Damn. Niff couldn't close his eyes in peace at all.

The nightmare that came to him a while ago still resonated. Let's say Niff is overdoing it because, instead of thinking about the wind and then the dream, he actually thinks about it very hard.

Damn it. The woman's shadow among the fog that covered her whole body made Niff felt uncomfortable. For some reason Niff felt like he was familiar with that woman.

It's a kind of feeling when he meets someone, then meets again the umpteenth time. But Niff could not remember. Since when did he know or meet this creepy woman?

"Argggh!" Niff rubbed the right side of his head, frustrated. "Why can't I remember anything? And... what name did that woman call?"

Right. There is a name called the misty woman in his dream: Niff.

Is that his name?

In fact, Niff himself was not sure. Although on the other hand, if you think back on it, Niff couldn't find anyone but himself who was dealing with the misty woman in his dreams.

"Have I and that woman really met? But, I only remember when I drowned in the river," Niff muttered again which ended with a resigned sigh.

Really, Niff couldn't remember anything—and that made him hate himself. Why is it that remains in the memory of his head when he almost met death?

Already sick of thinking about something that doesn't find an answer, Niff wants to get up and sit down. But suddenly there was a stinging pain in the left collarbone. It shocked Niff so that the left hand that supported the body to move immediately fell back.

Yet, the part of his body immidiately feel pain. "Argh ... what's this? Why does it hurt so bad?"

The stinging pain was like a fire that was attached to the skin. The sensation of heat radiated ominously. Zevana forced himself to sit back.

"Shit," Niff muttered after leaning his back against the rattan bed. "What happened?"

Niff's hand brushed the collar of his shabby shirt a little. Between the grimacing faces, his eyes widened in disbelief.

A deep red bruise forming a circle is under the left collarbone. On the deep red bruises there were small, irregular lines. Exactly resembles the veins but the color is black glow.

In the center of the circle of bruises, a line of fresh-looking skin was torn, but there was no blood. It's strange that Niff's skin tear lines are connected to faint lines that resemble a bunch of veins. Forming a scepter symbol with a crescent moon tip.

"What's this?!" Niff flinched in surprise. His mouth gaped in disbelief. "Why... why... aishh, it hurts so much!"

Knock! Knock!

"I think I misheard the noise in your room. Haven't you slept yet, Mr. Disrespect?"

The sound from the window jolted Niff. His eyes were wary and he closed his shirt collar again. Had thought there would be forest hunters sneaking into his window, but it turns out ...

"You?"

From the window where the rattan door was now half open, Arres jumped into the room. Niff frowned between confusion and disbelief.

"How did you get in? Isn't my room on the second floor?" asked Niff, raising suspicion.

Arres had already arrived beside Zevana. Bending slightly, extending one hand towards Zevana's wound.

"You're hiding something in there?" asked Arres with narrowed eyes.

Zevana winced in anticipation, gripping his shirt collar tighter.

"Hey! You're so presumptuous!" Zevana said. His eyes still radiated wariness.

However, seeing Arres so serious, Zevana's vigilance gradually subsided.

"You ... heard my complaint earlier?"

"Uh-hum," Arres replied with a brief nod of his head. "If you'll let me, let me see your wound."

"If you aren't trying to kill me, then sure," Niff threatened, giving a wild eye.

The corners of Arres' lips curved into a crooked smile. "If you'll let me, I can see kill you with a cruel way." But after Niff glared sharply, he laughed briefly cynically. "Why? Am I did something wrong?"

Niff suddenly laughed sarcastically. "You really bastard."

Arres look doesn't care. "Then, I am."

Indifferent. Niff didn't want to know about that. Feeling curious about his wound, Niff slowly opened his collar. Showing how the deep red bruise he had just found looked like.

Arres' body bent again. His eyes squinted to pay attention for the detail.

"Wait, these are lacerations?"

Niff nodded. "Yes. Strangely, this wound still hurts like it just appeared. But there is no blood flowing."

"No traces of dried blood either," Arres' voice conveyed astonishment. "When did you get this wound?"

"I don't know. I just woke up when I woke up."

Straightening his body again, Arres said, "Don't lie. You didn't sleep."

Niff's two thick eyebrows rose. "How do you even know?"

