Oysa’s throne hovered in the room with a dark aura surrounding her and the chair. “Dr. Winter, Kintovar here serves me now. She agreed to work for the one who rules the South Jancito, and iurn, she has secured her friend’s safety.”

  Dr. Winter’s eyes widened with astonishment. “Is this true, Kintovar? Did you make a deal with this devil!?”

  Kintovar met Dr. Winter’s gaze. “Yes, it’s true. I had to do what I had to do in order to rescue Haras.”

  Dr. Winter muttered to herself, “This is a nightmare. How could all this happen so quickly?”

  Oysa eyed them all with a smirk. “Hye hye, it’s a new era, Dr. Winter. Kintovar now serves me, and Shadowcroft is under my shadow. You should all sider yourselves lucky that I’ve decided not to obliterate you. At least, not yet.”

  Dr. Winter could only look at Kintovar and Haras with a sense of despair. Kintovar’s curiosity iqued. She said, “Actually, how did you mao bypass the security measures of Shadowcroft? It’s well-guarded and heavily fortified.”

  Oysa grinned with a hint of malevolence. “Ah, that’s thanks to the spell I pced on you, Kintovar. It’s not just a trag spell; it also has a teleportation fun, allowio appear wherever you are, provided I have the necessary magical energy to do so.”

  Kintovar’s eyes widehat means…you must have known…. You already knew something was going to happen here. You had this all pnned out from the start.”

  Oysa nodded with a wicked smile. “Hye hye, exactly. I’m not oo leave things to ce. After I met you face to face, I kneportunity had preseself to seize trol of Shadowcroft. It art of my grand design.”

  Dr. Winter, still on her knees, whispered to herself, “This is a nightmare, indeed.”

  Oysa’s throne desded to the ground, and she looked down at Dr. Winter, her tone sinister. “You should thank Kintovar for sparing your lives. Now, as my loyal servant, Kintovar, you will apany me, and we’ll see this hrough together.”

  Oysa’s dark ughter echoed through the cell. She cast a disdainful g the fined Kintovar and Haras.

  “What is Kintovar doing still in a cage? Is this how you treat someone under my prote? From the moment I said she served me now, you should have been w on freeihis is one of the reasons why I’m ptiroying Shadowcrht now. “

  Dr. Winter, still on her knees, looked up with fear. She responded, “Oysa… I… I was just…We had no idea…we o process--”

  Oysa’s gaze turned icy. “Enough of your excuses. Release Kintovar and Haras immediately, or I will destroy you and this facility without a sed thought.”

  Dr. Winter’s face turned ashen. She nodded slowly. “Alright, alright. I’ll release them.”

  Dr. Winter moved to unlock the cell door. Oysa’s malevolent smile re-appeared on her face. “Good. Now, about your judgment, Dr. Winter. You’ve made quite a mess of things, haven’t you?”

  Dr. Winter’s hands shook. “I… I’m sorry. I didn’t anticipate…”

  Oysa interrupted with a cruel ugh. “Oh, but you see, you’ve failed in ways I could never have imagined. And now, as a token of my displeasure, I must ensure you uand… but don’t worry, I haven’t decided your fate just yet. I’ll leave you to ponder your failures while I deal with other matters.”

  The guards of shadowcroft swiftly moved to carry out her ands. Kintovar and Haras were led out of the cell.

  Oysa floated around on her darkehrone. “You’re free to travel West, but uand this—you will be operating under my orders. To ensure pliance, I’ll be sending my daughter, Rawna, with you. Your task is to break Juliana Kintovar out of captivity.”

  Dr. Winter, rec from her shock, looked up with fear. “No…That would make them wanted criminals. They’ll be hunted by both the authorities and the public!”

  Kintovar’s eyes met Dr. Winter’s calmly despite the preposition. “I’m aware of the risks. But I have a dition of my own. While Oysa owns the South, I want some power here in Shadowcroft. I want to trol this facility.”

  Oysa’s lips curled into a knowing smile. “Ah, I foresaw that question ing. That’s why I didn’t destroy Shadowcroft. I anticipated you might want to iate. I have no issue granting you trol over this pce, provided you fulfill your task. It will be yours to and, but remember—it will be under my dominion.”

