As we stare at each other, Rana brushes my hands off and says, "G-good your emotions are more stable now. I g-guess I can teach you two m-more basics."

"Huh? Emotions? Basics? What?"

"D-dont act so clueless you dum-dum. D-didn't your sis t-teach you how emotions effect your Qi." Rana says sounding irritated yet embarressed. "Dum dum that's a good nickname ha ha," she murmurs softly.

"... Well she told me that it depends on your will that is why never give up. Your spirit and will power will win the battle... Until a few battles before."

"W-well your emotions is part of your w-will, your s-spirit. If you're angry y-your Qi will become more frenzy and hard to c-control it all depends."

"So why are you teaching me this?"

"Y-you're weak. You d-don't stand a chance against people from C-Central. Further more you l-lack skills."

Accepting what she said I ask, "So what are you going to teach me?"

"Simple barrier," when she says that she spread her arms when a semi-transparent dome appeared covering us from the rain. And continues to say, "Dash," suddenly disappeared leaving behind ripples of water when I feel someone touch my shoulders.

"Whoa," I exclaim in surprise, "Wait I think I saw Yosova did that."

"W-well now try doing it," Rana says while still behind me.

"Um how?" I ask.

Rana sighs and says, "I-If you can use weave, b-barrier is something simple. Rather than w-weaving your Qi into a weapon or s-something else. You can expand it, creating a field around you. L-Like what I did just now."

Following what she says. Gathering the Qi around me, I imagine a dome. Circling around me, bending my knees I straighten my arms and yell:

"Haah, expand!" I scream. Still feeling myself getting hit by the raindrops, nothing happens.

"Pssh, ha ha ha" Rana laughs softly back in her alluring voice. I look back to see her smiling embarresed yet happy face. Before she pulls her wide blue scarf and cover her entire face. Still hearing some muffling.

Resisting the weird urge inside I look behind me and ask,"... Are you sure this is basic technique?"

Pulling down her scarf showing her eyes she says, "O-of course it is, you dum-dum. I-I learn it when I was a kid and it only took me a few hours to l-learn. S-still, ha ha ha! What's with that, yel- Ha ha ha!" Rana continues to laugh a little louder still in her alluring voice as I see her eyes winks in joy.

"Hmph, Shut up. I'm trying okay, maybe the first time won't work. Ah I'm never screaming a battle cry again," still hearing her laughing I continue to say, 'S-shut up! Stop laughing."

"Ha ha ha ha... O-okay lets just skip t-that for now. Y-you caught me off g-guard with that. W-why don't we try dashing. S-simply enough, just make a burst. Enhance your feet while you m-move in a burst a-action," she says when she walks infront of me and flicker me in the forehead.

"Ow. That seriously hurts."

"S-sorry I-I just w-want to heal you. It's h-hard controlling my v-voice without the mask," she says before shying away, back in her weird voice.

Following what she said. Gathering my qi on the sole of my feet. Enhancing it to large degree, I look at the wooden door on the roof. Presumably the way down. And so I dash... Before I could stop. I crash into the wall instead. Breaking it, I enter inside. Falling down some more to some place with stairs that circling down.

"Ow ow ow," I voice my pain. Did I break any bones?

Rana suddenly appear beside me and laugh once again in her alluring voice, before saying, "Ha ha ha ha, you y-you r-really make my day, t-thank you Sova," she smiles, pulling her scarf up covering her mouth after she says that.

"HEY! Who's there!" a male voice suddenly screams from below.

"Oi Moriz, *Yawn* What's with the ruse this early in the morning?" another male voice can be heard.

"Wait I smell two person, don't tell me the guardians have found us and now assaulting this base! Fortify your positions men we gotta get the boss outta here, no matter the cost!" Another male voice rings through the stairs.

"Eek, w-well lets get out of here," Rana says in panic. When she flickers my forehead and engulf us in colorful flames .

As the flames disperse. We're now in the ally way of some sort. Water flows through the pipe that stretches above. The hard cold ground is wet and filled with puddles of water. Garbage bins surrounds us when. When I feel multiple stares coming from above me. Glowing green eyes peeks out from the darkness above. With a huge wall behind and beside me there's only one way left, forward. Feeling my right shoulder being grab. It was, of course Rana.

"W-well we escape t-that precarious s-situation. Now for y-your evaluation... You suck."

"Oh... Well I guess that's reasonable. I mean I didn't learn it all with just one demonstration. It took me a year to learn all of those techniques."

