The night was dark, the wind was high, and the moon hung high in the sky.
Within the Duke Falmarno's land, inside the Kingdom of Teigitan, there was a small village in the southern part of the Palm Jungle called Shup Village.
Inside a modest wooden house, with simple furnishings and flickering firelight, sat Angelina on the bed, holding a flower pot in her hands, slowly chewing on the cold mountain vine on top of it.
"Snap!" A sudden sound caught Angelina's attention.
"Who's there?"
Since then, five years have passed, perhaps not a very long ti.
But Angelina, who was once a renowned Sheepfolk adventurer who is quite known for her ability and skill on deciphering ancient texts, now only had the desolation of her empty wallet. Apart from the old books that she had at her ho, her only interest was tending to her flowers and grass.
She wore a tattered cotton jacket, her frail body, once adorned with curly sheep horns, now had one broken horn, and her eyes had aged significantly.
"Who's there?" Angelina repeated, and this ti, she saw movent.
Appearing at the door was a petite and delicate woman... but not just any ordinary woman.
Black malevolence kept swirling and wriggling around her, an ominous aura that would make any living person feel uncomfortable, a proof of evil that only existed in higher undead creatures - the pollution of death.
"...Lori! You're back!" However, instead of showing any fear at the sight of the death-clad girl, Angelina's expression brightened with joy.
"Angi, how many tis do I need to tell you? If you're sick, you shouldn't eat the cold mountain vine." Lori just walked to the bedside and snatched the potted plant from Angelina's hands.
With short black hair that covered her eyes, the girl nad Lori stood at only 1.4 ters tall.
Then, Lori slowly reached out her hand and awkwardly gave Angelina a hug.
Floating beside Lori as her familiar were two bandaged spheres, their two glowing dots acting like eyes, observing the two girl.
"Huh? Not even a little bit?" Angelina protested.
"No, the cold mountain vine is too harsh on your body, especially with your injuries," Lori replied.
"My injuries are not that bad... ugh!" An abrupt pain ca from an old wound in Angelina's waist, causing her to grimace.
Seeing this, Lori quickly helped her sit back on the bed with sowhat awkward movents.
Lori knew, and would never forget, that it was Angelina who rescued her from the Duke Aivett dungeon, an action that in the end, let the sheepfolk adventurer get shot with an arrow and leave so grievous wounds. Due to the pursuit of the Duke army, the treatnt of the wound was delayed, leaving lasting aftereffects to Angelina.
Now, due to saving her, Angelina could no longer continue her life as an adventurer.
"Are you okay?" Lori asked.
"It's not a big deal; what about you... Why did you disappear suddenly for more than two weeks? Where did you go?" Angelina looked at Lori with a worried expression.
Seeing Angelina like this, Lori didn't know what to say for a mont.
"I went to the capital. It took a lot of effort for to get back," Lori finally answered.
"The capital? Why did you go to the capital!?"
"..." Lori really didn't know how to continue her words.
She didn’t know how to tell the sheepfolk ex-adventurer that when she woke up, she suddenly found herself in a massive ruin, in a water-filled ruin that are said in the [Book of la], is known as the [Flowing Purgatory: Labyrinth of Water]
...She didn't know what kind of disaster she had caused.
Lori thought to herself.
"Buying things," was the only lie Lori could co up with to increase her credibility. To make it seem more believable, she took out a circular device from her bosom. It was the only thing she gained from that trip, dismantled from a wall in that ruin.
"...So kind of barrier device? What is it for?" Angelina imdiately recognized the item in Lori's hand, being knowledgeable about such things.
"Hunting," Lori continued with her impromptu lies, full of flaws, but still better than the truth.
So things were better left untouched.
Feeling that she shouldn't be here tonight at all... but she couldn't suppress the longing in her heart, nor could she let go of her feelings.
Perhaps she should have continued to stay in that dark dungeon.
Her very existence only brought disaster to this world.
So, Lori walked to the window, about to jump out when she suddenly rembered sothing and stopped.
"I'll co back to see you tomorrow... and you must not eat cold mountain vine anymore." Leaving behind these words, she tried to pull herself back, grabbing onto the window ledge.
Outside the window was a quiet forest, but Lori had already disappeared into the unknown.
"..." After a long ti, Angelina sighed.
This child was exceptionally gifted, excelling in both magic and sword skills, possessing extraordinary talents. Her mysterious and unpredictable sand-control ability alone could make her a ruler in her own right.
She even inherited [Book of la] and gained its approval after Angelina retired.
However, her innate curse destined her never to enjoy a normal life. She was shunned by the world, left alone, bearing an incredibly cruel fate.
Yet, Angelina could do nothing to change it.
Finally, she closed her eyes.
All she could do now was pray, and that was the only option left.
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