A new world awaits

===============================

𝗗𝗮𝘆 𝟭

𝙼𝚊𝚛𝚌𝚑 𝟸𝟾, 𝟹𝟶𝟶𝟷.

This is my first time writing a diary, and although I may be new at this, I know I must do so.

If my predictions were right, and if the rumors were true, then there must be a way for future generations to see real history.

To see how it all changed.

Even now I am still in disbelief, in total denial.

It just all came suddenly.

The blackouts, the satellites being barely operational, the glitches in the connection wit hthe cell tower communications...

How could such a thing happen? Sadly, in this case, facts and common sense are undeniably and painfully true.

As the satellites were down, suddenly, a trumpet blared as though it was right next to my ear. Later, when I asked my friends and family, they had also heard it as though it was next to their ears.

Even now, I feel dizzy, disoriented.

Of course even if I try to question right then and there, it wasn't meant to be, for small asteroids. Then came the sudden blizzards with heavy snow, and then...monsters.

Creatures that are not scientifically possible appeared right after.

Creatures from video games and books.

Monsters from the old fables.

Whatever we did, we were unable to repel most of them.

I watched it all first hand.

Bullets and explosives were useless, while water were somewhat of a repellant, if only temporary.

We suspect they are made from some kind of energy we have never heard of before, since they had a strange corporeal yet physical body.

Where did they come from? How did they get here?

These questions remained unanswered.

Unfortunately, before the government could hide it, mass hysteria rose from the people. The media wasn't of any help, instantly rushing for the hot news and spreading them online at a speed even I cannot comprehend.

Rumors about the world ending appeared.

Along with the rumors came conflict.

Although the country this lowly professor lives in was a first world country, it had many internal problems. The problems were mostly quiet for many years, controlled by the police, but it would've erupted given the right catalyst.

These catalysts were obviously these monsters.

One side saying its all a government conspiracy, and the other grabbing as many supplies as possible without a care for others.

For the first time, seeing such a scene on television, I truly knew that we humans were truly controlled by our emotions.

In the meantime, the military were focused on barely keeping away these monsters, and the police were short handed against the mobs of rioters.

It was as if total anarchy had descended onto the world, and it was only within a day.

A single day!

What the hell is wrong with you people?

-A note written by a lowly professor

===============================

When I was young, in the distant past, I saw my own kin, killing each other for such banal matters.

For the most trivial of ideas.

For the most worthless of feelings.

Slaves, the joys of being sadistic, fashion-almost anything that sounded fun…

To them, it was simply worth killing over.

I asked, why?

When I became their queen; when I became their sovereign, I knew that they would never change, no matter what I did.

If it was enslaving them, torturing them, or imprisoning them.

After more than a thousand years, I asked again.

Why?

In the end, no one ever did answer that question, nor did they care to answer.

…

…

Later, I arrived at a conclusion.

My people? Happiness? Pride? Emotions? What use are all of them? As long as I exist, I'll protect what I want to protect.

Even if I must die.

Even if I have to die.

...

...

...

Snow drifted from the gray, dreary cloudy blanket that engulfs the sky in the early morning.

Each piece of snow, each with their own unique pattern, falls and drifts lazily, following wherever the wind's gusts lead them.

On the outskirts of a town, a forest awaits. Once a vast expanse of green, life, and trees, the forest was now simply a snowland, and the trees stood alone, carrying the burden of heavy snow piling onto its leaves and branches in the canopy.

No birds chirped, nor did any bugs buzzed; only the cold winds whooshed and howled.

In the season of the early spring, where life blooms from once cold, winter soil it truly was dead and lifeless.

Lifeless and barren, just like the town.

In the forest, along a small road, exists a rather large, traditional wooden one-story house. Standing, the house looked to be homely, yet cold and lonely amidst the snow-filled world.

On a bed in a separate room, a black-haored girl of about twelve-thirteen years old laid upon it.

Tucked under the warm, thick blanket, she laid there, silent and asleep. That is until her eyebrows scrunched up, and her lips arched downwards. As it did, her mouth slightly opened, and from it, words slowly poured out from it.

"My...my people...my…hmm…?"

The girl's eyes shot wide open at that moment. Quickly sitting up, she pressed her hand against her chest as she breathed in quick, yet deep breaths.

Her heart pounding rapidly, the girl looked at every possible spot around her. At the doors, at the curtains, at the shadows hiding in the corners-

It was all very, very unfamiliar to her.

Time passed, and her heartbeat began to slow down. The girl exhaled in relief, and she slumped back onto the bed.

'Has it been a week since I've seen this room? Was this another dream? Again? A dream within a dream?' the girl thought.

When the thought appeared, the memories of the dream appeared like a video inside her head.

Then, just like a dream, her memories were quickly vanishing. Even then, few snippets were left behind.