Instead of answering, Arres let out a rough breath through his mouth. His hands are placed on the waist.

"Follow me. We'll find a potion to heal your wounds."

Before Niff could answer, Arres had already walked out of bed. Walked towards the bedroom window, then stopped with one hand holding the half-closed rattan window door.

Arres turned his face to see Niff. "If you keep quiet like an idiot over there, your wounds will only hurt more, Miss Impolite!"

-----

Niff is like experiencing Deja vù when walking through the forest.

The faint sound of an owl calling greeted his ear. There was absolutely no glimmer of light, not even moonlight, because it was blocked by the thick leaves of the towering trees.

Niff's eyes repeatedly blinked and squinted just so he could see clearly. Even though it wasn't there, the thick forest almost made him trip over tree roots that appeared along the path.

"Actually, where do you want to take me? Killing me?" asked Niff to Arres who walked in front.

Arres was still busy brushing aside the grass that almost reached his elbows. Meanwhile, Arres's hand gripped Agyss's beige ball of power.

Unlucky. Niff forgot to bring his Agyss.

"Searching for potions for your wound," Arres answered without looking up.

Niff hissed. The breeze fell on the cold sensation on Niff's skin. There was such a tense atmosphere that his heartbeat was beating wildly.

"How are you injured?" Arres asked again.

Even Niff had forgotten the painful sensation of the wound on his collarbone.

"It still hurts," Niff replied soberly. "Is it far?"

"If you complain constantly, it will go far."

Niff took a deep breath. To be honest, it doesn't matter if it's far or not. But Niff's eyes seemed to have to make extra effort to look around. The thick darkness of this forest really made him uncomfortable.

The atmosphere she felt now provokes Niff's memory of her nightmare.

Silent, without light, cold, everything described so clearly. Niff hasn't forgotten the uncomfortable rush of blood he felt in a dream—now, Niff feels that too!

"Arres, you know we've walked through a very deep forest?"

Arres stopped brushing the grass that was in the way. It was motionless for a moment, and made Niff also stop in his tracks.

"So what? Are you scared?" Arres's voice was both sharp and irritated.

"No. Just... why do I have a bad feeling? You don't—"

"Hey, Mr. Impolite," Arres cut in before turning around. "Can you shut up? I'm really annoyed with you."

Niff didn't care about Arres' annoyed look. The problem is, now Zevana's ears hear faint noise from a distance.

At first Niff thought it was the sound of forest animals. But gradually the noise of the crowd became the sound of a group of soldiers cheering. Then followed by the sound of racing hooves tapping.

"Arres, didn't you hear anything strange?" Zevana asked while seriously listening.

"Don't digress. Nothing...."

"HEY, THIS IS A WITCH'S FROM! CATCH THEM!"

Niff and Arres didn't react for a split second. But the silhouettes of a group of horses were getting closer and closer towards the two of them.

Only then did Niff understand. The two of them were the target of the horse herd over there.

Without further ado, Niff grabbed Arres' wrist to quickly run away. Arres, who was still unsure, followed where Zevana took him.

In the middle of the escape, Arres and Niff exchanged glances. A line of panic and confusion formed very clearly on each of their faces.

"Who do they mean witch!?"

Niff couldn't answer. But for some reason, when he was getting tired away from the group of troops, a flash of whisper was heard.

'Emfanto Similura, Emfanto Similura, Emfanto Similura...'

Then Niff's netra caught the light of Agyss' ball in Arres's hand, it was glowing. There was an inner urge to take Agyss's orb. The turmoil was so strong, pressing on the chest, that Niff grabbed Agyss's ball without warning.

Hearing instructions whispered periodically in his head, Niff turned around. Stopped running and brandished Agyss' ball at the group of troops.

"Emfanto Similura!" A spell was spoken out of nowhere like an automatic machine.

A second after that, the ground the troops were about to traverse suddenly shook. Bursting like a volcanic eruption.

Niff was stunned. So did Ares. At that time, Arres could not even move. A pair of eyes watched Zevana bewildered.

"You... why are you able to use that spell?"

Niff gaped. Looking at his two palms that still had Agyss's ball placed on them.

This is impossible. How could Niff do the spell attack earlier?!