  Oysa turned her gaze back to Dr. Winter, her voice dripping with menace. “Do you uand your position now, Dr. Winter? Your fate is in the hands of those you’ve wronged, and your facility now serves a new purpose. Refle this as you tio be my pything.”

  Dr. Winter’s face ale and she held her head down i. She could only nod in resignation.

  Oysa, still seated on her imposing throne, issued her other ands. “Release her creations, but Mystimona will stay behind. I won’t have such a powerful mage apanying my daughter. It would raise unnecessary suspis.”

  Kintovar spoke up, “I won’t leave Mystimona like that.”

  Oysa, with a wicked grin, proposed, “How about this: we release Mystimona, and he will head to East Jancito on his own.”

  Kintovar was ed about Mystimona’s ability to navigate the city without her guidance. She expined, “Mystimona ’t make it there without me. I’m o this city, and while he’s powerful, he’s not as knowledgeable about the world.”

  Oysa responded. “He won’t be alohere’s someone I send with him. She might be annoying, but she’s a girl named Mari, and she guide him to East Jancito. If he make it to the location I have in mind, the only thing he’ll have to worry about is his owation.’”

  Kintovar was both curious and ed about this new development. She asked Oysa, “What do you mean by ‘temptation’? What is Mari like?”

  Oysa ughed vilnously. “Mari is a user of sword magic, but she’s also a temptress. She has a way of ensnaring the minds of those around her. Mystimona will have to keep a strong mind and not fall under her influence, or he might end up doing things he’ll regret.”

  Kintovar nodded. “Very well.”

  Kintovar and Haras began to follow Oysa and her daughter Rawna. Dr. Winter shouted, “WAIT!”She directed her question to Oysa. “What is your pn, Oysa?”

  Oysa paused for a moment, then said, “The time is soon ing for the five goddess items to e together. Legend has it that when they do, a being of incredible power will be born, and this world will be plunged into a new age.”

  Dr. Winter’s eyes widened in realization.” You pn to challehe goddess?”

  Oysa merely grinned. “Hye hye. The time has e for the era or my rule. Shadowcroft, like the entire world, will bow to the power that is soon to e.”

  Meanwhile…

  In a cell that looked more like a children’s pyroom than a jail, Roselle, Risebelle, and Runebelle sat surrounded by toys, games, and colorful decorations. It was a bizarre and ued sight, sidering they were supposed to be prisoners.

  Roselle, gazed at a teddy bear with wide, i eyes. Risebelle, her older sister, sat nearby with arms crossed and a disapproving look on her face. Runebelle, the you sister of them all, sat in a er with her gloom.

  Roselle, holding the teddy bear close said, “Oh, Mr. Teddy, what do you think we should do ? Should we pn an escape or just wait for the nice people to e and rescue us?”

  Risebelle g her younger sister with frustration. “Roselle, what oh are you doing? You’re talking to a teddy bear. We’re in a serious situation, not a pyhouse.”

  Roselle looked up and moved the teddy bear towards Risebelle. “But Mr. Teddy o know what we’re thinking. It helps me figure out what we should do.”

  Risebelle rolled her eyes. “You should be old enough to know that teddy bears don’t talk back. It’s just a toy.”

  Roselle pouted slightly. “Well, teically, we’re all only months old. I need something to keep me sane in here, and if talking to Mr. Teddy helps, then so be it.”

  Risebelle raised an eyebrow, “If you needed someoo talk to and hug, you could have just chosen me.”

  Roselle and Risebelle both looked at each other with wide eyes.

  Roselle eyed Risebelle from head to toe, her gaze shifting curiously around her sister. Risebelle, slightly unnerved by Roselle’s intense scrutiny, finally asked, “What are you doing now?”

  Roselle giggled softly and shook her head. “I just didn’t think you’d ever say something like that. You’re always so serious. It’s a nice ge to hear you being... well, kind.”

  Risebelle’s eyebrow twitched in mild irritation. “Do you really think I’m serious all the time?”

  Roselle nodded vigorously. “Yes! You’re always so serious. Like, when you talk, you sound like this.” Roselle stood up and tried to imitate Risebelle’s usual stance. She lowered her eyes, folded her arms, and with the sway of her head, she said, “‘Idiot.’”

