CHAPTER 4

"Sorry." the cat girl wasn't bothered by Alya's glare.

"Go away."

She walked towards Alya with a playful smile on her face. She seemed to be testing Alya's patience.

"Never seen you around here.....I'm Nyx, a two-tailed shadow cat. What about you?"

"You're a what?" Alya glowered.

"What do you mean 'what'?"

"What is that?"

"You don't know what it is?" Nyx was shocked. Was she born yesterday or what?

"I wouldn't have asked if I did, right?"

Alya was getting irritated.

"Don't be so rude, you still haven't told me your name. I don't give information to strangers."

"Then don't tell me. Go away." She tried to shoo her away once again but Nyx didn't budge.

"Okay fine....I'll look past it and tell you."

"Go away!"

Nyx once again cut down the distance between them, then curiously circled Alya.

"But first, where did you come from?" Nyx questioned with a smile.

"I'd like to ask you the same question...." Alya's displeasure was undeniable.

Nyx chuckled at her response, then tried to poke Alya's cheeks seconds later.

"slap!"

"Don't touch me." Alya cocked her head to the side to avoid Nyx's poke, her gorgeous red fox eyes filled with discontent. Her hand had just smacked Nyx's finger away.

Despite the fierce smack on the hand and the dangerous look on her junior, she was still as calm as ever. After all...she was stronger than the girl before her.

While she cared for her red hands, she still probed on.

"I'm serious though kid, where are you from?"

Alya remained silent. She thought of leaving but she didn't know her way around.

"....."

"sigh!"

"Well, you're gonna tell me sooner or later....."

Alya internally scoffed. Like she would.

"Well, to start with, I'm a beastkin.....like you, but a special kind...like you."

"Unlike the regular beastkin here, both of us can control specific elements. I control shadows."

........

Unbeknownst to Alya, her shadow had disappeared.

........

"I believe you have fire control, right?" Nyx continued.

Alya was somewhat amazed.

"Fire?"

Nyx stared intently at the redhead. She didn't seem to be joking. She really didn't know.

"Are you just born or are you just ignorant." Nyx inquired.

Alya had had enough, she exploded.

"Mind your business! I don't need this right now! And get the heck away from me!"

Alya's sudden outburst made Nyx flinch.

"?"

Alya lowly growled, she was not enjoying their conversation, but Nyx continued.

"That is not how you talk to a senior....."

"You are not my senior....get away from me." Alya retorted, calmly, but her rage was still eminent, she tried to shoo Nyx away like some fly.

Nyx still didn't budge, instead, she folded her arms, then slightly cocked her head to the side with a raised brow, smiling.

"I can't let some clueless junior run amok and cause chaos here in Nyth. Especially with our current situation...."

"What situation?" Alya asked. Nyx ignored her question.

"Our world is Dosir. There are nine continents, of which one is Nyth, the continent we're on now."

"....."

"There's still too much information to take in, and I don't think you can take in much of it at once."

"Is that an insult?"

Nyx shrugged.

"I think you need a pen and paper for this, but I assume you don't have one, since you don't own a bag.....or anything."

"..."

It hit her.

Alya didn't have anything. No money, no food, and no place to sleep. She was worse than poor, even worse than her previous life.

'With no job, what will I do? I don't know this place.....'

"....."

She glanced at Nyx, who had a smug smile dancing on her face. Alya looked away with a groan and massaged her temples. Nyx quickly noticed.

"What's with that face?"

Alya looked up to meet Nyx's gaze. Nyx was a few inches taller, so he had to crane her head a little.

'What choice do I have?'

"Umm...."

"Nyx," Nyx answered.

".....Nyx....."

"What's up?" She smiled.

Alya struggled to say the words, so she fumbled with her fingers. Nyx just stared at Alya, waiting.

Moments later, with a deep breath, Alya finally opened her mouth.

"I am broke...and I need a map..."

She paused.

"Hmmmmm?" Nyx pried with folded her arms. She needed to complete it.

Alya sighed.

"Please....."

Nyx grinned.

"Was that so hard? You really are proud aren't you?"

Alya glared.

"You really love annoying people don't you?"

