"Before we reach the LOST Realm," Morganne said, her voice dropping to a low, serious tone that cut through the hum of the engine, "there's something you need to know. Something that could save your life while you're at the academy."
Erica sat up straight in her seat, her full attention locked on the principal. The casual chatter from before was gone; this felt like a warning she couldn't ignore.
"Hundreds of years ago, the Bloodlines and humans were locked in a brutal war," Morganne explained, her fingers gripping the steering wheel so tightly that her knuckles turned white. "Countless lives were lost on both sides—families torn apart, entire cities reduced to ruins. To cut a long, bloody story short... the humans won. The Bloodlines had no choice but to surrender. That defeat shaped everything you see in our world today. We hand over half of our resources and wealth to the realm of men—the human world. They control how we run our governments, and they own most of our precious gold mines."
She glanced at Erica just long enough for her eyes to convey the full weight of the message—a mix of resentment and caution.
"That's why I'm telling you this, Erica: not everyone here will be thrilled that a human has somehow awakened a Bloodline system. Some will see you as a threat, an intruder in their sacred legacy. Be careful. Never leave the academy grounds without permission. Stick to the rules, and you might survive."
Erica swallowed hard, her throat dry. ("Maybe following a few rules isn't such a bad idea after all,") she thought, quietly abandoning her earlier rebellious plan to ignore every guideline thrown her way.
Her hands began to tremble slightly. The car's air conditioning must have failed; sweat formed on her forehead, dripping down her neck and soaking into her shirt collar. The heat felt oppressive, like the car had turned into a sauna.
Morganne noticed with a sideways glance. "We'll get you some proper clothes soon enough."
A full minute ticked by in awkward silence, with Morganne's eyes lingering on Erica far too long for comfort.
("For the love of everything, eyes on the road, woman!") Erica screamed in her mind, her anxiety spiking.
Another minute passed. Erica shifted in her seat, feeling the damp fabric cling to her skin—she'd sweated right through it.
"Thank you, Miss Morganne," she finally mumbled, bowing her head in a show of respect and gratitude.
Morganne's lips curled into a small, satisfied smile. "Good." She turned her focus back to the road ahead.
Soon, the car began to slow down. Up ahead, a line of enforcers blocked the way—nothing like the ones Erica had encountered at the vault. These were clad in full plate armor that shimmered dully under a overcast gray sky, with only narrow slits revealing their piercing eyes. There were dozens of them, forming an unbreakable wall of steel. Behind them loomed an enormous gate, ancient and pitch-black, forged from some dark metal that seemed to absorb the light around it—far removed from the sleek, modern barriers of the human world.
Morganne rolled down her window as one enforcer approached. He leaned down to look inside, spotted Morganne, and immediately recognized her authority. Without a word, he barked a sharp order to his comrades. The massive gate creaked open with a deep, rumbling groan, not a single enforcer bothering to glance at Erica.
Morganne rolled the window back up, eased the car forward, and they glided beneath the raised portcullis. Erica heard the heavy thud of iron slamming shut behind them, sealing off the way back.
"Welcome to the LOST Realm," Morganne said softly, her words hanging in the air like a quiet omen.
Erica peered out the window, scanning for any sign of difference from the world she'd left behind. At first, it looked disappointingly ordinary—endless stretches of trees and grass flanking a smooth, paved road.
Then she noticed them: statues. Hundreds lined the roadside like silent guardians, spaced evenly and standing in perfect alignment. Each one was shaped like a human figure, arms folded across their chests in a pose of eternal vigilance. Some bore faded paint, hints of color clinging to weathered stone, while others were gray and crumbling, eroded by time and elements.
"What are those?" Erica asked, her curiosity overriding her unease.
("Probably just their weird version of streetlights,") she thought with a touch of sarcasm.
"They keep the road safe," Morganne replied matter-of-factly. "Whatever lurks in those forests can't cross the line they protect."
"Yeah, monsters. Of course," Erica muttered, rolling her eyes. "I'm sure they're no big deal for someone like you. You crushed a padlock like it was nothing."
Morganne arched an eyebrow, slowing the car further. "You think I'm strong enough to dismiss them entirely?"
"I mean... you could probably walk right into that forest and punch a wolf straight into oblivion," Erica said, half-joking.
Morganne let out a soft laugh, but it carried a hint of sadness, like an echo from a forgotten tragedy. "Our ancestors—the ones who would see even me as a mere child—built these statues because they were utterly terrified of what's out there. These aren't decorations; they're a desperate shield against horrors you can't imagine."
Erica fell quiet, the weight of those words sinking in. Ahead, a new statue came into view: its back turned to them, seated calmly in the middle of the road, painted a stark, unblemished white.
"Now this one might actually intrigue you," Morganne said, a mysterious smile tugging at her lips. "One of the LOST Realm's little enigmas."