Snippets that left her vaguely bewildered. Like traveling in the white fog, the girl couldn't possibly see where she's going. What's in front of her a few yards away. What dangers that lies there, waiting to jump her.

Among the snippets of memories were a few words and blurry memories she can't possibly imagine.

'My land? My throne?'

The girl stared at the ceiling, counting every crevice; at every shadow. No matter what she did, the memories dodged her, like a word on the tip of her tongue.

Staring upwards for a moment longer, she pushed it aside as she then looked to the right.

There, a small table sat beside her bed. On top of it was a makeshift home she had made herself.

The home she made for her friend, Amor. Even now, the blue butterfly in question was still perched there, a few times fluttering his wings.

She felt something in her head tugging at her, sending vague, yet warm thoughts and concern.

The girl smiled and whispered 'I'm fine.'

The butterfly fluttered his wings once more.

'It felt like a week since I've been here...and yet it should be at least a day in this world,' the girl thought.

Yet, there was another voice, telling her that maybe, just maybe…what if it was all a dream?

That it was all just some very, very surreal dream, and she was very sober throughout it?

The girl slumped even further into the mattress, pulling her in. Once again looking blankly at the dark ceiling, she had a thought.

Then, the girl spoke of a word in her mind. A legendary word that was once used countless times in the past. A word constantly used in litRPG novels. A word in many, many video games.

'𝘚𝘵𝘢𝘵𝘶𝘴.'

...and a blue screen appeared in front of her.

===============================

Name: Anna Choko

Titles: ???

Bonded Companion: Amor

Race: Human (???) 8% => 20%

Strength: F => F+

Endurance: F- => F

Agility: F => F+

Magic: E+ => D

Luck: C+

-------------------------------------------------------------

𝗦𝗸𝗶𝗹𝗹𝘀:

Mana Sensing F- => E+

Meditation E+ => D-

(𝗡𝗲𝘄) Memories of ???

???

===============================

Anna Choko stared at it.

It was there. Right in front of her. The words, the numbers, the letters-they were all there, on that blue screen.

She looked to the side.

The status screen followed her eyes.

She reached out her hand to the front of her.

Once again, her hand passed through the transparent, blue screen.

The girl then rubbed her eyes, blinking many times over, but the screen never left.

Not until she wanted it to vanish did it fade away.

Anna's shoulders drooped, and she closed her eyes. The white light shining through the curtains looked to have become dim, and shades of gray were born in the room.

Everything was real after all.

A moment passed, and she slowly opened them. Her eyes turned to something else.

===============================

Race: Human (???) 20%

===============================

'20%...? Am I really not human?' Anna thought. Then, she looked back to the right.

"Hey, Amor. Am I human? I think I was one for all my life," she said.

The butterfly's wings once again fluttered.

"Should I even believe what the status screen is showing me? Is it even trustworthy?"

This time, the butterfly's antennae twitched.

She felt something brush against her head once again. Still, it was unfamiliar and strange, but the warmth and concern was warm and undeniable.

Then, she heard something thump inside of her.

'A heartbeat?' she thought.

Then, she 𝘧𝘦𝘭𝘵 it.

𝘛𝘩𝘶𝘮𝘱.

With it, the girl's entire body froze.

𝘛𝘩𝘶𝘮𝘱.

Anna couldn't move. She just can't.

𝘛𝘩𝘶𝘮𝘱.

The air, fresh and cold, became heavy.

With it becoming heavier, her body began to spaz out. Her hands and legs twitched and shook excessively, as if electrocuted and tazed.

While she was shaking, the air slowly, and sure, began to press down onto her chest.

'I can't breathe,' Anna thought.

Like a fish out of water, she struggled on her bed. The feeling of drowning from something invisible, gasping for air, and one can neither see nor prevent it…

It truly was horrible.

'I can't breathe.'

𝘛𝘩𝘶𝘮𝘱.

'I can't breathe.'

𝘛𝘩𝘶𝘮𝘱.

The thought rose over and over in her head like a broken radio as she tried to keep breathing. Even when sputters of coughs and strangled cries came out from her mouth, even as her heartbeat increased, she did not stop.

Even as her eyes began to close. As if the world was closing in around her, she began to breathe even faster.

'I can't breathe.'

𝘛𝘩𝘶𝘮𝘱.

𝘛𝘩𝘶𝘮𝘱.

'I can't breathe.'

𝘛𝘩𝘶𝘮𝘱.

𝘛𝘩𝘶𝘮𝘱.

𝘛𝘩𝘶𝘮𝘱.

'𝘐 𝘤𝘢𝘯'𝘵 𝘣𝘳𝘦𝘢-'

Then, a murky blue color entered her eyes. In the darkness, it beamed outwards, like a lighthouse in the fog of night.

