"They're closing in on us!" Miram shouted as she glanced over her shoulder. "We have to be swift!"
Mike turned to face their pursuers, his eyes straining through the dense fog. The enemy was mere meters away, their forms indistinguishable except for the faint outlines of their figures.
The fog's veil was their only salvation, concealing Mike and Miram from immediate detection. However, the Bingos' exceptional speed and hunting prowess allowed Dahra's warriors to close the gap rapidly.
"We can't continue fleeing like this," Mike said, his breathing labored. Flying had proven to be just as exhausting as running, a fact he hadn't anticipated.
He moved closer to Miram. "If we don't stop and confront them, we'll be too drained to defend ourselves when they catch up. We need a plan, a destination – something."
Miram shook her head subtly. "Engaging them in combat would be futile. If only you possessed the strength to take them down as you did earlier, we might stand a chance."
"I can handle them," said Mike, attempting to sound confident despite his inner doubts. "I'll defeat them all."
Miram thought for a moment. She knew Mike's boasts were empty, and he wouldn't stand a chance against the sheer number of enemies.
"You can't," she said gently, stealing glances at him. "You're not the one who fought them earlier. My father told me you haven't unlocked your memories yet, which means I'm your protector until you do."
"Your father explained to you to that extent?" Mike asked, confused. "When did you have the time to discuss that?"
Miram turned to face him fully, her expression softening. "Don't worry, my Jyuran. I'll shield you with my life on the line. You're safe with—"
Her words were cut short as an unseen force grasped them, pulling them through space. The world around them blurred, and they stumbled, landing hard on the ground.
They quickly sprang to their feet after regaining their footing and poised for battle, scanning their surroundings. When they're half-sure nothing moves–at least at that moment, they relax.
Mike's gaze swept across the vast cavern, searching for clues. Towering stone walls enclosed them, the air thick with the scent of unknown fragrance.
A massive, roughly rounded entrance loomed behind him, the source of their mysterious transportation. Outside, the sky had darkened, as if night had fallen prematurely, casting the cavern in an eerie gloom.
A shiver ran down Mike's spine as a strange, unsettling familiarity crept over him. He felt as though he'd been here before, despite knowing he hadn't.
Suddenly, an unnerving whisper slithered from the shadows, sending a chill through the air.
"Seems we have uninvited guests here."
The presence behind the voice remained elusive, invisible, yet palpable. Miram's hand instinctively seeks Mike's.
"Who's there?" she called out, her voice steady.
They spun around, their eyes scouring the darkness for the source of the voice. Mike's night vision kicked in, but he saw no one. The air was heavy with an ominous presence, making his skin prickle. Miram, however, remained calm, her composure unwavering.
"Who are you?" Miram shouted again, her voice echoing off the cavern walls. "Show yourself!"
"How did you two breach the gastral barrier?" the voice came again, louder now and menacing. "Do you know you've crossed a boundary you shouldn't have?"
Miram's ears twitched independently, trying to pinpoint the voice's origin.
"We didn't cross any boundary! We were kind of… pulled in beyond our control," Mike intervened, attempting to clarify the situation. "Could you—"
"Did you say 'pulled in'?" The voice cut him off, its tone sharp.
Footsteps echoed from a corner of the cavern, growing louder. The darkness receded as a dim lantern cast flickering shadows on the walls. Mike and Miram darted toward the sound, their eyes squinting at the emerging figure.
An elderly Anthropter woman approached, her gaze fixed intently on the duo. Her steps were calculated, yet her face betrayed curiosity. Deep lines etched her face, and her silver hair flowed down her back like a river of moonlight.
Mike and Miram halted, wary, as the woman's eyes scrutinized them. Her lantern cast an eerie glow, illuminating the cavern's ancient stones.
When the her gaze met Mike's, her eyes widened in astonishment. "The Jyuran from beyond our world?" she gasped.
Her eyes roamed over Mike, drinking in every detail. "It's true!"
"Do you know me?" Mike asked, his eyes never straying from the woman who was now standing a few paces away.
