Chapter 1: Preparation

The sound of her chair scraping against the floor filled the room after Lilith jolted up from her sleep. Her vision blurred and drool escaping her lips. Her eyes darted around, searching for the origin of the unexpected sound. Followed by a soft sigh and a long yawn, she rubbed her wet eyes awake and narrowed her vision to the book that had fallen from the pile on her desk.

 "Ah," she muttered while moving her chair closer to slide down and extend her foot close enough to retrieve the fallen book. Inching it closer to an arm's reach, Lilith grabbed it, muttering curse words of annoyance, and placed it back on the mountain she piled up on her desk.

Taking a few minutes to fully wake up, she adjusted her posture and stretched her limbs. Lilith had a busy day ahead after two long weeks being glued to this desk, and an even longer two months of study and preparation. She stood up and looked around. It was far too dark to see anything and the only light was the bits that seeped in from the cracks of the window.

After opening the window, Lilith ducked underneath the windowsill, covering her eyes with her hands. The mixture of light and the pollution of sound from the busy streets overwhelmed her senses. It took for a minute, but adjusting to the sound was easy. The brightness, though, was the hard part. It was far brighter than she could've guessed after hiding away to read. Every time she peaked through the gaps in between her fingers, she would quickly close them.

Lilith let out a sigh. "I have to go visit Alex." she said. After giving herself a minute to hide, she stood up, her back against the window, allowing the sunlight to seep into the room around her. Every corner was a mess, clothes strewn across the floor, books piled up on the desk, and papers scattered haphazardly everywhere. As a mail carrier, going above and beyond is necessary for successful deliveries, and this time was no different. The necessity to plot a path to her destination and the knowledge of what she would run into was a matter of life and death. Half way through her travels, she would enter the unknown and she had to be ready.

A black visible trail traveled from Lilith's core to the tip of her index finger, causing it to become completely black. With the now mana infused finger, she lazily sliced through the air like swinging down a sword, causing a wound like cut to form and an abyss not even Lilith could see through. Counting each book, Lilith slowly tossed each one into the wound, and after making sure she collected them all, she closed up the cut and let her mana return to normal.

"Bath and food," Lilith said, ignoring the mess around the room. It was going to be an exhausting day, and the cleaning wasn't something she planned to add to that.

...….

In comfortable clothing, Lilith stood in the shaded street in front of the building that engulfed its surroundings. The Mailroom, five stories and larger than any other building around it, sat at the heart of the city. It was the core infrastructure for packages both large and small and letters that needed to go to their rightful owner, be it to citizens of the city Tarrin, or anywhere else around the world.

 Split into two sections, the lobby welcomed both people who wanted to make a delivery or collect their mail on the left and the carriers who took on missions on the right. People hustled back and forth, and Lilith shuffled her way through the mob. The sound of chatter was deafening to Lilith, and she had no intention of hanging around to listen. Waving to the people she knew, her quickened steps took her past the counters and to the stairway in the back. The chattering became a distant memory as it faded away and disappearing completely when entering the stairway.

Lilith stood in front of a door marked with a painted five. People in suits shuffled around, filing paperwork or going through stacks of papers at desks. They moved swiftly, each step deliberate, as Lilith maneuvered through the crowd, careful not to disrupt their rhythm. She finally reached the door in the back. The intricate designs adorned a large, dark wooden door twice her size. However, the two long bodied serpents that met at the rounded top of the door always caused her to stop and stare. Alex called them water dragons, yet no one had ever seen such things before, nor were there any records of them from the past.

A golden plaque rested in the upper center of the door and etched into it was the name Alexander Anderson, but everyone called him Alex for short.

Lilith knocked as loudly as she could, and when hearing a loud, gruff voice telling her to come in, she pushed with all her might and, after opening it just enough, she lid herself through, letting the door slam behind her.

"It took you longer than I expected," the same gruff voice from earlier said.

"Well, you made me cover all my bases. I'm surprised you'd think it would've taken me any shorter."

The man, who had been hidden behind his papers, stood up with a loud, jolly but deep laugh, towering over the desk. With a bulky frame, he sported gray hair and a gray beard, complemented by a pair of reading glasses. Wearing a suit one size too small, he motioned Lilith to sit down on one of the two couches in the middle of the room with a coffee table in between.