Pulsing like a heartbeat, the light glowed, dim, glowed, and then dim. In a constant cycle, she watched as the darkness, like the river carrying away the litter and trash, drifted and faded away. Then, slowly, along with the darkness, what seemed to be all her worries, her pain, and whatever was plaguing her gradually disappeared as well.

Opening her eyes, Anna slowly turned over, laying sideways on the bed. She closed her eyes, as if in rest, even as the thumping heartbeat in her ear slowly faded away. Even as her lungs gradually began working, inhaling the much needed cold air, she felt…empty.

With it, as sudden as it appeared, the heaviness disappeared. Finally, her body truly relaxed, and she sagged into the bed.

That was the only thing she could do, for Anna could barely move. Whatever she tried to do, her body wouldn't respond.

Like a broken cog in a machine, left alone for a long time and without proper maintenance, her legs and arms could barely move, for they felt numb.

Then, her left hand began to heat up.

Along with it, her entire body began to heat up. As it did, she instinctively began circulating the 'heat.'

'No, the mana,' she thought.

Flowing and weaving into her body, Anna slowly fell into a state of meditation. Following what she learned in the Realm of Dreams, she repeated the process.

As her body began heating up, the girl gradually felt that her body was working again. Akin to oiling the cogs, the mana began infusing itself into her.

Finally, after a few minutes, she sat up from her bed.

Like drinking cups and cups of coffee, Anna had never felt so…awake. Adrenaline-filled. Energetic.

She felt as if she could run for miles without stopping. Which she can't, but that is how much she could describe the feeling.

As Anna reveled in the feeling, her left hand burned again. Yet, it was not the feeling of a burning, hot fever, but instead it pulsed with warmth.

Like sitting next to a crackling hearth, lit with beautiful, dancing flames during the cold winter night.

Like being with family.

"...family," she muttered.

The girl raised her hand and looked at it. As she did, looking at each knuckle, a memory appeared in her mind. Grasping it, like a forgotten second-hand memory, the girl stretched her left hand out.

Then, seamlessly out of thin air, it appeared.

A familiar black staff, covered in blue patterns, with the tip sharpened, and the two sides on top having blades similar to axes-appeared in her left hand.

Holding it, the girl slowly moved it around.

'It wasn't as heavy as before,' she thought while her eyes followed the staff.

Then, gripping it tightly, Anna slowly and gently placed it onto the bed sideways. Reaching her hand out, she slowly traced her hand from the leftmost edge to the right.

It was cool to the touch. Slowly tracing her hands along the staff, she felt the patterns carved into it. Every groove, every edge-she felt it all

The girl exhaled, and a white mist poured out from her mouth.

The only difference compared to 𝘩𝘦𝘳 staff was that it was slightly smaller than the one Anna has in her hands.

Yet there was something off putting about it. She felt a connection with it, similar to Amor's connection with her.

A familiar connection-a connection that existed for a long, long time.

Kicking the blanket off, Anna swerved onto the side of the bed. Her bare feet touching the cold, wooden floorboard, she brought the staff to her face.

With a thought, she told it to grow, and the staff grew taller and longer.

With another thought, she told it to shrink, and it shrunk until it was as tall as her.

The girl's mouth curved upwards as the memories slowly flooded into her.

The world in her eyes was shrouded in the black void. The toiling bells rang, and the large blue spears, almost akin to pillars, fell from the sky. A blue, beautiful bright geyser shop upwards from under Abi-

Anna placed a block on the flood. She sighed, and once again, a white fog exhaled form her mouth as Anna's head bowed…hmm?

She pressed her hand against her mouth.

The girl exhaled again, and from her mouth the white mist floated away. Then, a sudden cold washed over her, like a slap to the face.

Anna quickly moved towards the window curtains. Pulling them to the side, she was greeted with a spectacular view of a winter wonderland.

A land teeming with endless snow, far beyond what her eyes could see. There was only a blanket of white, except for the gray, cloudy sky.

'Snow?' the girl thought.

Reaching for the side of the window, she pulled it to the left, and her face was greeted with the sudden rush of the cold.

The cold, winter air whooshed and howled as her hair was flung everywhere. The chilly, wintry air felt much harsher, just like another slap on the face.

At the window, the girll closed her eyes and slowly relaxed, breathing in the fresh air, faintly stinging her nose. While she was breathing it in, another memory appeared once more in her head.

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗖𝗮𝗹𝗮𝗺𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗲𝘀.

At the thought, Anna's eyes opened. For that one brief moment, she trembled. Not from the cold, but from some mysterious force.

A force that made her shake at the thought.

Everything was slowly being fit together. Like a terrible, large puzzle, she slowly connected each small piece.

Perhaps this sudden snow was just the beginning.

As she thought of that, she tilted her head.

'...how many days have passed?'

The girl pulled the window to the right, tugged the curtains closed together again, and hurried on over to the door. The wooden floorboard creaked and groaned as she stepped towards the door.

Eventually, step by step, she reached the door. Reaching for the doorknob, she stopped.

