“You can’t catch me!” Ellie's silvery laughter played like music to Erhan's ear and spurred him to chase her shadow over flowery meadows and cornfields.

Had he been running for an hour? His daughter was still ahead of him. He wasn't getting too old, was he? That didn’t matter. As long as his daughter wished to play, he would accompany her. It had been so long...

so... long? A doubt arose in the corner of his mind. But Ellie's laughter quickly shooed it away. So they ran and ran. They ran up the hills, skirted around the oaks, they ran under the twilit sky for hours.

A familiar, restless feeling sprouted inside Erhan. A feeling of worry. His pacified heart smouldered, its erratic beats omening a dreadful fire. A premonition! But of what? Was someone in danger? He looked at the back of the little figure running ahead of him. Ellie? Or was it Leah? The worry grew like a shroud of heaviness over his heart. Was the Fade coming again? Was it going to take everything away from him again?

No! The Fade had already taken everything from him. He- he had nothing left anymore. No home, no wife, no daughter, nothing! The edges of his eyes hardened as the smile faded from his lips. Then what was this? Who was he chasing?

Erhan’s feet stopped. A sigh of regret escaped him. Didn’t he already know the answer to that?

“Papa?” Ellie looked back, a mischievous smile on her innocent little face. “Why are you stopping? Chase me! Play with me!”

That smile was so familiar! So endearing! The corner of Erhan's lips twitched as he desperately tried to return that smile, but he failed, only a lump of pain formed inside his throat as he forced himself to turn around. A mask of calmness covered his face and his eyes lost the happy sparkle of moments before. His heart calmed down. A calm before a storm.

It was time to wake up from the dream!

“Papa!” Ellie’s concerned shout called him. “Why are you leaving? she asked. "Don’t go, papa! Don’t leave me!” the laughter in her voice faded into a desperate plea that struck Erhan’s heart like a thorny whip.

Erhan flinched. Why? Didn't he turn around? Then why could he still see his little Ellie? Why was Leah with her? Their desperate faces twisted with an agony he couldn't imagine as they extended their arms towards him from behind. “Don’t leave us!" they cried out with despairing voices "Save us!”

Their healthy body thinned from the inside as their flesh faded, their skin paled and tightened, its colour fading into the that of the ashes, then their bones began fading. Erhan had never felt their pain, but the sight of their suffering had etched itself in his mind four years ago. Now the sight that had haunted his dreams for years stared at his eyes.

“Please, save us!” they pleaded as one, their voices, the lively shine of their eyes also faded bit by bit like the sky that darkened around him, but Erhan didn't turn back. He walked on farther and farther from them with heavy, lead-filled steps. He pinched his eyes shut, but the vision still didn't leave him. His bit down hard and his mouth filled with the metallic tang of blood, a grimace painted on his face in an effort to not turn back. He wanted to. Even if it was a dream he wanted to turn back, to save them. But his heart trashing against ribs screamed at him, if he stopped, he would never forgive himself.

He couldn’t turn back, so he ran with all his effort.

With a thunk, Sena felt the knife pierce flesh through the palms of her hand, but the piercing pain she expected didn’t come. Did she die to quickly to feel the pain?

“Get up, lady Sena!” Harker’s urgent voice struck Sena’s mind like a sledgehammer, jolting her away from the all-encompassing sense of guilt and despair.

Sena’s eyes shot open. Harker's fist tightened against the blade of the knife, dripping blood from between his fingers. He stared ahead at Sara’s imposter with a look of caution in his face.

“So you weren’t fully asleep,” said the little girl in front of him. “Are you going to stop me?”

Harker didn’t answer. He yanked the knife out of Sena’s hand and threw it aside. Her stiff body slackened and knelt on the ground with a confused look on her face.

The girl in front of Harker gave him such an uncanny feeling that he wanted to be away from here immediately, but seeing Sena still sitting there, he pulled her up to her feet. The young noble barely managed to stand up. And as soon as she did, she hid behind Harker’s large back. She held onto his cloak and peered at the imposter like a scared little girl. Harker didn’t know what had happened to her.

He’d woken up when Sena passed by him some time ago. Seeing Sena disappear into the fog, he had wanted to follow her. But before he could even call out to her, incredible dizziness enveloped his mind. After that, it had been like walking in a dream. And he also vaguely remembered asking her to die.

Why had he done that?

He used to be a knight and he pledged his blade to protect Sena. Only the shock of seeing her about to plunge the knife into herself had forcibly woken him up.

He looked at the other three standing beside the little girl. They had their eyes closed as if they were sleepwalking. The little girl! She was the one doing this. “What are you?” he squawked at the little girl, his voice breaking a little from panic. The little form in front of him exuded a threat he’d never felt before in his life, not even from Erhan.

The imposter didn’t answer the question and said instead, “If you intend to protect her, it’d end in your demise.”