Grabbing two cups and tea which had been brewing, he placed one in front of Lilith, then sat down across from her with the other. The cup was comically small compared to his frame, yet no one would dare to laugh. "So, you've finished your preparation?" Alex asked, after taking a sip from his cup.

"Yes, but before that," Just like before, Lilith opened up a hole and took out the remaining books she had left. "These are the ones you allowed me to borrow. I already returned the ones I got from the library."

"Not to go off topic, but why do you always do that?"

"Do what?" Lilith asked in a puzzled voice..

"That thing. You know, the finger slide. I've known my fair share of people with your curse over the years. They never had to be all fancy with their pocket dimensions. They just reached in."

"Because it's cool," Lilith responded in a monotone voice. "Why?"

"It just seems.. Annoying? A waste of time? What happens if you need something quickly?"

"I'll just grab something the normal way," Lilith stated confidently, as if it were self-evident. "That should be all the books, right?"

Alex quickly skimmed through the spines of each book. "So you've read all of them?" He asked after confirming none were missing.

Lilith nodded her head. "Each and every one. Some even multiple times."

"Even with everything you've read, do you still think you can pull this off?"

"Of course."

"Why are you lying?" Alex asked quickly after Lilith's statement, giving her no time to think.

Lilith tilted her head. "I'm not?"

Alex took off his glasses and rubbed his temple. "What makes you truly believe you can?"

"Because people are waiting for their letters and we have an obligation to do so."

"That's not a reason, Lilith."

"It is for me."

Alex sat there, staring directing into Lilith's eyes with a dumbfounded face. He had known of her obsession with her job, but he didn't think she would take it this far.

Using the silence as a cue, Lilith continued talking. "I have always believed this. Regardless if it's the unknown hellscape up north or the forests to the west, there is someone awaiting their letter." Lilith's voice was serious.

"But is it worth risking your life? If you die – which is a high chance of happening, mind you – then you'll never be able to help anyone ever again."

"That's just the risk I am willing to take. Even if this package wasn't all that important, I would still do it."

Alex let out a deep sigh. "I will drop this conversation here. You're the rank required for it, so you can accept the job if you want to. I'll just have to be thankful you did some do diligence in preparing."

"On that note," Lilith's hand delved into the abyss, producing a map that rustled and crackled as it was unfolded onto the table. "I want to show you the route I plan to take."

"I think I can guess your plan, but please share." Putting on his glass, Alex leaned over to get a better look.

"Honestly, it's simple. There are two alternatives, but one of them is not a realistic possibility, and that is by boat."

"Yeah, that will not happen," Alex said, dismissing the idea immediately. "Yes, we have boats, and yes, we can cross the ocean with them, but they only take very specific routes, and those routes aren't free from danger. I rather not risk innocent lives knowing you will all die."

"Fair. I didn't plan to take this route, but it didn't hurt to bring it up since it would've taken far shorter."

"And you would've died before even getting close."

Lilith shrugged. "I can't say I believe what I read about the ocean, but I'll have to take your word and the book's word for it."

"Good. The ocean is off limits," Alex's voice turned sharp.

"I understand, I do," Lilith exclaimed. "I just wanted to bring it up. A shot in the dark."

Alex's gaze lightened up and after turning his attention back to the map, he pointed to several mountains in the far east. "I'm assuming this is the other way you wanted to mention?"

"Yes, the dwarven mountains. They have a bridge to cross over to the other side. A lot safer than to rely on the bridges that form naturally. They're far too random, no safety net, and the adventure's guild destroys them."

"Yes, it's not worth it. You will either waste far more time than needed, or die while crossing over, since it's so out in the open."

"The one who wants this delivered mentioned his path, right? They said it was through the dwarves?"

Alex nodded his head. "They did."

"Then that means they expect others to follow them and if they have half a brain, then they left a trail."

"And since we know the one up north is waiting for a package, this is, without a doubt, a possibility."

"Then there have to be areas that are safe, right?"

Alex skimmed once again through the books that Lilith brought with her, and after finding the one he was looking for, he took it from the pile and placed it next to the map. "You've read this book, correct?"

"Yes," she said, confirming she did. "It was one of the few I read more than once."

"Then I don't need to explain what it was like in the north before the Scar happened and how the north became a wasteland? We don't know all the details, but we know the elves used to live on this continent and that means-"

"There are ruins up there as well." Lilith interjected.