"W-wait you learn to do all that in j-just a year?" Rana ask in surprise as she gaze me face to face full of shock. Only to back away and cover her face with her scarf again.

I answer back, "Yea, I learn how to use Qi in just a year. If I remember correctly she said that if you can't teach one to ten then you can always teach one and ten and the results will be the same or something."

Rana sighs heavily in disappointment and said, "I-I guess, she is not c-called the gardener for nothing... Say are you not gonna q-question what those people just said?" Rana ask while still looking away.

"Why should I? I mean is it important?"

She sighs heavily once more and says,"T-this city... No this country is c-corrupted beyond compare. None of the S-Sector Lords are following their intended p-purposes for their creation a-anymore. But since you're pretty oblivious from all t-the things a-around you I g-guess that's fine. Lets f-find a place to stay l-like an inn for check point," she walks to the edge and look left and right before signaling me to come over.

When I hear her say that. Something finally hit me... I ask, "Rana I'm seriously hungry. And is there a restroom?" come to think of it why isn't there any latrine or some sort in the cell I was kept in?

Rana looks at me with her mouth covered by her dark blue scarf, only her eyes kinda visible thanks to her long bangs. Staring at the windows of my soul before she blushes and look away. She says, "I g-guess we c-could have breakfast, and some time to rest," When she suddenly disappeared and reappeared infront of me again and ask, "D-do you l-like seafood?" she ask with full sincerity I never seen before.

Seeing her eyes filled with hope, I can't help but answer "Yea... I do like seafood," I replied hesitantly. And ask back, "Why do you ask?"

As her scarf loosen I could see her entire face smiling full of cheers and joy. Her eyes shines and sparkled for some reason. When she says, "Good, I'm going to take you to the best seafood eatery you ever tasted. Run by none other but me of course he he," she smiles happily making an excited pose. Before she blushes and covers her entire face with her scarf and say, "F-forget I did that. N-now follow me."

She walks ahead through the alleyway and I followed suit. Seeing the gloomy skies above, and the tight space cramped between the brick walls, barricaded doors and trash bins. The smell of rotten flesh hangs around the air as it turns moist. The feeling of being watch lingers as we walk. And the sound of something moving on the wrapped up trash wriggles around us, while the faint sound of rain and people talking can be heard afar. Is this the city... I grew up in?

"Rana where is your diner? If I have to be honest this place is worst than the Reliquary," I ask in fear.

"R-really?" Rana replied back sounding confused. And continues saying, "A place w-where you know w-where we are and full of p-people, is w-worse than l-literal n-nightmares and disparity m-made reality. Y-you could have d-died any m-moment if it's not for the spirits."

"Well if you say it like that."

"D-don't worry, w-we just need to g-get out of this alleyw-"

"Good morning young madam. Do you need a guide?" A girls voice interrupted us.

Shocked, I look at where the voice is coming from. A dark alleyway on our left with flickering blue lantern comes to a view. Holding the lantern is a girl around the age of eight or so. She has a reddish brown and long messy hair that looks like it's never been brush. A very small nose where in the side some whiskers protrude, accompanied with her large red eyes that glows everytime the lantern flickers. Her small buck tooth slipping from her mouth as she smiles innocently. And of course the most visible large pink ears protruding from her head clad in reddish brown fur the same with her hair. And the visible long wagging pink tail that's poking out from her skirt. Wearing a ragged suit like uniform similar to Angie's, a tattered green ribbon on her head and her short skirt and stockings ripped while her worn out shoes are visible. She carries an overused bag, with the large symbol of a heart pierce in two by an arrow on it's tag. I wonder what that symbol is? I keep seeing it lately.

"If you do. My services are cheap, fair and very efficient maam. With only three reas for a guide, I can lead you out in but minutes. Here is my ID Card to prove I'm a legalized guide," she says with full of vigor handing me her silver card that's made of wood.

I take and look at it, it's only written that her name is Sarah. And she is a low rank hunter and a guide. Come to think of it I never seen any other card beside Sis Rubeca's which is entirely blank.

"Uh, Sarah is it. Is this really real?"

As she keeps smiling innocently, giving the impression of a small child. She continues to say, "Yes, of course it is, maam-"

"I'm a guy. So please change that."

When I look at Rana she pulls her scarf up and gesturing me to refuse.

"That's weird I'm sure you smelled like a lady," she murmurs softly before continuing saying, "Well sorry sir, so do you need my help? I know the lay out of this al-," before she could finish I replied back:

"No thank you I can handle this."

