“Your highness!” 

Malaya and the others who were now on the verge of leaving stopped from the visit to the prince. All of them were shocked when a mage covered with injuries appeared in front of them. 

“E-Everyone was annihilated in the village, Sir Anton and the others they were all murdered…” The mage managed to say before he collapsed.

“Hurry! Get this mage treated!” The third prince commanded which made everyone awoke from their stupor. The knights inside the room immediately carried the mage to go see the medics.

“What did he just say?” Lamar was visibly shaking.

“Everyone was annihilated including the knights,” Oliver said which made Lamar fall to his knees. “I knew it because we escaped and now everyone is dead.” He said as tears streamed down his eyes uncontrollably. Even Dandras who was on his side was completely paralyzed in shock as well. His expression was extremely dark.

“It seems they move faster than we expected,” Malaya said as he looked at the prince’s expression. His expression was extremely dark as well. It was because the knights he sent were all annihilated just like the mage reported before he collapsed.

Once again the room was filled with silence. “Your highness, I will return tomorrow to discuss this further,” Malaya said, interrupting the silence. “I will go ahead and investigate this further.”

Hearing her words, all of them looked at her with fear.

“Lady Malaya, that’s too dangerous!” Lamar stood up as he clasped both her arms. “You nearly escaped last time! And right now, we are talking about someone that has the capability to wipe out an entire elite knight!”

“Sir Lamar is right Lamar.” The second prince said with a grim voice. “I don’t want to lose any more people.”

Malaya sighed. “I’m not going alone there. I’ll be careful.” She said as she picked up a talisman inside her bag. “Lamar, Dandras, I’ll see you tomorrow again.” She finally tore the talisman and disappeared from their sight.

“Sir Oliver, can you not stop Lady Malaya from going?” Prince Kija said as he massaged his head. “You already know that going there will be dangerous without proper measurements.”

“Your Highness, that person is stubborn,” Oliver said as he picked up a talisman as well. “She will always do what she always says. And don’t be concerned, even if her enemy is the gods, they can’t defeat her easily.” 

‘Since she herself, has strong backing from someone comparable to gods. That woman is far beyond the logic of this world.’ Oliver could only grin as he remembered his time in that dark space. “I’ll see you again tomorrow, Your Highness.” He tore the talisman and disappeared.

At the same time, when they left, Dandras fell on his knees. “Your highness, I deeply apologize for what happened to your knights!” He cried out loud. “Because we don’t have sufficient information about the enemy, they sacrificed their lives…”

“Stop!” Prince Kija said with great authority. “Don’t apologize. As knights, they are already ready to risk their lives for the sake of the kingdom. They die honorably for the sake of the kingdom.” He said and strode away. He didn’t dare to look back at everyone in the room, for he was afraid that they would see his expression right now. An expression of hurt and anger.

Since the Prince was the one who commanded the knights to go there to investigate, a part of himself was blamed for being careless like this. But if he kept doing this, this would only tarnish the honor of those knights who died. ‘I will make sure that none of your deaths will go in vain. Not only you but all the knights and people who died in the self-destruction incident. Red Masked group, I will bring justice to everyone.’

***

Meanwhile, when Malaya blinked. She didn’t find herself in the ship she was supposed to teleport. Everything was dark and cold. Only herself was giving a faint light. She rubbed her shoulders, to feel warmer.

“What is this place? Is this the space?”

“Priestess, Shadow? Are you there?” Malaya kept looking around, but there was not a single trace of anyone. ‘What kind of scheme are those two playing now?’ 

Malaya narrowed her gaze, as she started to walk. If not with her glowing self, she would not see the way she was in. 

“Shadow? Priestess?” Malaya called out again as she walked. “I’m sorry but I don’t have much available time to stay in this space right now. If you have something you need to speak with me, please show yourself now.” 

But once again she was only answered by silence. She was already starting to get annoyed, as she glanced down at her silver bracelet. “Shadow, Priestess, I don’t really have the right time for this. Just send me back to the ship.”