Alex smiled. "Correct. Is that your goal?"

"Yes, but I don't know where to start or if ruins even exist up there anymore. I feel like the only thing I can hope for is to hear something from the dwarves."

Alex placed the book back onto the pile, then took a sip of his tea. "I think it's safe to say that he left some kind of trail."

"I guess I'll just have to find out," Lilith sighed. It was the one thing that stumped her. The first half was a joke. For the past hundred or so years, the south had become far safer than it has ever been and with the increase of adventurers or people just going back and forth from city to city, it wasn't difficult to go as a group so getting to the dwarves would be simple. It's just the north that was a mystery, and no matter what she read, there was nothing to really go off of. "I still don't understand, though."

Alex's eyebrow lifted. "What don't you understand?" 

"How is there no recent information? I've read about the demons I could see, but none of them are unique to the north. Why is there so much unknown?"

The room fell silent as Alex debated on what to say next. It was strange, but even in his position, he wasn't privy to this kind of information, so it was hard to answer. After a moment, Alex leaned back, adjusted his glasses, and crossed his arms. "Unfortunately, I don't have the answer to that question. As you said, it is strange and I'm sure annoying politics are involved, but I just don't know the answer. I'm sorry."

With an elbow on the table and her chin resting in her palm, Lilith used her other hand, tapping the table with a finger. "It's weird." With one last tap, she sat up. "I wonder if the dwarves would have anything since they leave far closer than us, and I wonder if that's why this person didn't leave any clues other than him going to the dwarves."

"That is a likely possibility. Unless he was privy to any information, which I doubt he was, he probably didn't think it was worth taking any guesses until he could get anything from the dwarves." Alex said.

"But would they share this information?" Lilith asked. "Although their borders are open, they are still extremely cautious and keep a lot to themselves."

"They aren't afraid of sharing. You'll just need to convince them. You should be fine, though, since you can hold your liquor well."

Lilith snorted. "Is that all it will take?"

Alex shrugged. "Possibly."

"Anyway~" Lilith brought Alex's attention back to the map. "Safe travel from one city to another, although The Holy Empire won't be pleasant." Lilith pointed to the far eastern city. The city always had a strong religious influence since its founding, alongside a deep-seated hatred for the cursed ones.

Alex looked at the map, "Is that the only way you can go?" he pointed towards a different road, guiding his finger along a different route. "You can head up here, then go to this In then…" Alex continued, and Lilith watched.

"But It's not the safest."

"Nor is the city you wish to stop at."

"But It's the only safest way I can think of. However, there is one thing that could help me regardless of which way I go…" Lilith peaked at Alex, gauging his reaction. "There are those experimental versions of the portable barriers."

"Experimental," Alex harped on the word, making sure Lilith understood what that truly meant.

"I know, but what better time to test it than now?" Lilith asked, but her face pleaded for Alex to say yes.

"As long as you understand that such a tool is in an experimental stage. We haven't fully replicated the barriers that we see around the cities and Inns. Even the ones that were made for towns aren't close to how strong they are." Alex looked up at the silent Lilith, who sat there, pleading with her eyes. "Fine. just promise that you won't let your guard down even while using it."

"I promise. Anything that will help me get to my destination, I will welcome."

"I'll get you it tomorrow. It shouldn't be hard to do. Is there anything else while we're on this topic?"

"Hmm, a spare uniform wouldn't be a bad idea. I only have the one at home, and I rather not risk the travel with only one. The magic woven into it will be far too helpful."

"That shouldn't be an issue either, but it will take a bit longer. Magic weaving isn't that simple."

"That's fine, thank you."

"Now then." Alex brought Lilith's attention back to the map. "Let's go over your plan one more time with no interruptions. You leave here, then travel to Mystral, head to the Hoyl Empire, then northeast to the Dwarves. It's simple and obvious."

"Best to keep it simple."

"Once you've crossed the bridge and exited the dwarves' territory, you'll come across these trails that guide you to safe camping zones," Alex explained, leaning back and readjusting his glasses while crossing his arms. "I expected some elaborate plan, but it's so simple that I would've thought you came up with it last minute. And to make matters worse, it relies on luck far too much."

"It could've been elaborate, but we know so little past the Scar that it becomes an in the moment situation."