The girl stood there, looking at the wooden door.

After a few seconds of contemplation, she began backtracking and dropped the staff onto the bed. Next, she stepped into the bathroom.

Anna can't just drop everything. Washing up before an apocalypse is a must. She might meet…people.

The thought made her shiver.

It's proper manners and standards.

Maybe.

...

Amor, perching on a small wooden shelf against the wall. Next to him were a few picture frames and whatnot decorations he had placed there previously long ago.

One of the picture frames, the frame surrounded by a lovely orange shade, was of a little girl and an old man.

Neither the girl nor the old man smiled, but their faces were vibrant.

Happy.

"..."

The butterfly then turned away from it and watched the once young girl floundering about in the living room.

Anna was looking in her bag, then the tables, and then under the tables.

Along her 'treasure finding expedition,' she accidentally hit the walls and furniture with the staff in her hands many, many times over. Later, she had realized how inefficient it was to hold it, for after a while she simply dropped it on the ground.

Then, the girl continued her search.

It took a while for Amor to figure out what the girl was looking for. A few guesses, and a few probes through their bond, and there it is.

'...she wouldn't know how much time passes since she dreamed. Nevertheless, it looked like 𝘪𝘵'𝘴 working.'

The butterfly wanted to feel relieved, but he must continue watching over her. During the period of observing the girl running around, he couldn't help but start thinking.

One thought after another, his thoughts began to trail towards the matters he had done while Anna was sleeping.

Binding the realm to himself, repeatedly meditating to get use to this world's current level of mana, scouting the surrounding area, and many, many more things.

There were no major activities while he was binding himself, but there was still a problem there. Something had barely halted his progress as he was binding it to his soul.

He would need to find a solution later, but it didn't require his immediate attention.

Nevertheless, as he finished the process long ago, Amor was almost infinitely unbeatable in his own realm, despite his low stats on his status. Unfortunately, the same can't be said in this world. The mana, both quality and quantity, were still too low.

Even after the 'First Descent' began.

About a week ago, the trumpets bellowed, announcing their arrival. With it, the quantity and quality of the mana began to rise.

However, the butterfly felt something was wrong.

Deep in his soul something was warning him. Was it perhaps the Lord who is warning him?

Where was the angel that announced the Lord's message? The Lord God Almighty's grace? Where was the warning?

This was unlike anything that had happened before.

Unnecessary and necessary thoughts flew into his head. His curse of thinking made his thoughts even more jumbled up.

So, Amor could only pray and distract himself. His status screen appeared in front of him.

===============================

Name: Amor

Titles: 𝘐𝘯𝘷𝘰𝘬𝘦𝘳 𝘰𝘧 𝘔𝘪𝘳𝘢𝘤𝘭𝘦𝘴 (𝗦𝗲𝗮𝗹𝗲𝗱), 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘚𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘩 𝘊𝘢𝘭𝘢𝘮𝘪𝘵𝘺 (𝗦𝗲𝗮𝗹𝗲𝗱)

Bonded Companion: Anna Choko

Race: The Dreaming Butterfly ✦✦✦

Strength: F+

Endurance: E-

Agility: E => E+

Magic: D+ => C+

Luck: E+

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𝗦𝗸𝗶𝗹𝗹𝘀:

Consume: E+

Dream Magic: C- => B

Flying: D-

(𝗡𝗲𝘄) Realm of Dreams ??

===============================

During his short time in this world, he had barely raised some of his stats and skills. No, that was a lie. He had improved a lot, especially for a butterfly.

But even then-

'Alas...even if I had gained my strength back, it wouldn't matter if the world's mana is still too low.'

Even when the mana had gradually entered the world, slowly infusing itself into the fauna, the objects, and many other things, it is far too small.

Like a bottomless well, no matter how much Amor absorbed, hungrily gulping in even the slightest particle, it would only be a drop compared to an ocean.

Without the mana to truly use stronger magic, the butterfly hadn't actually grown that stronger at all. Woefully, the one thing he can only use is magic, and a butterfly's physical stats have no real potential for growth.

Who would think of a butterfly lifting an enormous boulder? The thought would've made him laugh, but he's a butterfly.

Amor can only laugh inside himself.

Moving on, seven weeks had passed inside Anna's dream, and so seven days passed in the real world; a 1:7 ratio of days in the real world and the Realm of Dreams.

Anna had time to adjust to her…'inheritance.' Unfortunately, these long seven days were of continuous pain and suffering to those who don't have protection.

To those who are weak and fragile.

There is so much that is unknown.

WIth it, his curse of thinking made itself known, getting him sidetracked. As the butterfly began delving into more nonsensical theories, he then felt something brush his mind.

Something minuscule, something unnatural, but yet familiar.

Amor fluttered off from the wooden shelf. As the butterfly fluttered towards the door, he heard footsteps behind him.

