In a pristine, austere white room devoid of any furniture or windows stood a little girl wearing a simple pale gown.
"Where's dad?" the little girl asked.
"He's busy with something important, dear."
She looked up. "Why?"
"His research will end up saving the world from ruin. Once it's done, everyone in the world will become happy and free!"
The little girl looked down, pursing her lips. She heard that promise a million times before.
"But what about you, mom? Can't you play with me?"
The woman wearing a bronze cuirass and pteruges jutting out of her shoulders caressed the little girl's cheeks. "My work is important too, Katty. I'm out there disciplining bad guys, making sure they can't do bad ever again."
The little girl crossed her arms around her chest for comfort. "But… What about me?"
A warm hand touched the little girl's heart. "You have an important job too, dear. Inside you is a powerful weapon we call the GodForge piece. When you grow up, it's going to be your source of strength that can help you defeat all the bad guys in the world, just like me."
The little girl looked up at her mother, her face full of hope and excitement. "Really? If I… if I become as strong as you, will I finally be with you and dad forever?"
Her mother hid the grimace in her expression. "Yes, dear."
Then, the woman turned around and took out something from her back, holding it tight in her hands. "Open your hands, sweetie."
The little girl did as she was told and a vaguely humanoid straw dummy plopped into her hands.
"This is my gift to you. Keep it close with you at all times and it will feel like your father and I are always by your side."
Cradling the straw dummy into her chest, the little girl smiled. "Okay, mom!"
…
…
…
Katarina gazed wistfully at the pink teddy bear in her hands, a single tear drop falling into its fuzzy skin.
She wiped her moist eyes and laughed at herself.
On this quiet night, all she wanted to do was hold it in her hands and find comfort and solace that she hadn't felt in a long, long time.
{Everything's okay as long as I'm with you!} the teddy bear said, having its voice box inadvertently triggered.
"Hehe, you're so cute," she muttered under her breath. This was the first time she'd seen something so lovingly sweet and adorable. Its beguiling smile charmed her to no end; how could she resist something like this?
Anyone who knew her personally would find it extremely uncharacteristic of her to act so besotted and feminine.
She knew that. That's why she rejected it in the first place. But right here in her lonesome in the deep dead of night, no one could see her become vulnerable.
Or so she thought.
Leaves rustled in the distance, forcing her to awaken from her stupor. Her muscles grew taut. Her hands clawed and ready to grasp at this ungainly visitor in the darkness.
And with her Nascent Spirit cultivation, no one stood a chance against her assault, especially one that could have possibly seen her so vulnerable.
Her entire body disappeared, reappearing on the opposite branch on the other side of the tree.
Her claw-like hands were just mere moments away from crushing the throat of this shifty intruder.
"Wait, Katarina!"
After hearing her name being called out, she immediately stopped and yanked on the trespasser's wrist.
And just as she expected, hidden underneath their black sleeves was a tattoo of a golden sun with eight distinct rays, depicting the eight elemental mana of the world.
"You're one of us," she realized.
The hooded figure nodded, massaging his neck which was only mere moments away from breakage. "Did you see anything?" she asked him, her eyes glowing with a threatening glare.
"Saw what? I just arrived!"
Katarina looked down at his chest, feeling an even rhythm in his heartbeat. He was telling the truth.
If he had seen her with the pink teddy bear, then there was no quelling her anger and fury.
"Why are you here?" she questioned. No one was supposed to visit her while she was on a mission.
"It's urgent, Miss Katarina. We have seen signs of their activity here in New Sparta. They're deploying their troops."
Those people never acted spontaneously. They were meticulous in their planning, executing it only when they're sure of their success. After all, they prided themselves in keeping their name in obscurity. They struck hard and fast, leaving before anyone even knew they were there.
The fact that they were already deploying their troops meant that they were already past the point of planning and set-ups. They were ready to pounce.
Just then, a thunderous explosion rang out from deep inside the forest, briefly illuminating the whole Elven forest with a red incandescent light.
She turned her head into the direction of the explosion, only to see smoke billowing up the crests of trees and a deep tinge of red seeping out of their thick leafy foliage.
There was no doubt about it. They were attacking the Elven tribe.
Immediately, Katarina felt a tingle in her neck. Her hair stood on end. The prospect of them being in such close proximity to her awakened a deep, visceral, and feral reaction from her body.
She couldn't believe she was so stupid. She should have seen all the signs.
The worst part was that if she hadn't left to the outskirts of the forest, she could have seen their attack and stopped it before it happened.
She could have prevented all of this, if she hadn't let herself become vulnerable.
She shook her head. The battle was not over.
Resolved to rectify her mistake, Katarina disappeared into a blur.
And as she raced towards the village, there were two questions running through her mind.
What did they want with the Elves? And how could they have infiltrated the forest so deep as to attack them right in the heart of their village?