They entered a dark room.
John whispered:
John: "Why here?"
Mary: "Be quiet."
Footsteps echoed from different directions. A voice called out:
Unknown Voice: "Who's there? What do you want?"
Suddenly, knives pressed against John and Mary's throats.
Stranger: "Make a move, and you're gone."
Mary: ""Anna?!"
Silence. Then joy.
Mary: "We thought you were dead!"
Kay: "Three years, Mary! You were gone for three years! And now you show up with some guy?"
Kido: "Is that why you left us?"
Mary: "No. Yes. It's… complicated."
Kido: where have you been mary?
They must be playing with me. I have to find out for myself. How much has changed in this world? I've missed a lot… but it was all for the best, she thought, still unsure.
Suddenly, a loud noise broke her train of thought. Voices echoed in the background. She blinked and returned to the moment.
Kido was in front of her, his mouth moving.
Kido stepped forward, angry. He raised a hand to strike her. John moved in.
John: "You dare?"
Kido: "You'll do what?"
John advanced, but Mary shouted:
Mary: "STOP!"
She slapped Kido.
Mary: "I expected more from you."
Suddenly, Kido began hitting himself uncontrollably. John's power had taken hold. The others begged him to stop. He released Kido, who dropped to his knees.
Mary (softly): "This is Kido, Kay, and Anna—the last of us."
They all fell to their knees.
All: "Forgive us, my lord."
John: "Stand up. Please."
They rose, smiling. Kido thought, I should be dead by now.
John: "What are your abilities?"
They each demonstrated.
Kido: Strength and healing.
Kay: Telekinesis and invisibility.
Anna: Mind reading and time manipulation.
Mary: Speed, visions, and elite skill.
John (smirking): "We'll find out who's best someday."
Mary: "In this world, everyone gets one ability. Two is forbidden. But we have them—and that's why they want us dead. Only royals can master three. Don has five… and he steals from others to grow stronger."
She stepped forward.
Mary: "John… you're the only one who can stop him."
The room fell silent. All eyes turned to John.
He looked around and said:
John: "I'm hungry."
Mary: "That's it?"
John (grinning): "Were you expecting something else?"
They all burst out laughing.
Mary got lost in thoughts about what happened earlier at her arrival.
Mary (with a sad voice): "That is not impossible. I only spent three days in there—how is that possible? Does that mean days turn to years? Months turn to… ohhh my—that's unbelievable."
Mary thinking: "That is not possible. They are playing games with me. I have to find out myself how things have changed in this world."
With disbelief in her eyes:
I have really missed a lot, but it's all for the best…
Through hearing a voice screaming and noises in the background, Mary suddenly returned to herself.
Then she was called—
Kido: "Mary?"
She looked at Kido's mouth moving.
Kido: "Where have you been?"
Mary: "I'm sorry, what were you saying?"
Kido: "We are hungry."
Mary: "You are always hungry. You haven't changed a bit."
She added:
Kay: The one-word man—laughing until he sat on the floor.
All looked at each other, saying:
All: "What's so funny?"
John: "Is he always like this?"
Mary: "Yeah, he always finds a way to be happy or make himself laugh. He's the funniest one among us."
Anna: "A minute. Let me make something to eat. I'll be right back."
She walked away, leaving the others in the room.
Anna—the best cook—made a welcome feast for John and Mary. They all ate together with happiness, sharing stories and laughter.
John had never felt that way before. He knew they were meant to be together—to watch each other's backs.
Later that same day, they had to take John out to the neighborhood so he could get used to the place.
They all walked. People were looking at him. All eyes were on him. They began whispering:
"Is that the king? Is he back?"
Some said, "He is reborn."
The rumors spread fast.
One of the ladies walked up to him:
Lady: "My lord, where have you been? Are you here to save us? They say you have to save us."
A handsome young man walked toward the woman, held her by the hand, and said:
Young Man: "No one is saving you. You are all subjects to my lord Don."
He bullied her.
John, hearing what the young man just said, filled with anger, said:
John: "Let go of her."
Young Man: "Or what?"
John: "You don't wanna find out."
With fear, the young man ran as fast as he could. They all walked past.
Mary: "I know this is kind of strange to you, but you have to look past it. Please don't do anything special here. Don't make trouble. Just walk. Pretend you're not eyeing anything at all. Do you hear what I just said?"
She added,
"Please—you can do that for me."
At the corner, they heard someone screaming.
They ran to the place to see what was happening. A boy dressed in a military-style outfit was holding a lady against her will.
John saw this act. He lost it and intervened, rescuing her. All the people were happy and clapped, singing in joy and praising him.
Mary (walking to him): "I told you not to fight or get noticed. Here you are—congratulations. You made a name for yourself… and also enemies."
She walked away in anger.
The news quickly spread to everybody in the neighborhood and to the palace.
They all went home without talking to each other.