He ignored the sounds of the 𝘵𝘩𝘶𝘥 and something crashing onto the wooden floorboards.

"Wait Amor. Hold on. Let me get my jacket…" Anna said, her voice and footsteps fading away.

Of course the butterfly had the decency to wait for a few moments as the girl ran off to change into the warmest clothes possible.

A new world awaits Anna. Amor wants to be there with her when they open the door.

And it was not that he couldn't open the door.

…

On the front porch of an old house, a door creaked open. From it, a black-haired girl in a strange overly large jacket walked out.

Breathing out a mist of air, under the shadow of the jacket's hood, the girl looked around.

By her side was a black staff, covered with small patterns of blue lines. The strange staff was a little taller than her, being held upright in her left hand.

While the girl was looking around, a blue light floated past her and out into the cold, snowing world.

Exhaling once again another white fog, the girl nodded her head, and took a couple steps forward. Each step, the wooden floorboard creaked until she was a mere centimeter away from the snow.

She raised her leg forward, in an almost tentative manner, and pressed her feet into the snow.

𝘊𝘳𝘶𝘯𝘤𝘩.

The snow sank underneath her foot, creating a crunching sound as she slowly pressed into it.

Tapping here and there, she finally heard the creak of wood.

That was the first wooden stair.

Nodding her head, her other foot reached for the second wooden stair. Another creak. With her foot secured on the second, her other foot reached for the last.

Hearing the familiar creak, she nodded to herself again.

Then, she slowly, yet, tentatively took another step. After tapping her foot around here and there, she found the stone pathway that led to her house.

Finally, she stepped fully into the unblemished field of knee-high snow, her feet pressing against the snow, creating a 'crunching' sound.

Another cloud of white mist escaped her mouth, and the girl forced her feet to move through the snow.

She then felt her body warming up. The mana flowed and ebbed, like the ocean tides, flowing into the land, and then receding.

The girl continued absorbing the modicum mana around her. Even as she walked, the mana kept flowing into her body.

Absorb it, spreading it out to the body. Absorb it, circulating throughout the body. Absorb it, keeping it inside her body.

A constant cycle that does not waste mana. A constant cycle that gradually increases the mana capacity inside of a vessel. A constant cycle that makes the vessel gradually grow.

As the warmth slowly spread inside her body, she picked up the pace.

𝘊𝘳𝘶𝘯𝘤𝘩.

𝘊𝘳𝘶𝘯𝘤𝘩.

𝘊𝘳𝘶𝘯𝘤𝘩.

Making it to the gate, she dug her gloved hand into her pocket. Unzipping it, she reached in …and took out the key.

Going to the left side of the fate, she pressed the key a few times here and there. Finally, she inserted it into a hole, and twisted it.

𝘊𝘳𝘦𝘦𝘢𝘢𝘢𝘢𝘢𝘢𝘬!

Unlocked, the gate slowly and noisily moved to the side as the girl stepped out. She then pulled it back, inevitably creating more noise.

𝘊𝘳𝘦𝘦𝘦𝘦𝘢𝘢𝘢𝘢𝘢𝘢𝘬!

"I should probably oil it soon…" the girl muttered under her breath, locking the gate with the twist of the key.

Returning the key back into her pocket and zipping it up, she looked around. A blue ball of light floated past her from the right, heading towards her left.

In the direction of the town.

Under the heavy hood, the girl exhaled, and a breath of mist escaped from her mouth again.

Gripping the staff in her left hand tightly, she began her trek towards the distant town.

…

𝘊𝘳𝘶𝘯𝘤𝘩.

𝘊𝘳𝘶𝘯𝘤𝘩.

𝘊𝘳𝘢𝘤𝘬!

𝘊𝘳𝘶𝘯𝘤𝘩.

In the silence, where only the sounds of crunching snow echoed, a girl in a heavy coat shuffled down a snow-filled road unblemished with the exception of dead leaves and twigs.

It had been minutes since they had left the house.

𝘊𝘳𝘶𝘯𝘤𝘩.

𝘊𝘳𝘶𝘯𝘤𝘩.

Nothing eventful except the accompaniment of the sound of cracking leaves, branches, and the sound of crunching snow.

Walking through the woods, the girl can see a small opening ahead of her. It was the crest of a small hill ahead of her.

Over that hill, the town of Yume awaits.

She wondered if anything happened to it.

She hoped for the best.

𝘊𝘳𝘢𝘤𝘬!

Stepping on a few more dead leaves and branches, she suddenly halted her footsteps. The blue light ahead of her paused, if one could say that pausing means holding its position, hovering slightly up and down..

From underneath the shadows of her hood, turning her entire body around slowly, the girl's eyes looked around her.

𝘊𝘳𝘢𝘤𝘬!

During the spring days, in the past few years, she would hear birds chirping and the bugs buzzing. Now, all she heard was nothing but the snapping of branches.