"Is that the right way to talk to your senior and benefactor?" Nyx smirked as she lowered her gaze to meet Alya's.

Alya finally kept her mouth shut, she was her only hope now.

As you can see, I don't have a bag with me...." Nyx raised her hands, signifying that she had nothing.

"Urrgh..." Before Alya could throw a fit, Nyx raised her index finger.

"But I didn't say I couldn't help."

Alya placed her hands on her hips.

"And how would you do that, hmm?" she mocked. Nyx mimicked her action and smiled, her two tails swayed in the same direction.

"Unlike you, I am not poor. I happen to know everything about this place, you could call me a genius of some sort. I can help you find, or build a place for you to stay, I can also be your guide...or perhaps a life coach. You also need food, clothing, and weapons."

Alya's ears perked at the last word.

"Weapons, for what?"

"To fight monsters of course. I hope you know how to."

"Monsters? There are monsters in this world?" She shivered at the thought. Nyx replied enthusiastically.

"Of course there are monsters. All in different shapes and sizes. They are all scary-looking, and dangerous. Each kind has different levels of strength and intelligence. That's why you need to learn combat, like me. If I wasn't around, you would've been monster food."

Alya wasn't feeling any better.

"Apart from monsters and, well.....our kind, are there other races, like humans?"

"Mmhmm, there are, but few humans have powers like us. About thirty percent do. There are also other races, should I name them?"

"You can name them on the way, let's go."

"Where?"

"I don't know, you tell me!!" Alya yelled.

Nyx quickly remembered, and with a smile, she led the way.

"I've told you already, don't yell at your senior."

There was a brief silence as they walked.

"Whatever you say."

Suddenly Nyx turned around to face Alya.

"By the way, I haven't gotten your name."

"Alya."

"Oh....." Nyx replied.

There was a sudden silence.

'What's wrong with my name?'

.....

Somewhere in the North Central continent.....

Buildings and markets could be seen. The streets of so many towns were filled with people of different races, bartering and bargaining the prices of goods in the busy markets.

Just at the edge of a country, where only Humans resided, a castle stood tall and proud. The structure was surrounded by tall and sturdy stone walls and a huge, reinforced wooden door guarded by knights wearing heavy metal armor.  The walls of the castle were made of stone and glass.

The whole place was silent, not a sound could be heard.

Inside those sturdy walls, right on the top floor, was a large door made with gold and precious stones. And right through that door was a large throne room.

The pillars and walls were decorated with precious stones, and shiny gold curtains covered the glass windows. The ceiling was adorned with a big glass chandelier, covered with glowing jewels.

And right at the end of that room, at the top of four steps, were two big thrones made with pure gold and embedded with diamonds.

A slim young woman sat on the left throne. Her long wavy brown hair was tied in a bun, with a few strands that fell over one of her lovely jade-green eyes. Her skin was smooth and radiant, like porcelain, and her face was covered with light makeup. The sapphire blue off-shoulder dress she wore, which added to her beauty, made her look more elegant and graceful.

She gazed sadly at the figure sitting on the right, a plump middle-aged man with blond hair and blue eyes. A gold crown was laid on his head and he was dressed in a red royal robe. His face was plumpy and sweaty, and his neck was covered in huge flaps, a wide contrast to the young woman beside him. His breathing was heavy as he stared at the young woman by his side, and gave a sickly grin that showed his gold-plated teeth.

"My dear queen, why so melancholy?"

The woman's pout became more prominent and her eyes turned misty.

"My king, there are still people that insult me." The queen pouted as she lowered her head. The king's smile suddenly faded and turned to that of anger.

"What?!! Who would dare insult you, the queen of Vinuod?!!"

The queen started to sob as she held his hand. The difference in the size of her hands to his was uncanny.

"My king, have I done anything to upset the people? I have been nothing but kind to them, yet they still bad-mouth me."

The king, who could not bear to see his queen cry, banged his large fist on the armrest of his throne.

"GUARDS!!!"

Within seconds, two guards rushed up to the throne room and bowed down in front of the two monarchs.

"Your majesties, how may we serve you?" they said in unison.