The Divine Twins

I'm Lost

Surprisingly, the girl suddenly stopped. She didn’t turn back to face him, which startled Stefin for a moment, considering how hard he had been trying to get her to speak.

“You talk too much for someone who’s wounded,” she said, though she still didn’t turn around. It was almost as if she was avoiding looking at him directly.

Stefin opened his mouth to respond, but nothing came out. For a moment, it felt as though his mind had gone blank.

“So you can talk?” he asked, a hint of shock in his voice.

“Yeah, I can. In case you hadn’t noticed,” she replied in a low, flat tone. “I’ve been trying to ignore you.”

Stefin blinked before letting out a short laugh. “Well, that explains a lot.”

The girl remained silent and continued walking.

“What did I even do to deserve that?” Stefin whispered silently but the girl still heard.

“Nothing,” she answered without slowing down. “You were just distracting.”

Stefin placed a hand over his chest in a mock offense. “Distracting? I was trying to have a conversation.”

“In the middle of a battle? While we were surrounded by Blighted?” she scoffed. “Yeah, that sounds like the perfect time for a conversation.”

For the first time, a faint smirk tugged at the corner of Stefin’s lips. “Wow. So you're not just ignoring me—you’re roasting me too.”

The girl let out a quiet sigh. “You make it very easy.”

“Ouch,” Stefin said, placing a hand over his heart. “You know, most people introduce themselves before they start attacking my self-esteem.”

“Most people don’t talk to strangers after meeting in a world filled with monsters and asking questions every five seconds.”

Stefin chuckled. “Fair point.”

For a moment, the two continued walking in silence.

Then Stefin glanced at her from the corner of his eye. “So, since we're talking now... do you at least have a name?”

The girl's steps slowed almost imperceptibly. “Why?”

“Because calling you ‘the girl with the bow’ feels a little rude.”

A brief pause followed.

Then, for the first time, the corner of her lips twitched slightly. “Good. Then keep feeling rude.”

A distant screech echoed through the air as another hidden Blighted collapsed somewhere within the shadows. Only then did she lower her bow.

“You should leave the Blighted Realm now,” she said flatly without turning around. “You’re not in any condition to keep fighting.”

Stefin’s eyes narrowed slightly. “…You still haven’t told me who you are.”

She spared him a brief glance without fully revealing her face, then continued walking away.

“Not a word, huh?” he muttered. “What is it? Are you arrogant, or do you just have too much pride to talk to people?”

The girl stopped.

For a second, the only sound was the distant howl of wind moving through the ruined world. Then she surged forward, attacking the remaining Blighted in the area.

Stefin gritted his teeth, frustrated that he still didn’t know her name or where she had come from.

After dealing with the last of the Blighted in the Realm, she finally stopped—not abruptly, but deliberately.

At that moment, a sudden gust swept across the fractured landscape, lifting her hair as though the wind itself had been waiting for the perfect moment. Strands drifted behind her, partially obscuring her face, but Stefin could still make out her features.

Her long brown hair shimmered faintly beneath the crimson sky of the Blighted Realm.

Time seemed to slow as she turned toward him.

Stefin’s jaw nearly dropped.

This was the first time he had seen someone so strikingly beautiful.

Something stirred within him, but he quickly pushed the thought aside, forcing himself to focus.

For the first time, he truly took in her appearance.

She wore a sleek, fitted combat uniform dominated by white and deep black tones. The centerpiece was a short, high-collared coat with a structured, almost armored design. Long, wide sleeves flared slightly at the cuffs, accented with subtle red markings that contrasted sharply against the monochrome outfit.

The torso of her uniform was form-fitting, with angular red panels running along the sides and front, giving it a tactical, futuristic appearance. White gloves blended seamlessly into the sleeves, while thigh-high white boots with a glossy finish reinforced the knees and extended well above mid-thigh.

The uniform was clearly designed for mobility and combat, clean, symmetrical, and intimidatingly professional.

The faint crunch of gravel beneath her boots echoed as she slowed, the air around them still heavy with lingering Blight.

Stefin noticed her hand tighten around the bowstring, steady and controlled. Looking at her, he saw no hesitation, only the quiet readiness to strike down anything that moved.

At that moment, a new fractured zone opened behind them.

But this one was different.

It wasn't another breach.

It was a gateway back to the real world.

After staring at her for a moment longer, Stefin turned and glanced over his shoulder at the fractured zone not far away. Since there were no Blighted left in the area, the exit gate had opened on its own.

Sometimes the gateway manifested naturally once a region had been cleared. Other times, Wardens had to use a Gate Talisman to force one open.

Stefin hesitated for a moment, glancing at the girl for a few seconds longer. But she said nothing, and it didn’t look like she intended to speak to him anytime soon.

Without another word, he finally turned and began walking away, leaving her behind.

As he approached the fracture, he slowed and then stopped mid-step. After a brief hesitation, he glanced over his shoulder once more, this time to see if she was following him.

To his surprise, she hadn’t moved an inch from where she stood.

“Tch,” Stefin scoffed under his breath.

Without another word, he stepped through the fracture zone.

The moment he did, he returned to the real world, welcomed by the evening's blue sky, scattered white clouds, and a sun already sinking toward the horizon.

Unlike the Blighted Realm, where there were no birds, no people, no blue skies, no clouds, and not even a visible sun, where everything was consumed by shades of crimson, including the sky itself, the real world felt alive.

Just as Stefin took his first step after emerging from the Blighted Realm, he heard a soft, familiar female voice behind him.

He turned and froze.

It was the same girl from inside the Blighted Realm.

He quickly looked to his left and right, hoping to see someone else nearby, but there was no one. “Are you talking to me?” he asked the obvious question, blinking twice in confusion.

“I need your help,” she said plainly, glancing at him briefly. Her sharp eyes swept over his stance, his breathing, and the way he carried himself despite his injuries. It felt less like a glance and more like an evaluation.

At first, Stefin was surprised. The very girl he had spent so much time trying to get to talk to was now standing in front of him, asking for help.

Part of him wanted to turn her down after the way she had ignored him. But then he remembered how long he had been trying to become friends with any girl he came across, only to be rejected every time. Even the girls at school avoided him whenever they saw him approaching, yes, even the ones his classmates cruelly labeled as the “ugliest.”

After a few moments of hesitation, he finally relented and asked what she wanted.

“And what would a beautiful, experienced, and self-confident girl like you need my help with?” he asked, drawing out the words slightly as he rolled his eyes.

The girl didn’t answer immediately.

Instead, she hesitated for several seconds before finally speaking.

“I think...” she began, pausing awkwardly.

Then she looked away.

“I think I’m lost,” she admitted, this time stumbling slightly over her words.