𝘊𝘳𝘢𝘤𝘬!

She blinked, and the butterfly fluttered back to her, landing near the back of her head.

The girl looked at every nook and cranny. She looked to the canopy of the treetops

She attempted to peer into the snowy shrubs and trees. In the winter wonderland, there was nothing that looked to be moving. She even looked up at the canopy of the treetops.

Yet she did not see anything moving. There were no small animals like shrews or mice, nor were there small birds darting around in the treetops.

𝘊𝘳𝘢𝘤𝘬!

This time, it was much louder.

Much closer.

"Amor, what was that?" she whispered to the butterfly. The butterfly merely fluttered its wings.

Through their bond, he didn't even try to communicate with her.

As time passed, the sounds of cracking and snapping twigs grew more thundering.

Just when the sound grew more blaring into the girl's ears, she suddenly, yet slowly, moved. With her left hand, she slowly guided the tip of her staff into the snow. In an almost trance-like manner, slowly twirling, she carved a trail in the snow around her into a circle.

As if this has been done by memory before. As if she had always done this.

It was instinctive, akin to muscle memory.

The moment the line of the circle connected, a dim, blue transparent barrier suddenly unfolding. With a wink, it faded away.

The snow, barely falling around her in a small amount, didn't make it through the barrier.

It instead landed on top of it.

Just as she finished, the thundering cracking noises halted. Silence filled the air as the girl waited.

She slowly breathed in the cold air, stinging her nose, and let it out through her mouth, exhaling another white mist.

Her mind became blank, empty. Various thoughts

". . ."

𝘊𝘳𝘢𝘤𝘬!

Just as sudden as it appeared, something tumbled out from the bushes from the left.

The girl immediately pointed her staff at it. From the black staff-spear thing's tip, a blue spear emerged. It appeared dim, shaky, blurry-yet it still held together its form.

There was a short pause; a delay, as the transparent blue spear slowly pushed forward from the staff

Then, it shot forward.

Whistling through the air, the spear soared almost gracefully. Just as it reached the 'something,' the blue spear shot over it as the 'something' fell flat onto the ground.

Landed into the snow, on impact it exploded into a blue light. With it, a mass of snow-white…snow flew into the air…and dropped onto the ground.

However, as the spear suddenly left the staff, the girl suddenly fell onto the ground. Her knees landing onto the soft snow, she held her head. She shook her head rapidly, rubbing and caressing it.

Being shaken around, the blue butterfly on her hood began glowing a dim, blue light. The girl relaxed, and the point of the staff lowered onto the snowy-white ground.

As she sighed, the girl looked at the lump that almost was camouflaged with the white, once unblemished snow.'

…

As the headache slowly ebbed away into nothingness, Anna looked up and down at the 'something.'

If she was being honest, she had expected some kind of monster; a beast of some sort. At least she had predicted a person with malicious intent.

Instead, she was given a girl similar to her age wearing an old, white, patched up jacket.

No, not exactly white per say. It was more similar to a slightly tanned white. Most likely, it must've been washed a lot, for the color was dying out, gradually becoming a more gray shade.

Two bangs of blonde, 𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺 familiar wheat-colored hair, with the hair barely reached her chin. On the back of her head, two tails of hair fell until it was just short of her waist. On the top of her head was a strange hat. It was like a cap, but the top of it was puffy.

'Perhaps it was a newsboy cap,' Anna thought.

It was very similar to the ones she saw at the clothes store when her mom took her-

"Ow..."

Interrupting Anna's reverie, the new girl goaned. Sitting on the cold, snow floor, rubbing her back, she kept muttering under her breath and hissing.

Anna began looking her up and down, and her eyes were drawn to what the blonde girl was holding.

It was a gnarly, wooden staff. It looked to be carved, polished with decorations. On the top were two beautiful pink flowers, each with five petals.

In this snowy forest, the vibrant pink color really stood out.

Still, Anna's eyes were drawn back to the girl's face.

𝘛𝘩𝘶𝘮𝘱.

"..."

She should've done something about that staff at that moment. She could've blasted it away into the forest. It could've been a weapon-something to be used against her.

Yet, for some reason, when she looked at the girl, she had a feeling of deja vu. Not because of the very, very similar hair color, but because...

'Although I am sure I have never met this girl, she seems...hmm...' Anna thought.

There was a feeling inside her that flickered, like a candle light in the darkness, but what was it? There was a flash of…hate? Nostalgia? Pain? Acceptance?

Unfortunately, as if it was on the tip of her tongue, she couldn't immediately say it for what it is.

She couldn't decipher it for what it is.

While Anna stared at the girl who had fallen on the ground, so too did the girl notice someone watching her.

When she began rubbing her eyes, the blonde girl's face turned towards the gir standingl a few meters away. Her vibrant blue eyes blinked.

Then again.

And then again.

