Q's POV:

I didn't know how precious was the gift my parents gave me on my 6th birthday until it saved my life multiple times during my 8 years of escaping from the Dark Corps. The Soil Tunnel Orb was an ancient artifact our family possessed for many generations, always gifted to the next family head when they turned 6. If it was to be done a year later, I would've long been dead by now. The magical, brown orb needed enormous amounts of magic force to operate but it was worth it - creating a circular barrier able to traverse through the ground wasn't an easy feat and keeping it operating would be even harder for any magician or even an archmage who's able to casually use high ranking magic starting from the 7th tier formations. Fortunately, after feeding it mana, the device was operating on its own as long as it had enough magic power to move.

This triumph card helped me and my aunt escape from even the most capable pursuers till now. I was still breathing heavily while traveling underground as far as possible with the current mana stored in our Soil Tunnel Orb. I couldn't possibly calm down easily after seeing that monstrously skilled wizard sent after us this time. Did the head of Estwill house, Perril Estwill, become so desperate to kill us that he sent... that?! If we didn't have this artifact... I'm afraid we would most definitely be dead right now. No doubt about it. I still tremble remembering those sharp, purple eyes of a hunter... Brr! My shoulders shook subconsciously. I hope I never meet him again.

I'm so grateful to William Wardock for his books - without that 5th tiered 'Luster' spell I learned with great difficulty from one of his books we would've never escaped that monster. I breathed out slowly, trying to calm down.

-It's alright Quiliana, he won't get you now so relax a bit. - Anaga's voice woke me from my pessimistic thoughts.

I smiled at her. She always worried about my safety and got wounded a few times while saving my life.

-Thank you for saving me yet again, aunty. I will never forget what you did for me through all these years.

-Oh, you silly girl. What is family for? We only have each other, don't forget that. I will never leave you no matter what happens in the future, my sweet cookie.

We hugged with tears in our eyes. That's right. I have my aunt with me and I'm not alone. Together we can do anything, defeat anyone and escape so far that no one will find us. Ever. Someday I'll feel safe and unafraid, no longer fearing the assassins or Estwills, I'll find a friend and maybe a boyfriend, even go to school if possible...

Yeah, keep on dreaming and you'll die sooner than later. You should know deep inside your heart that after 8 years nothing will change. The only future you ever had was to run away your whole life like a wild animal afraid of predators all around you. You can't trust anyone, can't believe anyone. There's only you and aunty, the rest of the world was always your enemy. And if you ever got close to someone... You know what will happen. Like 6 years ago, when that little girl you talked to was found by the Dark Corps and... NO! Stop thinking about it! It's all in the past and you learned your lesson. Don't trust anyone! Don't get close to anyone! Because if you do... You'll only regret it.

Anaga's POV:

Ah, my sweet cookie. If only I was stronger, I could have defeated those wretched Estwills and gave you a happy and safe life you deserve. But with the way I am, I can barely keep you alive, my little niece. It pains my heart when I see a constant frown on your face and the rare smiles - mostly forced for my sake. I don't know how long we can keep on escaping after seeing this terrifyingly strong opponent sent after Quiliana this time. I don't want to think about what would have happened if there was one more of those killers today... I'm so sorry, my little cookie. For living a hell on Earth instead of playing with your friends and laughing out loud like all young girls should.

I held the Soil Tunnel Orb in my hands with dark feelings drowning my heart. Oh, how I wish we could simply stop running!

And we stopped. No, I mean we actually stopped, the whole brown, half see-through bubble created by the artifact suddenly ceased moving. What is it? Don't tell me it finally broke down and we're trapped here, deep underground, forever? No! I can still hear the quiet hum that indicates it's still working. This was too abrupt, something is not right.

I put my hand on the hilt of the sword and moved closer to Quiliana. Right when I opened my mouth to speak, I saw something I will never forget in my life. A face appearing right outside our magical bubble, hundreds of meters underneath the ground!

-Hiiiiaaaa! - I couldn't stop a girly scream but it happened so fast! Even deathly scared by that ghost I didn't hesitate to immediately pull my weapon out of its sheath and attack. Too many years I honed my reflexes to now stand still in shock, even when such incomprehensible things were taking place around me. My niece instantly dove behind me, knowing that was the best move she could make right now without any preparations. I turned off the artifact while swinging my sword and without the brown sphere clouding my sight I recognized the face I saw before.

-The assassin! - both of us exclaimed at the same time, completely shocked and terrified. How did he follow us below the ground?!! Are we finally doomed now that he's here, after all those years?!!

A metallic barrier appeared right before my blade and deflected it sideways. An elemental barrier in less than a second?! That's an 8th tier spell! This guy is an archmage!

Even while shocked my blade changed it's course and yet again advanced towards the mage, this time from the side. I quickly added 'Pierce' support magic to my thrust to crush his barrier but an unbelievable thing happened! In a short moment his magical shield changed its shape and size and like a liquid metal rushed in front of my weapon, glowing fiercely from the amount of mana used in the ritual. What the hell?!!! I've never seen someone change an existing, fixed formation in that way! Normal spells were programmed to work in a certain way and changing it was believed to be almost impossible! It would require unbelievable abilities and knowledge that only gods should possess! For the love of gods, who is this person?!?!?!!!!!!! The moment my sword came into contact with the monster's metallic shield I felt as if I was struck by lightning - my limp body flew backward with force so great that I definitely broke a few bones while striking the earthen wall behind my niece.

I fell to the ground barely holding onto my consciousness. It was painful, yet it hurt even more when I saw through the blood flowing on my face how the assassin dispelled his protection and slowly moved forward towards my niece. Nooo! Get away from her! Kill me but spare her, you bastard! She has nothing to do with house Estwill anymore, not with her whole family dead! Why, why must you murder us too?!!

Suddenly, an earth spike rose from the ground behind the wizard and stabbed his back.