{“You are the anomaly in this world!}

Malaya was suddenly startled when a voice that seemingly came from more than one person, spoke up. It sounded so creepy and intense. It sent shivers done her spine and to herself.

{“You are the anomaly in this world!}

The multiple voices sounded more intense and louder as they echoed through the darkness.

“Who are you? Priestess, Shadow?” Malaya screamed this time. Her voice echoed as well in the darkness.

{“You are the anomaly in this world!} The multiple voices repeated once again. And it was much louder than the first two, that Malaya couldn’t help but covered her ears this time.

{“You are the anomaly in this world!}

“What are you?!”

However, the only answer she received was the same words all over again and again. 

{“You are the anomaly in this world!}

{“You are the anomaly in this world!}

{“You are the anomaly in this world!}

“AH! I get it! You don’t need to repeat it all over again and again!” Malaya screamed but she froze when she felt a sticky liquid from her ears. She froze when she saw blood coming out from it. ‘This shit is not getting funny anymore.’ She glanced at her bag and brought out her teleportation talisman. She tore one right away, but nothing happened. 

She tore and tore but nothing happened. And the multiple voices were still kept ongoing. ‘Crap,’ Malaya could only grit her teeth as her eyes were already blurred. She was even surprised now that despite her ears bleeding, she could still hear that annoying phrase repeatedly. Right now, she deeply wished that she would be deaf.

{“You are the anomaly in this world!}

‘Maybe this is some sort of illusion?’ Malaya brought out the explosion talisman she had. ‘Then I can only escape if I do something outrageous. I have no choice but if this keeps going on, I might lose my mind hearing those damn words repeatedly.’ 

Malaya took a deep breath. And braced herself, “AHHH!!!” She screamed as she tore the talisman and didn’t let go of it.

A loud explosion boomed through the darkness.

***

When Malaya opened her eyes, she immediately sat back. But she flinched when an aching sensation hit her head. 

“Doctor! The patient wakes up!” Malaya was startled when she heard someone panicking. But when she got to observe her surroundings she was even more startled when she saw the place she was in right now.

A bed that looked completely like a hospital bed. Modern walls and curtains. Fluorescent lights and the beeping sound of the heart monitor. Not only that when Malaya looked at herself, but she was also wearing a blue hospital gown. 

‘What in the world is going on?’ Her heart was growing with anxiety. She kept glancing around, and she turned to her left, there was a mirror above a table beside her bed. She flinched as she removed the IV cords in her wrists. Then she grabbed the mirror.

‘Black hair that was now long gone. And a very familiar black eye that she hadn’t seen was staring deeply at her.’ Malaya dropped the mirror on the ground and it shattered to pieces.

‘Don’t tell me. This would, my old self?’ She stepped back as she fell on her bed in utter shock. She tried to look for her bag, but there was nothing. 

‘This isn’t happening right now at the moment.’ Malaya fell into despair. ‘What kind of sick joke is this?’

“Prie-stess,” Her voice came out a croak as if she hadn’t spoken for a very long time.

“Carolle! What happened here?!” Malaya glanced up when a woman wearing a white lab coat entered the room. She seemed to be the doctor. Behind her, three nurses were following. 

Malaya simply looked at them blankly. Her mind was trying to comprehend what was happening right now. The doctor immediately checked her condition. And she just let her do what she wanted with her.

‘Did I really go back to Earth?’ Malaya’s thoughts were a mess right now. ‘But I clearly remembered that I died in that explosion, in that ship. My life as Carolle is already over. I became Mala…’

“Carolle?” Malaya stopped all her thoughts when she heard another familiar voice that she thought she would never hear again.

A woman, wearing a casual blue shirt and jeans. She was wearing her usual glasses. “Ms. Gina?” 

Then another woman ran past Ms. Gina, locked Malaya in an embrace.. “Carolle! It’s been five years! Four years that you have been in a coma!” Riza cried out loud.