"Alright, and you read all the books?"

"Some more than once."

Alex stared at Lilith. "Come," he said as he stood up and headed to the door. "Off to the mail room."

Lilith quickly tossed her map back in the void, and gulped down the now lukewarm tea before following Alex with quick paced steps down to the mail room, a floor that had its own type of chaos. People were running back and forth, organizing packages and letters. Preparing them to go to the district post offices or to determine the difficulty of the delivery and which rank could take the job. It's the core of the building and what makes everything churn.

"It's a large package, which is another reason such a trip would be hard for most people."

"But it's perfect for me, who can freely put things in a pocket that is nearly infinite."

"Unfortunately, the bottomless bags aren't truly bottomless yet, so yes. You are one of the very few."

"It's that large?"

"Yes," Alex opened up the door, and after leading Lilith inside, presented the neatly wrapped box held together by ropes. It was larger than Alex, and far heavier than anyone could guess.

"That's.. No joke of a package."

"And it must be important. Can you store it?"

Blackened mana soared from her core up to her shoulder, down to her arm, then to her hand. It was as if an amalgamation of ants crawled to her hand as it seeped into every nook and cranny, changing her once pale skin and clear nails into a midnight black. 

Black liquid formed underneath the large package bubbling while expanding and stopping when it covered the ground. Then, when Lilith closed her hand, the puddle shot up like spikes looking for a target. One at a time in quick succession until they wrapped around the meeting at the top, covering the package.

Loosening her grip and facing her palm towards the ground, she lowered her hand slowly and the black blob followed until it disappeared and all that remained was a blackened puddle that quickly disappeared right after.

 "Limitless," Lilith said, as her hand returned to normal

"I can't tell if that's a curse or a blessing."

"When it confines me to only very specific magic, despite having been blessed with a far superior mana pool, then yes. I would call it a curse. I could've been one hell of a mage if I wasn't."

"You say that, but everyone who has the same curse was in a similar situation as you. Blessed with an abundance of mana."

"Yeah, yeah. Coincidences," Lilith shoo'd the logic to the side. "How long do you think the spare outfit will take?"

"Give or take a week. If you haven't gotten taller or shorter, then I can get them to work on one right away."

"Perfect. So the outfit and the barrier tool. Besides that, I have to replenish supplies and tidy up my place before I depart. Should I come get the spare?"

"I can get it delivered to you immediately when it's done." Alex paused, eyes filled with sincerity. I want to emphasize once again. There is no time limit and there is no expectation for you to succeed. If you need to, then return." Alex lightly sighed. "Do your best. Please. And make sure you don't die."

"I will make sure it gets to its owner, Branch Manager."

Alex smiled. A weak smile. "Good… Good." Alex paused. "I-I sincerely hope to see you again when it's over." He reached over, gently patting Lilith's head. "I wish you the best." He said, messing up her hair as much as he could before pulling away.

....

"I wish myself the best, too," Lilith said while readjusting her outfit in the mirror. Far more presentable than before, she sported her uniform, which was a dark blue suit, black buttons and accessory flairs, a white buttoned shirt and a black tie. Some may think it was strange to wear a suit, but because of the woven magic, it worked well and allowed carriers to be presentable. Her name and rank were woven into the upper left corner of her suit jacket, right at her shoulder.

Lilith Anderson

Rank: Platinum

Her now straight black hair rested just beyond her shoulders. Looking herself over one last time, she grabbed the flat cap resting on the counter which matched the color of her suit, and instead of a pair of dress shoes or heels, she slipped on a pair of slim boots which hid underneath her suit pants.

It was a unique outfit for what she does, to say the least, but after buttoning her jacket and activating the magic weaved into the fabric, a weird sensation enveloped her body, which disappeared shortly after. It took some getting used to as the weight of the outfit and the feel of it disappeared. She was clearly wearing the suit and she could see it in the mirror, but it felt as if she was naked. But this allowed the carriers to move around freely and to not be boggled down by any inconvenience. With that said, some carriers opted into more combat like outfits wearing armour to give them protection, then switching to the suit when getting to town. Lilith could do that too, but it didn't matter all too much for her, since she wasn't a fighter, so all it would do was add on extra weight.

"Alright," she said, checking herself one last time, and after making sure everything was in order, she blew out the candles in her room and headed out through the streets, then the gates.