Sarra eventually managed to convince Bo-Woo to let Sven tag along. Now, Sven trailed behind the two girls as they whispered to each other.
"How can you talk like that? Just look at him—he's literally as beautiful as an angel," Sarra Jergal whispered.
"So what? He was spying on us," Bo-Woo Lan shot back.
"And? He was just looking," Sarra countered.
"Do you even know what's going on in that head of his?" Bo-Woo muttered.
"Oh, please, he won't do anything. His parents have probably spent his whole life drilling it into him not to embarrass the family or offend the other clans," Sarra said with a dismissive wave.
'They do realize I can hear every word, right?' Sven thought flatly.
"Fine, whatever. He can follow us," Bo-Woo relented.
Sarra squeezed Bo-Woo's shoulder with a grin. Sven simply followed, listening to their chatter.
"I'd love to become a Wizard, a Warlock, or maybe a Sorcerer," Sarra said dreamily.
"Why?" Bo-Woo asked.
"Don't you want to create spells of your own?"
"No. Not at all," Bo-Woo replied firmly.
"Why not?"
"I had an aunt, Audrey. She was a Wizard. In her pursuit of forbidden knowledge, she turned herself into the undead," Bo-Woo said, her voice dropping.
"Well, geez... not all mages end up like that," Sarra stammered.
Bo-Woo Lan frowned and looked away, then turned back to her friend.
'According to the 2004 comic, it was written that Audrey Laocard went insane and killed Vika Vend-Bo-Woo Lan's mother-in the year 4807 of the Gaea calendar. That was four years ago,' Sven realized.
Sven was struggling to come up with a new plan. He couldn't convince them to turn back, and he wasn't strong enough to fight off familiars alone. They were already deep in the forest.
'Wait. In the comic, they were attacked at the edge of the hill, right at the cliffside. We haven't reached it yet. I have to slow them down. Surely the servants have noticed three children are missing by now.'
'Then again, Sam is a gifted Bard. Even at his age, he knows plenty of Enchantment spells. He's probably got them all charmed. All hope lies with the adults.'
"Hey, girls, maybe we should head back?" Sven suggested.
"No," Bo-Woo snapped.
"But your father will be worried," Sven tried.
"Then let him come find us himself," she retorted.
***
'God, what a bratty teenager. "Oh, my dad didn't pay attention to me on my birthday even though he bought me a mountain of gifts! My parents are so stupid!" Kim Wu-Lan doesn't even hit her, and that's perfectly legal in this world.'
Back at the Golden Dragon estate, two figures walked toward the backyard. One was a Kobold-a humanoid mix of lizard and dog. His muzzle was small for his age, and his red scales were etched with wrinkles. He wore a long white tunic with a scarf-like wrap. Beside him walked Kim Wu-Lan.
"I truly apologize for being late," said Dar* Dar, the Kobold.
"Not at all, you haven't missed a thing," Kim Wu-Lan assured him.
"I wanted to give the birthday girl a little surprise," Dar* Dar said, pulling a small box from beneath his tunic.
"Ah, yes. We sent the children to the backyard for a barbecue," Kim said.
A maid with a bob cut rushed up to them, looking panicked.
"Sir... the children are gone."
***
Sven, Sarra, and Bo-Woo stood on a narrow path. The forest was dense, the sunlight filtering through the leaves in shades of deep green.
"I'm telling you, it's dangerous here," Sven insisted.
"I've already told you a thousand times! This is 200 hectares of protected private property. There are no monsters here. And even beyond the border, there's a massive dome that prevents monsters from entering the city!" Bo-Woo shouted, her patience snapping.
"Just trust me, please," Sven said, desperation in his voice.
"Fine. Go back to the mansion yourself. Sarra and I are going for a walk," Bo-Woo turned her back on him.
Sven hesitated, realizing he couldn't win this argument. "I have evid—"
Before he could finish, a dark-white heron with three eyes shrieked as it burst from the bushes. It dived, its talons sinking into Bo-Woo's shoulders, and flung her deep into the brush. Sarra let out a piercing scream of terror.
Sven lunged forward, grabbing a heavy branch and intercepting a second strike intended for Sarra. The heron's claws clamped onto the wood; the branch shattered instantly as if sliced by razors.
'I know these things from the bestiary. A Three-Eyed Heron. It can hypnotize, and while it's physically frail, those talons are lethal.'
"Sarra! Start singing!" Sven yelled.
"What?" Sarra stammered, shaking and sobbing.
Sven shoved her back, positioning the Bard in the rear rank. "Just sing anything! I'll hold the front line!"
Sarra began to sing in a high, trembling operatic voice. Sven quickly framed the heron with his fingers, forming the "viewfinder," and cast Hex.
The heron screeched as it felt the curse take hold.
"Fall!" Sven commanded.
The heron lunged at him, but Sven hurled a heavy stone at its legs. Weakened by the curse, the bird stumbled and fell. Sven leaped onto its back, pinning its neck down and battering it with a rock until it stopped moving.
Bo-Woo Lan limped out of the forest, clutching her side. She stared in shock at Sven sitting atop the dead bird, gasping for air, while Sarra sat on the ground chanting her song like a mantra, her eyes wide as saucers.
"What... what was that?" Bo-Woo whispered.
Sven let out a ragged laugh. "I told you so," he panted. "Are you okay?"
"I think... I think I broke a rib," she groaned.
Sven gave a weak, crooked smile. But then, he felt a sudden chill—someone had just dispelled his Hex. Before he could strike the heron again, the creature's body twisted 180 degrees with a sickening crack. It lashed out, its talons raking across Sven's back.
Sven doubled over in agony. The bird's other leg kicked out, launching Sven backward into Sarra.
The heron spread its wings and let out a harrowing cry. The sound triggered a flood of tragic memories in everyone who heard it. Sven tried to stand, tried to form the frame with his hands, but a memory from his past life slammed into his mind.
A thick, dark fog swallowed the forest. There was an explosion—but in reverse, pulling everything inward.
Suddenly, Sven was standing in a front yard. Wet asphalt was beneath his feet. He looked around and saw a two-story apartment complex made of modular platforms, each door leading to a tiny rental unit. A shed stood across the yard. Behind the house were two wooden structures: a makeshift toilet and a shower.
"Sven!" a soft voice called from behind him.
Sven turned. It was Danna. She was short, with long black hair, a delicate face, and small, kind eyes. She wore a pink puffer jacket and tall boots.
"Why are you crying?" Danna asked.
"I... I'm back," Sven whispered, tears streaming down his face.