"Oh...hello..." she said.

"...hello,' Anna said.

"..."

"..."

Anna and the stranger stared at each other. Under the shadow of the cloak, Anna tried to pull her face into its shadow.

Abruptly, the girl's eyes widened.

"You…!"

"...me?" Anna asked. Inside, she screamed.

'She saw my face? No, do I even know someone like her?'

The girl immediately got up from the ground, along with the wooden staff in her left hand. Just as she moved, so did Anna.

𝘛𝘩𝘶𝘮𝘱.

As the blonde girl stood up, Anna felt the urge to construct another spear. As taut as an arrow on a crossbow, the thought of the painful headache that would follow when constructing magic vanished.

𝘛𝘩𝘶𝘮𝘱.

Something inside her told her to strike first. It whispered to her to do it.

𝘛𝘩𝘶𝘮𝘱.

To protect herself.

𝘛𝘩𝘶𝘮𝘱.

To gain the advantage.

𝘛𝘩𝘶𝘮𝘱. 𝘛𝘩𝘶𝘮𝘱.

To 𝘸𝘪𝘯.

𝘛𝘩𝘶𝘮𝘱. 𝘛𝘩𝘶𝘮𝘱. 𝘛𝘩𝘶𝘮𝘱. 𝘛𝘩𝘶𝘮𝘱.

Her hand trembled, and the staff in her hand shook with it. Anna gulped and licked her lips as sweat dripped down her neck despite the cold.

As she began constructing a spear, suddenly, she grabbed her own left arm with her right hand. She tightly dug her fingernails through the warm gloves and thick coat.

Her face began to heat up. The day to fight against herself was one she had never thought to do. The desire to let it go pulsed inside her. The temptation to simply let the staff fly forward and impale itself into the girl's chest called to her.

The desire to grip the girl's heart, and crush it in her grip…it 𝘴𝘱𝘰𝘬𝘦 to her.

Just like how…just like how Abi-

A sudden ringing pain screamed in her ears. Anna couldn't help but grab her head.

Seconds passed as the ringing screeches screech in her head, akin to the sound of a flash bomb from a video game.

Before she keeled over, a warm feeling encompassed her. From her head, a familiar warmth began flooding her, all the way down to her feet.

Anna sighed, and her right hand fell to her side.

The gnawing feeling in her head and chest gradually faded away. Exhaustion was all that remained, for she nearly sagged into the snow.

'Thanks Amor,' she thought to the butterfly on her hood. The butterfly seemed to have noticed her gratitude, for he sent back 'thoughts' of concern.

As she relaxed, the blonde girl continued blinking. This time, she was also rubbing her eyes.

Over and over again, multiple times, she kept looking back at Anna before rubbing her eyes again with her right hand.

Anna tugged the hood farther down. Just like the so-called 'flexible' pipe of a hose that got caught in some annoying place, no matter what a person did, tugging on it several times would not unclog it.

The person would have to instead walk over to where it was clogged, and pull at it to get the hose free.

A waste of time. Annoying and bothersome.

That even reminded her of the time where she had to-

'Oops, did my mind drift off?'

Suddenly, the blonde girl quickly patted herself with her black, leather gloves. Then, fixing the puffy cap on her head, she muttered under her breath.

Or at least tried to. Anna could clearly hear it.

"After all this time, where are my manners!"

Standing at her full height…which was the average size of a thirteen year old girl, she smiled. It was one of the widest smiles Anna had ever seen. The edges of her mouth didn't just curve upwards a tad bit,

Her entire smile was a parabola.

Too bad it didn't reach her eyes…because it only reached her cheeks. Instead, her eyes were already in disarray.

With her branch-like staff, she made an attempt of a curtsy.

"Oh, greetings...unknown person I've never met! I am…uh…hmm…"

The blonde girl turned away.

"I uh, oh dear. I didn't think this through one bit," she muttered under her breath.

If she was trying to hide it, it didn't work.

Then, the blonde girl turned back to Anna. Placing her right fist over her mouth, the blonde girl subsequently closed her eyes and 'cleared' her throat.

"Uh…𝘈𝘩𝘦𝘮. 𝘈𝘩𝘦𝘮. 𝘈𝘩𝘦𝘮!"

Classic excuse for not knowing what to say previously. Anna almost nodded in respect. She had also mastered that art as well.

"Excuse me…𝘬𝘶𝘩𝘶𝘮. Sorry, there was something in my throat…"

Now Anna nodded her head. Some of it was in understanding yes, but she couldn't hold back the urge to finally nod her head in respect.

For some strange reason, she felt proud of the girl.

The blonde girl stood up upright. Digging her wooden staff into the snow, she took a deep breath. Confidence exudes from her, and Anna couldn't help but be wary.

"My name is...my name...?"

"..."

Anna almost shook her head. What was she thinking? This girl was just like her in terms of social anxiety!