  Risebelle raised an eyebrow and struggled to suppress a smile. “Do I really sound like that?”

  Roselle shook her head. “No, ly. Maybe you should lighten up a little. Life’s not all about being serious.”

  Risebelle let out a small chuckle. “Alright, alright. Maybe I afford to be a bit less serious now and then.”

  Roselle’s eyes sparkled with relif. She suddenly ed her arms around Risebelle in a tight hug. Risebelle stiffened but didn’t pull away. After a few seds, Roselle pulled back slightly.

  “I’m sorry, Risebelle,” Roselle murmured.

  Risebelle looked puzzled. “Why are you apologizing?”

  Roselle trembled slightly. “You let me take the lead, and because of that, we all got arrested. I feel like it’s my fault.”

  Risebelle appeared slightly sad. “You couldn’t have known this would happen, Roselle. If I were leading this time, I might have made the same call as you did. You’ve got good leader instincts, just like me. Ayana of Shadowcroft is definitely hiding something. We o figure out what it is.”

  Roselle responded. “Every time I get near Ayana, there’s something that goes through my heart, like a heartbeat. It affects me briefly, then goes away. It’s not normal.”

  Risebelle raised an eyebrow, “Are you sure it’s not just her perfume or something like that?”

  Roselle shook her head. “No, it’s not that. It’s something different….ngh… I don’t really know how to expin it…”

  Risebelle shook her head. “In any case, we could have destroyed this cell by now. Shadowcroft probably knows how easy it would be. They’re likely monit us closely, just waiting for us to make a move so they pin something against Kintovar. For now, all we do is wait.”

  Risebelle remained silent for a moment. After a few seds, her heightened senses detected a powerful presence approag. She ched her fists and turo her sisters.

  “On yuards… something dark’s ing this way,” Risebelle whispered.

  Roselle and Runebelle looked at her in worry. Before anyone could react, they heard the unmistakable sound of footsteps drawing closer.

  Then, through the corridor, the violent-haired woman Rawna came into view, her fierce demeanor and dark aura unmistakable. Risebelle’s anger fred upnizing the woman who had attacked Shadowcroft.

  Oysa, Rawna, and Kintovar arrived at the cell, Roselle’s face brighte the sight of Kintovar, and she excimed, “Dr.Kintovar!”

  Risebelle, however wasted no time in speaking. “What is ‘she’ doing here?” Risebelle poi Rawna with her face turning into a scowl. “She nearly destroyed Shadowcroft wrecked Roselle’s on. What’s the meaning of this?”

  Kintovar raised a hand in a calmiure. “I know its fusing. I uand you will have questions, and I promise to expihing. It’s a plex situation, but we’re here to release you. There’s been a ge in circumstances.”

  Oysa, with her wicked tone, added, “And it’s all part of the grand pn, dearies.”

  Kintovar tinued, “Oysa has agreed to a temporary alliah roup. We don’t have much of a choice but to act together now.”

  Risebelle’s anger seemed to subside, albeit relutly. “Expihing. We want to know what’s going on.”

  After Kintovar expihe situation and the unlikely alliah Oysa, Risebelle, although still cautious, seemed to accept the y of their current circumstances.

  The group moved on to Mystimona’s cell, where they found him in a meditative position, surrounded by airely white space. He opened his eyes as he seheir presence.

  Mystimona looked at the group and smiled. “Wele, everyone. I see you’ve made some ued friends.”

  Kintovar nodded. “Yes, Mystimona. We’ve formed a temporary alliah Oysa to deal with my mission. Together, we are going to collee of the Goddess items. It’s a plex situation, but we o work together.”

  Mystimona closed his eyes briefly. “I uand. I trust Kintovar’s judgment. If she believes this is the best course of a, then I’m on board.”

  Mystimona and Rawna locked eyes after Mystimona opened his own and a tension filled the air. Their auras, one purple and the other bck, were visible for a moment.

  Mystimona’s gaze held curiosity and wariness. “Part of me still wants to finish what we started,” he admitted, addressing Rawna. “ht was cut short by Shadowcroft’s intervention, and it left things unresolved. What about you... don’t you wanna finish that fight… right here, right now?”