Herker swallowed. He didn’t want to die, but… From his back, he felt the weight of his sword. It wasn’t with him when he went to sleep and he didn’t know when he started carrying it, but he drew it out and held it in front of him. Not only him, but Arban also carried his short sword. Only Garan and Arda still had on what they went to sleep with. Was it also the doing of the girl? Then why did she only allow the two of them to carry a weapon?

The little girl was about to say something, but as if in surprise she whirled her head towards the east. Her brows scrunched up as she saw something far away. “I didn’t expect that!” she whispered to herself and turned to face both of them. “I don’t have the time to waste on you anymore.” She raised her hand and commanded, “Go!”

Arban, Garan and Arda drew out their weapons and rushed towards the two of them. Arban swung down the short sword at Harker, followed by a slash of Garan’s long knife. Harker parried, but in that instant, Arda’s figure disappeared from in front of him. She Appeared behind them like the wind and flung a knife towards Sena’s back. Harker spun around swatted that out with his blade.

He winced as Arban’s stab left a deep cut on his side. He shot out his leg and caught the boy on his chest, sending him flying back.

He clenched his teeth. Although he managed to ward off Arban a bit, The danger had just begun. Garan and Arda both were veterans at combat, so warding them off without hurting them was nearly impossible. Especially, Arda, she was agile like a cat. Appearing, and disappearing, flinging and stabbing, she refused to give Harker even a moment to breath. If they weren't in a direct confrontation, Harker might even end up dead. He was already covered in cuts and bruises as it was. Worst of all was the three of them were mostly aiming for Sena instead of him.

“Damn” he cursed in pain as a throwing knife sunk into his right thigh. The cuts on his fingers burned as they rubbed around the sword hilt. Where was Erhan? They were facing a crisis here and the man was nowhere in sight. Had he abandoned them? He shook his head, sending droplets of sweat flying from brows. No, not someone like Erhan. He wouldn’t abandon them, would he? He parried another blow to his flank from Arban, who was on his feet.

The more the fight continued, the more injured he got. He was losing too much blood. He took heavy breaths as he tried to find an opening. But his three adversaries circled him like hungry wild dogs around a deer, waiting for him to lapse. His eyes widened in fear. If this continued, then as the girl said, only death lay ahead of him. He had to run away, otherwise, he might die here. The noble girl brought her demise herself, coming here alone. Why should he sacrifice himself for her?

He bit down hard on the corner of his tongue. Abandoning his pledge? How could he even think of that? And this depressing feeling! His heart hammering inside his chest! Why was he feeling so terrified? This wasn’t normal! He clasped Sena's right arm with his left hand and dashed into the woods. As long as he was able to get away, he would—

Arban who was closest to him shot forward with inhuman speed and swung his sword down on Harker’s left hand. Harker shrunk his hand back to avoid it, letting go of Sena, who fell behind a bush.

“Oh, no!” he shouted and leapt forward. To his relief, Sena wasn’t far from him. In one step he again pulled her up and put her behind him, holding the sword in a defensive position against the rest of his teammates. his arm shook from the strain and bloodloss. It was turning numb.

He clenched his teeth, his jaws set in determination. He couldn't do this for long. he had to make a choice here. And since he couldn’t give up his pledge, he’d stop the other three in any way possible. He had to put them down even if it meant injuring them. His eyes narrowed like a sharp blade. Red veins covered their edges as a hint of madness infiltrated his mind.

No. He put both hands on the sword hilt and the muscles of his shoulders flexed. Even if it meant killing them!

Arda was in front of him beside a tree not far from the bush where Sena fell. She other two dashed towards her. Were they going to converge and attack? A sudden bout panic tightened around his heart like an eagle's claw. He wouldn't be able to bear their combined attacks anymore! He had to take the woman out first.

Harker pulled his sword back and slashed with all his strength. The blade cut through the air as it sliced towards Arda's neck. No! His mind screamed at him. He clenched his fists on the handle of his heavy sword. The muscles of his arms strained as he broke its advance at the last second. he looked at the woman at the end of his blade. who was he going to kill?

A thin line of blood appeared where the edge of his sword touched Sena's neck. If he was just a second late, there would be vo saving her. Why was Sena there?

Out of the corner of his eyes, he noticed Arban and Garan. Their weapons were at ready. They weren't dashing towards her to converge with her, they intended to kill! Damn! Why did he think she was Arda?

But if she was Sena, then who was behind her?

Arda thrust her knife towards Harker’s heart. Harker instinct burst out a warning, but it was already too late. He felt the cold point of the blade pierce his back through the cloths.

Time slowed down. Harker could feel the knife inching nearer to his heart. Was he going to die? No not like this! But- but how would he stop it?

Suddenly Arda's grip on the knife loosened and the knife stopped after piercing a few inches into his flesh. And then before Harker could react, Arban, Garan and Arda dropped to the garden like puppets with their strings cut.

Harker stood there, half shocked from surviving at the last second, half confused as he looked at the fallen bodies of the three.