"Eh? But but sir, this place is dangerous and you're lucky a guide find you here. I can assure you I will lead you safely out of here in minutes. Just give me a chance please," she begins to ask desperately.

"Like I said, no thank you," I replied back.

"Sir please listen, that's what all the people I met said before disappearing completely. I just need a little reas and I'll get you out I promise."

When I look at Rana she gesture to refuse once more. And told me, " I-if you're that s-sympathetic just g-gave her a f-few to leave you alone. C-come to think of it y-you don't carry any small change with you huh? J-just r-refuse."

Listening to what she said I reply to her, "Sorry but no thank you."

"I-I see I guess that's... If that's your choice may the spirit be with you sir. I hope we can see each other again," she said full of sympathy as she smiles.

"May the spirits be with you too," I replied back.

As I said that, her lantern begins to flicker and fade replaced with total darkness beyond. When I hear her faint voice saying, "Is it because I'm a rat?"

"T-that was disturbing. Still a sub-human t-that's a rare sight. C-come on do y-you want to s-stay here?" Rana says as she moves forward.

Following her I ask, "What's with this place it's so different than where I live. I mean where I stay doesn't have people looking ragged like her. Like are we still in the same city?"

"O-of course w-we are you dum dum. Now I j-just need to f-find a certain d-door there it is," stopping mid track as she says that. A door barricaded by some reinforce steel comes to a view. The door is made out of some weirdly smooth stone with bizarre engravings on it. But most eye catching is the symbol with grey lines making it look like a horned skull biting a burning scythe.

"Um, where will this take us? Don't tell me beyond that door is your dinner," I ask in confusion and panic.

"W-well half true j-just let me d-disassemble this barricade... T-try g-guarding the rear as I do so," Rana begins to scribble on the steel with her fingers. As I look around us. Seeing the coast clear, some light starts to glow behind me. As I look behind me. Glowing runes starts to appear one after another on the steel and detach it self from it. The barricades starts to move and float before disappearing, turning into dust.

"T-there, w-welcome to my s-shop Sova, we got lot of various m-merchandise. W-why don't you l-look around."

As she opens the door darkness looms over us. Encasing us in a dark dome.When it disappear. We're now in a eerie room with it's walls coloured in pure black like the night sky. Illuminated by the glows of deep red, yellow, and blue from the sticks that glow around us. Mysterious wares like weird shaped swords, sinister looking dolls, masks with weird faces, variance of full plate armor, and even some papers with weird engravings are displayed in a way you could see around it. While they put mirrors on each product like a museum. A single female mannequin with no face, dressed in a frilly dress that has a dome skirt, stands on the cashier table. Located on the corner right of the store. Made of transparent glass with more bizarre items inside. The only thought I have for this store is I don't want to be here.

Rana walks to the cashier. Picking the blank face of the mannequin and wears it as she says, "Finally, I'm sick of being that way. Sova I'm going to return the favor for playing with me in just a moment, but first. Ah, it's nice being home. Though not so nice, when there's a rat inside it."

As she gaze behind me. I look behind. To see the same young beast girl, crouching in the dimly lit room, her face could only be describe in one way, she's frightened. Hiding behind the curtains hugging it tightly as to not let go as she tears up. Cornered between the walls and shelves filled with large thick books, arrange with each colour categorically from top to bottom.

"Eek!," she screams in terror the moment I saw her.

"Eh! You followed me?" I ask in surprise.

"I-I'm sorry, I-I was worried you might get lost. B-but to think y-you're p-part of the g-grey robed reapers."

"Lies, you plan to loot his body when he dies aren't you?" Rana suddenly answer back.

"Wah!, wuh what? W-who's there?!" she screams in panic looking left and right.

She suddenly curled up and say, "No! I-I swear I'm j-just t-trying to help. P-please I-I'm s-sorry, j-just l-let me go I c-can't give you anything but this l-lantern. I-it's a-all I h-have," handing out the lantern as she beg.

As the lights turn red and the room flickers, I ask, "Rana what are you planning?"

Rana simply questions back saying, "Well Sova, why don't we have breakfast? Though I wouldn't stand behind the curtain if I were you."

As she said that, Sarah looked behind and run away immediately, bumping and hugging me tightly digging her face in my stomach. When something slam behind the curtains as it expand. A silhouette of a winged serpent crawls around it before disappearing into the shadow.

"No no no. I don't want to die! Why did I bother to worry!" she screams as she grabs on to me like there is no tomorrow.