While these thoughts floating around in her brain, she felt as though she was watching a slow mo movie of a blonde girl slowly failing at a conversation.

What was even worse was that she understood. She truly felt second hand embarrassment watching that girl.

Her eyes swimming in confusion, the blonde girl looked to be in a daze.

'Was this too difficult for her?' Anna thought.

She's probably even worse than her in terms of social anxiety.

"It's..." the girl muttered. "My name...it's...it's…it's-!"

"...you can take your time," Anna said. "I understand."

"Oh, thank you very much Yo-I mean, a person whom I've never met!"

The blonde girl took a deep breath. Then another. And then another.

"Wait, lemme think..." she said, putting her palm against her forehead.

"..."

More than half a minute passed, and as the hooded girl watched, the puffy cap girl's green eye widened.

"...yes, that's right...my name is Avalow. Yes, Avalow! Just…Avalow."

"...Avalow?"

Anna blinked. There was something in her head that clicked. Once again, it was at the tip of the tongue, She felt something from that name,and yet her memories are blurry.

Is this going to keep happening?

How frustrating.

Anna must've made a face, because the blonde-wheat haired girl named Avalow reacted.

"Is something wrong? Wait, don't tell me...did I not introduce myself right? Oh dear, my apologies, I-"

"No, your introduction is fine. It's just...your name sounds awfully familiar."

'It wasn't just her name that sounded familiar,' Anna thought.

There was something about her...it was really strange. There was something in her mind...but Anna can't seem to remember it. The memory escapes her every time she tries to recall what it was.

Why is this happening!? Is her skill [Memories of ???] at the lowest rank, and she had to keep remembering certain things to get more memories?

What kind of bad joke is this? What poor taste. This isn't some grindy MMORPG for the Lord God Almighty's sake-

'Hmm?'

Anna felt her mind blanked out.

'Lord God Almighty? Who is that?'

While Anna was thinking, she was snapped back to the conversation by the gray puffy cap girl's rabbling.

"Oh, that's strange...I guess I am popular....hehehehe...he..." Avalow laughed trailed off as she turned away and scratched the back of her head.

'There's obviously something wrong with that girl,' Anna thought.

𝘊𝘳𝘢𝘤𝘬!

The two girls simultaneously looked farther down the open, snowy road. The source of the noise was from the direction where the town of Yume was.

𝘊𝘳𝘢𝘤𝘬!

𝘊𝘳𝘢𝘤𝘬!

The noise continued to grow louder. Anna quickly stepped back. With the tap of her staff, the blue transparent barrier manifested. It glowed once before disappearing.

Suddenly, another blue light appeared from her peripheral view. Swiftly turning her head, Anna saw Avalow doing the same thing.

With a tap of her staff, a similar transparent blue barrier appeared around the blonde girl, glimmering before winking out of existence.

Anna's eyes stared into the girl, who seemed nonplussed. That is, until her eyes turned towards a new foe.

Over the crest of the hill, 𝘪𝘵 emerged.

Encased in writhing red-orange flames, a humanoid, tall and lanky monster barred the path on the road towards the town.

It had no face, for fire writhes all around it. Each step it took created a soft 𝘤𝘳𝘶𝘯𝘤𝘩, for the snow softened its steps.

Yet, even with the heat that Anna saw and clearly felt, even at a distance, the snow never melted in its wake.

'An anomaly,' she thought. 'A danger that is walking towards us.'

With that, Anna slowly began constructing magic. A familiar magic that she had remembered and was taught in the Realm of Dreams.

As she was doing so, a voice interrupted he. A soft, yet confident voice, filled with 𝘥𝘦𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯.

"Don't worry. I got this."

As Anna looked her way, Avalow walked up a few steps ahead of her. Facing the approaching monster, with both hands, she held her staff sideways in front of herself.

Looking at the back of the figure, Anna felt as though she was pulled into a dream. A dream full of nostalgia; nostalgia that filled her body and mind.

With it, a memory appeared.

A memory of a girl, standing in front of her, determined and confident.

Anna wanted to see what will happen, to see the girl once again-

A sudden headache pulsed in her head, and she instantly winced.

Avalow didn't seem to notice nor pay her no mind for she was looking forward. Forward to where her enemy awaits, approaching her.

The blonde girl breathed deeply as she raised her staff with both her hands. Then, she yelled-

"Hraaaaaaaaa!"

"..."

"..."

"..."

Anna looked around herself. On the top of her hood, Amor only fluttered its wings slightly. Even the fiery…fire monster halted, if only for a brief moment.

After that, she looked back at the girl a few steps in front of her.

Since Anna was behind the Avalow, she wasn't able to see her face in all her glory.

At least she can imagine it.

The girl in question's smile grew into a parabola, her cheeks flushed, and her eyes watering.

The blonde girl must be looking at the far, distant, invisible horizon.