, the café owner, being overjoyed. Who wouldn't be happy, right?
In this kind of life, I could say that being an ordinary person is actually joyful.
Chloe went home ahead of Samantha and me for reasons we didn't know. When we reached our place, there were lots of people, commotion, whispers we couldn't understand amidst the sirens.
After we passed through the crowd, I almost lost my strength at what greeted us.
Chloe was covered in blood, with multiple stab wounds.
Why?
When I looked at Sam, she was frozen in place.
"Sir!" I called out to a police officer standing aside, "What happened to our friend? Who did this?"
"We're sorry, ma'am. We received a message about a dead body here from an unknown source, but tracing it led us nowhere. Even inside, there's no evidence found – not even the weapon used to kill the victim," he explained at length.
I felt like I couldn't swallow my saliva.
We were happy just earlier. Who could have done this? Samantha and I couldn't fully grasp what happened and why.
Days turned into weeks, months passed since Chloe's burial, and we met her parents.
Without Chloe, it felt like something was missing in our days, but we had to stay strong.
Then, I met Shin – a regular customer at the café and also a friend of Samantha's and mine.
However, his life was full of secrets he shared with no one else but me. He seemed like a normal person, but in truth, he was part of the underground world and had a talent for hacking.
Third Person POV:
At that moment, Ellen thought about her friend's death and her desire to uncover her own identity that led her to enter Shin's world, where one foot was already in the grave. As she entered, Ellen learned many things she needed to know and acquired new skills. While studying, Ellen saw the world differently. She witnessed societal inequalities and people suffering due to systems that only allowed the powerful to thrive, while those without a voice or power were further oppressed and killed.
One night, while the Black Mist conducting surveillance near the Yakuza's territory, Ellen spotted an extremely young girl – no more than twelve years old – fleeing from the Crismson Clan's men.
Ellen sprang into swift action and give a signal to her troupes to stay alert as she rescued the child, Aki.
Ellen learned that Aki had been a former captive within a trafficking ring operated by one of the Yakuza that ignited intense anger and determination within her as she vow to save not just Aki but also others that trapped into the similar circumstances.
Yet, not everyone agreed with their actions.
In their world, it wasn't just soul-less killers; there were also abusive and corrupt people. Yakuza manipulated and sold innocent women without hearts, and bloody battles occurred – a world where you'd least expect to find a glimmer of hope to help you rise again.
During their stay, Ellen became the leader of her own organization – the Black Mist, known as Mystic.