The cavern's walls suddenly began to radiate a warm, yellowish glow, as though ignited by an invisible force. The sudden illumination revealed the cavern's grandeur atmosphere and Mike could now see everything in color–not that anything there has anyway.
"Not personally," the woman replied, "but I know your destiny." She smiled in relief as she let out a sigh. "I foresaw your arrival in my visions yesterday. Though, I didn't expect our meeting to be under these circumstances."
"You dreamed about me?" Mike echoed. "Why do I keep appearing in everyone's visions?"
The woman's eyebrows arched. "Are there others who've seen you in their visions, apart from—"
"How can we trust you mean no harm?" Miram interrupted, her expression stern, leaving no room for deception.
The woman's face transformed, her slightly wrinkled lips curling into a warm, genuine smile. "You don't. You have no choice but to trust me, nonetheless," she replied.
With a subtle nod, she gestured toward the cavern's mouth, the darkness beyond the entrance seeming to press in. "You'll find more protection here than out there."
Taking a deliberate step forward, her eyes sparkled as she introduced herself. "My name is Cat, the oldest member of the Council of Arado."
Mike almost burst into laughter. "Do you mean 'Cat'? Like, literally?" he asked. He had heard of people sharing names with animals, but never thought anyone would bear a name like Cat's.
Meanwhile, Miram's reaction was instantaneous. Her eyes flashed with alarm as she intercepted Cat's approach.
With a fluid motion, she stretched her hands toward Cat, fingers splayed as if to conjure a magical force. Her eyes glowed with a faint, reddish light, and her posture screamed 'WARNING!'.
Cat flinched, taking a few steps backward. "You're a witch!" she exclaimed. "A witch is alive?" Her eyes widened and disbelief mingled with astonishment.
"She said she meant no harm. Why are you still on high alert?" Mike whispered to Miram, leaning closer to her.
"You don't know what Arado means?" Miram whispered back, her eyes still locked on Cat.
Mike shook his head innocently. "I don't know. Who are they?"
"They are the Jyuran Slayers," Miram explained. "The Arado is a clan tasked with eliminating Jyurans they deem threats."
"Exactly!" Cat interrupted. "But I don't see you as a threat. Rather, you're our savior, the only one capable of liberating us from Dahra's oppressive tyranny."
She began to advance once more. "I see you haven't unlocked your memories," she observed. "Jran's soul still lingers within your power, hindering your recollection and true potential."
"I vanquished his soul earlier," Mike said, pride coloring his tone. "I broke free from him."
"That's why I'm more surprised," Cat said. "We'd given up all hope in the Jyuran due to the krara's corruption and perversion. We never thought the next Jyuran could suppress Jran's vengeful soul. But seeing you now... rekindles my dead hope."
Cat suddenly dropped the lantern she was holding, and the sound of it hitting the ground echoed through the space. She then scurried toward the entrance of the cavern, scanning the surroundings with a practiced eye to verify what seemed yet unknown to the duo.
Finally satisfied with her inspection, she turned around to face Mike.
"However, you haven't completely broken free from Jran's vengeful soul," she said. "His influence still lingers, and will continue to threaten to overpower you."
"Why?"
"Normally, new Jyurans inherit flashes of their predecessor's memories – their death, unfulfilled missions... This knowledge guides them and helps them avoid past mistakes."
"But the krara's perversion has disrupted this process. We must resort to a riskier, yet necessary method: Soul Drifting."
Mike and Miram exchanged confused glances. "What's Soul Drifting?" they asked in unison.
"Soul Drifting allows your soul to temporarily leave your physical body and traverse realms, dimensions, and time," Cat explained. "You'll witness the past firsthand and acquire knowledge inaccessible in your current state."
Mike opened his mouth wide as he connected the dots. "You mean I'm going to..."
"Yes, you'll time-travel to the past and bear witness to events that led to the krara's defilement and the birth of Dahra," Cat replied.
"What!? Time-travel!?"