She swerved gently to the left to avoid it, then slowed to a crawl as they approached.
Two statues sat facing each other across a low stone pillar, their heads wrapped in thick cloth that concealed any facial features. Between them, the pillar's smooth surface glowed with faint, ethereal light, words scrolling across it like a living message board.
Erica leaned forward, reading as quickly as she could.
*—did you hear a human just unlocked our bloodline—*
The text shifted seamlessly.
*—hahaha told you your bloodline was weak—*
It changed again, but Morganne accelerated, and the statues faded into the distance before Erica could catch more.
Erica's breath caught in her throat. Her body trembled uncontrollably, waves of cold and heat crashing over her like a fever dream.
*Human unlocked our bloodline. Human unlocked our bloodline.*
("It's fake. It has to be fake—right? RIGHT?") she thought desperately, her mind spiraling.
A sudden, urgent pressure built in her bladder. "I—I need the bathroom. Please."
Morganne nodded without question. A few minutes later, she pulled over beside a small building made of polished wood, its surface so clean and pristine it looked out of place in the wild surroundings—like a roadside rest stop from a dream.
"Don't take too long," Morganne warned gently.
Erica stepped out, the air hitting her like a wall of ice despite just leaving the cooled car. The chill pierced straight to her bones, raising goosebumps on her skin. She pushed open the bathroom door.
Inside, everything was immaculate—mirrors sparkling, floors spotless, not a single speck of dust or grime.
Erica walked to the sink and stared at her reflection: a pale, wide-eyed girl staring back, looking more lost than ever.
"A lot's happening," she whispered to herself. "Too much, too fast. But you'll get through it. Those statues mentioned you for a reason. You're strong. You're something they fear. You don't get pushed around. You're the apex predator here, Erica Elara—the one who's meant to march into that forest and tame whatever beasts scared them into building those statues in the first place."
She forced a shaky smile, trying to believe her own words.
Suddenly, her system panel shimmered into existence before her eyes.
*[ A bear wishes to enter the road with you. Accept? ]*
Erica smirked, a rush of adrenaline drowning out her fear. *Trying to scare me? How cute. Yes, I accept.*
The panel vanished.
"In your face," she muttered triumphantly.
Then, in the mirror, a woman appeared beside her reflection.
White hair cascaded down her back. A black cape fluttered as if caught in an invisible wind. She wore barely anything—just strategic strips of cloth wrapped around her vital areas, leaving the rest of her pale, moonlit skin exposed.
Erica jerked back, her mouth opening in a scream that refused to come out. She stumbled away until her back slammed against the wall.
"No—no, please—"
The bathroom door burst open. Morganne rushed in, her eyes widening at the sight. The ghostly woman turned toward her.
"Erica, dismiss it!" Morganne shouted, her voice cracking with genuine terror—something Erica had never heard from her before.
The woman moved in a blur, faster than Erica could track. She grabbed Erica by the throat and hurled her straight through the wooden wall. Splinters exploded around them as Erica crashed onto the asphalt outside, the impact jarring every bone in her body.
Before she could even draw a breath, the woman's iron grip clamped around her wrist. She dragged Erica toward the forest, Erica's skin scraping raw against the rough road, pain shooting through her like fire.
"I DISMISS YOU!" Erica screamed at the top of her lungs.
In an instant, every statue along the road erupted in blinding white light, illuminating the landscape like a sudden dawn.
The woman froze mid-stride, clutching her head in agony as if invisible knives were piercing her skull. The light pulsed brighter, and she let out a guttural snarl, finally releasing Erica before fleeing into the dense trees.
The glow faded slowly. One nearby statue's head crumbled to dust in an instant, collapsing into fine sand and leaving the figure headless.
Morganne sprinted over, pulling Erica to her feet with surprising gentleness. "Are you hurt?"
Erica stared at the ruined statue, her voice shaking. "Why... why did its head just... fall off?"
Morganne sighed deeply, the sound heavy with centuries of shared history. "Every time a creature forces its way onto the road—or gets banished from it—the statues bear the cost. They absorb the energy, the curse, whatever you want to call it. Over time, they weaken. Eventually, they shatter completely."
Erica's eyes drifted to another statue farther down the road—one reduced to just a pair of stone feet. There were many like it, remnants of guardians that had given everything to protect the path.
"Come on," Morganne said softly, guiding her back to the car with a supportive arm. "Let's go."
Erica climbed in, her mind numb and her body aching. They drove the rest of the way in complete silence, the weight of the encounter hanging between them like an unspoken shadow.
Eventually, on the distant horizon, an immense castle emerged against the sky—towering higher than any structure Erica had imagined, its dark spires piercing the clouds like ancient, unyielding sentinels from a forgotten era.